Page 40 of His Human to Learn

Thro gives her a smile that rivals any I've ever seen him have. "Do you want to smell my chest to see if we are meant to be mates?"

Jen leans closer to him, and I slap the back of my hand against Marron's shoulder. He looks absolutely repulsed and is, thankfully, already scooping our children up and moving toward the front door. I waddle behind him, not needing to see whatever is about to happen. I'm not about to cock block my cousin, though. Not when she's been waiting years to get her male.

"I am happy for them, but I am repulsed at the same time," Marron says as he pulls the front door shut.

The crops are high right now and almost ready for harvesting. A few males from the tribe are helping out, but today is their day off. Marron will walk through the fields later to ensure everything looks good, but right now, we're walking back toward Nia's farm.

"Were you worried?" I ask, bumping his hip with mine.

"Not even a little," Marron says.

He has Wren in one arm and Lark in the other. Carrying them like they're sacks of seeds. They're giggling and kicking their feet, thinking their father is playing with them when, in all actuality, they're just way too easy to entertain.

"Thro told me about some dreams he was having when the changing started to end. I'm surprised he didn't wake you this morning when he called out for his mate over and over."

"Oh." A look of surprise covers my face. "Well, then she was worried about nothing."

We're made acutely aware of just how little she needed to be worried, as loud moans from our house remind me that I walk way too slowly now that I'm so pregnant. My surprise turns into an awkward disgust, and Marron lifts our children to his head to cover his ears with their little bodies.

"Walk faster, Tori!" Marron shouts at me, a look of amusement on his face when he sees me waddling as fast as I can with my hands over my ears. "Hurry, or we will die in the most awful of ways."

I throw my head back and laugh, but I listen to Marron and hustle my waddle until I'm walking at what I would consider a very pregnant jog. Marron makes sure he doesn't make me walk too fast, and when I get tired, he sets the kids on the ground and offers me a seat in his lap while we rest.

"I am happy things worked out between your cousin and my brother," Marron nuzzles his face between my neck and shoulder. Wren and Lark chase each other around near us, falling to their butts and playing in the dirt when they get distracted.

"I'm happy to have you as my male," I say to him, lifting my hand behind me until I can feel one of his horns.

He hisses against my neck, opening his mouth and taking my shoulder in his mouth. He's never broken my skin with a mark, but he does like holding me between his teeth. I've bitten into him a few more times, but it's usually only used for special occasions like our anniversaries.

"We should see if Nia wants to watch her blood this evening while Jen and Thro are in the mating ceremony. We can get some alone time, maybe practice making a fourth babe."

I slap the back of my hand against Marron's chest. "I am still very swollen with your young."

"I know." He sounds pleased with himself as he pulls my tunic up enough to reveal my abdomen. He palms it between his hands and hisses softly against my neck again. "I am almost positive this is one of the promises I gave you. More often swollen than not, yes? I am just proving I am an honorable male."

I lean back against his chest, "Mhm, the most honorable. Let's get these babes to their blood so you can keep being honorable with me."

Marron groans against my neck and then helps me to my feet. "I will always be honorable with you. Always."

I stare up at Marron as he grabs a kid in each hand and hoists them up on his waist. He smiles down at them with adoration and joy. He's never raised his voice at them, and he's never gotten frustrated with them. Even when he's exhausted, he has patience that I will never understand.

Sometimes, he watches them as they sleep and tells me how he doesn't understand how a male could be so angry at his babe to hit them. He loves our children and promises them he will always protect them.

I stare up at the father of my children and shake my head because I don't know how I managed to mate the most amazing male.

"I love you," I tell him in English.

His eyes flash in amusement, "I love you, too. Always."

20

Marron

Fifteen Years Later

The house is cluttered, and there has not been a moment of silence since we invited everyone over yesterday afternoon. Not that I mind in the least. My mate told me she wanted to celebrate one of her human traditions many, many years ago, and since then, we have made a habit of having everyone come to our home for a couple of days to exchange gifts.

"Wren found all of the gifts yesterday," Tori says with her hand on her hip.

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