Page 18 of Fated to the Alien Hero (Warriors of Tavikh #7)
Astrid
I stare into the flames of the elder’s fire. Grady is dead. I still don’t believe it. Not any of it. I wish I could feel…anything, but I don’t. I’m completely and totally numb. Except for my face. That fucking hurts. But the rest of me? Numb. I’m sure if Evren wasn’t sitting beside me, holding me with his tail wrapped around me, I’d be having a breakdown right about now.
Grady is dead .
Why couldn’t he have just let things go? Just gone to the Krijese village or set out on his own? Why did he have to come for me? Did he not realize how things could end? I’ll never have the answers though, because Grady’s dead.
“Astrid,” Evren says softly. “You are shaking.”
“I’m fine. It’s fine.”
“You are not fine.” He pulls me onto his lap and holds me tighter. It’s as if he squeezes the sob out of me along with the tears, because they fall and I’m not sure I’ll ever get them to stop.
I clutch him in return and cry brokenly into the crook of his neck while he murmurs quietly to me. So many more things could have gone wrong today. I could be dead. Or worse, Evren could be.
I’m not sure how long we sit there with him comforting me and his warm body and clean, minty scent soothing me, but my tears slowly come to a stop.
I’m exhausted and don’t want to move. Maybe if I sit here long enough I’ll forget everything. Except that’s a coward’s way out and I’m done being one. Slowly I sit up and swipe away the wetness that lingers on my lashes. I wince at the pain in my face and turn my head to look at Evren.
“I love you. I know you said not to say it back until I could say it without any hesitation or doubt. And I know you might think that I’m only saying it because of Grady and everything that happened today, but I’m not.” I think I’ve known almost from the beginning. “From the moment you rescued me and I heard your voice for the first time, I knew there was something special about you. I didn’t even need to see your face. Every word you spoke to me was soothing. Calming. Then, I saw your soul light. Of course, I didn’t know what it was at the time, but it changed me. You changed me. Love changed me. I don’t want to go another minute without telling you I love you.”
I kiss him softly, pouring every ounce of love I have into it. From now through eternity, I don’t ever want Evren to doubt my feelings. He deserves to know he’s loved and I’ll spend the rest of my life showing him. We break apart and I brush the long strands of his golden hair off his brow bones and tuck them behind his ear. I trail my finger along the bluntly pointed end and he groans.
“Did I hurt you?” I take my hand away.
Evren shakes his head. “Not in the way you think. I had no idea my ears were so sensitive. No one has touched them like that before.”
Knowing that shouldn’t be so sexy and yet it is. “I’m glad I’m the first.”
“As am I.”
A throat clears behind us and we turn. London is there with Zander.
“Sorry to interrupt,” she says. “We wanted to let you know your tent is finished and ready for you whenever you’d like to go inside.”
I climb off Evren’s lap and we both stand up. “Thank you, London. You have no idea how grateful I am for everything you’ve all done for me since I got here.”
“You’re one of us now, Astrid. We look out for each other. No questions asked. It’s what family does. Enjoy your new home.” She and Zander leave us with a nod.
Tears threaten to fall again, but I sniff them back. Evren takes my hand.
“Are you ready to go?” he asks.
“I am.”
We walk toward our spot and sure enough there is a brand new tent sitting there. Everyone has left, but there’s a lit torch staked in the ground out front that Evren picks up. He swings back to door flap and gestures for me to go in first. Just like London said, there are two trunks against one of the walls, a table with a giant clay bowl already filled with water, and two chairs.
My gaze drifts to the bed of furs. Lying on top is a neatly folded purple and black one that appears huge. I turn to Evren.
“Is that the…luani from the day you found me?”
He stabs the torch into the dirt next to the small central fire pit and crosses over to pick it up. “Yes. I was the warrior who dealt the final blow, which means that I am awarded the fur. I am now passing it to you as a mating gift. It is the finest thing I own and I want you to have it. The cold season is difficult for humans and this will keep you warm.”
My arms go out automatically when Evren offers it to me. He lays it over my outstretched forearms and I nearly drop the thing, it’s so heavy. I can’t even imagine how I’ll feel wrapped within it.
“You’re amazing, do you know that? Thank you. This is the best gift I’ve ever received.” I glance away a bit self-consciously. “I actually studied this thing back on Earth called love languages. There are those who think it’s silly, but there are people—people like me—who considering receiving gifts the same as being told I love you by the person who gives the gift.”
“Then I will give you as many gifts as you would like so you will never forget how much I love you.” Evren palms my cheek.
I hug the luani fur tightly against my chest and lay my free hand over his. “Just in case I don’t say it often enough, I want to find out what your love language is, too. So you never forget.”
“These love languages are another thing you can teach me along with this calendar of yours. I have not forgotten about it.”
“Deal.”
“Good. Now, let us rearrange everything how we like it,” Evren says. “Over the next couple of turns, I will make a chest for your things as well. I will also take you to the human settlement so you can bring back whatever belongings you wish to have here.”
The thought of going back to the colony is a nauseating one, but they need to know about Grady. It’s only right to tell them. Plus, I do have several sentimental items from home I want. Like the gold locket I got for my sixteenth birthday that contains a picture of my parents and me. There’s also the quilt that has been passed down throughout our family for at least five generations. I’ve kept it in the protective covering, but if Evren and I have children, it’s a tradition I’d like to continue. Which makes me realize kids are something we’ve never talked about.
“Can I ask you something first that feels a little inappropriate given the current circumstances?”
“Of course, my Astrid. You can ask me anything.”
“Do you want children?”
“If Deeka blesses us with kits, I will be the happiest of males. But whether we have them or not does not affect how I feel about you. I love you whether you decide you would like to add to our family or not,” Evren says. “If, and when, you are ready to have kits, I will love them as fiercely as I love you.”
Immense relief fills me. “I want kids…eventually. But I also wouldn’t mind just you and me for a while, too. We’re both still young and I honestly don’t know if I’m ready to take care of a baby.”
“Then we will wait.” He leans down and kisses me.
I help Evren move things around until we’re both satisfied with the new setup. He has a few sentimental things from his parents as well that he’s kept through the years, including his dad’s sword and a necklace his dad gave his mom as her mating gift. It’s the first piece of jewelry I’ve seen on Tavikh even though it is nothing more than a simple length of leather with a small colored stone hanging from it.
“You are welcome to wear it if you would like,” Evren tells me, holding it up. “It has been kept in the chest since my nene has been gone, but I think she would have liked my mate to have it.”
I glance up at him and hold it gently in my palm. “Are you sure? I’d hate to accidentally lose it.”
“All will be well.”
Slowly, I turn and hand it back to him so he can put it on me. I sweep my hair over my shoulder and he secures it around my neck. I face him again and finger the beautiful, smooth rock that’s swirled with so many vibrant colors. “I’m honored to wear your nene’s necklace and will keep it safe.”
By now the sun has long since set, and both moons are high in the sky. It’s been an exhausting day and I’m starting to feel it creeping up on me. My stomach rumbles though, reminding me I haven’t eaten in several hours. Evren’s eyes widen.
“Is something wrong? Do you hurt somewhere? What was that sound?”
A laugh bubbles out of me. “Have you never heard a stomach growl before?”
He shakes his head. “Never. What does it mean?”
I take his hand with another chuckle. “It means I’m hungry. Let’s head to the food stores for a snack.”