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EPILOGUE

ALEENA

“What a beautiful ceremony! The two of you look perfect together.”

Aleena smiled at the kind words and thanked Sophia, who was Commander Sylvan’s wife. She had been watching from the front row of chairs set up in the Sacred Grove along with Aleena’s mother, who was overcome with joy to see her daughter getting Joined.

It made Aleena glad all over again that Bear had made the suggestion of a second Joining Ceremony. For of course, her mother hadn’t been allowed to attend their first one, though she had always longed to see her daughter’s special day.

Also, the second ceremony had been so much happier than the first. No expense had been spared and Kat, the woman who had helped plan the ceremony, had set up an elegant reception for after the wedding. There was a snowy white tent spread over the verdant parkland beside the Grove and inside there were many small tables and one large one, all of them decorated with beautiful flowers. She had also been invited and she was beaming at Aleena and Bear as they accepted the well-wishes of the guests.

“The two of you are going to be truly happy—I can tell,” Commander Sylvan said, smiling as he took his wife’s arm.

“Sylvan told me your story and how you fell in love,” Sophia said to Aleena. “But there’s one thing I’m still wondering about—whatever happened to your awful stepmother and sister?”

“I’m afraid they didn’t come to a very good end,” Aleena told her. “None of my family did—other than my dear mother who moved here with me, of course.”

“Would you mind telling her, my Bear?” she sent through their mental link. “I don’t like to talk about it.”

“Of course, baby.”

“I went back to Karpsian Prime to speak to their Council and explain what had happened,” Bear told Sophia. “At first Sir Greggor and his wife and daughter tried to dispute my claims, but we had holographic evidence of what they had done to my bride.”

His arm tightened protectively around Aleena’s shoulders and she leaned against him, glad to have the comfort of his big body so close to hers.

“You did? So what happened—if you don’t mind me asking,” Sophia said.

Aleena shook her head.

“I don’t mind. But Bear tells it better.”

“Sir Greggor lost his spot in the Ruling Council and was stripped of his rank,” Bear said. “He disavowed his wife and daughter—the two of them are living on their own now.”

“They’re in the same place my mother and I used to live,” Aleena said. She wondered if the two women were enjoying the hovel which was drafty in the winter and sweltering in the summer. It had never been a very nice place, but it was better than being out on the street.

“Also, because of their egregious actions, both Grindelia—Aleena’s stepmother, and Faleesha—her sister, were put on a permanent Disavowment List,” Bear went on. “Which means that neither of them can ever marry again. From now on they’ll have to work for a living and get by the best they can.”

There was no mistaking the satisfaction in his voice. Justice had been served. As a Kindred, he would never harm a woman physically, but Aleena knew he was glad her awful stepmother and sister had been properly punished.

“Wow!” Sophia’s eyes went wide. “So they pretty much got what they deserved.”

“They did,” Bear agreed and Aleena nodded. She was still dealing with the trauma her stepmother and sister had put her through, but it felt good to know that neither of them was in a position to ever do something so heinous again.

“And the best part is, the contract that Bearick negotiated still stands,” Commander Sylvan said heartily. “They also said that Bearick and his bride are welcome to come back anytime—they even offered to make him a permanent part of their Council.”

“Oh, are you going to accept?” Sophia asked.

Bear shook his head.

“No, we’ll go back for visits sometimes, if Aleena gets homesick, but she prefers to live here on the Mother Ship.”

“It’s so nice here—and everyone has been so welcoming,” Aleena said, smiling. “I’m really enjoying exploring—the Mother Ship is huge! And I can write here. I’ve always wanted to put the stories I make in my head down on paper. On my home planet, I wasn’t allowed but here I have freedom.”

“Well, let me know if you want some girlfriends to hang around with.” Sophia gave her a friendly smile. “Kat and Liv and I would love to have you come over sometime. We’re thinking of starting a book club. That’s where we all read the same book and then give our opinions of it,” she added.

“That sounds like fun.” Aleena nodded. Thanks to the shot of Translation Bacteria she’d been given, she could read an alien language as well as she could read her own and she liked the idea of making more friends.

“Oh, we love meeting new people from other worlds—besides, you’re one of us now—one of the Kindred brides,” Sophia said with a smile.

She and Sylvan moved off and another couple who were friends of Bear’s came to congratulate them. Aleena nodded and smiled but inside she was thinking how lucky and blessed she was. As Sophia had said, she was now one of the brides of the Kindred and she and Bear would never be parted again.