His heart hammered in his chest, trying to break free. For months he'd longed to see her. Ain had told him little, only that she was rehabilitating a hound and that Asha was pregnant. Now she had two perfectly trained Yaut hounds and no suckling in her arms. Uh'luka didn't know if she'd lost the suckling, or if it was his to begin with.

Now that she was finally in front of him and he could get the answers he wanted, he was on duty. A guard was expected to stand like a statue--motionless and silent. Uh'luka hoped that she'd go for the door he was guarding, just so he could touch her again, hold her in his arms. Instead, he had to watch her walk away.

Asha's footsteps didn't go far, just around the corner. Her voice was so low, he assumed she was talking to herself, "Don't be a coward!"

Uh'luka held his breath.

A few moments later, he was blessed with the sight of her coming down the hall again. He could only watch from the corner of his eyes, but it made his knees weak. She strode forward with confidence, her arms swinging at her sides and her head up. The younger hound glanced up at her as he kept pace. The other one, with the broken spines and scars, had his eyes dead set on him and the second guard. Something made him think she didn't need the hounds for protection though.

Asha stopped in front of him again. She shifted her stance and brushed her hair behind her ear, "Um, actually there's something else I wanted to say."

Uh'luka let out a long, slow breath. It was the only communication he could give.

"I'm sorry."

His breath caught. Out of all the things he expected her to say, that was not one. If anything, he was the one that owed an apology. Several, actually.

"I called you unhonorable for hunting humans. I called you a liar, a cheater, and an asshole. I made you think I was leaving the planet. I overreacted, didn't let you explain yourself that day, didn't believe you."

Asha was strong, but not in the way most yautjas think. It took true strength to forgive and apologize. Asha was everything he wanted in a female--gentle, yet fierce. Forgiving, yet unyielding when something truly mattered to her.

"And I'm sorry for assuming you knew my culture when it took me so long to learn yours."

He waited for her to say more.

Asha looked up at him, waiting for him to respond.

She took one step back and started to shift away. His heart raced. His muscles tensed as he fought to keep himself in place. Uh'luka wanted to prove himself a good mate for her. If he moved or spoke, it wouldn't show his improved self-control or dedication to the job.

Asha's eyes glazed over with a frown, and he felt it like a lash to his heart.

Uh'luka realized he was making the same mistake again. He was treating her like a yautja female. As she turned away, Uh'luka reached for her arm. He didn't grab or try to restrain her. His fingers just barely grazed her skin.

There was a growl from the other guard, as well as her Yaut hounds, but he ignored it.

Asha swiveled to look at him, her brown eyes wide and expecting.

His throat was so tight he could barely get the words out, "What's the proper response to an ooman apology? Because I just want my mate back."

She let out a breath as her eyes dropped to the ground, then she looked up at him, "That works just fine."

Asha took a step towards him. She lifted her hands to him and traced her fingers around the edges of his armor. As her fingers slid up his biceps she took another step forward. They were inches apart. As her hands slid over his chest he noticed the deep color in her cheeks.

"I'll send you my address. As soon as you're off duty, come over."

She pulled her arms back and started to turn away. With a hungry growl, Uh'luka stooped to grab her hips. He lifted her off the ground and brought her against his body. The hounds leaped forward in unison. He felt the heat of their breath against his legs.

"At ease! Thanos, Jupiter…"

They backed off.

His arms tightened and a deep rumble came from his chest, "I'll have you now."

Uh'luka reached back to slide open the door he'd been guarding, then swiveled inside. He didn't bother with the lights. His eyes scanned for a suitable place to breed her. Inside the room was tables and chairs, too hard for her soft flesh. His eyes stopped when he spotted the russet-colored pelt on the wall.

Uh'luka stomped forward and yanked it down, hearing it tear. He spread it on the floor and dropped to his knees with the ooman in his arms. His heart was pounding so hard he thought it might burst. Uh'luka reminded himself not to harm her--but he was not gentle.

Most yautjas didn't bother to fully remove clothes, but Uh'luka wanted flesh. He wanted to feel her soft skin against his scales. His fingers reached for the fabric of her tube top and tore it down the middle, eliciting a sharp gasp from her. His hands went to the belt of her loincloth next. He tore it off just as easily and discarded the fabric.

He leaned back to get a full view of her body but it wasn't enough. His hand went to his mask. The tubes released with a hiss of air and he let the metal drop to the tile. His arm swooped around her midsection to draw her to him so his tusks could trail across her throat. His jaws parted, allowing his tongue to slide down the vein that gave away her racing pulse.

Her head tipped back as her lips parted with a soft moan. Under the metal codpiece, his cock jumped excitedly. His mouth traveled lower. When his tongue lashed across her nipple, her breathing hitched up a notch. Her scent ripened as he continued to tease her.

