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ZURI POV I giggle as another small Shikaz child waves at us excitedly. Everyone we have walked passed has either bowed their head a little or smiled at us, but the kids seem unable to contain their happiness. Some have yelled out or pointed, while others have waved like we are a friend they haven't seen in ages. "Harvest champions are known by all. We will be public figures from now on. I purchased a secluded home so we wouldn't get exhausted from the attention," Cull says quietly and I look up at his handsome face. His eyebrows are slightly furrowed and his mouth isn't turned up into a grin like it normally is. He must think I don't like the attention his people are giving me. He is wrong. After the way the Froles and Makskins treated us at the tournament, their greetings make me happy. They are showing I am accepted."It doesn't bother me at all. I feel accepted by everyone," I say and he gives me a small smirk before leading me into another shop. "Champion Cull, Welcome to m
Last Updated : 2024-08-17Protected 34
CULL POVWe step off the transport and Zuri wraps her hand around my arm. The sense of peace that overtakes my body as soon as her body reconnects with mine makes me grin.I love the way it feels to have her holding onto me. It gives me such a sense of purpose.Before the Harvest, I had lost my sense of purpose. I wasn't a soldier anymore, and I wasn't a true champion yet. With her on my arm and my lips tingling from our first kiss I have a purpose. I am Zuri's mate. I am her provider. I am her protection."Wow, so this is what a village looks like here," Zuri says and I look down at her for a second before looking out at the fifteen homes spaced evenly apart.The sidewalks that link them all look nice and there are planted flowers everywhere. The area is kept by the retired males who live here, so it is beautiful. The homes aren't large, but they are nice. Kima's mate wasn't a soldier like my father and me, so he couldn't afford what I have given Zuri, but he made a good living for h
Last Updated : 2024-08-19Protected 35
ZURI POV Rated R I hum softly as we walk back into our quiet secluded home. Meeting with Cull's family was amazing. They welcomed me with open arms, and after I got over not knowing Cull's full name, the afternoon blossomed into a great evening. Kima and Goma made us food that tasted better than Peela's. I had two servings of the weird but delicious dinner. Cull and Goma bickered but quickly got over it. She then told me the yellow blouse I am wearing was picked out by her. All in all, it was a good visit. "You seem happy," Cull says in a gentle voice as he watches me. I nod before doing a sporadic twirl. "I am. Your family is wonderful. All the Shikaz people we met today were sweet. Our home is beautiful. I have nothing to ask for," I declare to the room and Cull moves closer to me. He catches my hands in his and quickly positions us in the way we were when we danced. "If you wanted to dance you should have told me," he whispers before beginning to lead me around the la
Last Updated : 2024-08-19Protected Epilogue
ZURI POV MANY MONTHS LATER Fiadh blushes scarlet as Terrax shoots her a wink and I can't help but smile. My friend has blossomed into a full-blown rose under Terrax's care, and I am so happy for her. He killed her abusers and rescued her mother all in one night. He made her dream come true. He leaves the balcony and she turns her attention back to me. "Stop smiling Zuri. You are making me blush more," Fiadh says and I chuckle before sipping on the hot drink Fiadh's assistant brought me. "Sorry, I am just happy for you," I say, and she shrugs playfully. "I am happy for you too. We have perfect lives," Fiadh says and I nod. I miss my siblings sometimes, but I know they are happy where they are. I had the American government lady check on them a few months after I completed my bonding with Cull. All of them were doing well and didn't need me interfering in their lives. Besides, my family is already growing, so I need to focus on it, not them. "You don't think we need bab
Last Updated : 2024-08-19Protected 1
ZURI POV I grimace as I rub the dry and cracking spots on my sore fingers. I am tired, but I won't complain. Coming to the big city was the best chance to make money for my brothers and sisters, but the work isn't easy. Every day I clean and scrub the boss lady's house until I can't find a dirty spot, but the next day I have to do it all over again. My boss lady is fair to me. She pays me good money and she gives me a small room. I am able to send a good amount of money home to my younger siblings. Other house girls don't have it as good as I do. Many of them have to share cramped living spaces and don't get paid as well as I do.But that might be because I am an oddity among everyone else. My mother was from the dying Batwa tribe. I am abnormally tall for people from my mother's tribe, but that is because I am only half Batwa. My mother was pretty sure my father was a man from the Dinka Tribe. A group of people known for their height. So I am an abnormal person from a tiny trib
Last Updated : 2024-06-15Protected 2
ZURI POV I hate lying here. I hate taking antibiotics twice a day. I hate the pain in my chest and how weak my arms feel. I want to be up walking and working. I roll on my side and sigh. It's been weeks since I was brought to the hospital and all I have done is get weaker. Dr. Dembe says it doesn't look good. My body isn't responding well to the medicine. My boss lady has visited a couple times, but I can see it in her face. She doesn't think I will be leaving this place. She even hired someone else. "I had to do it. I needed the help," she said to me during her last visit. I don't blame her. She has to keep living. The world has to keep turning. It doesn't stop for anyone. My siblings have to keep living too. They are working even harder now that my income has disappeared. My brother had called my boss lady a week after I got admitted because my normal paycheck hadn't arrived. He was worried about me. She told them where I was and why. She said he took it hard when she told hi
