Page 69 of Enzo

Ven nodded, not surprised that his alpha knew what he was up to.

"I'll take any punishment you deem is fit. I couldn't let the threat to her stay alive. Even with the fear running rampant through his bloodstream, he couldn't stop thinking about my mother."

"We were designed to kill. Our childhood was stolen so that we could be the perfect soldiers. I always wondered why. Avel whispered something in my ear last night—a secret that each of them swore to take to their graves. We were fighting over bigotry and ignorance—one race's inability to respect another's."

Declyn leaned back, resting his arms on the steps as he watched the sky high above them.

"I love the color of the sky here," Declyn said. Ven nodded in agreement.

"When we crash-landed here, I didn't know what to expect. Over the years, I realized that humans are just as wild andsavage as we are. Tonight, you not only eliminated a threat to your mother but to our people also. Go home and get some sleep. I'm proud of you, Ven, not only for your valor, but for your heart." Declyn walked off, leaving Ven sitting on the steps.

Ven stood. He walked home, wondering if he gave his mom a sad look, if she would allow him to try the peach daiquiri she liked to drink.

Chapter Twenty-seven

The Wolves' Den wasclosed, although it was filled with many of the leaders of the Kur'iks and the remaining Thalians.

"First order of business."

Amira and Lazaro walked up to Declyn.

"The first order of business," Amira said, smiling, "is to name our daughter."

A soft chant went up in their native language as they gave thanks for the second child born to one of them.

"Lazaro and I have talked about her name, and we decided we want to honor Deja. Without her, our child may have died from the things we didn't know. We are naming her Jade."

A cheer went up as everyone gave out claps on the back as if they had made the decision.

"Deja and Enzo will also be the godparents. A tradition on our new planet that she explained to us."

Enzo went a little grayer as Deja picked up Jade and placed her in his arms.

"Deja."

"You won't drop her, and one day we will give Ven a sister or a brother, so you might as well get some experience now."

The club was filled with laughter, putting them at ease.

"Second order of business, Avel."

"There have been no further communications; we have scanned as far out as we dare and can find no evidence of them closing in on our position."

"We have also scanned and can't find any trace of them. At this point, we need to stay watchful but continue our daily affairs. This brings up the third order of business." Declyn held up a square alien device for everyone to see.

"This is a treaty for peace between the Kur'iks and Thalians on this planet. Everyone has signed this; we even have Jade's fingerprint. The only person who hasn't signed it is Deja." He handed her the device. "It won't be official until you sign."

She took it from him. Enzo had already read it to her line by line several times since it was written in their language. He even offered to translate it and write it down for her, but she didn't need that. She understood what it said. Each of them had sworn never to fight against their brothers and to stand as one battalion if any Thalian or Kur'iks came to retrieve them.

She was the only holdout. Not because she was against the treaty. She was all for it. It was the symbolism behind it that bothered her. When she signed, it would say to her and them and even the world if they found out that she was acknowledging being human and something else. She admitted to being something more. How did you go from being the ordinary girl down the street looking for a job and a good man to date into some huge alien being?

She had tripped and called herself a monster. Enzo and Ven came to her defense immediately. She wasn't a monster, but somehow it looked like she was derived from the beings that colonized the universe. That was a lot to deal with at one time.

Cait had a theory, but she wouldn't share unless more women or men like her showed up. If their nails changed into small daggers and their dentist no longer recognized their teeth, then she would talk.

She looked at the tablet—she called it that because she couldn't pronounce the name.

"Deja Brown formally signs the Treaty and commits to an alliance with both the Kur'iks and the Thalians." That fast it was over. She watched as her name was written on the last line and the Treaty went into effect.

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