Asha arched into every touch, trembled in his arms, and moaned until she could take no more. Her fingers jumped to his armor. She pressed the release levers to remove his forearm guards, then jerked the straps to release the armor from his thighs and the spaulders on his shoulders. Her hands were shaking by the time she grasped his weapon harness.

The only thing left was his plated codpiece and loincloth. Her finger slowly traced the top of the leather band. He couldn't help but feel a familiar stirring in his belly. Her hands undid the buckle to the codpiece then tossed it aside. Asha grabbed the strings to his loincloth but before she untied it, her eyes flickered up to his.

His claws slid into her hair with a purr. It started out quiet but steadily built in his chest, increasing in depth and volume. He used the sound to reassure her. Though he was being rough, he was in control. He would not harm her.

Asha's fingers drew the string back and the cloth fell away. His cock twitched between them, swollen and leaking precum. Both still on their knees, Uh'luka used his hands to widen her stance. He positioned himself at her entrance and slowly forced his hips forward. A feeling like an ocean wave crashed over him as he joined with her.

He sank into her tight, wet heat, groaning all the way in. Asha managed no more than a stunned gurgle. His thrusts were dominant and powerful. They started out slow and deep but then became shallow and fast. As she started to lean back, her nails dug into his shoulder. His arm looped around her waist to keep her in place as he continued to invade her.

Her other hand went to the back of his head, fisting around a cluster of his dreads. He felt her body tighten. Her channel clamped down around him. Uh'luka got caught in the endless waves of pleasure and echoed her moans.

Finally, her body gave way. Asha cried out, her body in a spasm, before slumping against him. He allowed himself to do the same. Uh'luka let out a throaty bellow and arched his back, jerking his hips as he trembled and pumped seed into her body. He fell back onto the pelt, pulling Asha with him.

Unlike a yautja female, Asha wouldn't move away immediately afterward. She was content to lie on top of his chest, panting. His manhood slowly softened and shrank inside her. When she finally caught her breath, she stretched up to kiss him. Uh'luka made a soft rattle, then briefly rubbed the side of his face against her cheek.

He could have spent hours like that, but the hounds growled, signaling someone was approaching. Asha rolled off him and immediately reached for her clothes. They were nothing more than shredded cloth. She clutched the pelt to her body as the door opened.

A wide, burly male stood in the doorway, blocking the light from the hallway. Uh'luka recognized Zagros immediately. At first, he feared rebuke, but then his eyes spotted the suckling in Zagros's arms. It was a tiny thing, almost contained in the palm of the male's hand. Uh'luka stood up to see it better.

"Who is it?"

Uh'luka cocked his head before remembering her primitive sight. Asha couldn't see Zagros in the dark. "It's the owner of the house."

Her head dropped to the torn pelt they'd just had sex on. "Oh shit."

Uh'luka's chest pulsed with an amused rumble before his attention turned back to the suckling. The bony crests of its head were small and round. There were small tusks at the tips of its mandibles but no teeth. It squirmed inside the cloth it was wrapped in and open its eyes. When it let out a cry, Asha's eyes squinted in the dark.

"Zagros?"

The male turned on the light, making Asha wince.

"It is you." Asha clamored up, keeping the pelt wrapped around her torso.

Zagros handed over her suckling, then turned to Uh'luka as he got dressed, "You abandoned your post."

"Yes."

His amber eyes went from Asha to Uh'luka, "Ooman lives are fleetingly short. Make every day count."

Uh'luka brought his arm across his chest in a show of gratitude.

Asha's mind was still catching up, "This is your house? You gave Uh'luka a job?"

"Yes."

"Did you...did you set this up?"

"No, that credit goes to Ain."

Zagros stepped to the side and Ain popped his head through the doorway, "Have you told Uh'luka it's his offspring yet?"

"Ain!"

Uh'luka pivoted towards Asha and the tiny suckling in her arms, "It is mine?"

She nodded.

Even though its skin was mottled with faint red spots, he hadn't dared to hope.

"It's a boy."

Asha stepped closer and shifted the suckling in her arms, offering it to him. Uh'luka's muscles twitched but he didn't lift his hands. Sucklings were fragile and cried out when they were not with their bearer. Yautja females protected them fiercely.

"You don't want to hold him?" He could detect the sadness in her voice.

"I've never…"

"You've never held a baby?"

"Our females don't permit it."

Her lips broadened into a smile. Asha extended her arms towards him again, "Just hold him sideways in your arms like I do. Support his head."

Uh'luka cradled his son in his arms with a hum. It was almost weightless. Ever so gently, he stroked the suckling's cheek with his thumb. The suckling's mandibles twitched. He immediately turned his head in search of milk. As Uh'luka looked down at the tiny suckling a feeling filled his chest.

When he looked up at Asha though, tears were forming at the corner of her eyes, "What did I do wrong now?"

Asha let out a giggle and quickly wiped her eyes, "Nothing. Humans sometimes tear up when they're happy too."

"You're an awful, confusing species...but I love you."

~An deireadh~ (Irish for "The end")