Cosmic (18+)

┉┈◈†𐐎𐌴𐍀†𐌸◈┈┉

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

Charlie couldn't eat. It seemed the rest of the crew were struck with the same problem, some picking at their food while not-so-subtly looking over at Jen who was seated near the head of the table next to Prince Rak'dula, giggling with hearts in her eyes whenever the prince would whisper something into her ear and give her an affectionate kiss or caress. They knew something was very wrong, but they couldn't have imagined just exactly how wrong.

Charlie was burdened with knowing and not being able to tell—not being able to bring justice for her friend who now would hate her if she tried to have her new mate punished. Litvekda was very thorough and irreversible. If something happened to the prince, Jen's grief would be real. As would her hate.

No one could know what happened in the biolab.

Though even without knowing the disturbing details, seeing that Litvekda had been performed on her might be enough to spark a potentially deadly conflict anyway. But she figured realizing how outnumbered they were would ultimately stay their hand from their triggers.

And besides, they didn't do anything when it had been Charlie.

"Christ, he took Jen," Mariah murmured to no one in particular, seated beside her.

"Yes. This is what Litvekda does," Charlie spoke in a quiet whisper, trying to eat a little bit of her breakfast.

The redhead turned to look at her. "How come you don't act like that with Tük'hala?"

Charlie had wondered this before, but the answer came to her easily. "He was interrupted in the middle of performing Litvekda on me. My best guess is the results are much slower when it's incomplete. But I assume it'll get there eventually."

She hoped it wouldn't. Her feelings now were so twisted and unnatural after what happened. If she had been her normal self, all her feelings for him would have burnt to ash after what he did. Or rather, what he didn't do.

And yet she still had these deep feelings for the Daki warrior. Although this time they were glaringly foreign—put there by him. She hated it and didn't want to feel anything good about him.

The previous night, Tük'hala had applied medicine to her, she assumed as a way to make up for leaving her friend to be assaulted. She hadn't spoken to him, refused to even look at him. Now as she felt his gaze burning a hole into the side of her head, she still didn't look. He didn't deserve to be acknowledged.

"What did you do to her?" Malakai spat, glaring at the older prince.

Charlie turned her eyes to the head of the table, noticing Nula and Vetidaka's sheepish discomfort while their son wore only a smug expression, wrapping an arm around his mate's side.

"That's none of your concern. We are happy, that is all that matters," Rak'dula rasped, gaze narrowing at the man, daring him to question further.

"Jen," Malakai spoke directly to her, causing the curly-haired woman to look away from her prince and turn to view the man. "Did he hurt you? Has he threatened you?"

Jen's jaw clenched and she sent her own glare, her grip on her utensil tightening. Charlie could tell she remembered the assault before she'd passed out from the bite, but in her new mindset of being madly in love, she wanted to defend him.

"No," she said icily. "He did not hurt me. He didn't threaten me. I love him."

Archie butted in, "You didn't love him yesterday, but now you love him today? Das ist verrückt!"

"It's not crazy!" Jen yelled with a bang of her fist on the table, making a few people jump in their seats as crystal dishes rattled loudly.

Jen was breathing a little heavier in her anger and Prince Rak'dula leaned down to whisper something into her ear. After a moment she visibly relaxed and gave a nod, leaning against him. He kissed her head and she smiled.