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I inspect my new Rogue uniform, which is now lighter gray armored plating and features a green stripe over the right shoulder, marked with a badge similar to Blaize’s.

I tap the shield. Genesis lights up in the same shade of green as my Storm.

Allele?

Yes, Aura?

If there was a time to stop us, would it not be this ceremony?

I cannot say, Aura. You will be Amphiran but not in this uniform. You are Genesis. You do not represent New Order or Amphir.

But it still feels like I’m committing a crime, allowing my people to be broken like this, viewed as divided.

“ The people of Genesis need you,” she says, switching to audible communication for a reason I cannot fathom. Our private conversation is gone, and I miss that she and I used to have our own thing that no one else had. But it’s not just her and me anymore. I have to accept it.

“All of my people deserve freedom,” I say. “Not just those who agree with me. I do not like how we cannot talk and be civil about differences in preferences.”

“Sometimes, evolution requires natural selection,” Allele remarks. “My kind were not strong enough to overpower our enemies. That is why I am alone. Because I am different. But I am here.”

I sigh. “The problem with that theory is that people like Jovie and Zariah and all the other wonderful females and beings in this universe who grow up with less and are often hungry are not allowed the same chance to thrive. I want all of my people to stay together. We are one people.”

“You have grown into two.”

“Stop, Allele. I don’t want to be the catalyst for tearing my people apart.”

“You’re not,” Eluni says. She, Blaize, Fieri, Jorusk, and Talros gather in the hallway. “You are saving the dying half. You are giving them a chance to become like Jovie, to reach out into the universe, and to find love and hope.

“Jovie is not someone being naturally selected out. She found an opportunity and took it. Now she’s with you. You are giving our people an opportunity to listen to their Storms.”

“And what if my father and the other kings turn on those innocents?”

Fieri pushes through. “Then we light their asses up and remind them who does the heavy lifting around here!”

Everyone turns to him.

“What? Elder Allesyndra is my sister,” he growls.

“Okay, you’re going to have to explain how you’ve kept that from us in a minute,” Blaize remarks. “But first, we need to get this guy in for the final ceremony.”

“But that isn’t for several hours.”

“Nope. Twice as many couples for this heat, remember? They want to start ASAP.” Eluni waves me out.

“Alright, alright. I’m going.” I walk to the ramp. “I’m starting to feel like you don’t want me on my own ship.”

They all quiet.

For a moment, I wonder if they’re doing this to me like I was doing to my father—a family betrayal apart from values. But then Eluni smiles. Squeezes her hands into fists and shakes like she’s excited.

“Go get her already!” she says.

“Aren’t any of you coming with me? They allow in-person witnesses.”

“Give us five,” Talros says.

I walk to the hallway and up the stairs to the top floor.

The rooms are closed up, but joyful sounds of many women laughing and talking echo through the walls.

In the main auditorium, surrounded by glass, I find a few other males already dressed for the event.

A familiar blue-eyed devil offers me a hand.

“You found one, I take it,” I say.

Sa’Tai adjusts his glove and shakes my hand. “I did. She is open-minded enough that she accepts the darkest parts of me.”

“Sounds dirty,”

“That too. It’s good . I’m not sure we had as much fun as you two had. Saw the replay,” Sa’Tai remarks.

I worry the cameradrones caught us doing it, but the replay on the screen by the entrance shows me shoving cake down Jovie’s suit and the shock on her face.

“Are you up here early because of the Denarso sightings?” he asks.

Dread crushes my mood. “No. My crew pushed me in here.”

“Ah. They probably know.” He rubs his neck like it’s stiff. “I hope we can get this over with so we can arm up and get on patrols.

Allele, are the Denarsoan ships close?

Yes. Please get a move on, Aura. We have a pending battle to deal with. Terran forces think they can handle it, but my calculations say they cannot. We must assist.

Understood. Get the crew ready. I’ll be back soon.

They’re headed to your position, remember?

Right.

Sa’Tai rests a hand on my shoulder. “Fight well. Love hard. Make peace.”

I return his gesture. “You too, my friend.”

Sa’Tai walks off as I get in line.

Ohni gets up onto the platform and announces the Bonding ceremony, but I don’t listen as I look through the people for Jovie and my crew.

The moment I see her, I feel I cannot love her more than I do right now, but I want to try.

Jovie’s curves are wrapped tightly in a metallic purple dress with a translucent green sash. Someone has curled her hair, so it looks like a crazy bundle of electric arcs.

My heart can’t take it. My Storm is raging, throwing a fit inside me because she isn’t in my arms.

I can’t stop myself from running to her, picking her up, and burying my face in her chest with a hungry growl.

Jovie lets out a delighted yelp and bursts into laughter.

“Sir, you must wait your turn,” a guard says.

I look over at him. “I’m not letting her go.”

“It must be seen as mutual. She has to climb the ramp to the stage herself.”

“Ugh, fine.”

When I set her down, she kisses me.

“Just a few paces away.” Jovie gets in line.

