Page 25 of Revealed

"No. The Kronock invasion began before I could complete my mission."

Serge's already large eyes widened, and he threw a short arm across them. "That might have been our last tribute bride." Then he turned to Reina and slumped against her. “What will become of us?”

Reina patted his shoulder. "Now, now, Serge. I'm sure everything will work out. Drexians still need brides, after all." She glanced at me. “Don’t worry, hon. We understand, and we’re just glad you’re safe. The invasion sounded awful.”

“Speak for yourself,” Serge muttered from beneath his arm. Then he threw up his hands. "Everything is going to change! I told them, I warned them, but did anyone listen to me? No! We never should have revealed the tribute bride program. It was working perfectly fine in secret!"

"It will all work out,” Reina said, her breathy words upbeat even if her expression was strained. "We'll still have jobs as wedding planners for the Boat. There will always be Drexians who need mates and weddings to plan.”

“She’s right,” I said, earning me a sharp look from the Gatazoid. “Once humans saw the Kronock and the Drexians defendingthem, once they knew that aliens were real, there was no going back to business as usual.”

Serge sniffed. Even if he knew this was true, he didn’t like it.

“But it will all be different.” He stamped one thick-soled boot. “I just got used to Mandy’s new computerized matching system. If you ask me, The Dating Game method had been working just fine.”

“It was time for a change,” Reina said firmly. “And now, there will be more.”

Serge’s hair was flushing hot pink at the roots. “If it isn’t broken…”

Reina hooked a hand under Serge’s elbow and started to lead him away with a backward wave at me. “Welcome back, hon.”

The pair continued their back-and-forth as Reina propelled her colleague down the corridor, leaving me stunned. Serge was a bit on the hysterical side, but he was also right. Everything was changing.

I resumed walking, but the pristine corridors seemed to stretch endlessly before me, each identical white panel a reminder of the sterile, ordered life I'd always known. But after experiencing the chaotic vibrancy of Earth—having known Allie—it all felt hollow.

I thought of Allie's laugh, the way her eyes lit up when she smiled, the warmth of her hand in mine as we navigated the dark caverns, the trust she'd placed in me despite discovering that I was an alien. How was I supposed to forget all that? How was I supposed to forget her?

Chapter

Eighteen

Allie

The morning air was crisp as I walked Drex along the quiet streets of our small town. It had been a few days since the world-changing revelation about the Drexians, and life had settled into a strange new normal. The rhythmic click of Drex's nails on the sidewalk and the gentle tug of the leash in my hand had become a comforting routine, grounding me in the midst of all the upheaval.

As we rounded the corner, I couldn't help but notice the changes in our once-familiar landscape. Repair crews had been working tirelessly, patching up buildings and clearing debris, but evidence of the invasion lingered everywhere. Potholes pockmarked the streets, some hastily filled while others gaped open like wounds in the asphalt. A fine layer of dust still seemed to coat everything, kicked up by the constant reconstruction efforts and settling on cars, windowsills, and even the leaves of trees.

But the air was filled with more than just dust. Everywhere I went, conversations revolved around the invasion, the Drexians, and the newly formed alliance. People spoke in hushed, excited tones about how the aliens had worked alongside Earth forces to beat back the Kronock threat. Now, it seemed, we had powerful new protectors watching over our planet.

We passed by Marlene's Mementos, the boutique where I worked. The storefront had been repaired, its fresh celadon green paint a stark contrast to the battered buildings around it. Through the window, I caught sight of Marlene herself, her impossibly blonde hair styled in its usual helmet-like perfection. She noticed me and waved, and I returned her wave with a smile.

Despite the semblance of normalcy, my thoughts kept drifting back to Maxxon. It was ridiculous, really. I barely knew him, but the memory of his steady presence in the caverns, the warmth in his eyes, the way he'd made me feel safe even as the world crumbled around us—it all lingered, refusing to fade.

“Get a grip, Allie,” I whispered furiously to myself, causing a woman passing me on the sidewalk to give me a curious look. Then I dropped my voice to a mumble. “It was just sex.”

Really good sex, I reminded myself. Toe-curling, earth-shaking sex.

I groaned and shook my head. So much for getting a grip. He was probably back on his space station, going about his life, not obsessing about me like I was obsessing about him. The idea stung more than it should have.

I power-walked back home so I could drop off Drex before my shift at Marlene’s, grateful for the blast of air-conditioning as I walked back into my apartment and unhooked his leash. Drexscampered to his bowl, eagerly lapping at the water and getting as much on the floor as in his mouth.

I smiled, grateful that he’d adapted so well and that he’d given me a distraction and reason to leave my apartment at least twice a day.

“See you later, Drex,” I called as I grabbed my crossbody purse from the hook by the door. “And you too, Dinah.”

Wherever she was.

I walked the long way back downtown so I could stop by the coffeeshop where Bryce worked. Not only did I need a little boost before my afternoon shift, but my friend also occasionally slipped me day-old pastries or ugly muffins.

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