Ax
She is my treasure. A piece of gold I keep tucked away in the darkness. In a place where they won’t find her. She is the only one I’ll ever take, ever truly own.
If the bastards find us, I’ll lose everything.
But I won’t let it happen.
Waking up with Anna hugging my chest is more than just a blessing. She's got a womb full of my seed and a heart that's ready and open for me. It’s a goddamn miracle.
Human women are beautiful, curious creatures. More often than not, they are faithful and kind beings that crave emotional bonding and support. Earth's men do not understand their ways, but I do.
I take care of her. Every single day, I wake for her. I have come to know her unlike any other man, alpha, or beast. I have watched the future mother of my child grow.
That changes an alien.
Anna barely opens her eyes as I mount her again. I fuck and expel the last bit of my seed. I can't hold back anymore. Now that she is healthy and obedient, it feels like a door has been opened. I feel like I could live like this forever.
She giggles and traces the swell of my abdomen muscles. Her finger stops near my heart. "You're insatiable," she says.
"Sometimes it's hard for me to accept I really have you," I say.
She lays her palm flat. "Nothing can come between us," she says.
That has become our little mantra. If we keep repeating it, it might come true. That’s what connection does to people. It creates a bubble of positivity. But how long until that bubble bursts?
She eyes me nervously as I stand. Sluggishly, I kiss her forehead. "We can't stay here for much longer," I say.
Glancing down, she picks at her mattress, pulling out a thin sliver of hay. "I had a feeling you'd say that again," she pouts.
There's nothing I hate more than letting her down, but I can’t lie to her. It's the truth. We need to keep moving.
When I first took her in that jungle, I couldn't let her get bought by a heartless alpha. I thought I could buy her, breed her, and maybe even let her go after my kin was born. A simple task. That would have been the right thing to do, but I never do the right thing.
Her healing was more difficult than I thought it would be. It took her weeks to fully trust me. Now that we’ve bonded, her pregnancy will only complicate our situation. I knew how much would be stacked against us, but the more time that passes, the more I feel caged.
Maybe the Earth Federation is right. Maybe I am an animal meant to be corralled and subjugated to their torment. Maybe I am a savage.
I lift her into my arms. "We need to find a planet that will accept us," I say.
"Then we have to be smart about how we travel," she says, climbing off of me.
Anna is still dripping as I slap her ass. “You got a plan?” I ask.
She rubs the red print on her cheek and sucks in a quick breath. "I've been thinking a lot about this. I always have a plan,” she says.
"Will I like what you're about to tell me?" I ask.
She bites her lip and shrugs. "Probably not," she says.
I use the ladder to climb out of the water reservoir. She follows close behind. "Not going to lie. I'm starting to miss the days you wore a leash. You were much easier to control."
When she laughs, her nose scrunches. Her cheeks turn flush. It’s hard not to fall in love with this woman. I only want to enjoy her. "There will be plenty of leash-pulling later," she says.
I step out of the reservoir and help her onto the dirt next. "What's your idea?"
"Clara can help us. She has access to flight manifests, clearances, you name it. She can get us a starship. We could get off this planet," I say.
He abruptly turns around and starts walking toward his shed. "Your Earth Federation buddy? Nope. Not going to happen."