You Don't Belong Here

Chapter Eighty Four

********Trigger warning: thoughts/words of suicide********

Zhan'tha had taken the strange human medication well, and his condition had greatly improved in the first day's worth of dosages. He woke his father early, and when the two entered the gathering room of Brielle's dwelling, they found Dhadtoudi to be still sleeping soundly atop the sofa. T'ahrou, going against his better judgment, decided to let his mate sleep a bit longer. Throughout their joining, he had grown used to the female taking a day here and there every few months or so to catch up on rest to keep up with the rigorous Yautja ways. Still, it seemed this time he had greatly underestimated her level of exhaustion. He would never admit it, but it appeared the Ooman traitor had been right after all.

"Good morning T'ahrou." He turned at the sound of his name, only to be met with the sight of the female in question standing in the kitchen with a steaming cup of dark liquid in her hands. She offered an awkward grin as she waved her delicate fingers through the air, but he did not respond. "Zhan'tha looks more cheerful today." He looked down at the pup in his arms and reluctantly clicked in agreement with the female. He wasn't cranky and uncomfortable as he had been in recent days, and for that, T'ahrou was grateful. "I'd say a few more days, and he should be back to normal." Silence lingered between them for a moment as Brielle took another sip of the drink and leaned back against the countertop. "Ghost tells me you've gotten better at understanding the English language since last we met. Would I be correct in assuming that's because Dhadtoudi likes to gripe about things without others being able to translate?" He didn't respond. "I don't expect you to forgive me, so I won't waste time asking. But what I will say is that I'm glad you three decided to come with me and not stay in the woods any longer than you already had. The baby's sickness could have worsened, or hikers could have discovered him while you were away hunting, and then you might never have seen him again."

A deep, threatening growl erupted from T'ahrou's throat now, and the sound sent chills coursing through Brielle's body. "You dare threaten my bloodline?"

"Not threatening, just thinking out loud. I've seen what you can do in a fight. I know better than to threaten your kid." She looked across the room at Dhadtoudi now, a concerned expression furrowing her brow as she watched the sleeping woman. "Does she usually sleep this late? Or this deeply?" T'ahrou let loose a trill of clicks that signaled he too was confused about the unusual sleeping pattern, but his amber eyes focused on the pup in his arms.

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"Keep him?" O'kaor was taken aback by the female's request. "For what?"

"I need a few hours of rest. Zhan'tha is completely unruly, and I need a break."

O'kaor scoffed at the woman's statement. "You wanted to reproduce, and you were allowed that sacred act. You asked for this. You wanted this. This is what you signed up for."

"Don't act like I don't understand that! It's a double-edged blade, O'kaor! Yautja do not require as much recuperation time as pyode-amedha, so it's easier for you to bounce back! All I'm asking is for you to watch him for a few hours so I can take a break! I'm at my wits end!"

"You act like it's so hard to care for a pup. All you soft meats are always so dramatic."

"He cries constantly! I try to feed him, but he refuses! He's not messed himself, does not need a bath,  doesn't want to be put down, nor does he want me to hold him! No matter what I do, it's wrong!"

"So get it right, and he will stop."

"WHAT DO YOU THINK I'VE BEEN TRYING TO DO ALL DAY?!" O'kaor let slip a threatening growl to remind the female not to overstep her bounds with his patience, but he was reminded that females reigned supreme on their planet. A harsh counter-reprimand left the oversized male silent as he lowered his eyes before the human. "DO NOT MISTAKE YOUR SIZE FOR DOMINANCE!" The doorway slid open, and T'ahrou stepped inside the dwelling now, confusion filling his eyes as he looked from his mate to his cousin. He was about to tell Dhadtoudi to calm down and stop yelling, but she must have known it was coming. As soon as he opened his mouth to speak, a sharp hiss slid from her lips as she turned her heated gaze on her mate. Her gray eyes were dark and sunken in, the usually white sclera reddened with either lack of sleep or an earlier bout of tears, likely both with how her mood swings had been as of late. The patriarch of the group decided to hold his tongue. A moment later, she shifted her eyes back to O'kaor with newfound anger burning in her weary eyes. "I may have wanted to be a mother, but I am not immortal! I am allowed to be tired! I deserve a break just like the rest of you! I may be a mother, but I still require recuperation!"