Last Updated : 2024-06-15Protected 3
ZURI POVI look down at the papers in my hand and flip to the last page. I scribble my name and Ms. Cummings walks to my side. When I am done writing I hand it to her. She gives me a small smile and places her hand on my shoulder. "You will not be disappointed," she says to me before looking up at the other two girls. A few long seconds pass before both of them copy my actions. They flip to the last page and sign their names where I did. Ms. Cummings collects their contracts as well and walks back to the desk. She seems happy now. There is a light in her eyes that wasn't there before. The tired look she had is gone. "This is my first Harvest in this position and I am truly excited to send you three on this journey. You will be so happy... I know you don't believe me, but when we speak again I will probably say I told you so," Ms. Cummings says with a small laugh, but I stay stoic. This all seems too good to be true. Maybe I am already dead. Maybe this is how souls get sent of
Last Updated : 2024-06-15Protected 4
CAPT. CULL POV 6 months before Harvest time. I fight back a shiver of fear as I stare down the company of Rusckods soldiers fifteen yards in front of me. Their solid white eyes are drilling into me as if they are seeing straight through me to my fleeing men already down the hall and around the corner.This is their second attack on our supply moon and we were gravely unprepared. This storage building doesn't even have a link screen."Bring it beasts," I growl as my grip tightens on my blades.I refuse to draw my blaster. I will not die a cowards' death on this rock. I will kill as many of these bastards as possible while command gathers an available battalion. My men will be saved and that is all that matters. "Acting tough, Shikaz. Too bad we can smell the fear rolling off of you," one calls out and I growl.Fear isn't something to be ashamed of... It's how you handle the fear. That's what my Father taught me on my first hunt.I smirk and hold up my left blade."Aye. I do fear
Last Updated : 2024-06-15
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ZURI POV MANY MONTHS LATER Fiadh blushes scarlet as Terrax shoots her a wink and I can't help but smile. My friend has blossomed into a full-blown rose under Terrax's care, and I am so happy for her. He killed her abusers and rescued her mother all in one night. He made her dream come true. He leaves the balcony and she turns her attention back to me. "Stop smiling Zuri. You are making me blush more," Fiadh says and I chuckle before sipping on the hot drink Fiadh's assistant brought me. "Sorry, I am just happy for you," I say, and she shrugs playfully. "I am happy for you too. We have perfect lives," Fiadh says and I nod. I miss my siblings sometimes, but I know they are happy where they are. I had the American government lady check on them a few months after I completed my bonding with Cull. All of them were doing well and didn't need me interfering in their lives. Besides, my family is already growing, so I need to focus on it, not them. "You don't think we need bab
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ZURI POV Rated R I hum softly as we walk back into our quiet secluded home. Meeting with Cull's family was amazing. They welcomed me with open arms, and after I got over not knowing Cull's full name, the afternoon blossomed into a great evening. Kima and Goma made us food that tasted better than Peela's. I had two servings of the weird but delicious dinner. Cull and Goma bickered but quickly got over it. She then told me the yellow blouse I am wearing was picked out by her. All in all, it was a good visit. "You seem happy," Cull says in a gentle voice as he watches me. I nod before doing a sporadic twirl. "I am. Your family is wonderful. All the Shikaz people we met today were sweet. Our home is beautiful. I have nothing to ask for," I declare to the room and Cull moves closer to me. He catches my hands in his and quickly positions us in the way we were when we danced. "If you wanted to dance you should have told me," he whispers before beginning to lead me around the la
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CULL POVWe step off the transport and Zuri wraps her hand around my arm. The sense of peace that overtakes my body as soon as her body reconnects with mine makes me grin.I love the way it feels to have her holding onto me. It gives me such a sense of purpose.Before the Harvest, I had lost my sense of purpose. I wasn't a soldier anymore, and I wasn't a true champion yet. With her on my arm and my lips tingling from our first kiss I have a purpose. I am Zuri's mate. I am her provider. I am her protection."Wow, so this is what a village looks like here," Zuri says and I look down at her for a second before looking out at the fifteen homes spaced evenly apart.The sidewalks that link them all look nice and there are planted flowers everywhere. The area is kept by the retired males who live here, so it is beautiful. The homes aren't large, but they are nice. Kima's mate wasn't a soldier like my father and me, so he couldn't afford what I have given Zuri, but he made a good living for h
