Page 11 of Orin

Moaning, I ached for more of his touch. My desperation grew as I pleaded for him to make love to me.

His seductive grin sent shivers down my spine as his eyes glimmered with warmth. Then he parted my thighs and knelt down between them. His face reflected utter devotion as he leaned in and swiped his tongue along my crease.

In an instant, I was wide awake and let out a disappointed groan in response.

Overwhelmed by a tingling sensation, I had to pause and catch my breath, feeling as if a thousand tiny electric shocks surged through my body. I exhaled with a mix of frustration and discomfort as I became aware of the wetness between my thighs.

As I fidgeted in my seat, I found myself unable to stop replaying the intimate encounter in my mind. I was left with a heightened sense of arousal and a flushed feeling. Deciding to treat myself to a quick shower and some much-needed self-care, I got up and began to strip off my clothes.

THE FANTASY-FILLEDshower did little to quell my craving, leaving me wanting more. My sexy warrior continued to dominate my thoughts.

Grunting, I reminded myself he wasn’tmysexy warrior at all. Despite grabbing a snack that failed to provide the dopamine boost I wanted, I found solace in sipping Tulian tea, its warm and comforting aroma filling the air.

Before long, sharp cramps began to gnaw at my belly. The longer the pains persisted, the more my discomfort intensified, making me increasingly uneasy.

To be on the safe side, I chose to have Rekna come to my suite rather than walking hunched over in pain to the infirmary. When he arrived, he was holding a scanner and had a furrowed brow. “Where does it hurt?”

“My lower abdomen. It’s sharp. Could they be contractions? The baby was kicking a lot over the last few days, but this isn’t the same thing.”

Rekna helped me to the sofa and had me lie on my back. “For how long have you been experiencing discomfort?” He leaned over me with his scanner in hand.

“About an hour, on and off.”

The idea that the excitement of myshowermight be related to my cramps made me cringe, but I didn’t mention it to Rekna.

The kind medic gave me a quick once-over and scanned my belly. When he stood with pursed lips, I knew he was about to speak. “You are not in the process of giving birth. The discomfort is caused by the mild contracting of your uterus.”

Discomfort? I’d say it was a little more than that.“Are you sure?”

“Quite sure. Queen Grace mentioned this sometimes happens with human females this late in their pregnancy. I will give you something to help with the pain...don’t worry it is safe for the youngling.”

I bobbed my head. “So... false labor?” Though Grace had told me it could happen, I hadn’t expected it.

“Yes.” His lips curved into a smile. “Scans show a lively youngling, but not yet ready to emerge.”

I felt a mix of disappointment and relief because I wasn't prepared to meet him yet.

“Okay, good.” I gave him a sheepish grin. “I'm sorry for bothering you.”

He nodded while wearing a smile. “You did not cause me any inconvenience. I am here to serve as your medic. When you have a health concern of any kind, contact me. Day or night.”

A happy chuckle escaped from me at the sincerity in his words. “Thank you for being so understanding, Rekna. I’m happy you are my medic. I wouldn’t trust anyone else to take care of me and my baby.”

The cheeks of the older Alaran male darkened a deeper shade of blue-green and he exited my apartment.

6

Orin

IT HAD BEEN MANY ROTATIONSsince I joined the city guard, and the attacks on hybrid Alarans had only gotten worse. We had arrested and detained at least ten of them, but every time we did, they would be released later the same day.

A senior member of the city guard voiced their disappointment to me about the release of the males.

In order to obtain information, I spoke with other guards who acknowledged that Commander Tinuk was the one who authorized the release of the males.

When the Commander asked me to come to his office, I eagerly went to speak with him to understand why he was letting the offenders go. It made our job much more challenging.

“Take a seat,” he said, sitting down at his desk and leaning forward.

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