The next chapter is posted! Enjoy :)
Yeyinde and Natalie have been on home world now for about a week.
Within that time, things seem to be going smoothly for them. Surprisingly, no one has really bothered them. And Yeyinde hopes it stays that way, for Natalie's sake.
She seems to be adjusting quite well and has seen their friends on passing on a few occasions. Just the other day, they saw Kaail walking hand in hand with Luar-ke, Dachande's sister.
Natalie thought they looked cute together, both of them were sporting big smiles as they walked on the large path through town.
It was pretty apparent that the two of them have mated and decided to stick together for the rest of the season. At least that is what Kaail told Yeyinde and Natalie when they bumped into each other.
What really threw Natalie off the most though, was when they told her congratulations.
At first, she didn't know why that was. Until Luar-ke informed the young woman that she was pregnant. Natalie laughed it off at first, believing there was no way they could tell that. Not this soon after her and Yeyinde have had sex a handful of times within the last few days they have been here.
But Luar-ke insisted it was true. Then the female yautja explained to her about pheromone changes in the body that occur upon conception. And how her and the other yautja can smell it on her too.
Natalie looked to Yeyinde who was staring right back.
"Why didn't you tell me?" She asked him.
"I'm sorry, Natalie. I guess, I didn't know how to tell you. I also wasn't sure you'd believe me. Seeing as you can't smell it like we can. I also wasn't sure how you would take to the news, seeing as it happened quicker than I thought it would. You conceived the very first night we mated." He admitted.
"It's good too, because it also means other females can't challenge you for the right to mate with Yeyinde. It's against the law to engage a pregnant female in a challenge. It could cause them to lose their unborn pup if they did." Luar-ke stated.
Natalie's eyes widened in surprise.
"Wait, hold up! You're saying that other females here will try to fight with me over him!? That's insane! What? There aren't enough males around here to go around or something!?" She exclaimed.
Both Kaail and Luar-ke looked at each other than to Yeyinde.
"Hunt Brother, you didn't tell her about this? It's something important she should know. Otherwise, Natalie won't know why a female may shove her and try to initiate a challenge with her." Kaail said, surprised his best friend wouldn't have told her this important fact about their culture and ways.
Yeyinde's closes his eyes with a sigh, then his gaze shifted from his two friends to his ooman mate.
"I didn't want to worry you or scare you. Plus, with you being pregnant, I knew it wouldn't happen. Also, if I remember correctly, they won't challenge you since I decided to take you for a Life Mate.
The challenges are mainly issued to males or females that are unattached and not mated for life to the other they intend to mate for just a season or so." He told her.
Which was true, Life Mates were not challenged. They have made a commitment to that one mate and will refuse all others. But to know that they are life mates, he and Natalie will have to be marked.
"You taken her for a Life Mate?! Yeyinde, that's great news! Why didn't you say anything!?" Luar-ke inquired with excitement.
Even Kaail was a little surprised. Sure, he and the others knew their hunt brother was infatuated with the small ooman female. They even suspected he would take her for a mate.
But none of them would've ever thought he'd go all the way and take her ad his one and only mate for life.
"If this is true, Yeyinde, you and her need to get marked. It's the only sure way that no one will challenge her or you for mating rights. And you may want to do it soon, before she gives birth. Because once she's no longer pregnant, than she's fair game to other females who may wish to seek you out in the future for mating." Kaail informed him.
"Really? Despite the fact we'll have a child together, females will still try and challenge me after the fact?" Natalie inquired.
They all nodded.
"Yes, because many yautja have multiple pups from different mates. Just having a pup with one male, doesn't mean a thing." Yeyinde replied.
"We caution you to do so right away, Yeyinde. Word spreads, and Inu is on the war path with how you rejected her. I don't know if she knows about Natalie yet.
But we worry what she could say or do once she finds out about you and her. It's no secret she has pined for you for years, and this union will most likely enrage her." Luar-ke warned.
Natalie eyes shot back and forth between the three yautja.
"Who's Inu? And rejected? Is that why you came back that night all torn to shit when you came to get me from your sister's?" She asked.
Yeyinde nodded, "Yes, it was her. I didn't want her. So, she got pissed and attacked me. She was either hoping to enrage me so I'm not thinking clearly or force me into submission. Neither worked. I fought back and left."
"Yeyinde, it sounds like she...was trying to rape you. Surely, that is illegal here is it not?" Natalie inquired, with horror in her voice.
"Not necessarily, female yautja by nature are the dominant sex here. It is their goal to get a male into submission during mating. It's why you see many males and females right now with claw and bite marks. They both fight and the female usually ends up subduing the male into submission." Luar-ke explained.
Natalie was quite shocked to hear that.
