My eyes widened when I realised that was exactly what she was doing.
She was taller than her friend but only by a unit or two, and this female stood up to me surely knowing that I could harm her, her friend, and every other female in the group without batting an eyelid if I wanted to. Her courage showed how much she cared for her friend, and I admired that. She was a strong female with an even stronger backbone.
She reminded me of my sister-in-mate, Nova.
“I did not mean to alarm her,” I said to the female, my eyes moving back to the dark hands on her waist. “I do not know what I said to cause her so much fear. Whatever it was, I apologise.”
“It is not you, baja,” the brave female assured me. “Believe me, this has nothing to do with you.”
I was surprised when I found myself curious to know what the female was so frightened of if it was not me.
“Her name,” I pried. “What is it?”
“Levi, sir.” The female swallowed. “I am Nuni. We’re homemates.”
I found myself nodding slowly. “Is she ... okay?”
“Yes, sir,” Nuni answered. “As I said, she is just shy. Your status amongst your people has likely freaked her out. That’s all.”
I didn’t believe her.
Levi’s scent of fear was too strong for her to just be alarmed by my presence. She was terrified of something. Her reaction told me that I was that something but that couldn’t have been true because this was the first time I had ever met her. Human females did not know of my shame of stealing Nova four moon cycles ago, only my family and Mikoh, the intended male of my only sister, Surkah, knew what I had done. I wondered what it was about me that could have possibly scared her so much, and I was surprised to find that I wanted to fix whatever it was so she would rid herself of that sickly-sweet scent.
It had been a long time since I felt the urge to protect a female in such a way, but it rose within me for this tiny, helpless human.
I took a step back. “Assure her that today I am just the group’s healer. She does not need to do the freak.”
I purposely used the unknown human term to relate to the females, and when Nuni and a few others giggled into their hands, I knew I had used it correctly. Levi rose to her feet with her eyes still lowered.
Relieved she was no longer on her knees with fear, I said, “Please continue with the lesson, Nero.”
My kin instantly continued with his teachings of the plant life in the area. I fell to the back of the group once more so my eyes could see everyone, but I found that my gaze kept returning to Levi. Her hand was clasped in Nuni’s, and they spoke in hushed tones with their heads together as they walked. Minutes later, when Levi peeked over her shoulder in my direction, I suddenly found the sky very interesting.
I didn’t know why, but I didn’t want her to catch me staring at her. Something about me scared her, and until I knew what it was, I had to make sure she knew I was no threat to her by not giving her my attention.
When I sensed her eyes were no longer on me, my gaze found her once more. My eyes rolled over her petite body, and I felt my eyebrows raise. She was a little one. Her hair was dark brown and fell in big curls to the middle of her back. Her skin was a wonderful soft brown and seemed to glow when the daystar light kissed it. I had gotten a good look at her eyes before she dropped to her knees before me and found them mesmerising.
One soft brown eye and one blue eye with a circle of that same soft brown around the pupil. Many Maji had duo-coloured eyes like this female, but she was the only human I saw to have two obvious different colours. I felt my cock stiffen ever so slightly as I watched Levi’s movements. She was slim, but the dip at her waist and the slight curve to her hips made my throat run dry, and that fact made me jolt with surprise.
No female had roused me sexually since my intended walked Ealra.
Suddenly filled with a sense of betrayal, I looked down at the ground, ashamed of myself. I should not be aroused by this small, terrified, helpless human female with beautiful eyes. I should not be aroused by any female. My intended female was dead, and my urges should have died with her too. It was my fault that Kovu was in the Beyond, so having such urges for another was like throwing dirt on her memory.