Regardless of my reassurances, he scrambles to light what he calls a fire stick and rushes over to examine me. “I knew I should not have.”

“Kala, stop. I’m fine, I swear. It’s common for women to bleed during their first time no matter how much we try and prepare ourselves. I’m not going to die from losing my virginity, I promise.”

“May I at least tend to you?”

“I’d like that.”

He wets one of the cloths we used to clean each other before we began and comes back over to gently wash away the blood and his essence that is slowly spilling out of me. I suck in a breath and flinch when he hits an especially tender spot and the tiny speck of silver that’s been present in his eyes since he entered me dims.

Once he’s thoroughly cleaned me he tosses the blood-tinged water outside and returns to the furs to pull me into his arms.

“I am sorry, but we can never do that again,” he announces.

Tonight is our wedding night and I don’t want to argue so I let it go for now. We’ll have the rest of our lives for me to change his mind. Instead, I snuggle closer to him and rest my forearm on his chest. My heart is overflowing with emotion.

“When I left Earth, I didn’t know what to expect when I got to Tavikh. But this place is more than I could have ever hoped for.” I lift my head and wait until our eyes meet. “Kala of the Krijese,youare more than I could have ever hoped for. Thank you for giving me a son and for being the best mate and father. You make my life complete.”

“Iris of Earth, I thought that I was claiming you, but in truth you have claimed every single part of me including both of my hearts. They are forever yours.”

Kala leans down and presses his mouth slit against my lips in his best version of a kiss. I sigh with the simple pleasure of it and lay my head on the crook of his shoulder. Before long, my eyes grow heavy and I drift off to sleep finally knowing what it feels like to love and be loved.

Epilogue

Kala

My world has changed since I first held Iris in my arms many moons ago. I stare out over our village from in front of my tent and take in all the differences nearly an entire sun cycle has brought. Scattered around the main fire are wooden seats my sneaky mate commissioned from the Tavikhi in exchange for what she called “hours of babysitting.”

She and Sorin would visit their village while I was out hunting and, while there, not only would she apprentice with Kyler and Sage, she would gather all the Tavikhi-human halflings and watch over them for their gogos and momos so the pairs could go on human “dates”.

Iris and I have gone on many of these dates ourselves since becoming mates. Most of them end with us mating, despite my vow that first time it would never happen again. My sweeney is stubborn and irresistible.

“Gogo.” Sorin comes racing to me and skids to a breathless halt. “It is time.”

Panic surges and I take off running toward the water source where he and Iris went so he could bathe. She is seated on one of the wooden benches I had moved there when she grew larger with our kit. Beneath her is a pool of water, and the traditional Tavikhi lower body covering is soaked.

However, she graces me with my favorite kind of smile at my approach despite the beads of wetness that line her brow and trickle down her temples. Pain is etched on her face, but still she radiates happiness.

“Breathe, honey. It’s going to be awhile, yet.”

I cannot breathe. She reaches her hand out, and I take it.

“Everything is going to be fine, remember?” Iris says.

Just because I remember does not mean I believe it is true. The ever-present fear grows, despite every reassurance over the last nearly nine moon cycles by Kyler and Sage that my mate—along with our kit—are doing well. All I can do is nod in agreement with her, because I cannot make myself form the words.

“We must go.” It is the only thing I manage.

“I’m ready.”

She agreed to go to the Tavikhi village to give birth since we do not have any healer besides her. Although Moshi is learning a few things about healing from Iris, he is not skilled in birthing kits, especially if something might happen.

I scoop my mate in my arms and head toward the path that will lead us to down the hill to the Tavikhi village. Sorin follows on my heels. She wraps her arms around my neck and glances over my shoulder at him.

“Before the day’s over you’re going to have a brother or sister.”

Our kit’s excitement has grown with each passing turn. Like Iris, he doesn’t carry the worries that burden my shoulders and he should not. They are mine to carry for both of us. That is what a gogo does.

He rushes to catch up and appears at my side. “I will be the best big brother ever. I will teach them to throw my war axe and how to skin a dreri and leburin. I will watch over them and make sure they always have enough to eat even if that means giving them some of mine.”