"Is it...always like that during mating here?" She asks.
Kaail and Luar-ke shake their heads.
"No, not always. Like oomans, yautja all have their own unique individual personality. None are the same. Some prefer to be rough and violent. While others like Luar-ke and I prefer a more subdued gentle approach to mating. Not to say we haven't shoved at each other here and then, because we have. But it never gotten too out of control. You can see for yourself; does it look like her or myself are covered in any bite marks or scratches?" Kaail indicates.
Natalie did look the pair over. But apart from what looked like a couple faint bruises here and there, there was no sign of broken skin that she could see on them.
"No, I don't see any. It's nice to know it's not always like that. Personally, if a guy tried having sex with me like that, I'd beat the shit out of him with a baseball bat or a heft skillet." She said.
The three yautja laughed at that remark.
"You can still try that. Yeyinde may like it if you beat him over the head with a heavy blunt object during mating." Kaail teased.
Yeyinde grunted and rolled his eyes.
"Nah, I don't want to put any dents in his head. I like it the way it is." Natalie joked.
This made Kaail and Luar-ke laugh again at their friend's expense.
Yeyinde just wrapped his arm around her shoulders and gave her a look.
"You may not be physically aggressive, but you definitely have a sharp tongue at times and can be quite vicious with your words. Especially, when it comes to making fun of me." He retorted.
Natalie just smiles, "It's what I'm here for."
He couldn't help but let out a small chuckle at that.
That was an interesting conversation the four of them had. Though some of it was quite unsettling to the young woman. It didn't sit well with her that others here may challenge her for Yeyinde.
Between that and finding out she was in the very early stages of pregnancy; it certainly was a lot to hear in one conversation.
At the moment, they were sitting outside in the small backyard behind his dwellings. At least he had a nice view of what looked like a tropical rainforest that was beyond the border of his small yard.
Her hand unconsciously went to her lower stomach. She was excited to hear about the pregnancy. But she was nervous too. She didn't really know anything about yautja pregnancy and yautja children. She didn't know what to expect because her child was a hybrid.
"How long is gestation with your kind? With humans, it's nine months." She stated.
"It's seven months with yautja. But you're not a yautja female. So, we don't know at this time when you may give birth. It could be closer to your nine months or a little less. Depends on how fast our child is growing." He told her.
Then placed his hand over hers above her flat lower belly.
Natalie could see Yeyinde was just as excited about this as her. But then who wouldn't be excited at the thought of being a parent for the first time? Especially, when it's something they have been hoping for eventually for themselves.
She was just as surprised at how fast it had happened. He basically told her that he got her pregnant on the very first try that first night they admitted they had feelings for each other.
"When does an expecting female here usually make their first doctor's visit to check for growth and health?" She asks.
"First time is usually within the first two weeks after conception. I can take you next week to the healer to check." He assured her.
"Wow, that's very quick. But then on Earth, most woman don't find out their pregnant until they are about two months into it. Then afterwards they will schedule an appointment with the doctor." Natalie replied.
"They do it as early as possible, to make sure the unborn pup is growing at a normal rate and making sure they don't develop any issues that could be life threatening." Yeyinde said.
"You don't think, we will have problems because or baby is a hybrid, do you?" She inquires with worry in her voice.
It never occurred to him that his pup being half ooman and half yautja could set it up for any type of health or growth issues. But the healers they had in town are the best. They will know what to do and he's sure they will closely monitor his mate as the months progress.
"I don't think it being a half breed will cause certain risk factors. Try not to worry. We have some amazing healers her that will take good care of you and our little one. They'll most likely closely monitor you as your pregnancy progresses." He continued to reassure her.
The last thing he wanted, was for Natalie to worry about their pup. His blood did alternate her chemistry and DNA after all, making it possible for her to conceive his pups to begin with.
He believes that there shouldn't be any issues as their pup grows inside of her.
But if they do need to double up on their appointments to be sure, then they'll do it, no questions asked. Their pup's health and life were their top priority.
Yeyinde also had to closely monitor Natalie, to make sure her body is adjusting well to the hybrid pup she carries.
She leaned against him, and he wrapped an arm around her and purred. He knew there was still more to do in the meantime. He still has yet to inform his father that he decided to take Natalie for a life mate.
The young hunter was unsure how he will react to such news. Especially, since he seemed adamant that Yeyinde take a female yautja to mate with.
He looked down at her and her gaze shifted from the rainforest to his face. Her light blue eyes locked with his yellowish green ones, and she gave him a soft smile.
Yeyinde smiled back and leaned in to nuzzle her forehead.
No matter what his father thought, he does not regret his decision. He loves her and there could never be anyone else that could replace her. And he knew she loved him back and wouldn't settle for another.
Until Next Time ;)