Page 54 of An Alien for Her Heart

My core-rhythm may be silent, but my soul, every instinct within me, screams that she is my mate, my destiny, my forever.

And I choose to trust in that, to have faith in the unshakable rightness of her in my arms.

Core-rhythm or not, Catherine is mine. And I am hers.

I waketo the loss of her in my arms. Alarm shoots through me and I sit upright on the bedding immediately.

A soft sound draws my eyes to the far side of the room, air rushing into my lungs the moment I see her.

Catherine stands there, already dressed, the early morning light filtering through the window and casting a radiant glow around her. She looks ethereal. I can’t pull my eyes away.

But even as my core-organ swells at the sight of her, a sinking feeling settles in my gut. Because it’s clear from her attire, from the way she’s standing looking through the window into the town, that she’s preparing to leave.

“Catherine?” I call softly, my voice rough with sleep and something more profound.

She turns to me, a soft smile on her lips, but there’s a hint of something else in her eyes. Uncertainty, perhaps. Or reluctance.

“Good morning, Varek.” Gods, her voice is exactly what I need to hear each dawn. Her digits adjust the strap of her satchel. “I…didn’t want to wake you.”

“You’re leaving.” It’s not a question, but a statement, a realization that makes my chest tighten. My feet hit the floor, but I force myself not to walk over to her and pull her into my arms.

She nods, her gaze shifting back to the window. “I need to get back to the farm. There’s work to be done, and I…” She trails off, and the look in her eyes grows distant.

“Catherine.” Her name snaps her back and she shifts her gaze to me. “About the last cycle…”

That vibrant color stains her cheeks, but she doesn’t look away. “Last night was…wonderful, Varek. Truly. I don’t regret a moment of it.”

Relief floods through me at her words, but it’s tempered by the unspoken ‘but’ hanging in the air between us.

“But?” I prompt gently, steeling myself for what I fear is coming.

She sighs, her hand rising to brush her mane away from her face. “But I don’t expect anything more from you, Varek. I understand that what we shared…it was a moment out of time, a beautiful interlude. But I know it can’t be more than that.”

Pain lances through me at her words, at the resignation in her voice. I want to argue, to declare that she’s wrong, to beg her to stay with me always. But I bite back the words. Because as much as it hurts, I understand.

The dark cycle has passed and still there is no song within me. My core-rhythm is silent. There is no undeniable biological proof that we are destined mates. I have no claim over Catherine, even though I want her so badly the thought of letting her slip through my claws is ripping a hole right through me.

So instead of arguing, I simply jerk my head, chin to chest. “I understand, sura.”

Catherine jerks her head as well, giving me one of those mirthless smiles that tears at me even more before she shifts her gaze back to the view. But not before I see her eyes shine with unshed waters.

“I mean it, Varek,” she whispers so low, my ears perk just to pick up her words. “I really did enjoy it. Thank you.”

I can’t…I can’t let her go like this.

Closing the distance between us, I place a digit under her chin, tilting her head back so she’s forced to look at me. My throat closes up. There are no words. Only actions.

Leaning down, I press my lips against hers. Soft and lingering. It feels like a promise, like a vow, even if I can’t put it into words.

When we part, I rest my forehead against hers for a moment, just breathing her in. “Let me take you back to the farm,” I murmur, reluctant to let her go just yet.

She nods, a small smile returning to her lips. “I’d like that.”

The journeyback to Catherine’s farm is quiet. It feels like we’re both trying to hold on to these last moments, to etch them into our memories before reality intrudes once more.

When we reach the boundary of her property, Catherine turns to me. I brace myself for whatever she will say, knowing fully well that whatever it is will rip me in two or hold me together and that it will be absolutely no fault of hers.

“Thanks for the ride.” She’s doing that smile again that doesn’t reach her eyes and I wish I could fix it. Wish I could give her real joy. “I’m going to head in now.”

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