Page 45 of Guardian’s Destiny (Space Guardian’s Mate #3)

VRAAX

I collected the Ohrurs from their cell and whatever else Sloane and I might need while she, Garth, Silla, and Tucker explored our new ship. I wasn't happy about Tucker being aboard with us; there was something about the human male I didn't like or trust, but I understood that he wanted to see his sister, and I was willing to bet that Nova would have my hide if I didn't bring him along.

I wasn't sure if I could spend several days with him aboard the ship without a physical altercation. He seemed the type. The type that needed constant reminding on where he stood on the food chain and, as far as I was concerned, he was very low to the bottom. Even more so if he didn't stop grinning that idiotic grin at Sloane or if he dared touch her again. I had nearly pulled his head off his shoulders for doing so in the first place.

Asshole.

Once we got our goodbyes said—I hated the idea of owing the Lord Protector, but he wasn't giving me a choice in the matter—and the ship set course to Darlam, I found Sloane and Tucker in the breakroom.

"… fuck yeah, I remember Mulligan," Sloane said as I entered.

The two of them looked way too cozy, sitting across the table from each other, drinking something Silla had provided, and laughing. Sloane had never shied away from cursing, but I didn't like the way her voice had lowered a few octaves and curses were flowing from her lips more frequently.

I walked over to the two of them and planted a deep kiss on Sloane's mouth. I was sure she would call my behavior primitive style, but I couldn't help it. The human male needed to know that Sloane was mine.

"I missed you," I said loud enough for him to hear.

Her eyes glinted with mischief, the damn female knew exactly what I was doing. "I missed you too. Come sit with us."

Since I couldn't simply drag her out of the room the way I wanted to, I pulled out a chair. It seemed the night was far from over, and it wasn't time yet to go to our new bedroom.

"So the guy—" Tucker picked up the conversation I had interrupted, but Sloane stopped him by slashing her hand through the air.

"How come you never told me you had a sister?"

Tucker moved his hand through his hair and leaned back in the chair, looking as if Sloane had slapped him. "Shit. How is she?"

"She's good. She's mated to a Space Guardian, like me." Sloane brushed her fingers over my arm, right over my Soulweb Glyphs, and it took a huge amount of restraint not to pull her into my lap and devour her. "I'll fill you in on all the details later, but… why does she think you're dead?"

The human male leaned forward to take a long sip from whatever he and Sloane were drinking. My curiosity aroused, I took Sloane's cup and tried it. Frygg, that was good. Bitter, but good. Not as strong as our spirits, but very good. I wondered how Silla had managed to get this stuff brewed; I knew the traditional Pandraxians were all against spirits. At court not so much, but the colonies under the Lord Protectors' rules hardly ever imbibed.

"I made sure she would." Tucker emptied his cup, pulling up a large clay vessel to refill his and Sloane's before getting up and grabbing a new cup for me. I appreciated the gesture.

Sloane remained quiet the entire time, watching him, brushing my arm, giving him time. When he filled the cup for me and pushed it over, I mumbled a quick thank you, wondering if he wasn't so bad after all.

"It's complicated," he began. "My family was what you'd call dysfunctional. My dad and uncle raised us after my mom up and vanished one day. We lived out in the swamps, and I suppose she didn't like living in a trailer all that much. Living off gator hides, Dad and Uncle Boone sold. Those two were mean as snakes. Not so much to Nova, although…" he drifted off, sighed deeply, "I suppose they weren't very loving to her either. I tried to protect her as good as I could, took the brunt of the beatings." He smirked, not looking like the charming male I had met earlier. I had no idea what some of the words he said meant, like gators, snakes, swamp , but it didn't matter. I got the gist.

I never had a family, and hearing him talk, that might have been better.

"The only thing I ever wanted was to join the MARSOC unit, that's all I've ever dreamed of. I hated the god damn swamp, I hated the skeeters, the humidity, everything. I even joined the damn ROTC, ignored the insults Dad and Uncle Boone threw at me, bore their insults, just so that I could get out.

"I was ready to join the marines the moment I turned eighteen, but Dad wanted me to join him and Uncle Boone in their new business, making meth and he wasn't above making threats. When that didn't work on me, he threatened Nova. She doesn't know about that, but Dad said if I took off, she would get hurt.

"The only idea I could come up with was making him think I was dead."

Tucker was sitting right there with us at the table, but judging by the look in his eyes, he was far, far away.

"So I did. Two buddies of mine from the ROTC and I made it look like we got lost or killed in the swamp and disappeared."

Silence ensured. We waited for him to continue, but I supposed he was done.

Sloane cleared her throat. "So that's it? You just up and left, let your little sister believe you were dead?"

"I didn't have a choice," Tucker defended himself. "It was either that or cook meth. Uncle Boone and Dad both got killed doing just that. Exploded the entire trailer around them. Had I not left, I would have been with them."

