Steph's Outcast

"I love Pak," I admit. "But that wasn't the deciding factor."

"Did the khui choose after all?" Sam asks. "Did you just not tell us?"

I bite my lip, wondering how much to share. There's nothing to be ashamed of, though. I'm allowed to change my mind, and telling them will get them off my back at least. "Actually, Juth decided. And I decided I agreed with him."

"Juth decided? What do you mean?" Sam gives me a quizzical look.

Quiet Elly frowns in my direction.

"He's not pressuring you, is he?" Sam turns upset, and I could swear that her bowl shakes as if she's trembling. "These guys aren't supposed to pressure anyone—"

"No no no," I say quickly. "It's not like that at all. It's just…" I think for a moment and then shrug. "So you guys know I liked to deliver the stuff for Juth and Pak, right? Well, Juth thought I was declaring that he was my mate and I was giving him gifts to show him what a good mate I would be." I smile at the thought. "And he was so attentive and lovely, and I realized I liked him, too. He said he wanted to join the tribe and it seemed silly to correct him."

"Aw!" Daisy's expression grows soft. "I love love. That's so sweet."

I glance around the fire, but it's just us. "I'd really like to not say anything to Juth, though—about the misunderstanding. I don't want his feelings to be hurt, and everything turned out the way I wanted it to anyhow." I smile, clutching my bowl close. "I'm really happy, actually. I don't care if I ever resonate or not. I just like being with him, and Pak is a wonderful kid."

"O'jek says that the Outcasts don't resonate." Daisy lets go of my arm. "So you probably don't have to worry about that."

It's on the tip of my tongue to say that O'jek can fall off a cliff for all I care, but that's just me being defensive. The logical, therapy-oriented part of my brain says that O'jek is blustering to hide some sort of unhappiness of his own. I shouldn't take it personally that he's so against Juth…but Juth needs someone on his side, and I love him, so I'm always going to stick up for him. "I don't think—"

"O'jek says what?" comes a familiar voice. The guy in question—O'jek—saunters up to the campfire and picks up a bowl. He glances over at the three of us as we sit nearby.

"Nothing," Daisy says sweetly. "Just girl talk. You wouldn't be interested."

He just grunts, and that kills our conversation, which suits me fine. People love to gossip here, and if I let it continue, they're going to run out of things to ask and then eventually it'll turn to how many orgasms I had today (three) and if Juth's tail underside is sensitive (yes) and if he's found my G-spot (not yet).

And really, some things are best kept between couples. Smiling, I pick up my spoon. Pak comes running over to my side, his eyes wide. He immediately climbs into my lap as if he's always belonged there. "Steff! Vaza told us a story!"

"Did he, now? What kind of story?" I automatically hand him my spoon and hold the bowl so he can eat my food, and look around for his handsome father.

Maybe it'll be a four-orgasm day if we can get Pak to sleep with the other kids tonight. I bite my lip at the thought.

25

JUTH

My spirit is humming inside of me, so full of happiness that it feels as if it spills out onto the beach. I grin to myself as I check my traps, and I do not even mind that they are empty. There was a good catch yesterday, and there will be more tomorrow. One day does not matter so much. I have raced through my route, and I am even now circling back toward the encampment on the beach. It is not long past midday, which means if we can find someone to watch Pak for a time, I can pull Steff away and we can head to the cave again. My cock rises at the thought, remembering yesterday afternoon.

I have thought of little else since then.

I was certain nothing would feel better than Steff's mouth on my cock. While she is eager to do so, it does not compare to sinking deep into her body, to feeling her clench around me as she comes. Of watching her teats sway and shudder with every thrust I make into her, and watching her face as a climax tears through her. It is the best of all things, and I feel like a bad father, because I cannot wait to get away with her again. I cannot wait to send Pak to play with the other kits for the afternoon, so I can push into my mate and fill her cunt with my seed.