Artemis put her hair in a messy ponytail as she tried to calm herself down, her anger boiling within. Her hands shook she was so full of anger. She needed to do something to get her mind off from the argument she had with Rhage.

A difference in parenting styles definitely hadn't been on her mind, much less it being the reason behind the first argument. Corporal punishment had long gone out of style on Earth. It had been deemed harmful to the development of a child. Hitting them to correct behavior only created more unwanted behaviors that could lead to damaging things, like a lack of trust for the parent, the child believing they couldn't depend on the parent for safety, and so on. There were too many wrongs that could happen.

She never wanted to lay a hand on her children. There was a better way to teach them than to exert some sick power fantasy upon them. Putting fear into them wasn't something she wanted.

She certainly didn't want it to happen with this child. Artemis had heard of the horror stories from her friend Jessie about the cases she encountered as a counselor with Child Protective Services. Hearing how often it turned to full abuse was scary and she never wanted to put a child through that. She had made a vow that she would protect her children, if she ever had any, from pain and fear for as long as she could.

Of course she knew that the Yautja were all about strength but she hadn't known they beat their kids "into shape" as Rhage had put it. It made her heart ache.

Artemis continued to pace back and forth around the quarters trying to calm down. Out of nowhere she had become angrier than she had ever been, even going so far to argue with Rhage, something she'd thought she'd never have the guts to do. Even now she worried what would be the consequences, despite her red hot anger. She could feel the fear replacing her anger little by little.

Could she hide? Was it even possible? Would she even try?

There was no way she could ever pull it off. He hadn't earned title of Elder for no reason. He was considered an expert in hunting at the current point in his life for fucks sake!

Maybe she could pretend to be asleep? Hide in the bathroom? Sleep on the couch to avoid him?

She stopped pacing when she heard the door slide open some distance behind her, cursing at her inability to just make up her mind. Rather than see, she could feel the offending alien. His presence was quiet but her body was on high alert. He didn't speak or make a sound but she knew he was there.

"Artemis, we have much to discuss."

That anger mixed with the fear created a war within her chest as she turned to face him. He stood in the doorway with his beefy arms folded across his chest as he stared at her; fully dressed in his dull grey armor. Instead of pissed off and wanting to kill something like she had thought he would be, he had a perfect poker face. His mandibles were relaxed and his eyes were soft. Seeing him like that made no sense.

She didn't want to piss him off and make him lash out. She had seen how angry Rhage could be and she much preferred the nice version of him. The other scared her.

"That we do." Artemis hissed, trying to contain her anger as it flared up.

Rhage exhaled audibly, his arms falling to his sides as he took slow steps towards Artemis. He stalked towards her with that catlike grace his kind had and immediately she went into defense. The way he walked reminded her of a jungle cat stalking their prey. It was unnerving.

She took steps backwards trying to keep distance between them.

"The pup must be raised like other Yautja. The pup would fall behind its fellow young."

"Corporal punishment only establishes fear for the parent and creates distrust and...and they think that they can't come to the parent out of fear! That's not what I want for any child of mine!" She countered. "You said you wanted to break tradition, well why not this one?"

Rhage continued his slow steps towards her, his perfect poker face showing nothing. She didn't like how calm he seemed.

"This is not a tradition I am willing to break, mate."

"So you're going to dismiss all that I said about why it's bad and not change your mind?"

He paused, scoffing. "I have said no such thing."

Artemis slowly moved towards the couch, trying to maintain an escape route. She wanted a way out if she did manage to piss him off.

"It seems like we're at an impasse because I am not budging on this!" She watched his hands flex, his tell that she he was feeling something beneath that poker face of his. The damn alien was really good at hiding his emotions.

"I wish to not fight with you, mate. Let us discuss this civilly and you can admit defeat."

"I will never admit defeat." There was no way in hell she was losing this battle against him. "Just because you get to dictate how things will be to other people doesn't mean you can do the same to me. I'm not other people, Rhage."

