Her Alien Protector: A Sci-fi Romance

Part 4

Rigel

I am at work, meeting with Kayla, a human client. Seeing another human distracts me; my mind keeps drifting to Ava, wondering if she is getting better.

"Kayla's session is over. There is no more time remaining," announces my wall unit.

Oh, my stars. Where did the time go? I've been so distracted.

"So, will you?" asks Kayla, her brow creasing.

Ava's name echoes in my mind. Wait, what did Kayla ask?

Focus. "Can you repeat the question?"

"Normally, I would ask Tarak to escort me, except according to her records, Ava is afraid of scourges."

"Kayla, have you been poking through Hydra's computer records again?"

"Is it my fault that Hydra leaves that information readily accessible," she huffs. "You also haven't answered my question. Since it would not be appropriate to go with Tarak, could you..." She grips my hand. "...take me to the hospital to see Ava?"

"Let me check if there are any updates," I say, turning toward the wall. "Wall unit, are there any updates on—"

My all-knowing wall unit is already answering my question. "The human pet Ava is now conscious. The medical staff has concerns about her phobic behavior."

My skin prickles. Under normal circumstances, I would first get my emotions under control before visiting her, but Kayla looks at me with sad eyes. It is moments like this that I understand why Tarak does whatever his human asks.

I clip Kayla's leash to her collar, and we walk to Hydra's medical wing for pets. The lobby door opens. Kayla and I approach the scourge at the front desk.

From the open doorway behind the scourge comes the sound of a human scream.

What?! Ignoring the shouts of the scourge at the front desk, I run through the open door. Kayla, the loyal human, runs with me.

Only when I get closer to Ava's room does it occur to me; human screaming might mean danger. Tarak will never forgive me if something happens to his mate. Since rushing with Kayla into the room might place her in the path of danger, she can't go. Hydra's regulations also forbid leaving pets unattended in a medical facility, so leaving Kayla alone is also not an option.

A scourge wearing the smock of a vet tech staff and carrying an armful of sutures walks past us. An opportunity! I throw the other end of Kayla's leash at him. "Hold her!"

Kayla shouts at me but I am already leaving them.

I burst into Ava's room. Scourges surround Ava in her hospital bed. One of the scourges is trying to pin Ava's arm to the bed rail to bind it. Ava looks up at me with tears running down her face.

How dare the scourges treat a human with a history of abuse like this?

I spread my wings. "Do not touch her!"

Most of the scourges run out of the room. For the two foolish scourges who do not, I chase after them.

Now it is only Ava and me in her hospital room. Seeing someone so angry must not be good for Ava. I should leave and give her the quiet she needs to sleep. Except now I am desperate to know what state she is in.

I go to her bedside.

Ava reaches for me, and I sit on the edge of the bed, placing a protective wing around her. Ava sinks her hands into my wing, raking hooked fingers through my fluttering feathers. I shiver.