The Alpha's War/Soul Mate - Book 2

Part 21

"Umani, I've got the girl with me! Are you in there? Hey, what's with the hole in the wall?" Sandheeya asks coming in through the door, carrying the child.

"Unhand her, thief!" Al'Aeen says and charges towards the new arrivals.

Umani partially blocks his way however, and the big man outstretches an arm to simply shove him to the side, but the Black Coyote traps his arm, twisting and turning, using Al'Aeen's own force against him, planting him on the floor of the healer's room with a loud thud, with Umani taking a sitting position on his back, still holding his palm in an unnatural twist.

"Are you an idiot, Al'Aeen?"

"Sometimes. Could you let go? That hold there is really painful. What is that, Aikido?" The big man asks, panting for breath.

"Your Earth term is unknown to me. Look at Sandheeya. Just look! Did you see what she did when you charged her?"

"Yes."

"No, I want to make sure it's clear to you. So describe it to me in words!" Umani demands, briefly putting a little more pressure on the twisted palm to make his point.

"She protected her."

"How can you be more specific?"

"She used her own body to shield my child from me."

"What does that mean to you?"

"That you were truthful when you said your people would protect a child with their lives."

"At least you were listening. Do you feel calm enough for me to release you?"

"Yes."

"I need your word."

"You have it."

The elder man moves to release him.

"Umani, you can't be serious. He just tried to attack me! And you, judging by the hole in the wall."

"Shush girl! It's just cultural shock; he's still adjusting. Now get over here and hand him his child."

"But..."

A glare from the older man has her moving to obey his order.

"Are you alright, honey?" Al'Aeen asks, checking her over and obviously not expecting an answer. "It's all right sweetie, daddy's here."

The child just smiles sweetly at him, making baby noises.

"I understand I was out for quite some time. Have you... have you fed her?"

"Yes, she has been fed the same way as the other two her age. For was offered and she simply picked and ate whatever she felt like."

"And changed?"

"Yes. But I'm afraid we had to remove those strange pants she had on. There was poop all over and it was a mess. You can try washing them if you want, but the material seemed strange so we didn't know what to do."

"It's ok, just throw the diaper away, it is a disposable."

"And when you need to change her?"

"Get another one."

"Don't they run out?"

"So you go get some more."

"What a waste. What do you do with the ones that are dirty?"

"Throw them away, like I said."

"Where?"

"In a landfill or they get burned, I guess."

"Doesn't all that hurt the environment?"

"I guess. Never thought about it, really."

"Anyway, she's wearing normal, triangle shaped cotton diapers, which are easily washable. So all good now."

"I... thank you for taking care of her, though it wouldn't have been necessary if you didn't take her in the first place."

"Eya, how about you explain that to him."

"Well, first of all you were trespassing on our land."

"Sorry, but it wasn't my choice. And how can you own a forest?"

"The forest provides and we protect it. We are of the forest and she is ours to call home and defend. And we are also at war with the hog mutants, though we have only defended our land from their kind so far. We thought you were a spy."

"Lady, I have no idea where I am and why. I'm no spy."

"There was no way to tell. We needed to find out."

"And you couldn't ask? 'Hi there! Are you lost? Can we help you?' would have been a nice way to do it!"

"Exactly my point!" Umani adds.

"I'm sorry; we assumed wrong and we just wanted to secure you and bring you back her so we could find out more."

"There is a saying on my world. When you assume, you make an ASS of U and ME. And you made me hurt you and your pet cat. I think I killed it."

"Brahimir will be back to normal in about a week. And my hand is already healing, healer had to break it again and set it right, but it's all right now. I should be at 100 % in about two days."

"That makes no sense, if it was broken it should take weeks if not months."

"Remember Al'Aeen, different world, different rules. Even physical ones," Umani says.

"I guess you're right."

"I haven't been wrong yet since we started talking."

"Is he always this modest?" Al'Aeen ask Sandheeya.

"It's not arrogance if it's true. And annoyingly, he is usually right," Sandheeya says with a smile making the big man smile in return.

"Umani, I... I think there is something wrong with me and my head. I've been trying to recall my baby's name since Eya brought her in."

"Sandheeya to you, stranger. We aren't friends."

"Sorry, miss."

"Hmm. Call her E. She looks like an E, doesn't she?"

"That's a strange name."

"Got a better one?"

"No."

"So that's settled. What else?"

"I'm... I'm not recognizing my own body. I mean the shape is the same, but when you told me those numbers, I mean how high you are and the weight I'm at. I thought you were some kind of dwarf at first and you built a house to your size or something. Yet when I pick... E up, she fits the same in my arms, and she doesn't feel any heavier."

"Like I said, tests! To the training ground!"

*A.N.: A bit late but extra long again.

I've got so much more to say here that I'm issuing a FRIDAY Challenge:

This book is at 171 Votes now. If we reach 261, I'll upload the next part immediately, instead of on Wednesday.

Alternatively, there are 4785 votes on book 1. If we reach a total of 5000 on that one, I will update next part here immediately as well.

IF, and this is a BIG IF, if both goals are met - I'll update TWICE! (shocker right? Can't believe it myself!)

Have an awesome weekend!