The Yautja seemed surprised she had fed him his own words he had once said to her, but in reverse. His mate sneered as she circled towards the bed, Rhage slowly advancing. He seemed to be enjoying the game of cat and mouse.

"You will lose this battle. But, you are right." Artemis couldn't help the clenching of her muscles in her nether region as he huskily spoke in that growly voice that made her feel things. "You are not...other people."

She wondered how such a tone wasn't illegal to use. They were supposed to be arguing, not doing whatever they were doing instead!

"You're damn right I'm not, mister."

Rhage chuckled as he followed her slow walk back towards the couch where she put it between them. He rested his hands on the back of the couch and leaned forward to better eye his prey. "You want...a compromise perhaps?"

The thought of a compromise was tempting but she didn't want that. She didn't want corporal punishment period. This wasn't something she would budge on. Unlike Rhage, she wasn't physically strong but she was determined to outwit him; damn his eight-hundred something years of life having the upper hand.

His eyes were trained on her with every move. He followed her around the couch, removing one piece of armor at a time with every heavy footstep. Artemis felt the bed bump against the back of her legs as she nearly completed the circle around the large room. The eight foot alien that stalked her stopped a few feet away wearing only a blue loincloth. Standing there in the low light he looked menacing but...she felt no fear.

None at all.

She exhaled long even breaths to calm herself, "No compromise. My way or the highway."

Staring at him she saw his mandibles pull back into a smirk. Those lime-green eyes of his pierced the low light. Inwardly she cursed at how turned on she was. Anger had slowly burned to nothing to be replaced with a raging libido that screamed for her to jump him.

"Artemis...my little goddess. I have never lost a battle and I will not lose one yet." He enunciated his words, his voice somehow deeper than before.

"Well, prepare to lose this one."

"I will not."

"You will."

Rhage chuckled and took a singular step towards Artemis. He growled deep in his chest, the sound not menacing but more of a primitive challenge. Something Artemis felt in her loins.

Artemis was pushing a literal predator to fight with her.

She didn't have time to evade him he moved so fast. In seconds he crossed the few feet between them and had her spread eagle on the bed pinning her down with his large hands. His locs fell around them in a curtain of tendrils as he purred above her. Artemis panted as the adrenaline raced through her veins at the suddenness of being pinned under him so quickly.

"I caught you, pretty little creature. I told you I have never lost a battle." His voice was nothing but a sultry growl.

"I haven't lost yet, dammit!"

Artemis struggled under his iron grip but it was useless. He was much stronger than she could ever be. Instead of getting free she was only making a damn fool of herself. She growled at him in frustration.

"You have no fear, little flower."

"What?"

"You have no fear."

She stopped her struggles and cocked an eyebrow in question. "Fear of what?"

"Me." He purred.

Fearing him hadn't been on her mind since...well...a while. When she first had been forced to be in close proximity with him she had been acutely aware that he was a big scary Predator that she had heard so many rumors about, but as she got to know him and his people she had come to look past that, especially when it came to him, and see him for the person he was. He was part of the most feared alien species, yeah, but as she gazed up at him it clicked in her head that he was something more to her.

Rhage was someone she couldn't find it within her to fear, at least not anymore. He was right about her not fearing him.

As she stared into his eyes the realization hit her like a ton of bricks. The days had blended together so much that she hadn't realized that she had come to see him as a life partner and friend, just as mates were supposed to be; like a couple at least. They were a couple with a child growing inside of her.

Artemis realized she had fallen in love with him. She had fallen in love with this extremely patient alien who had opened his heart for her, admitted his love for her; something that was unheard of for his kind.

It pretty much was from what she had been told by those she had asked. Admitting weakness for another was considered weak and distracting from the Hunt, but he had openly told her. Told her when once again he was there for her in her time of need. He was there for her always, just like she vowed to do for him.

