Page 43 of Cursed Alien

She bit her lip, troubled by the conflict between her new love and her family responsibilities. She couldn’t take Malrik back to the village, even if he agreed to go. The villagers might be tentatively open to the idea of trading with the Vultor, but most of them still regarded them with suspicion at best, outright fear at worst. They would be even less tolerant of Malrik’s beast form.

Behind her, Malrik stirred. His arm tightened briefly around her waist before relaxing again. She felt him nuzzle into her hair, breathing deeply.

“Morning,” he rumbled, his voice rough with sleep but clearer than it had been in their early days together.

She rolled over to face him, forcing a smile. “Good morning.”

His eyes, glowing softly in the morning light, narrowed as he studied her face. The fur around his muzzle had receded slightly, revealing more of his Vultor features. It was a strange blend of both forms, but she found it oddly appealing.

“What’s wrong?” he asked, reaching up to brush a strand of hair from her face with surprising delicacy for such large claws.

She sighed, knowing there was no point in hiding her concerns. He could read her too well now.

“I’m still worried about my father,” she admitted. “I was sure he’d come back once he recovered, but he hasn’t. What if he’s really sick? Or what if the wagon malfunctioned and never made it to Agatha’s? Do you think we can send that message today?”

His face darkened immediately. A low growl rumbled in his chest, and his arm tightened around her possessively. The beast was clearly displeased at the thought of her concern for another, even her father.

But then, to her surprise, he sighed heavily. The growl faded, and his arm loosened its grip.

“You should… check on him instead,” he said reluctantly, each word sounding like it was physically painful to speak.

She blinked, surprised by his concession. “Really?”

He nodded once, sharply, his eyes averted. “He is your father.”

The simple statement held so much meaning. He was acknowledging her bond with her father, putting her needs above his instinctive desire to keep her isolated with him. It was perhaps the most selfless thing he’d done since she’d met him.

A sudden idea struck her. “What if we check on him? Together?”

His head snapped back toward her, his eyes widening. “We?”

“Yes,” she said, warming to the idea. “We could go to Agatha’s together. You know her, right? She seemed to know about you when I spoke with her before.”

He frowned, looking uncertain. “Agatha is… old memories. Not all good.”

“But she helped me find you,” she pointed out. “And I sent my father to her because I thought she would help him.” She reached up to touch his face, running her fingers along the edge where fur met skin. “I don’t want to leave you, Malrik. Not even for a day. But I need to know my father is all right.”

He leaned into her touch, his eyes half-closing. “Dangerous,” he muttered. “For me. For you, with me.”

“I’m not afraid,” she said firmly. “And I won’t let anyone hurt you.”

A rumbling sound that might have been a laugh escaped him. “You protect beast?”

“Yes,” she said without hesitation. “Just like you protect me.”

He studied her face for a long moment, as if searching for any sign of deception. Finding none, he sighed again.

“We go,” he finally agreed. “But careful. Quick. No village.”

Relief and gratitude washed over her. “Thank you,” she whispered, pressing a kiss to his muzzle. “We’ll be careful, I promise. Just to Agatha’s and back.”

He nodded, then pulled her closer, burying his face in her neck and breathing deeply, as if trying to memorize her scent. She wrapped her arms around him, feeling the way his body shifted slightly beneath her touch—fur receding in some places, muscles changing shape.

“Should leave soon,” he murmured against her skin. “Before I change my mind.”

She smiled against his shoulder. “Let me get dressed and pack a few things.”

He reluctantly released her, and she slid from the bed, wincing at little as previously untried muscles protested. She did her best to hide it from him, afraid he would insist on putting off their trip. As she dressed, she glanced back to see him watching her with those intense yellow eyes, a mix of emotions playing across his features.

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