When Sloane didn't reply, he continued, "When I heard what happened, I came back. I was set on taking care of Nova. I already had housing through the Marines organized and everything, but when I returned, I was told Aunt Missy had taken her to Shreveport. Aunt Missy used to be Dad's girlfriend a very long time ago. She was a nice lady. You know what army life is like." Tucker looked at Sloane, who nodded reluctantly. "That wasn't a life for a teenage girl. I would have done it, but Aunt Missy was a good person. She came from money. How Dad ever got her to love him, I'll never understand, but she was a real lady. One who would take care of Nova. Better than me. So I left."

"Why didn't you try contacting her?"

He shrugged. "I liked being dead. I liked being Tucker Beauvier, the Marine, without any attachments. And I was damn good at my job." He looked defiantly at Sloane.

"You were," she agreed. "The best."

His boyish grin returned. "Damn straight."

"Look," Sloane rose from her chair. "I'm not judging, this shit is between you and Nova. I just wish you would have told me."

"So we're good?"

She nodded. "Yeah, we're good. I'll fill you in on our mission in the morning."

I emptied my cup and put it down on the table, where the cleaning drones would pick it up, and followed Sloane out into the hall.

"Are you okay?"

"I'm good," she assured me. "Horny, but good."

I laughed; that was exactly what I had hoped she would say.

The door to our new quarters opened to allow us entrance, and I looked at the spacious area for the first time. Lord Protector Garth hadn't spared any expenses and given us a top-of-the-line ship, something I appreciated even more because Sloane would be a lot more comfortable aboard this vessel.

The Ohrurs enjoyed their stay in their quarters. I hadn't checked much on them other than to bring them food, but they were still alive, so they must have come to a mutual arrangement. As expected, Zapharos and Ella were gone. Good riddance to that , I thought. However, I had a deep suspicion that this wasn't the last we had seen of the Arkhevari.

Right then, though, all I wanted was to worship my mate on the comfortable-looking bed, and by the way she was already taking her clothes off, I was pretty sure she had the same idea.

We had several days before we reached the others, and I was hard set on staying all those days in this room with my mate. I didn't care about Tucker getting lonely. I just wanted to have some alone time with Sloane.

I had never imagined I would share my life with a mate one day, but I couldn't be happier about this unexpected joy. Sloane had changed everything. She challenged me, refused to yield, and never once let me get away with my usual arrogance. At first, I had assumed I could simply win her over, that our connection would be as inevitable as my mission successes had always been. But loving her was never about conquest—it was about becoming someone worthy of standing beside her.

She taught me that strength wasn’t about doing everything alone—it was about knowing when to trust the right people. That working within a chain of command didn’t mean being controlled; it meant understanding that no war was won by a single soldier.

She had forced me to trust others, rely on them, and see that a mission was bigger than one person’s will. It had been infuriating at first—how she could so effortlessly give orders and expect me to follow them. How she could place faith in others and expect me to do the same. But I had learned. And I had grown.

Sloane was my temperance—my Nexus. Without her, I had been raw instinct, untampered and unchecked. She didn’t just complete me; she made me better. And for that, I loved her more than life itself.

I would do anything for her. Even abandon this quest and live with her far, far away from all of this.

But I knew my mate would never agree to that. Sloane wanted to see this through as much as I needed to. And now, for the first time in my life, my fight wasn’t just for myself. It was for us.

"I love you," I said when we were both naked.

"Show me," she tempted, lifting her chin. I brought my hands up to cup her beloved face and lowered down to kiss her. She reached up to meet me halfway, and the moment our lips met, everything around us melted away. It was just her and me.

"I love you too," she said breathlessly when our lips parted. Her eyes were glassy, and I saw my reflection in her pupils.

"I love you so frygging much," I shook my head. I did. She was everything.

I pulled her into my arms, wrapping her against me as if the universe itself couldn't pry her away. Her warmth, her scent, her very presence grounded me in a way I'd never thought possible. She was my center, my compass, and my reason for being.

"I don't deserve you," I whispered, pressing my lips to her temple. "But I swear, Sloane, I'll spend my life making sure you never regret choosing me."

Her fingers brushed my jawline, her touch soft and reassuring. "You're wrong," she said with a teasing smile. "We were made for each other. Fate doesn't make mistakes."

Her words brought home once again what lay ahead of us. "Whatever comes next, Sloane, we face it together," I said firmly, cradling her face once more.

"Together," she echoed, her voice steady, filled with a confidence that matched my own.

The quest loomed ahead, a formidable challenge waiting to be conquered, but for now, we were here—lost in each other and the love that had become our sanctuary.

I carried her to the bed, and as we lay entwined, sharing whispered promises and stolen kisses, I knew without a shadow of a doubt that no matter the trials ahead, our love would endure.

Sloane rested her head against my chest, her breathing steady and content. My fingers brushed through her hair as I gazed up at the ceiling, letting the weight of our journey momentarily slip away.

"Sleep, my love," I murmured, pressing a kiss to her forehead. "Tomorrow is another day to conquer the world—with you by my side."

In her arms, I found a peace I'd never thought I'd know. Whatever awaited us, I was ready. Because as long as I had Sloane, I had everything I needed.

The stars could shine. The universe could turn. And together, we would face it all.