"Should I?" Artemis whispered.

She wrapped her legs around his waist and squeezed her thighs. His skin was rough and hot but she didn't care, being skin to skin felt intimate. Being pinned like this was intimate and she wanted to take that next step in their relationship.

She felt ready, ready to fuck Rhage.

"No. I want you to be comfortable around me." He released his hold on her wrists but still caged her in beneath him.

"I am." Artemis replied absentmindedly.

She tried her best to reach the back of his thighs to push him forward with her feet; he was too damn big that she couldn't quite reach. She wanted to howl in sexual frustration.

Remembering her scent drove him wild, she tried to use that to her advantage. Arching her back helped to press her body against his and rubbed her loins against the hard planes of his stomach. He seemed to get the hint. Rhage growled and grinded himself against her.

To her surprise he was already hard beneath his loincloth. Feeling his hardened member rubbing against her like that made her moan.

With a few loud rips Rhage removed her clothing and tossed his cloth to the side. In one swift motion he buried two thick fingers inside of her and finger fucked her. She was already wet, the natural lubricant her vagina made making squelching noises as he pushed and pulled his fingers. The sensation made her toss her head back and vocalize how good it felt.

Her hips tried to get him to go faster but he kept a maddening slow pace for her taste. She wanted more, so much more.

• • •

Rhage loved the sound of her soft cries. He also loved how her insides gripped his digits so tightly. It felt so right, like she was made for him.

The way she had looked at him told she wanted more tonight. She wanted to rut and he was unsure at first if she was ready, but the little vixen pushed him and pushed him some more until he caved in. She hadn't done anything but lie there and stare at him with...varying emotions; ones he wasn't sure about. It was set, however, that it seemed she was ready for that next step and craved it.

He was going to give her that and so much more, but first he had to make her as wet as possible. It was the only way to minimize the pain that she would feel. There was no way to avoid it but at least he could minimize it.

She tried to push him for more by rocking her hips at a quicker pace but he gave a warning growl. Her little moans made him burn with need to take her, so soft and breathy. Digging his claws into the sheets was the better option to control himself better as his little mate undulated beneath him. Even the soft rubbing of her swell against his skin was filling him with the need to rut her viciously and rejoice that she saw him as a worthy male.

It was when she orgasmed that he felt she was ready enough.

Through heavy lidded eyes she watched as he licked his fingers. Her juices tasted like sweet naxa. It was thick and crackled on his tongue, just like it had when his fingers were buried in her little cunt.

"Artemis..."

"Yes?" She panted, still coming down from her high.

Rhage rolled her over and quickly brought her to her knees, a hand pushing her head down so her ass was presented to him like a fine delicacy on a silver platter. His hand moved slowly down her back to explore her pale cheeks.

"Do not fight me. It will be instinctive for me to force you into submission and I do not want to hurt you." He instructed as he spread her legs apart with a knee.

"Okay."

Her own instincts would try to force him out and fight him off so he had to be careful, especially since she was with pup.

Gripping his cock in his hand he spread her slit lips apart and pushed himself in, inch by inch. She was tight, the sensation of his member being squeezed was maddening. He had to lean over her and claw at the sheets, panting from the sensation of finally being inside of her.

Beneath him she whimpered softly as he continued to push himself inside of her. He knew she was in pain but he kept going until he was close to bottoming out.

"You...are so...tight..." He hissed when his pelvis met the soft fat of her ass.

Rhage snarled when she clenched down on his cock.

"Sorry."

"Do not do that."

Artemis sniffed, "I'm...trying. You get stuffed like a turkey and see what you would do."

"Try not to choke the life out of my cock." Rhage pulled his hips back ever so slightly, making her hiss in pain.

Very gently he rocked his hips back and forth; each thrust making Artemis whimper. It was somewhat of a struggle since she was so tight. He continued to take it slow to get her used to his girth. Beneath him she whimpered with every move of his hips, her hands gripping the sheets with a death grip.

