He smirked into his glass. “I didn’t need help.”
“You are pretty badass, Kaede!” Tori reached over with her hand raised.
Kaede stared at her in confusion then glanced at her mates for help. Auro pointed to her and slowly clapped his hands.
“Come on, man!” She shook her raised hand in front of him. “Don’t leave me hanging!”
Slowly, he raised his hand—and she slapped it. What the Stars?
He glanced down at his hand, then looked at her, wondering what that was about.
“Earth humans are weird.”
“Are you sure you don’t want me to heal—”
“Leave it, REI. Please. It’s a status symbol. Only interfere if it becomes infected.”
“Okay, seriously, Kaede,” Luwyn began. “What happened?”
“Selena marked me.”
“Selena did that?” Celyze pointed to his wound. “There is no way our—”
The room stilled as they stared at the entryway. He knew who had entered from his blood compass and her scent. Selena wrapped her arms loosely around him from behind.
“How are you feeling?” Her voice was laced with concern. “I really took out a big chunk of your skin, didn’t I?”
The room filled with coughs and gasps.
Kaede took a sip, loving their reactions. It was like they had never seen anyone mark a mate before.
“I will never complain about my hair ever again,” Tori muttered, shaking her head. “I love it and I don’t need anything else.”
“Are you well?” Zyxel’s face paled as he glanced between Selena and him. “Do either of you need assistance?”
Selena circled Kaede and sat on his lap, tilting her head as she peered at his neck with concern.
“Maybe you should—”
“I’m fine.” Instinctively, he wrapped his arms around her waist and grinned. “This is the best present I’ve ever received.”
“I didn’t know you wanted to be claimed so bad.”
“Feel free to mark me as you please.” He chuckled. “My body has plenty of scars as it is. A few more can’t hurt.”
“You have too many scars, Kaede.” Frowning, Selena shook her head and cupped his cheek. “Don’t purposely get hurt just so you can brag about your battle wounds. I’ve heard stories about your past from your siblings. You’re a mated male now, with a clan.”
“I swear I won’t endanger myself on purpose, as long as you don’t attract any more...” Kaede’s gaze slid to Ryzen. “Criminals.”
“You think I wanted to be kidnapped?”
“No.” He huffed. “But that doesn’t mean you don’t attract the wrong crowd.”
“Are you sure you’re okay, Selena?” Zyxel hedged. “You aren’t injured?”
“Zyxel.” Rolling her eyes, she twisted to face the crimson male and pointed to her neck. “If you look closely, you’ll see another mark on my neck from another mate. Marking is a part of their tradition. I’ve marked all six of my mates, and sometimes I mark them again in the heat of passion. It’s customary in my clan.” She smiled. “I am perfectly fine, and if Kaede says he’s fine, then there’s nothing to worry about.”
Something about Selena in the presence of unmated males unnerved him, but he refused to ruin the moment with his unreasonable instincts.
Tasting the air, Kaede breathed in her scent and squeezed her tighter as if to remind himself that she was officially his.
No one could deny their claim on each other.
He would kill anyone who dared come between them before he ever lost her again.
The fire in his veins may have been subdued momentarily, but he knew it would soon return in full force. Once it did, Kaede feared what would happen if the curious doctor did something to anger him in Selena’s presence. Perhaps it would be better if they remained within their room for the time being and only left for refreshments.
Glancing at Tori, he found her staring at Selena in awe. Nothing about her attracted his interest. Zyxel’s worry about him ravishing any female in sight was unfounded.
It wasn’t necessarily an unattractive female; she simply wasn’t Selena. He harbored no hard feelings toward the blonde Earth human and welcomed her friendship with Selena, as long as she passed Oeta’s vetting.
Kaede knew that Selena needed more friends, especially female friends, in her life. Regardless of his feelings about the two unmated males on his vessel, he hoped that the guests aboard the Abyss would be fine candidates.
“You bite your mates?” Luwyn asked, crossing his arms. “And they let you?”
“Yes. In fact, they think it’s erotic.” Selena shrugged. “Besides, the markings heal within a day or so.”
“And here I thought Kaede was the dangerous one.”
“I am.” He grinned. “Selena has some catching up to do before she can match my kill counts.”
Chapter Thirty-Nine Kaede
Blinking slowly, Kaede opened his eyes and took in everything around him.
The scents of their rigorous mating sessions blanketed the air and filled his nostrils. Memories of their passionate moments over the last few days flashed before his eyes, a glimpse of what he had vidrecorded for future viewing.
His star lay unconscious in his arms, oblivious to the universe around her.
For once in his life, he felt like he was where he belonged, in the arms of his mate and safe from outside pressures.
Within these walls, he could be himself—even during their heated lovemaking—without needing to worry about protocols or sharing her with her other mates. He took his time worshipping the female that the Stars had gifted him, knowing that their moments alone wouldn’t last forever.
For these short days, she was his mate, and no one else’s. He knew as soon as they landed on Destima, his time with Selena would become almost nonexistent.
Her Circuli mates were in critical yet stable condition. She would be needed in the infirmary while the medical staff slowly nursed them back to health.
He understood this. He had no reason to be jealous, not when they had all their lives to experience together as mates. Yet a part of him wished he could delay the trip just to spend more time alone with her.
No, even when his mind was filled with the desire to bury himself in Selena, he understood that
