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“I hear that you saved my little girl and are responsible for this?” her sire said as he approached. The words were encouraging, but the tone was probing.

Swiftly he placed his fist to his chest and bowed to the male, then stood up straighter than before. This was Elena’s clan. He couldn’t botch this.

“Papa, what are you doing?” Elena scowled at her sire.

The male looked softly at Elena then turned his serious gaze back to him. The male had every right to be concerned for his daughter. This is what family did. They looked out for each other, especially sires for their daughters. It was an honor he hoped to have one day.

“Sire, I believe it is the opposite. Your daughter is a warrior. She survived this planet. She found me when I crashed, tended to my wounds and fed me. She cared for others of your kind who aren’t in this room.” Payim waved to the rest of the ship. “She is more responsible for all of this than I am.” He smiled at his amazing mate.

“I like him,” her sire grunted.

“I do, too!” Elena squealed and hugged her father.

A smile spread across Payim’s face and that grin widened when Elena’s mother approached.

“Bend down so we can hug you,” the female insisted, her arms stretched wide.

Elena joined in as everyone wrapped their arms around him. The feeling was overwhelming and like nothing he’d ever known. This was what family felt like.

Elena

“So, this whole room is just for us?” Anthony asked with his mouth full.

Elena snorted at the way her cousin was coveting what looked like an entire turkey, though he did graciously share it with his wife.

“I apologize that you don’t have your own suites. With the crew, the other humans and the people still in stasis, we are at capacity,” Payim explained.

She smiled at Payim and the way he wanted to impress her family.

“This is more than enough. I don’t think we’d know what to do in our own rooms,” Tía Camila reassured him as she reached for a brownie.

She couldn’t help the joy she felt watching her aunt relish the treat. The grin on Payim’s face said he was equally pleased he’d whipped up another batch. Her heart ached when Camila tucked away a few of the brownies, knowing it was a survival mechanism. She wasn't blind to what her family had suffered, but that could wait. Now was a time for rejoicing.

“Stasis. Hmm. What will happen with those people?” her father asked.

“What will happen with us?” her mother added.

The jovial atmosphere in the room turned serious.

“That is a complicated question. Ideally, we’d return everyone to Earth who wishes to go. Earth is aware and is even aiding the Miran Sona’s colonization efforts, yet they are incarcerating anyone who returns to the planet.”

“I am not surprised,” her father huffed.

“The other option is going to the New Earth colony, which the Miran Sona would prefer. However, Cadi and Osi are also options,” Payim added.

“That’s a lot of options,” Gabriela murmured.

“You’re coming with us to Cadi. I know you’ll miss everyone at home, but if you go back there you wouldn’t be safe and neither would our family and friends. We’d be hunted like dogs,” Elena insisted.

“You would be welcome on Cadi. Our Daimio is mated to one of your people.” Payim nodded, backing her up.

“They even have a baby,” she interjected.

“So, I can have grandbabies?” her mother asked excitedly.

Elena nodded and grinned, knowing her mother would pick up on that.

“Hmm. Marrying one of you is tempting,” Camila said thoughtfully as her gaze raked up Payim.