Vince swallowed. “You're having a child? I never thought you wanted one.”
“I didn’t, because I was afraid of being my grandparents,” he said, looking down.
“You are not them,” Vince barked.
“I know.” Seth grinned at Kal.
“Congratulations,” Vince said, drawing Seth’s attention back to him.
“Thank you.” Seth beamed, stroking the image of their baby as Kal snuggled him close. “We’re really happy.”
“I can see that,” Vince whispered.
“Perhaps you would like me to show you to your room,” I offered, coming up behind him.
Fear spiked in Vince, making my hands fist. Images of me forcing myself on him wafted through his mind as he ordered himself to stay still. “I’m good.”
“Of course. I merely hoped to offer assistance. Nothing more.”
Seth smiled shyly at me. “That’s so nice of you, Don.”
Kalvoxrencol looked directly at me and thought,Take him away, Captain. Please. I need a moment, and I don’t want to hurt my mate’s feelings.
Zoltilvoxfyn caught on to what was happening, though he couldn’t hear our younger brother. “It’s late. We should retire as well. Seth, you will have a busy day starting early. The humans will have questions. You are the leader of Team Human.”
Seth groaned, and Caleb laughed, bouncing in his seat before he stilled, grimacing in pain. He often forgot the differences in this body versus his old one. He was taller, broader, and stronger, but this body had been in a severe shuttle accident, which left him in constant pain, with scarred skin on one side of his head that was free of light gray scales and reddish-brown hair. His condition was managed, but even our technology couldn’t heal him.
Standing, Seth grabbed Kalvoxrencol’s hand. “We should go to bed.” Seth faced Vince and asked, “Did you want me to take you to your room?”
Only if you join me, he thought. “No. The captain here will show me the way.”
I led Vince out of the canteen. He stayed as far away from me as possible, nearly hugging the vine-covered wall. I watched him closely for an allergic reaction—something Bartholomew suffered from—but nothing. It appeared he was fine with the multi-colored flowering vines creeping over the ceiling that draped down the walls, the potted plants, and the blue moss flooring.
His thoughts bounced around from the plants to me to what the future held and to Seth. Always Seth. He never left Vince’s thoughts for long.
We stopped in front of his quarters, and I said, “Here you are.”
He crossed his arms. “Now you want to demand payment for saving me.”
“No.” I’d expected as much from his thoughts. “While you seem perfectly attractive and I don’t have a preference of gender in who I’m sexually attracted to, I have no interest nor would I force or blackmail you into such an arrangement.”
“Then why were you trying to get me alone?”
“I was attempting to remove you from Kalvoxrencol’s presence. He knows of your affection for Seth. He feels threatened. I wish to protect my younger brother.”
“If Seth truly loves him, he wouldn’t worry. And he has a fucking bad temper. I won’t leave Seth with someone like that again.”
I almost asked him to clarify when a fuzzy memory surfaced of a blonde-haired man slapping Seth across the face. My hands fisted. I’d known that Seth had been hurt in the past, but seeing my mate-brother abused made me furious. I wanted to hurt that human. Badly. I would protect Seth. He was my brother as much as the ones who shared my blood.
“Kalvoxrencol would never hurt Seth. Not physically or emotionally. He loves Seth, and Seth loves him.”
Vince scoffed.
“He does.” I didn’t like divulging private thoughts, but Vince had been hurt badly enough that he needed to be told. I’d seen his thoughts, and I’d had a glimpse of what he’d endured. “I do not say this to hurt you. In fact, it’s the opposite. Seth loves Kalvoxrencol. He doesn’t think of you romantically.”
“And you’re an impartial person to ask? You want me to go away for your brother’s sake.”
“No. Seth is ignorant of your infatuation, and he will not leave his mate.”