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ZURI POV I giggle as another small Shikaz child waves at us excitedly. Everyone we have walked passed has either bowed their head a little or smiled at us, but the kids seem unable to contain their happiness. Some have yelled out or pointed, while others have waved like we are a friend they haven't seen in ages. "Harvest champions are known by all. We will be public figures from now on. I purchased a secluded home so we wouldn't get exhausted from the attention," Cull says quietly and I look up at his handsome face. His eyebrows are slightly furrowed and his mouth isn't turned up into a grin like it normally is. He must think I don't like the attention his people are giving me. He is wrong. After the way the Froles and Makskins treated us at the tournament, their greetings make me happy. They are showing I am accepted."It doesn't bother me at all. I feel accepted by everyone," I say and he gives me a small smirk before leading me into another shop. "Champion Cull, Welcome to m
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CULL POV Zuri's eyes tighten again and she bites her bottom lip. She seems so nervous as I show her our home and my heart is tearing. I want her to feel safe and comfortable with me, but so far that does not seem to be the case. She has looked uncertain since we walked out of the transport room. "This is the big room. I filled the closet with clothes for you. If you do not like them we can replace them. My cousin Goma helped select them all, so hopefully, you will like them," I say as I lead her into the room she will be sleeping in. "It's huge," Zuri says as she takes in the mass area of the room with wide eyes. "Yes. While our home only has three bedrooms it is still large. When a soldier retires, he is given a large sum of money, but when a Soldier is selected to be a Harvest Champion, they are given a fortune. We are also given money from the actual tournament... We are expected to live lavishly. So most champions have huge homes, staff, and any other accommodation we pleas
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ZURI POV Happiness is coursing through my body like a drug. Fiadh, Krystal, and I are the only ones left. Some groups haven't even had a female chosen yet. I can't believe we were all scared about not getting chosen. "Captain Maxim, please select your female," the announcer says and I watch as another orange giant from Bronkark steps out of line. He heads for the Hassin females and holds out his hand toward Ceenu. "Ceenu of Hassin, please accept my hand," the rather quiet male says and the metallic beauty beams at him. "I accept, Maxim," she says back, and another happy couple takes their turn waving at the crowd. The cheers for them aren't as loud as when Xiu or Jia left, but I think that is because none of the other males hold the title of Gold. "Captain Kaipo, it is your turn next," the Kea says, and the Cok, who danced with Xiu during the first dance, steps out of line. He smiles as he walks toward the four remaining Makskins. He stops in front of Zor's underlings and ho
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CULL POV"The time has finally come. Commander Garlof as the winner of the Harvest, you can select your mate first. Will the fifty-five females from all over the Galaxy, please come forward," the announcer says, and I grow eager to see Zuri in a different dress. I might not have placed well in the final brawl, but I did achieve eleventh place. I defeated Orson fast enough to place within the top 15 and I am proud of that. I should have no problem claiming Zuri as mine. I have heard her name tossed around by a few males but they all placed after me. "Would you look at those dresses? Don't they look beautiful," the kea asks as I search the line of females for the group of blue dresses. When I spot Zuri my chest puffs out in pride. She looks radiant. Her final dress is gorgeous. The big skirt and lace sleeves shout feminine. When her eyes connect with mine I feel utterly complete. Although she isn't technically mine yet I can't turn off my happiness. I know Zuri will accept when I a
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ZURI POV"The time has finally come. Commander Garlof as the winner of the Harvest, you can select your mate first. Will the fifty-five females from all over the Galaxy, please come forward," the announcer says, and I take a deep breath. I am so nervous. It's just like walking out in front of the crowd for the first time again. All eyes will be on us, but this time, in the end, we leave with the male we will spend our life with. I won't be returning to my room to talk with Fiadh or Baalee. I will be someone's mate. We all begin to walk and our ballgowns sway with each step. I try to keep my eyes on Krystal's brown hair, but the difference in the arena drags my attention away. The battle-worn field we have seen every day is different. Now there is an even black floor covering the massive open space. The only remaining grass is roped off in the middle and looks untouched. "Would you look at those dresses? Don't they look beautiful," the kea asks the crowd, and the crowd erupts into c
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ZURI POV The last of the beast fights were quite boring. I didn't have anyone special to watch and it was clear the champions knew how to handle each kind of beast in the tournament. I am honestly glad it's over. Now we can focus on the important part, getting our mate."The Final day of the Harvest has arrived. All champions that fought a beast have moved on. All may challenge one another to prove they deserve the top spot. The last man standing goes first as the Winning champion. The order after his pick will be based on the fastest beast kill time. Then we move on to the champions from days three and four who lost. The longer they lasted in their battle against the top contenders, the higher their ranking. May the strongest win," the announcer says, and the crowd explodes with excitement. The sound is so loud Fiadh places her hands over her ears. The males run out of their holding area in a line while waving out at the crowd happily. When I see Cull my stomach fills with butte