One hand moved to cup one of her fleshy breasts, rubbing his thumb against her nipple, feeling the nub stiffen beneath his touch. His mate moaned telling him all he needed to know.

Distract the prey.

With every thrust he made sure she felt pleasure elsewhere simultaneously. After a few strokes and a little bit of distraction she melted beneath him and her whimpers became moans. His powerful hips gradually increased the tempo, building her up. Her noises grew in crescendo as he picked up the pace.

Their flesh collided noisily as their bodies met in the most carnal way. A dance that was old and primitive, working their bodies towards that peak where pleasure exploded into fireworks.

A knot was tightening in Rhage's lower stomach as he climbed the mountain, the peak coming closer and closer. The room was filled with Artemis's moans, his grunts, and the sloppy wet sounds of their flesh slapping together noisily.

Rhage had never felt such euphoria when rutting in his eight-hundred and ninety-seven years of life. A female of his kind couldn't compare to the sensation of his cock being hugged so snugly by the cunt of a human — his mate's cunt. She was soft and slick, her tunnel milking him for all that he was worth. His very soul was being drained by this little creature that carried his gestating pup. Just the very thought of naturally putting more of his pups into her drove him mad with blind need.

It took his discipline to the very edge. Hurting her was so easy.

The sheets were in ribbons thanks to his claws digging into the fabric as his senses went haywire, his head lost in the sensation of her.

Artemis was the first to reach that sweet...sweet...peak. She screamed his name while she shuddered and writhed beneath him while he continued to piston his cock in and out of her. He snarled when he felt her feminine cum douse his organ and thighs. The scent of her release made him roar with the peak of his own release, her sweet fruit-like scent making the world blur until there was nothing but her.

His mate, his world, his love, the mother of his future pups. She was all of it and more. So much more!

He slammed his hips against her a final time and bellowed a mighty roar as his release came rushing from his heavy tense balls. She cried out as he pumped her full of his hot cum, much of it flooding her tunnel with nowhere to go since she was already carrying his pup. When he was emptied he slowly pulled free of her body, his mate whimpering softly.

Rhage wrapped an arm around her and fell to his side where he big spooned her from behind. Their chests rose and fell rapidly as they came down from the peak, a slight sheen on Artemis's skin from their rutting.

Taking a big sniff he was satisfied that she so strongly smelled like him. Any who dared approach her would smell him all over her and understand his claim. No one would dare touch his woman. She had given her body freely to him, after so long it seemed. Patience on his part had paid off and just by being himself with her had been enough.

This human was his, body and soul.

As he held her, a hand coming to caress her swell, he remembered the reason why they had got into this situation. Her hurt and anger over his unwillingness to relent control.

He realized how hypocritical that made him. He had told her he wanted to break away from certain traditions for her but...when it came to something that concerned her? He had brushed her concerns off like they were nothing. It was no wonder she had been so upset.

"There will be no beatings for the pup."

She turned to roll over to face him, his arm releasing her in the process as her dark ocean eyes watched him. "Really?" A small smile spread across her face.

He nodded, propping himself on an elbow. "Yes, but," Rhage held up a finger to make his point, "if the pup does do something to warrant corporal punishment as you put it, there will be consequences."

"Of course. I won't have a delinquent, Rhage."

"Good." A hand moved to caress her swell, feeling the tiny fluttering within. "We should argue more. I like the outcome. The pup seems to agree."

Her soft snort made him chuckle, "The baby is much too young to understand such things."

"Perhaps, but you have to admit you liked it." His lime-green eyes burned as he watched her blush. "Was it everything you hoped for, mate?"

"And more. You kinda destroyed my vagina. I'll be surprised if I can walk again."

Rhage chittered with male satisfaction. "I could always...make that possible..."

Those dark blue orbs widened and her face became blotchy again. She shook her head slightly, "I'm already sore. Let's not make that worse."