"I don't have time to figure out why Ariel is angry with you. Where is Casey? If I can't go to her then can she come to me? I want to see her myself to make sure she is well."

"She's alive." Ral took a deep breath. "She won't see you, Brother. She is currently barricaded in the next medical room and refuses to speak to anyone at all. Ariel has ordered us to leave your bound woman alone until she calms down. My belly-swollen bound is sitting in the hallway trying to talk her into speaking again." Ral growled. "You really made a mess."

Argernon frowned. "Casey is..." He shook his head. "What is going on?"

"You didn't tell her you had house helpers. The three of them rushed to your side when you were brought to the medical building. Casey was at your side already. Ahhu said it was tense and painful all around as the women met. Bara is headstrong like you say you enjoy. She was unpleasant to your bound. Casey was shocked and hurt when she met your women so I'm sure Ahhu was putting it mildly on how bad it was."

"Lord of the Moons," Argernon groaned.

"We walked into that. Your house helpers were rubbing your body and touching you.

Your bound was as white as a moon fish and I could smell her pain from across the room. Ariel took in the situation and reacted like she does when she is very angry. Casey renounced you as her bound."

Argernon growled, trying to climb off the bed again. "No. I won't let her go."

"Stay put," Ral snarled back. " Ahhu took care of it already. Casey can't renounce you."

Argernon stared at his brother. "I don't understand."

Ral took a deep breath. " Ahhu checked your Casey over. Good planting, Brother. You got your bound with offspring."

Argernon grinned. "You are sure?"

Ral backed away, crossing his arms over his chest. "Positive. We were all in the room.

Myself, my Ariel, Rever, your Casey, and your three house helpers were there. I don't know what you are grinning over." Ral's eyes narrowed. "Your bound hates you and thinks you are the biggest deceiver on Zorn. She knows that Bara just woke you up from hibernation and how that was done."

Argernon paled. "She knows that Bara tongued me?"

Ral gave a grim nod. "She knows."

"But I didn't have a say--"

"It doesn't matter to them. Trust me. If another woman touched me, Ariel would remove a body part." Ral's hand slid down his body to cup his balls.

"Why did you let her?" Argernon snarled. "You were in the room."

"You had to be woken from hibernation. Do you think your bound would touch you after watching three of your house helpers rub their hands all over your body? Three house helpers you made no arrangements to find other homes for so they were gone by the time you arrived back on Zorn." Ral growled. "You didn't even warn her that you had them under your protection.

When I brought Ariel to my home I had sent my house helpers away. What were you thinking?

You were warned by my Ariel that human women are monogamous."

"I was going to." Argernon snarled. "I had time still to make arrangements. Casey wasn't sure she wanted bound to me. I had bound her already but she asked for time to decide and I wanted her willing to be my bound. I..." He shook his head. "I must speak to her."

"You don't understand," Ral sighed. "She won't forgive you. Ariel has assured me of this.

You have wounded your bound. She had tears and a lot of them from the sound of it. I could smell her pain. You hurt her very deeply. Human women are not Zorn, Argernon. If you hurt one deeply, they refuse to let you into their heart, and without this they will never allow themselves to be bound to you. You should have warned her about your women and made sure she didn't have to see them touching you."

"I told her about house helpers."

"Did you tell her that you had three of them?"

Argernon shook his head. "I was going to tell her that I would find them other homes and that by the time we reached Zorn they would be out of my life so she would be my only woman.

The alarms sounded as I started to share with her my plans I had for the two of us. She carries my seed in her belly, Ral. She means everything to me. I understand now why you feel as you do for Ariel. I understand now why she means everything to you and how you could give up your house helpers for one woman. How do I fix this and get her back? I will not lose her."

Ral reached out to clasp his brother's arm. Sympathy welled in his eyes. "I do not know."

"I have to get her back. I have to make this right." Agony hit Argernon at the thought of losing Casey forever.

Casey realized she was being childish. She eyed the door. She'd barricaded it with the bed and a desk. Guilt hit her over the pregnant Ariel in the hallway who kept trying to coax her into opening the door. She admitted that she could have handled this better. She moved for the door.

"Ariel?"

"I'm here."

"Are you alone? If I open the door will just you come in?"

"I promise."

Sighing, Casey moved everything away from the door to unlock it. She peered into the hallway only to see Ariel, alone, smiling at her.

"No one is here but me. I sent everyone away. Can we talk?"

Casey let her in but she locked the door behind them. "I'm sorry. I took this really bad."

"I don't blame you." Ariel sat down in a chair. She massaged her belly absently. "I'd be upset too. Argernon really fucked up."

"He should have told me."

"Yes. He should have sent them away. He knew that if he bound to one of us that he'd have to give up other women. I told him how our kind of women are."