by Pearl Tate
“Yes. At first that was all I could think about. You and I here, starting a family. But now that we are back, I’m scared for you. For us.” Hannah’s eyes get bigger.
Matthias nods. “I understand. They won’t let this go.” He sinks back into the chair across from us. “You are turning their lives upside down.”
“Exactly. They would have been happy to see Hannah die. Maybe that was only the first try. And now with others showing mating marks, they will try to stamp this out quickly. I think the sooner we all get off the planet the better.” It makes me sad to say it but both of them nod soberly.
“Hannah, will you be my sponsor onto the ship to take me as an active crew member?” Hannah acts shocked at Matthias’s request. It still hasn’t sunk in how much power she wields.
“As my mate, you are the head of the household and he is your mates’ brother, so you can act as a sponsor. We have to assume that these mating marks annul any lineage promises or Family Unit Lead commitments. Right?” Matthias nods. “Then this will be the easiest way to get him onto the ship without having a formal technician capacity job.”
She’s nodding enthusiastically. “Of course, I will. But how do I do that?”
I hear the relief in the laugh Matthias spits out. “We can fill out the appropriate documentation together and then get it ready for the confirmation ceremony tonight. They won’t dare to deny us there and it will give everyone else hope. I’m sure you are both as excited as I am about it.”
Hannah rolls her eyes but then gives me a hug with one arm. “As long as this big lug will be there, I’ll survive.” I’m not even sure if she realized there was a formal confirmation ceremony to come but she doesn’t seem surprised. Someone may have let her know while we were separated.
My arms tighten, and I squeeze her gently back. She doesn’t realize it yet, but we will never be apart again. I won’t allow it and I don’t think my heart could handle it. So, I’m relieved to hear she feels the same.
“I love you Hannah Becker from Earth.” Our lips lock and I enjoy her warmth and contentment both physically and through our bond. She’s mine. Forever. A wonderful blessing, I never suspected.
CHAPTER THIRTY
- Hannah
We all watch the planet shrinking slowly as the Discovery accelerates away from Quasar and back into space. I don’t know about everyone else but I’m super fucking relieved.
“Are you sure you’re okay with this?” Whispering in Bren’s ear makes him shiver slightly under me in the view room seat. He squeezes my ass before pulling me closer into his side, and looking down at me, still stroking as he smiles.
“I’m absolutely positive I’m perfect with this decision.” Glancing over to his brother Matthias, who’s half way across the room watching the same view as us, he smiles grimly. “Very certain.”
Settling back against him, I relax and enjoy his warmth while he goes back to work around me. After all the primping and care that we took to go to the council’s confirmation ceremony “celebration” Bren and his brother couldn’t get out of there fast enough. It was uncomfortable! Even knowing that we were in the right and everything should be good, they’d made me paranoid.
It was a lavish event and only the top families were invited but the entertainment and news had picked up on the story and followed it very closely. Leaving the planet was the best thing to do considering the life we would have to lead there. The only correlation I could think of was movie celebrities. Even at home on Earth, as an astronaut, I wasn’t immediately recognized and mobbed like we were here on Quasar. It was incredible.
The hate groups forming were the most surprising and disturbing element, I thought. Catty women were showing up on the news channels to talk about how this was going to ruin their economy and family units if more human women came and “stole their males.” That sure didn’t take long. One day. One day after proving that our bond and mating was real and then all human women are the villains.
It was just as well that Bren and Matthias had already been working on leaving. Can you imagine how it will be once they find out about Matthias?
By the time we were ushered into the party in our honor, they had everything planned so we didn’t even go back to Bren’s place afterwords. Just straight to the ship.
Vina Likana was there with the other council members and I felt sorry for Matthias even though I was the one that had to stand up and actually decree that we were filing the “Petition for Mate Location Leave.”
Vina may have hated me before but now I’m sure she wants to kill me. Slowly. Skin me alive or something. If looks could kill, the one she gave me across the room was a death sentence. I guess due to the mating laws, any claim she had to him was now null and void and a whole new social class exists for every male this happens to in the future.
Matthias would have liked to investigate the laws even more and see how other family members would fare under it but since we needed to get the fuck out of there—that is the last thing Bren was worrying about. I’m still pushing to get that information from Marquel Sun.
As soon as I made the announcement, they made Matthias take off his shirt and there was a lot of touching and exclaiming and drones buzzing around. It created quite the stir! But they let him go. Six months.
If he isn’t back in that time with his mate than he is considered almost AWOL or something. I don’t even get it. As big as a surprise it was that Matthias ended up with mating marks, that isn’t even what is blowing my mind right now.
I’m pregnant!
When we got back onto the ship, Atticus insisted on checking me out after my “ordeal”. How they can tell I’m knocked up already, is beyond me but they can. At least they seem very confident about it.
Bren is beyond ecstatic although I can feel a bit of his worry through the bond. I think we’re both hoping to find a place to live before I ended up knocked up. He’s just a potent guy—alien or whatever. There is a part of me that is a little bit worried about having a new interspecies child with him but then I look at him and the love I feel for him just overwrites everything else. If our baby is half as kind and beautiful as him, we will have the most magnificent child in the world.
So, I’m off to discover new worlds with my new alien husband. I couldn’t have dreamed up a more perfect life for myself.
Bren surprised me with the news that he got me a job too! He spoke with Atticus and Brock, and I’ll be able to work with them right here on the Discovery. I can’t wait to get up to speed on all their physiology and technology. And once we catch up with the freak Travek, I can’t imagine that I won’t have a few human women to hang out with.
We will have to continue the circuit the Discovery takes. Continuing to check on the areas, planets, and readings for the council’s review. They don’t know that the guys are planning on totally leaving their society eventually. We’re also given strict orders to stay on the route while looking for his mate but that is still going to have to take priority.
Matthias is freaking out and I can’t blame him. I have my happily-ever-after and can’t imagine being separated from him. I’m safe and loved. Feeling Bren’s big body shift under mine, I notice it puts my chest over his and I feel our hearts sync. As they do, I know everything will work out fine.
About Pearl Tate
I’m super excited to be spreading my wings and sharing what I enjoy!
I’m happily married to the love of my life and working on being the best mom possible to our great children.
I love all kinds of stories but there is a special place in my heart for all forms of romance. The good, the bad and yes, even the ugly. When I write, I get to make sure there is always a happily ever after and that is the best part of all!
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