Zeila swallowed the lump in her throat and looked at the ground, completely embarrassed. She began to sob as her heart was hurting so much. Was this what mating really was? Despair, sadness, and desperation? Or was this a necessary sacrifice in exchange for a huge benefit? What was she going to do about this?

Her parents were destined to be together and were very happy. Despite his hectic work schedule, her father would always find a way to spend time with her mother and give her a ...