Freeing Luka: The Clecanian Series Book 2 Victoria Aveline (story read aloud TXT) 📖

Alice was readying to retreat when the Queen approached her. Now that she was close, Alice could make out faint dark circles under her eyes and the strained note in her voice as she said, “Have you recalled the questions you would like to ask me?”

Not wanting to keep the busy woman longer, she asked about something she’d pondered while sitting alone in her quiet house yesterday. “On Earth, I was studying to be a veterinarian, a doctor for animals. I started late, so I haven’t gotten that far into the program, but I was wondering if I’d be able to continue that training here.”

The Queen gave her a small smile. “That is a marvelous idea. It’s wonderful that you feel you could stay here and make a career for yourself.”

Alice looked over to find Luka watching them with narrowed eyes.

The Queen continued. “Yes, of course you can continue your studies here, although you may need to start from the beginning, seeing as our animals are different.” She frowned then. “I’d ask that you hold off on this endeavor until we have revealed the presence of humans to our world. For now I can arrange for someone to teach you our language at The Pearl Temple, if you’d like?”

“That’d be wonderful,” Alice exclaimed. She may be able to communicate with everyone thanks to her translator, but she couldn’t yet read Clecanian writing, as evidenced by her hand clock.

“I’ll teach her,” Luka said loudly, startling both women.

Alice frowned. A minute ago, he’d implied he wanted unrestricted access to her, and a few minutes before that, he’d wanted nothing to do with her. Why would he want to teach her? Make up your mind!

“I don’t want you distracted from your research, Luka. No, I’ll find someone else to help Alice,” the Queen said.

“No males,” Luka said simply, still not bothering to rise from his seat.

Alice’s annoyance and frustration finally began to outweigh her embarrassment and hurt at his earlier rejection. Before the Queen could respond, she stomped over to Luka. “You have no right to tell me who I can or cannot take lessons from. You’ve made it abundantly clear you have no interest in me, so I don’t understand why you even care. I’m not going to keep apologizing for what happened at the outpost. I had no choice, okay?” She felt heat spread over her cheeks. Alice turned and walked away, muttering, “Why don’t you just run to the archives and get to work on your research so you can figure out how to get us unmated already.” When she reached the Queen, she noted her amused expression. “If you don’t need me for anything else, I’d like to leave.”

The Queen smirked at her and gestured to the exit.

On her way out, she heard a scuffle behind her; turning to look, she found Jade and Theo approaching a pained-looking Luka. He had risen and was now looming over the table, watching her with brows drawn, the way he used to look after Helas had hurt him.

Alice forced herself to turn her head. Don’t feel bad. Don’t feel bad. Just because he was mated didn’t give him the right to be proprietary with her.

On her short walk back to her home, her thoughts were in turmoil. She wavered between anger and empathy for Luka. On the one hand, he had no right to treat her like property. Being cold to her one moment then controlling the next. On the other hand, she had no idea how the mating marks were affecting him. She knew mates felt a strong pull toward one another, but she didn’t how strong that pull was.

If he was feeling this connection to her but also anger toward her, then obviously he was bound to have conflicting emotional outbursts. It’d make sense he didn’t want to talk to her but also didn’t want her to talk to any other man.

She didn’t know how to feel. Should she be mad, or should she give him a break? Old Alice would’ve given him a break, no question about it. The terrible situation in which Luka found himself would’ve called to her. Tugged at her heartstrings. She would’ve tried again and again to make him like her. Convinced herself he just needed time.

Even if she accepted that his actions were normal in this culture, and even if this was what men acted like on this planet, could she live with that?

She slammed the door as she entered her house. Not this time, she thought, angrier with herself than Luka. If he wants to apologize, I’ll hear him out, but I’m not going to let myself be walked on all over again. He’s been nothing but rude to me since we escaped, and I don’t deserve that. I was abducted and locked up too! No more thinking about Luka, that’s it.

Chapter 13

Fuck, this hurts. Luka tried to stand. To chase her. To tell her he wasn’t thinking clearly right now. But a searing pain shot up his leg, forcing him to fall back into his chair.

He turned to see Theo and his new mate, Jade, approaching. Today was the first day he’d seen Jade, but even with his attention divided he’d noticed Theo didn’t seem uncomfortable or self-conscious when he was with her. The change in his brother was glorious and made him wonder how Alice might improve his own life. If he was able to undo the damage he’d just done, that is.

“What’s wrong with you?” she said angrily, without any introduction.

“I—” he began, but she cut him off.

“Theo told me what happened to you in that outpost. That poor girl rescued you, and you treat her like that?” Luka tried to speak again, but Jade held up her hand for silence. “You couldn’t have just let her down easy. If you don’t like her, that’s