30 end

Alexei opened the bags on the table, and brought out plates of roast meat, lots of salad and fried potatoes, as well as cans of soda.

We sat down to dinner together, and Alexei fed me because of my hand injury, while I was happy and ashamed of his care.

"Are we going to stay here tonight?" I said

"Yes, and tomorrow we will go to the mountains to complete the rituals of marriage between our group members," he said

I was feeling nervous and anxious just at the mention of the mating ritual and my mind wandered into my wedding dress with these plasters around my swollen fingers that I still feel pain around.

"Alexei... can we postpone the wedding" I said

He raised his eyebrows in surprise, "Why?" he said

"I wanted to wait for my wounds to heal," I said as I stared at my hand

"No, Eileen, I'm not going to put it off, it'll be fine, trust me," he said

I sighed while Alexei stood up to collect the leftover food, cleaned up the place and put my hand on the table, contemplating his per