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Epilogue

T hree months later . . .

Aerie

Even though we planned our mating ceremony, I never envisioned it as wonderful as this. We’re in the dining hall, which has been festooned with flowers from our hydroponic garden.

Beast is standing at the far end of the room, waiting for me. He’s at the head of a ‘V’ with all the gladiators from Trent as his best men. I’m struck by how proud they all look in their black leather kilts and sashes. Best of all, they each have a sword hanging from a scabbard at their waist. What it must be like for them to be powerful free males who carry their own weapons and answer to no one.

Beast is at the apex of the ‘V’ looking so strong and handsome he takes my breath away. His green and black dreads are pulled into a topknot on his head, the gold rings on his nose sparkle in the light, but it’s the look on his face, full of pure, unadulterated love, that clutches my heart the tightest.

I step forward, wearing a white on white dress that I’m told all the women wear on their mating day. Savannah altered it for me and I know I look my best. The hem sweeps the floor, hiding my bare feet. I don’t need my stilts to protect me anymore. I have my beautiful Beast for that.

“Ready for your vows?” Zar asks, the happy smile stretching across his feline face exposing his long canines.

Beast takes my hand in his, spears me with his loving emerald gaze, and says, “We were thrown together by the slavers, but I think it was the Gods themselves who wanted us to meet. You’re the best female I’ve ever met and the only one I’ll ever want. I’ll cherish you forever and protect you with my life, my beloved Aerie.”

Although long ago I voted myself least likely to cry at weddings, I’m certainly crying now. Tears of joy.

Beast is a male of few words and I get paid to communicate for a living. However, all the speeches I prepared fly out of my head and I speak from my heart. “I knew I loved you from the minute I found myself praying for your life in the arena on Galgon. You’re the most precious thing in the galaxy, Beast. I’m thrilled to be your mate, and I’m the luckiest female in all the galaxy to be able to spend the rest of my life with you.”

Beast

We left the dining room where we were mated moments ago, and our friends are all trailing behind us through the metal-walled halls of the ship.

“The ship isn’t this big. Where are you taking me?” Aerie laughs, her hands still dutifully covering her eyes as I lead her through the hallways, my hand on the small of her back.

“How many times do I have to tell you it’s a surprise?”“I know it’s a surprise. I’d have to be an idiot not to know. Every time you’re gone for more than an hour and I ask where you’ve been, that’s been your answer for three months.” She pretends to be sullen and grouchy, but her happy smile gives her away.

“Well, you’ll finally get your answer.”

“Good. I’m tired of going in circles.”

Which is, indeed, what we’ve been doing. When we arrive at the farthest end of the dorm area,

Dax opens the door for us. Before I pull Aerie through the opening, he vigorously shakes his head and mimes picking her up. Drack . I forgot that part. He told me the females love when their male does this.

“Keep your hands over your eyes,” I order in my sternest voice, then lift her into my arms and step over the threshold. “Now,” I say, making certain I’m in a position to observe every expression on her beautiful face when she sees what I’ve done.

“Holy shit!”

I know her well enough to know this is a happy curse, not an angry one.

“Beast. You did this?” She wiggles to get out of my arms and stands on the floor. “How did you . . .?”

“I had lots of help. Dax is a good teacher. Almost everyone on board helped with one thing or another.” I raise my voice so everyone in the hallway can hear me, “They all did a great job.”

Dax and the males helped me tear out a wall between two cabins. We had to retrofit some metal to fill in the holes in the walls, then he taught me to work with wood to make all the builtins that will hold our possessions, some of which were lovely, expensive trinkets we stole from Plenum.

I’m proud of this room. Once I decided I wanted to be on this ship as long as the fates allow, I knew I needed to make my Aerie happy here. On the pod she told me she dreamed of a place, high above everything, to safely rest—an aerie. I made this for her. I want her to love it and feel protected here.

Aerie’s narrating everything out loud. “Look at this.” Her hand smoothes over the burled wood on the dresser. “Oh my God, and this.” She points to curtains that cover the small window.

“I didn't do that, Savannah did.”

“Remind me to thank her.”

“Do it yourself.” I turn her toward the doorway, and all our friends spill inside our cabin.

“Everyone’s here!” she squeals in delight.

