Aria

“How is he doing?”

“Still asleep,” I answer Trent. “The doctor says he can wake up at any moment.”

The Zoran soldier nods. “Can I get you anything?”

“No thank you,” I say. “I’m going to keep waiting here.”

Trent walks off, and I sit back down next to my mate.

He’s covered in bandages and hooked up to a heart-rate monitor. He nearly died saving our lives. His lungs had to be pumped, and his wounds were far more serious than he let on.

Stupid hero.

Luckily, the Boomerang is working like she’s brand new. We’re cruising along, leaving Delta Y, the Kua’s water world and everything we’ve been through far behind us.

The one thing that we can’t leave behind is the Zoran baby steadily growing in my stomach, and the love I feel for my Zoran hero. I haven’t left his side for a moment. I want to be here when he wakes up.

“You look amazing when you’re lost in thought.”

That low growl…

“Dost!” I say, jumping out of my seat. “You’re awake!”

“Of course,” he says, a painful grimace on his face. “I didn’t want to interrupt your train of thought.”

“Oh, you fool,” I say. Relief washes over me in a huge, pleasant wave. I was so worried. After losing Grace, I couldn’t bear to lose Dost. “You know you nearly got yourself killed!”

Dost grins. “Nearly. Come here.”

“Are you sure?” I ask as I sit down on the edge of the bed. “I don’t want to hurt you…”

Dost, impatient as ever when it comes to touching me, grabs my arm and pulls me right on top of him. So much for being careful! His entire chest is bandaged up, but he doesn’t seem to mind.

“Are you sure you’re not in pain?”

“How can I be in pain when I have you?” he says as he nuzzles the top of my head. “I’ve missed you.”

“I’ve missed you too,” I say, resting my head on his naked shoulder. “I always kept faith, but it was so hard to see you hooked up to all those machines…”

Tears sting my eyes. I’m having trouble believing my wait is finally over.

My mate is healthy and alive!

“Never scare me like that again, okay?” I whisper.

“As long as you promise never to offer yourself to alien slavers in exchange for me.”

“Deal.”

He runs his strong hands down my back, and for the first time in days I can fully and completely relax. All my muscles are so tightly wound-up. I can’t wait to feel Dost’s big hands massage me…

“How do you feel?” my Zoran warrior asks after a few minutes. “About Grace…are you okay?”

“I’m sad,” I say truthfully, “but also proud. My baby sister, leader of a rebellion… I’m honored to be her big sister.”

Dost nods. “She’ll be remembered, we’ll make sure of that.”

“Yes,” I say. “Yes, we will.”

“Do you want to name our child in her honor?”

My eyes widen. “You’d do that?”

“Of course,” Dost says.

“I thought perhaps Zoran had certain naming-customs I didn’t know about.”

“For my child to bear the name of a proud warrior such as Grace Winters would greatly honor me,” Dost says.

Warmth fills me, and I shower my mate’s neck with kisses. He really is the sweetest.

“I’ll take that as a yes,” he laughs, his hand sliding down to my lower back. “How is the ship doing?”

“Running better than ever, actually,” I answer. “We are heading towards Earth right now. We picked up the scientists from Delta Y, of course, and the preliminary results are very hopeful. Delta Y could very well be the new Zoran homeworld… which means you completed your mission.”

Dost shrugs. “The only thing I care about is you.”

I run my fingers past his jaw-line. I never thought I’d fall for an alien warrior, but now I can never see myself with anyone else. No one can compare to Dost.

“Should we talk about that?” I say. “You said your father would not approve. I don’t want to…”

“The only thing I care about is you,” he says firmly. “Our family. Your family. That’s it. Nothing else.”

“Are you sure?”

“I’ve never been more sure about anything in my life, my mate. I promise.”