Page 73 of 20% Stud 80% Muffin
Bonic’s neat top knot had unraveled, and his long mane whipped at my cheeks. “JayJay…on three, heave,” he shouted.
JayJay’s muffled reply was barely audible.
In unison, we roared, “One… Two… Three…”
The gap grew, and JayJay’s grunts of effort were music to my ears. My muscles bulged and my heels dug into the ground, but no purchase could be found. Before my feet skidded beneath me and the rock slipped back into place, Makir’s panicked cry rang out. “Geo, I can’t breathe.”
He’ll pass out if I don’t get him out of there.
“Again,” Bonic bellowed.
“One… Two… Three… Heave!” I shouted.
The long rib creaked and bent as I pried. Please don’t snap, I begged.
The boulder gave way, and the relief flooding me left me lightheaded.
Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
I was engulfed by a bundle of gingersnap and juniper as I marveled over how thankful I was that Makir had been trapped with an eight-foot Rock Dweller.
“Bless the goddess Sola, you’re all right!” Tears ran down Makir’s face. His lavender eyes overflowed with love. “You’re hurt.” He manically rolled my hands palm up and down, examining cuts I’d been unaware of, then drew a finger over a large gash in my pants. “What happened?”
I gulped. My heart hurt so much, but in the best of ways. No one had ever looked at me like that before.
“Shhh… I’m fine now. I’ve got you, little lion.” My hands smoothed over his pointy ears, his hips, down the tip of his tail and over the zipper covering his protective pouch. “You’re fine. We’re fine.” I pulled his face down to my chin and breathed deeply into his mane. The sounds around us slowly drifted in.
Ginger joined us, clinging to my elbow, her arm trembling, and I pressed her to my side until her knees grew solid in our huddle.
From our circle I watched as Jast reassured Bonic. “Yes, I’m positive I’m all right.” Jast cupped Bonic’s jaw. “The youngling’s fine—feel for yourself.” She gathered his hand in hers, and with their fingers intertwined, she placed his palm on her belly. “Janny hovered over me the entire time, just as you would’ve.” She smiled at her guard, and Bonic slapped him on the back.
Ginger moved to stand behind a stiff JayJay and planted her hands on her hips. “Let’s get the hell out of here. I don’t want to be around when that screaming thing returns. It gives me the major creeps.”
With Makir safe and his tail wound around my calf, my mind wandered. What I felt for Makir was uncontained. It escaped and spread like glitter, no matter how hard I tried to rein it in. My emotions were a force of their own whenever Makir came near. That was part of the problem. I hated the constant roller coaster. I didn’t know how to alpha.
Would it mean behaving like some dude bro for the rest of our lives? Maybe Dr. Ten had a prescription for that. An anti-alpha medication. There must be something like that, right? But if it meant experiencing this kind of love…this adoration…this want to never be separated, then I’d do whatever ittook.
Screw my plans for a construction company of my own on Earth. I was never leaving Makir’s side.
Bonic’s arms were wrapped around Jast, his hand splayed over their unborn youngling. She wasn’t complaining about his fawning for once as he carried her over the sharp rocks back to the hoverbikes. Ginger was shaken but held up remarkably well, holding my hand as we navigated the churned ground. Makir’s tail was wrapped around my wrist, and JayJay’s jovial personality was nowhere to be found as he marched through the rocky outcrop like a Rock Dweller on a mission. Janny took up the rear scanning for danger.
A shriek rent the air. Like a thunderbolt, the crack sent a flight of woodskies into the air as we reached the miraculously unharmed hoverbikes. The monster worm’s message was loud and clear.
I’m still here.
JayJay grew unnaturally still, almost haunted. “Hellsna.” His lawnmower-like voice rang out. He had everyone’s attention. “That thing—you named it a worm monster—it’s a ‘hellsna.’ We fight them on my home planet Yagras. I’d recognize that scream anywhere.”
Makir’s tail unwound from my waist and leashed my wrist, cuffing our hands together.
“You used to fight those things?” I gasped.
“JayJay, if you would come with me to visit Mayor Yurst before my departure regarding this matter, I would be in your debt.” Bonic’s authoritative voice coaxed a reluctant agreement from the giant Rock Dweller.
“I’m glad you know what we’re dealing with and all, King Kong”—Ginger let go of my hand and strode to JayJay—“but can we get the hell out of here?” She tugged on his rigid arm and pulled him to his hoverbike.
At the private departure lounge the next morning, I wiped a stray tear from Makir’s cheek and pulled him closer to my side. One hand drifted up and down his rib cage, the other waved goodbye to Bonic and Jast as they passed through the final security checkpoint with Janny on their heels.
Bonic turned back for a minute, lashing his tail. “Mayor Yurst is about as competent as a batsa, but the message was driven home. He will take action. You have nothing to fear with JayJay in your arsenal.”