“Congratulations on your mating!” they all yell at once, then there are so many conversations and well wishes, and talking that I can’t follow any of it. So I just engage in my favorite pastime—watching Aerie. No. Let me rephrase that. Watching my mate. My beloved mate.

I stole that saying from Zar. He never calls his mate Anya, always his beloved mate. It says so much about their relationship. And now, it says so much about ours—mine and Aerie’s.

The last three lunars have been both the fastest and the slowest of my life. Settling into life on the ship has been an experience.

There has been so much to sort out. Which of the gladiators from Trent will stay with us, and who will return to their home planet. Who would be on the Fool’s Errand , and who would go on the new ship the females decided to name the Devil’s Playground . How the two ships would work together, and when we would go our separate ways.

I was shocked when I was voted Captain of the Devil’s Playground . I’m still baffled as to why they picked me. They tell me I’m a born leader. I’m just a male. A male who wonders and frets and plans.

I think that’s the real reason they chose me. They know I’ll take every decision seriously. I’ll worry about every person under my care. I’ll do everything in my power to keep them all safe. It’s a big responsibility; I hope I’m up to the task.

“Sir,” Crom says as he approaches, “here it is.”

“My beloved mate,” I call, interrupting Aerie who is deep in discussion with several of her friends. “I have one more mating gift for you. I’m not certain whether you’ll want to hang it, place it in a position of honor on one of the wooden shelves I made, or officially jettison it out the garbage chute. The choice is yours.”

“Ooh, a wedding gift? You made it? I’m sure I’ll love it.”

“Don’t be so sure,” I say, my face serious as I present her with what I’m told is called a shadow box. Inside it is her right stilt, the one she killed Plenum with.

She reaches out to take it, then realizes what’s inside the beautiful box. Her face falls. Drack , I knew this was a bad idea. I shouldn’t have done this, especially not in front of all her friends.

“Tell me, Beast,” her voice is soft, “what does this signify to you?”

I take a calm, deep breath. Good. As soon as she hears this, she’ll know my heart. Whatever she does with it, she won’t be mad at me for gifting it to her.

“It signifies my beloved. Every aspect of her. From her beauty to her self-determination. It speaks volumes about the way she protected herself before she met me, and, of course, after as well. It shines a light on your strengths and your vulnerabilities. It’s the first thing I noticed about you other than your beauty and your bravery. I wanted it to remind you that you can be anything and do anything your heart desires.”

She’s crying now. It’s so odd seeing big, fat shining tears snaking down cheeks that are stretched in . . . joy.

She pulls it out of my grip, hands it to Crom, who, always faithful, is standing nearby, then she jumps into my arms.

“I love you, mighty Beast of Tramachor. I’ll love you forever.”

I feel full. Full of love and happiness. I’ve never felt light before, but here, surrounded by friends, knowing everyone here wants only the best for me, I’m truly happy.

Aerie

I snug my cheek next to Beast’s and drink everything in. My friends, my knick-knacks, my home. Everything I never knew I wanted, but now I possess.

But most of all, I have my mate.

Three months ago, when he proposed, it felt too much, too fast, too soon. But since then, I’ve never had a doubt—not an ounce of worry that we weren’t meant to be together.

When it’s right, it’s right. I don’t need another year, or month, or even day to confirm what I’ve known in my heart since I saw him on the beige sand of Galgon, fighting for his life. I love this guy.

He’s still Beast-Evolving. I’m still Aerie-Evolving. And I don’t need that to change. I want us to keep growing forever. I have nothing to prove to him. He sees who I am, flaws and all, and loves me anyway. As I do him.

Here we are in our home, on our ship, on our way to who-knows-where, and I couldn’t be happier.

Tucking my lips next to his ear I whisper, “Can you think of a nice way to invite everyone to leave so we can inaugurate the bed?”

“We thank every one of you for coming, for celebrating our mating with us, and for helping me make this lovely room for my beloved mate. I’ll see you all tomorrow. She wants to inaugurate the bed, whatever that means.”

I punch his shoulder as everyone laughs and files out.

“What? I did that nicely. I didn’t tell them I wanted to drack my mate.”

Yep. I love him, flaws and all. I couldn’t be happier.

The End