Aliens: My Alien, Daeus

Chapter Nine

Edited: 5-19-24

Daeus' POV

The moment Void's body went limp, I latched onto him with three of my arms and pressed him close to me. Confusion and worry swamped me as I wondered what had happened. Yupo and I had hardly moved let alone said anything as my human showed extraordinary signs of a higher thinking. It was that or him just responding to my emotions. I was struggling to understand what was going on inside his small head. He was scared the moment he saw my mate or even thought of her. His scream had startled me when I handed her the bottle. It had scared the both of us.

"Was he acting on your emotions? Not wanting you to be scared?" Yupo asked, her voice still quiet as she slowly stood to her full height. I struggled to see her as she was on my blind side, but I was mainly worried about my Bond. He'd fainted. It had appeared like he was trying to accomplish getting over his fear, but the longer he looked at my mate, the more his body had tensed and trembled. His heartbeat was frantic. He'd been so hungry for the milk, so accepting of my touch - going as far to panic when out of my hold, but also panicked at the sight of Yupo. It was like his brain had shut down his body just because he'd been so overwhelmed by fear.

Not wanting to cause him further harm, I repositioned him so his wings and tail were out of harms way. "I wish I knew what had happened to him. He knows I won't hurt him and I'm assuming he might know you won't either, but maybe his fear runs so deep and he's so broken and lost that his instincts are over his rational thoughts right now." I gently picked his wing up and moved it over my arm so I wouldn't accidentally crush it. "The vet said one wrong move or misunderstanding could kill him. It'll be like going half-blind all over again if I loose him now."

Yupo came up and wrapped her arms around me, careful not to touch my human. "We'll figure it out. He obviously trusts you and that's more than I can say for a lot of Bonds. You saved him and it'll take time for his mind to heal even long after his body heals, but he'll find that warm place inside of him one day and you'll have been there all the way." She told me, acting all wise and older than she was. I hated it when she did that because it made me feel young, but we were the exact same age. Although she had a point. I couldn't force things to happen and he shouldn't try to force them either. If he was going to try because something upset me, I didn't want him feeling like he needed to please me. I wanted him to have a happy life.

"Should I lay him down now or hold him?" I asked Yupo.

"We don't know anything about humans, Daeus. Void is the first human that any Ehkad has seen off their home planet. Aside from giving you his feeding bottle, I came to tell you that the Council of Kings and the head science divisions from each kingdom are requesting your attendence with your Bond in two weeks. They don't want to wait more than two weeks. Niler and Nubus tried to stall for a longer wait time, but against the council and the other three science divisions, they only got you the two weeks," Yupo informed me and my gut twisted with dread. I couldn't possibly present Void to the council. He wouldn't be ready in just two weeks.

"I don't know if I can get him to like me in two weeks! Bonds take time! He may accept my touch and feeding, but what if it's only because I saved him?" I fretted, standing from the couch. I looked down at Void and my heart plummeted further. He was so hurt, so broken, that I just didn't know if I could wait for him to be better. I wanted him better now so I could show him how to be happy. I didn't want him hurting.

Yupo smiled. "He already likes you Daeus. It's the rest of us he's going to be scared of. If you want, I'll take the group out and you can have the house to yourself for the night. When he wakes up, he'll need to go potty and you'll need to sit him down and try to get him to understand some simple commands. Show him around. Maybe he'll warm up to being hyperactive like we've see from documentaries from their planet."

Looking down at Void, I noticed small movements and a raise in his heartbeat, indicating that he would wake soon. "Yeah, that'd be great. If I can get him to move around on his own, it'll be a large step. He seemed so panicked to wake up not touching me. Do you think he's too scared of just the outside world in general?"

Yupo stepped closer and put a hand on my shoulder. "I think he's been abused since he was a cub, Daeus. You are the first thing to show him any kindness and he's become so attached to you in just the first few moments of you saving him that maybe he can't see the world as anything but bad. In the first week, show him that he doesn't have to be scared of trying new things or moving about the house. In the second week, you can introduce him back to me, Unit and Mint. He'll be healed by the time the council wants you to present him and at least he won't be so scared of us, your division. I'll prepare speaking points for you to go over for when we do meet with the council." She turned to leave, "Just be patient with him, love. He'll come around."

Yupo left to the other side of the house, most likely gathering Mint and Unit to leave. I didn't want them to have to be displaced from here, their home, but I knew that they would understand. I was the first of my division to find our Bond and maybe one day they would to, but even without theirs, they would understand how important getting Void to a healthy mental and physical condition would be. He needed to be able to overcome his fears if he would be happy.

Could Void possibly be ready to be presented in just two weeks time though? I can't lay him on his back or allow him to stand up for too long. If I have to carry him everywhere for this first week, wouldn't that be detremental for me trying to make him a bit more accepting of his new life? Then there were the questions of how intelligent he really was. A Bond was supposed to be an animal, a creature that didn't have a higher sense of self and life like we did, but Void . . . How could he be my bond if he thought like we did? If his species could become space-faring and had higher forms of thinking than why would he be mine and tied to me for the rest of his life? None of it made sense, but I would do anything for him.

A small chirp sounded from Void and I looked down, slowly petting over his hair, surprised he was awake again. He gave a look around the room and seemed satisfied when it was only the two of us. I sat back onto the couch, confused. Was I really the only one he could trust? I mean, I felt honored he trusted me so readily and easily, but how far did his trust really go? Was it really trust if his broken mind was so attached to me already, or an unhealthy dependency because I'd been the one to save him?