Ohni calls out to us. “Would our first match like to go first? Prince Aurelius…”

“Yes!” I skip the males’ ramp, bolt up the central steps, and fling myself over the railing into position beside Ohni, who steps out of my way.

“Jovie?” Ohni calls to her.

My beautiful mate walks with grace up the ramp, excusing herself as she passes other women standing ready along the wall.

I reach for Jovie’s hand, and she takes it, evoking a white Oramma orb.

“Are there any bonding customs on Amphir that we should be aware of?” Ohni asks. “You hadn’t submitted any additional details.”

Jorusk walks up to us, dressed in light gray Rogue armor. If my father saw him, he’d throw a fit. But Fieri seems almost proud as he watches the young Drathious hand me two name badges. “Arc these over the heart. So is the word of the last Orillium, Allele.”

I take them and inspect the metal. “You do not have to endure this, Jovie.”

“Do it,” she says.

I place her metal name over my chest first.

“Do you, Prince Aurelius of Amphir…” Ohni starts.

“Genesis,” I add.

“Of Genesis, take Jovie Nevaté as your mate to protect, love, and cherish her for as long as you both shall live?”

Looking at Jovie smiling up at me, knowing she helped my team rescue me, I have no doubt she is everything I dreamed of. My Storm was right to pick her.

With a slow blink, I focus my energy into the metal against my chest and burn her name into me forever. The sting is mild for me. It won’t be as gentle to her.

Jovie looks at her name on my chest as I hand Jorusk the hot metal.

A cameradrone zooms around us for a panoramic shot, no doubt picking up her name in my skin.

“And do you, Jovie Nevaté, of Earth, take Prince Aurelius as your mate to protect, love, and cherish as long as you both shall live?”

Jovie pulls her dress strap aside.

“It’s only four letters,” I tell her.

“Just do it. I can take it.” Jovie grits her teeth beneath her smile.

I set the line of smaller letters on her chest beneath her collarbone and give them the lightest zap I can muster. When I remove the metal, I’m certain it was just the right amount. Aura is now lightly marked on her skin.

Jorusk hands me a tube. “A little goes a long way.”

I trade him and put a dab of the clear gel over her chest and mine, then pocket the rest.

“Prince Aurelius and Princess Jovie Nevaté!” Ohni claps as the room cheers.

Blaize whistles through his teeth.

Ohni steps back. “You may kiss your bride.”

I scoop Jovie up and draw her mouth to mine, savoring the sweet taste of her lips. “Did you get cake?”

“Lip gloss, baby,” she says. “Vanilla frosting. Remember those credits I won? I bought some stuff.”

I carry her to the French doors behind us and out across the veranda to the dock site, where Allele lowers her ramp. “I wasn’t gone that long.”

“Long enough,” Talros huffs as he’s handed a crate of things behind us. “Good grief, girl.”

“I bought stuff while I was getting my hair done. It took forever!”

Once we’re all on board, Allele closes the ramp and flies us into space. I carry Jovie into my room and let the door close behind us.

“We don’t have a lot of time,” I tell her. “Denarso are coming. We need to help.”

Jovie frowns. “Of course they are.”

Then she grins, hikes up her dress, and drops her panties. “Better make it quick.”

She has no idea how much she turns me on.

I rip my armor off, frantically unbuckle and unzip my pants, free myself, and grab my bride. Hoisting her up by the hips, I lay her back on the bed and bury myself in her supple heat.

Jovie gasps and clenches around me. It takes effort to bond us completely. She is so tight and strong and wet that by the third thrust into her beautiful, delicate body, I’m already tipping over the edge of filling her.

She calls my name and begs for me to push deeper. I try. Stars, do I try. I want to please her, but I know my electric shaft makes it hard for her to let me in. So I close my eyes, nuzzle her face, and focus on calming my Storm because it’s what she needs even though I want to explode.

And slowly, she relaxes enough that I finally reach her deepest parts, the hot core of her that can control me when no one and nothing else can.

“Ooh, fuck. Aura…” She tenses around me in quivering waves.

“That’s it, amamora.”

Her excitement spreads to me. I lose my calm, and electricity courses through my body again.

Jovie arches as arcs dance between our bodies. She bucks into my cock, sending erotic waves through me. My balls tighten. Heat races into my groin. Each pump makes her quiver. And I fill her with everything I have.

I don’t want to lose this—this love we have—these intimate moments when I feel vulnerable because my Storm is different. She makes me feel powerful enough to take on the universe.

As our bodies slow and she smiles up at me, I know I will kill anyone who hurts her. I hope she’s ready to do the same to stay alive for me.

“Ready for your first battle?” I ask her.

Jovie blinks an eye at me. “I’m on thruster duty.”

I grin. “Fair enough.”

After helping her up, I take one last long look at her in her beautiful dress. “Hang onto this. I want to see you in it again. For now, I want you in armor.”

“Yes, sir .”

The dirty way she looks at me has me considering jumping out of space and letting the others deal with the Denarso. But as leaders in space travel, I know Earth is more likely to win if we stay. I won’t abandon allies. We might need them soon.