This Alien Soul

Chapter 36

Alek

This couldn't really be happening. .

I sat on my new larger bed, in my new larger 'family' pod. Watching as my mother flitted around arranging flowers and fluffing pillows on the over large couch in my new living area.

"I think it's good mom. Any more flowers and people will think my pods a florist shop." I sighed, rubbing at my aching forehead as she brought in yet another arrangement. I really had no clue where she was getting them all. "Did you strip the gardens of all their flowers?"

"Psst... I left a few." She shrugged off my sarcastic criticism. She paused momentarily to take in her efforts. "Much better. Now it just needs some candles."

"Mom..." I had to put a stop to her madness. I stood to usher her out of the room. "I think it's looking great. How about we leave the rest of the decorating for the future occupants." I couldn't bring myself to say my mate.

"Sorry if I want to make sure my future daughter is comfortable here." She huffed reaching out to straighten the collar of my Zionian uniform. In preparation for the landing we were all dressed out in full regalia. For me that meant tight gray slacks and a gray button-up suit jacket with a high neck and shoulders adorned with my Order strips which denoted my high rank.

"You look so handsome, just like your father when he was younger." The look of pride on her face had me feeling ashamed. Ashamed that instead of meeting my mate today, all I wanted to do was go make things better with a certain human.

In fact, I was feeling sick in the stomach just at the thought.

"Thanks mom." I gently ushered her very pregnant form to the doors. "I will see you soon at the landing site. I just need some time to get things together."

I didn't just need time. I needed space. I felt like the walls were closing in around me and everything was moving at warp speed. Just this time yesterday I had woken with a smile thinking of Amber. Now I was supposed to be making a home in a new pod with a mate that I had never even met.

She cleared the threshold before turning back to face me. She clasped her hands together beneath her chin and beamed up at her eldest son, happier than I had seen her in a long time. "I can't believe this is really happening. After we all lost hope, in just a few hours, you'll be mated."

What did I say to that? Thanks, but no thanks, I'm happy with my human. That I wasn't tempted in the least to met this girl that everyone was determined was my destiny.

And what if by the slim chance she wasn't my mate? What if all of this was for nothing? And then my mother had gotten her hopes up. Worse, I had broken my relationship beyond repair for no reason.

Since I had nothing nice to say about this situation that brought my mother so much joy, I just smiled tightly as I pushed the button that would cause the doors to close.

My reprieve, however, last only seconds, as the pod announced a visitor requesting entrance. Or should I say visitors as I pulled up the screen to see that Zeke and Zeena were anxiously awaiting entrance.

"I'm busy." I spoke through the speaker, hoping they would take the hint and leave.

"Bullshit, open the door." Zeena pounded a fist on the pods door.

I was tempted to ignore them, but I knew they were stubborn enough to wait there until time for the landing. "What do you want?" I asked as soon as I pressed the button to allow them entrance.

"Not very happy for a soon to be groom." Zeena joked, obviously not sensing how close to losing it I was.

"Chill, we just wanted to check out your new digs." Zeke ignored my black mood, flopping down on my couch, ruining the perfectly arranged pillows my mother had spent what felt like hours on. He snatched an apple from the fruit basket on the coffee table, making himself at home. "Pretty nice." He remarked looking around. "Maybe I'll just go find myself a mate so I can move up."