Page 85 of Alien Prince's Fated Mate

“You should have seen my first time in a wagon,” she said. “Korrin thought I was going to be sick all over his boots.”

He snorted from his position riding alongside. “You did get sick all over my boots.”

“Yes, well.” She smoothed her skirts with dignity. “I got better.”

Small moments like this still caught me off guard - the easy companionship, the shared laughter. Here under the open sky, even our small group felt like family.

Tharon rode on my side of the wagon, close enough that I could reach out and touch him if I wanted. Sometimes I did, just because I could. His eyes softened each time, though he maintained his alert watch of our surroundings.

The countryside unfolded around us like a living archive. Trees I’d only seen in technical drawings spread their branches overhead. Strange flowers dotted the grasslands in patches of purple and gold.

“Oh!” I grabbed the wagon’s side as a flock of kilauan took flight from a nearby cliff.

“Beautiful, aren’t they?” Tharon reined his mount closer. “It’s good luck to see them.”

I watched them wheel overhead, remembering dry Temple texts that had reduced such wonders to simple data. How wrong they’d been, trying to catalog magic.

We made camp that first night in a sheltered valley. Tharon insisted on helping me down from the wagon, though my legs were stronger now. I found that I didn’t mind.

“Alright?” he asked softly.

“Better than alright.” I touched his cheek. “I’m free.”

His smile sparked warmth inside me. He'd been so careful since my recovery, as if afraid I might shatter.

But I felt stronger with each passing hour, more present in my own skin.

That first dinner under the stars felt like a feast, though it was just trail bread and dried meat. Conversation flowed easily - Denna sharing stories of adjusting to Wanderer life, Korrin’squiet corrections making her laugh, Tharon adding details about places we’d pass on our journey.

But what I remember most was looking up. No walls, no ceiling, just endless stars wheeling overhead. I’d seen them before, of course. But this felt different - my first night truly free under their light.

“The star-paths are clearer in the mountains,” Tharon said, following my gaze. “Each constellation tells a story of our people. I’ll teach you, if you’d like.”

I leaned against his shoulder, breathing in the night air. “I’d like that.”

Later, in our tent, he helped me settle onto the sleeping furs. Everything still tired me more quickly than I liked, but each day brought more strength.

“Sleep,” he rumbled, stroking my forehead. “Long journey tomorrow.”

I caught his hand before he could move away. “Stay close?”

His expression softened as he curled around me, careful of his greater size. His warmth seeped into my bones, chasing away the night’s chill. The beast’s gentle purr vibrated through his chest, soothing as a lullaby.

The next few days fell into an easy rhythm. Mornings found us breaking camp as dawn painted the sky in impossible colors. I learned to help with small tasks - rolling sleeping furs, banking cooking fires, checking the wagon’s wheels. Each new skill felt like a victory, another step toward self-reliance.

On the fourth day, as evening settled around us, Tharon drew his mount closer to the wagon. His voice dropped low, meant only for me. “By tomorrow afternoon we’ll be at the Crossroads Inn.”

I smiled, remembering our last stay there. “Where we first...”

“Where I first held you properly.” His eyes darkened. “This time there won’t be any Temple guards to worry about. Norebellion to plan.” He reached across to brush my cheek. “Just us.”

A flush of heat raced through me at his tone. “Just us?”

“Denna and Korrin will take the eastern road to rejoin their people.” His thumb traced my jawline. “We’ll have time to ourselves before the journey to Zashi.”

The promise in his voice made my heart race. “Time for what?”

His smile held heat and tenderness in equal measure. “Time for me to show my mate exactly how precious she is to me. Without interruption.”

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