Day One (Nole)

NOLE POV

   I straighten the cushion on the couch I chose again and step back. I look over the surfaces of the entire room and sigh before rubbing my hand through my hair.

The house is pristine. My staff have done a wonderful job preparing my mate's new home, but I am second-guessing every little thing.

When I chose the house I was confident in my choice. The main houses' location is close to a public, but well-protected transport pad. There is a mountain directly behind the main house as well, which eliminates any sort of attack from behind our home. I liked the fact that it has ample room for future children. I liked everything about the property including the staff, but now I am terrified of my mate seeing it. What if I chose something a female won't like? What if I focused too much on protection instead of elegance?

Perhaps Modok was right to be concerned about selecting the right home.

  I sigh again and glance at the time. I have two hours before I have to transport to Kea and I feel both terrified and excited about that fact.

  "Gold Captain, I promise to keep your home exactly the same as it is while you are away. Your mate will be pleased," my head of staff says as she comes into the room to see me fretting over pillows.

I nod toward her, but my lips stay sealed. She has no idea how close I am to exploding and I refuse to verbally abuse my staff because I am overwhelmed.

"Should I call someone," she asks as she looks over my tense stance.

  "Bring me a shot of guc," I say as softly as I can and she nods but her eyes tighten at my request.

  I know I shouldn't drink before meeting the 55 females I must choose a life partner from, but I have to. I need to relax. This is the biggest decision of my life. Every fight, every near-death experience I survived has led me to this... to being a Harvest Champion.

I groan loudly while throwing my head back.

I am comfortable with the fighting. I am comfortable with the massive audience. But I am uncomfortable with choosing the female I will reproduce with from a group of 55.

What if I don't like any of them? What if they don't like me? And why should they? I am a battle-hardened warrior. I don't know a thing about females. I don't know how to care for one or make one fall in love with me. I have known nothing, but fighting. I am not a gentle male.

  I place my hands over my face and growl. I hate this. I have never been this way in my life. I am normally carefree and fearless, but lately I have been depressed and terrified of what my future holds.

Where is Raymeli with my drink?

  "Here you are. Also, your older sister has arrived, sir," she says when she finally returns with a rather small glass of my favorite Cok liquor.

  I take the shot and nod for her to let Milea in. I don't care that she called my sister. I am actually grateful. Milea has always kept me on the right path. When we were children she was the bossy older sister who never let me get away with anything.

  "Nole," Milea calls as she steps through the door and I look over my shoulder.

She smiles when she spots me and cuts across the room. Raymeli follows behind her but doesn't say a word.

"Raymeli says you are stressing about your home and repositioning the cushions on your couch every few minutes... Your home is beautiful, brother. Seay and I both agree you chose the right property. My new sister will love it," she says as she comes directly to my side.

  She loops her arm through mine before eyeing the empty shot glass in my hand.

  "Raymeli, take that away. My brother does not need another," Milea says and my head of staff quickly takes the glass from me as if Milea were her Mistress.

  "Excuse me. I am her employer," I say jokingly to try to ease the fact that I needed her here.

  "Yes you are and I am your eldest sister. Should I call mother and tell her that you are drinking before transporting to Kea," Milea asks sharply and I shake my head.

  An easy smile begins to spread across my face and Milea pulls me toward the kitchen.

"Raymeli also said you didn't eat your breakfast and you said no to having a snack at lunch," Milea rambles as she pulls me along.

I grunt and send a sneaky look toward Raymeli who only smiles at me.

"Seems Raymeli has told you a great deal, " I say playfully and Milea swats my arm.

"You never call us so I call her and ask how you are doing. I am allowed to worry. Seay and I are both mated to retired soldiers.  We know the transition is hard," Milea says and my feet stop.

  I look down into her calm brown eyes and she smiles at me.

  "I might not know the horror you saw out there, but you are home now. You are a Harvest Champion. You are strong, but we know you are scarred. You don't have to hide away from us, little brother," Milea says as I stare at her in shock.

  "I know the thought of choosing a life partner in such a short time must be nerve-wracking, but you deserve the best. Fight for the female you want with all your might then come home to us and have little Noles that we can all love on," Milea says and I almost admit she is right.

  The words to confirm her thoughts push against my lips, but I keep them back. I know if I tell her just how nervous I am I won't be able to face the other champions with a clear head. Instead, I stay silent. I let her push me around and I even eat the food Raymeli sets in front of me. As I eat Milea talks. She talks about her child and how it feels to be mated. She explains how she and Seay have grown closer as sisters since they became mothers. She talks about losing our cousin and how she couldn't imagine the pain Teru must be feeling. She just talks and I listen.

I let the information about everyday civilian life fill me up and it calms me. This is my future. Daily visits with my family. Bickering and making up. Having children with my mate. It is what I have dreamed about.

"Thank you, sister," I say and her orange cheeks flush for a second before she looks at me with a serious expression.

"Do you remember that time our friends and us were playing on Jung mountain and I fell," she asks quietly and my mind goes blank.

  "What... umm. No " I reply and she nods as if she figured I had forgotten.

  "We had gone up there to play and my friend's oldest brother was sent with us to make sure we stayed safe. Well, I just so happened to really like her big brother. I know you and Seay didn't know that at the time but I did," Milea says as she takes a seat in the chair next to me.

  My eyebrows crease as I try to figure out what this story has to do with me thanking her.

  "Anyways... I fell down the mountain and he laughed. He was just a young male and he didn't realize how much he hurt my feelings in that moment, but he did. I started crying. Not because I was hurt from the fall, but because of his laughter," Milea says before licking her lips and looking into my curious eyes.

"Jung Mountain isn't really a mountain it is a hill," I say still bewildered and she nods before continuing.

  "After you checked on me and helped me up. You punched that big male in the stomach so hard that he fell down. He was ten years older than you at least and you knocked him flat on his butt, Nole. When he told you he would kill you for hitting him, you just laughed before saying a soldier isn't afraid of death," Milea says as a tear falls down her cheek.

  "Milea, why are you crying," I demand as soon as I see it and she wipes her face before grabbing my hand with both of hers.

  "You terrified me in that moment. I was in awe of my little brother's strength and bravery, but I was so scared. I realized then you had no sense of danger. That you would attack your enemies no matter how big they were... I feared for your life every day you were gone little brother. But now you are home. You are safe and the biggest fight you have left is winning the mate of your choice. Nole, I am so proud of you. Go show everyone just how stupidly brave my little brother is. Do it for our family members who didn't come home. Do it for your soldier friends who didn't get to return to their homes and do it for yourself. Fight and win," Milea says and my eyes become saucers.

  The pride and love in my sister's voice completely erases the last of my nerves. I am ready for whatever happens. I might not be as stupidly brave as the little Nole my sister remembers from our childhood, but I am still a fighter.