Page 64 of The Thren's Fated

Lena crossed her arms over her chest, fury building as he played coy.

“Your sister stopped by to check on you, said something about how happy she was that we found each other. Since we’re fated. What the hell does that mean?”

She tried to keep her voice calm, but an air of panic surrounded her, threatening to suffocate her like a cloud of smog.

Screl eased out of the bed, clearly still sore from the violence of the previous day. He took a couple of steps toward her, but stopped short of reaching her.

“Please, Lena, I need you to listen and understand.”

She waited, her pulse quickening as he continued to prolong his answer. What the fuck had he done to her?

“I was not quite honest with you about what being compatible mates meant…”

Screl’s eyes were on the floor, his arms wrapped around himself as his tentacles swayed listlessly behind his back.

“Well?” Lena asked, her voice sharp as she waited for him to continue.

He finally looked at her, his face contorted into a grimace, which made her stomach turn.

“By compatible mates, I do not mean that it is merely physically possible for us to reproduce. It goes far beyond that. Every Thren has a fated, though not many are lucky to find theirs. The galaxy is vast, and our species has spread from Botune, traveled to the stars. Those who find their fated are considered blessed by the Gods.”

Lena was trembling, trying to stop the erratic shaking.

“I have known since I was a young hatchling that a human was my intended. I am not certain when the thought first came to my mind, but when it did, I felt sure that it was the truth, sure that I would find my fated one day despite the fact that she was a different species. I have waited so long for you.”

“So. If it’s true that there’s some cosmic reason we met, I still don’t understand what that all means. Did you really have to kidnap me? You couldn’t have just asked me on a date like a normal person?”

Screl chuckled awkwardly, pacing around the room.

“I admit I acted rashly. But after all this time, I could not wait any longer. Not when I saw what happened to you at the bar, the way that male put his hands all over you. You weren’t safe there.”

“That’s not an excuse,” Lena rasped, tears welling in her eyes.

She was overcome with emotions, and it was impossible to tell exactly what those emotions were. Fear seemed to supersede all, the thought of some celestial being forcing her hand, forcing her decision, making her feel ill.

But it didn’t seem so farfetched. She’d been enthralled by Screl from the moment she first met him, despite the anxiety and misgivings. She’d given herself to him readily even though he’d abducted her, taken her against her will, lied to her about the fact that they were fated to be together.

Screl watched her with a horrified expression, opening and shutting his mouth multiple times as if trying to find something to say.

“So, what’s going to happen when I go back to Henios?” she finally asked, sniffling hard.

The Sovereign clearly expected her to return, and though that had once been her primary goal, it now filled her with dread.

“I will have to return with you. Or you can stay on my ship with me.”

Lena furrowed her brows, ignoring his alternative plan.

“And the Sovereign would let you do that? Just stay on an Alliance space station?”

“There is no other way, amoreth. We are tethered now.”

“Tethered?”

“Permanently bonded. It will be… difficult for us to be parted.”

“Difficult how?”

Terror flowed freely now, thoughts coming and going before she had a chance to grasp them. What was he talking about?