Page 41 of The Alien's Runaway Bride

Raelee nodded, her expression softening. “I understand that. It’s the same for us, really. Even with all the pressure and expectations... family comes first.”

Vex took a deep breath, steeling himself for what he needed to say next. “Raelee, I... I need you to know something. These feelings I have for you, they’re real. They’re unlike anything I’ve ever experienced.”

He saw her tense, but he pressed on, his voice low and intense. “I know I hurt you by not revealing my identity sooner. But everything else—every moment we shared, every conversation, every laugh—that was all real. I’ve never allowed myself to be that vulnerable with anyone.”

Raelee’s eyes met his, a storm of emotions swirling in their blue depths. “Why tell me this now?”

Vex reached out, gently taking her hand in his. To his relief, she didn’t pull away. The touch sent sparks racing up his arm, and he had to resist the urge to pull her closer.

“Because I want you to understand that while duty is important to me, it’s not everything,” he said, his voice rough with emotion. “I’m not willing to let you sacrifice your freedom for the sake of our planets’ alliance. If we... if we choose to be together, it should be because we want to be, not because of political necessity.”

A tear slipped down Raelee’s cheek, and this time, Vex couldn’t resist the urge to wipe it away. His thumb brushed her soft skin, lingering perhaps a moment longer than necessary.

“I don’t know what to say,” she whispered, her breath catching as his hand cupped her cheek.

“You don’t have to say anything,” Vex replied, his gaze dropping to her lips before snapping back to her eyes. “Just... give us a chance. Let me show you Tharvis, let me show you who I really am. And if, at the end of it all, you decide you can’t forgive me or that you don’t want this... I’ll accept your decision.”

Raelee was quiet for a long moment, her gaze fixed on their intertwined hands. Finally, she looked up, a small smile tuggingat the corners of her mouth. “All right. Show me your home, Vex.”

As they continued to explore the sanctuary, Vex felt a weight lift from his shoulders. It wasn’t a resolution, not yet, but it was a beginning. He shared stories of his childhood, of the pressures of growing up as the crown prince, of his hopes and fears for the future.

In turn, Raelee began to soften to him as well.

Throughout it all, the physical attraction between them simmered, an almost tangible force. Every accidental brush of hands, every shared laugh brought them closer together, every lingering glance—it all served to remind Vex of what they’d shared on Earth, and what they could have here on Tharvis.

As the artificial twilight of the sanctuary deepened, they found themselves standing beneath the great tree at the center. Its bioluminescent leaves cast a soft, ethereal glow over them, turning Raelee’s skin to living marble and making her eyes shine like sapphires.

Vex turned to her, his heart pounding. “Thank you,” he said softly, “for giving me this chance.”

Raelee looked up at him, her expression a mix of lingering hurt and growing affection. “I’m not... I’m not ready to forgive everything yet,” she said. “But I’m glad I came here with you today.”

Slowly, giving her every chance to pull away, Vex leaned down. Their lips met in a kiss that was both familiar and new, tender and passionate. It held the promise of what could be if they were brave enough to reach for it.

The moment their lips touched, it was as if a dam had broken. All the pent-up emotion came rushing to the surface. Vex’s arms wound around Raelee’s waist, pulling her flush against him, while her hands tangled in his hair.

The kiss deepened, became hungry, desperate. Vex could taste the sweetness of her mouth, feel the softness of her body pressed against his. Every nerve ending was on fire, hyper-aware of every point of contact between them.

When they finally parted, both breathing heavily, Vex rested his forehead against Raelee’s. “Whatever happens,” he murmured, his voice husky with desire, “know that my feelings for you are real. You’ve changed me, Raelee Arison, in ways I never thought possible.”

Raelee’s hand came up to cup his cheek, her touch sending sparks through him. “You’ve changed me too,” she admitted, her eyes dark with a mixture of desire and lingering uncertainty. “I just... I need time.”

Vex nodded, understanding even as every fiber of his being screamed to kiss her again. “We have time,” he assured her, though it took every ounce of his considerable self-control to step back slightly. “And I’ll be here, every step of the way.”

As they made their way to the palace, hand in hand, Vex knew that challenges lay ahead. Eerion and the Drakanor Sect still posed a threat, the alliance between their planets remained uncertain, and there were still hurts to be healed between him and Raelee.

But for the first time in his life, Vex felt truly hopeful about the future. The connection between them, far from fading, had grown stronger. With Raelee by his side, he believed they could face anything.

As they reached the palace doors, Raelee paused, turning to him. “Vex, so much of me is telling me to run from all this, but so much more is telling me to run to you, to the man I knew on Earth.”

“I am that man, Raelee. Just with a palace and fancy headgear along for the ride.”

She smirked. “You’re calling a royal crownheadgear?”

He shrugged. “I don’t wear it often.”

Raelee threw her head back, laughing. By the stars, that was the sweetest sound he’d heard since leaving Earth. His heart soared with the ease of being with his love again.

Her shoulders relaxed and the mischievous glint in her eye returned. “So,” she said, her tone light but with an undercurrent of something more, “does this sanctuary of yours have any... private areas? You know, for further cultural exchange?”

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