I understood what he was telling me. I hadn’t been using our connection to communicate with them both telepathically. Doing so was a significant part of their society, and I needed to fit in whatever ways I could—I was already at a disadvantage being human and not having any extra appendages.
“I promise I’ll use our connection to communicate with you both more often. But to explain what I meant earlier, you both treat me so wonderfully. I feel spoiled with all the attention. I know you both feel it’s part of your job as nestmates, but I’m afraid I’m not giving enough back,” I whispered.
They scooted closer to me and each wrapped an arm around me, their tentacles and vines shifting out of the way.
Serenity spread from Odelm as he whispered in my ear, “You give us so much. I have you as my nestqueen and Xylo as my nestbrother. Soon I will be a co-father to three cubs. You grounded me—gave me stability. You allow me everything I have ever wanted and even that I never thought to dream of... Do not ever think such thoughts. I should be thanking you.”
“Odelm is right, Selena. We keep telling you... we are considered oddities that no one would want. You have granted us the bliss of having a nestqueen and give us so much more than any Circuli nestqueen would have. Our future may be unclear at the moment, but we will face it together as a clan.”
Something clicked within me, as if the pieces suddenly fell into place. I realized what I had been feeling this whole time.
I tugged on the golden threads that connected me to each of them.
“I love you. I love you both. I don’t know why it took me so long to realize that’s what I’ve been feeling... It seems so obvious now. I don’t know how I would be able to live without either of you—nor do I want to find out. But I am in love with the both of you.”
They squeezed me tighter, rubbing their heads into my hair.
“I have loved you since the night you claimed me,” Xylo’s deep mental voice rumbled, thick with emotion.
“And I knew I loved you the moment you court-bonded me. The envy and yearning I had been feeling vanished, and my love for you blossomed and has grown since then,” Odelm’s light tenor declared.
Odelm traced a few spots on my cheeks.
“It seems Selena got your bioluminescent glow, nestbrother, and my ability to color shift. Her spots morphed from white to the purple of love and passion when she told us she loved us.”
I gasped, holding an arm up to look. Odelm was right. All my white spots were now purple.
“Is this permanent?” I asked, awed.
“It should not be. Ulax only change their color when intentionally camouflaging or involuntarily as a result of extreme emotion,” Xylo explained as he traced the spots on my right arm.
“This proves that you love us,” Odelm whispered, settling back onto his side with a smile.
“Did I need to prove it?” I asked in a shocked tone.
Xylo’s fingers stilled on my arm. “He is teasing you. If I was able to feel the emotion in your declaration, then he felt it even more.”
He settled back beside me, and a contented silence fell upon us as they cuddled me between them.
I felt my lids becoming heavy.
“I love you both for who you are.”
“You honor me.”
“You’re my everything.”
Chapter Thirty-Six Selena
The past seven days had passed in a blur as we’d fallen into a comfortable routine. Both Odelm and Xylo seemed to accept Kaede’s constant presence. I think they appreciated his help watching over me when they were busy. And it seemed Kaede had grown more comfortable around my nestmates, though he didn’t remove his visor again in their presence. Odelm fished in the evenings in preparation for the cubs’ arrival, since Xylo thought I might not be able to fully sustain three growing cubs on breastmilk. He planned to make a fish paste we could use to supplement my milk.
The princes often joined us for meals and were amusing and relaxing companions. I enjoyed their company—especially as it became more effort to be active and roam the ship.
I’d even grown more comfortable with Chyox, Ayces, and Usthu. I no longer worried they’d harm me or the cubs, they genuinely seemed to care about our wellbeing and were respectful of my wishes. Even Chyox had mellowed, though he liked to express his opinions and they often did not jibe with mine. But I appreciated his different perspective.
But now? Now I felt ready to pop. I hadn’t realized it was possible for my belly to get this big without splitting, and I noticed Xylo and the other healers eyeing me from across the infirmary as they fretted over there being no signs of my labor yet. I’d been getting tired earlier and dozed off wherever and whenever I sat down, often waking to find Kaede or one of my nestmates had carried me to bed.
Today was my due date—at least based on Aldawi gestation. My body ached, and I was exhausted. The cubs were becoming more active. I was both ready for this idyll to end—and petrified of the change that signified. What would the cubs be like? How would it impact our now-comfortable lives? What would the future hold once we arrived at CEG HQ?
I currently floated in a warm floral-scented bath, taking the weight off my back and ankles. Xylo had run to the infirmary to grab a few essentials in case I went into labor in our suite. Odelm massaged my shoulders as I drifted, and for the first time since I’d claimed him, his magic fingers stroking my skin woke my arousal.
Odelm’s hands stilled as he felt my arousal through our bond. He
