Page 87 of I'm Not Your Pet

I’d made sure of that, going so far as to interrogate one of my contacts into admitting which of the events on Sha’hPihn would be most secure. At first, wanting to pad his own wallet, he’d tried to convince me to attend one of his own, but I had refused. Huu-goh’s safety was of utmost importance and he hadn’t been able to promise me his security would be nearly as satisfactory as the event I’d ended up buying us tickets to.

I wasn’t above using my size and status to intimidate, though I didn’t do it often. However, nothing in my life had been more important than this “date” with Huu-goh. My contact had quaked in fear as I towered over his desk, claws digging into the surface. With my tendrils flailing behind me, I knew there wasn’t a being in this galaxy who would not give me what I wanted.

The bulbous alien had immediately told me what I wanted to hear.

We’d finished our business as usual afterward, but he wouldn’t stop quaking the entire time. When I’d left, he’d hurried after me to try and mend the bridge he’d burned. It was almost laughable, really, that he thought I cared.

I only had so much time and energy, and all of it belonged to Huu-goh.

I was snapped back to the present by Ushuu’s poking and prodding as he carefully adjusted the uncomfortable clothing, making sure the seams lay flat. He’d been kind enough to procure this for me when he’d been out and about, and I was grateful, even though I had already decided that I hated wearing it.

“You look cute,” Ushuu teased. I glared at him. His smile softened. “He will love it. It may seem odd to you—” Ushuu’s lavender gaze was warm, “because it is not our way. But where Huu-goh is from, what you are wearing right now is…special.” Ushuu’s voice was reverent as he studied me, pride written allover his face. “If you want to impress him, this is definitely the way to go.”

I nodded.

My hearts ached anew.

“Huu-goh will be able to take over for me,” Ushuu said. It took me a moment to understand that he was talking about his duties on the ship, and not dressing me in huu-man clothing. “Maybe not this flight, but the next.”

“Ushuu,” I reached for him, and he came willingly, our snouts rubbing as I closed my eyes.

“All I’ve ever wanted was to see you happy,” Ushuu told me. “I do not have children of my own. Afterhedied—” He didn’t need to say the name for me to know he was talking about his mate. My first captain. The man who had taught me everything I knew. “I did not want to make a child without him.”

I nodded.

“I am glad,” Ushuu added. “Because there would’ve been no better son—pod-made or otherwise—than you, Roark.”

We hugged for a long time. The tendrils that could escape around our wrists did so, tangling together as our hearts thumped as one.

When we separated, I was more sure than ever that I had made the right choice.

“I will miss you,” I told him, and it was the truth.

“And I will miss you,” Ushuu replied.

I wished Huu-goh was here to comfort me with his strange humming song. Because I felt unsteady as I finished dressing and tried to focus on our “date” and not the fact that the only constant in my life would soon be changing.

Maybe it was good, though.

To let things change.

If I had always remained so resistant to it, I never would’ve met Huu-goh.

The collar of my new shirt was stiff and unyielding, and I tugged at it with a grunt. With purpose, I made my way out of Ushuu’s chambers—he’d graciously offered to let me change there so I wouldn’t ruin the surprise.

Mala was at the helm of the ship, keeping things running smoothly so I could take time off. Ushuu followed after me, keeping pace with my brisk walk as we headed down the hall.

“I should escort him,” I blurted to Ushuu only for him to shake his head.

“It will be more magical if you pick him up from your hotel room like we planned.” As we rounded a corner, a few recruits saluted us both. I nodded to them politely, though my mind was far from present. None of them commented on my strange clothing, so I figured it didn’t look as off-putting as I’d worried it did.

“I could?—”

“No, Captain,” Ushuu laughed, obviously amused. I wasn’t sure I liked being the butt of a joke, but I let it slide. These were extenuating circumstances. “Don’t overthink it.”

It was hard not to when I missed Huu-goh, and wanted nothing more than to nuzzle his orange fur and bask in his scent.

Normally I didn’t like deviating from the plans I’d made, but standing in my ridiculous getup, after my talk with Ushuu, I felt off-kilter. When Huu-goh was close, things did not seem so dire.

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