Page 39 of Bounty Hunter's Match

“In her office.” The AI’s patterns shifted. “Though perhaps you should consider proper Vinduthi courtship protocols before-”

I pushed past them all, shouldering through the inner door. Camden stood at her window, spine straight, shoulders set. She turned at my entrance, and my breath caught at the sight of her.

“Barek.” Her voice betrayed nothing. “I thought you’d be gone by now.”

“I should have told you.” The words tumbled out. “About claiming. About what it means.”

“Claiming?” A crack in her perfect composure.

“A sacred bond.” I moved closer, drawn by her warmth. “When a Vinduthi finds their true mate, they can share their strength through a ritual bite. My speed, my healing - you’d gain them all. My markings would appear on your skin. We’d be connected. Always.”

“Like marriage?”

“More.” I reached for her hand, hope flaring when she didn’t pull away. “Deeper. Permanent. The closest bond two beings can share.”

“Why didn’t you say anything?”

“I was afraid.” The admission burned my throat. “Afraid you’d reject me. Afraid of wanting something I couldn’t have. Afraid of needing someone so much it hurts.”

“Barek...”

“I love you.” The words felt right. Natural as breathing. “I want to claim you. Share everything with you. Be yours in every way possible.”

Her fingers tightened on mine. “I love you too.”

Joy blazed through me as I pulled her close. Her mouth met mine with desperate hunger. I could taste her smile, feel her heart racing against my chest.

“Yes,” she breathed against my lips. “Yes to everything.”

The twins cheered. MIRA’s crystals formed hearts. But I noticed none of it.

I was too busy kissing the woman I loved. The woman who would soon wear my markings. My mate.

Mine.

EPILOGUE: CAMDEN

“Third floor environmental controls offline again?” I balanced on the railing outside Perfect Match’s expanded offices, gazing down on the clients below. “That’s the second time this week.”

“Not my fault.” MIRA’s crystals sparkled with innocence. “Though the Orlian delegation did request cooler temperatures for their courtship negotiations.”

“Right.” I dropped down to the deck below, landing with the enhanced grace Barek’s claiming had given me. The Orlian’s sand-colored skin rippled as they tracked my movement. “Let me guess - you suggested the traditional desert cavity networks would provide optimal privacy?”

“Their molecular structures are completely compatible.” MIRA’s calculations spun across her interface. “The resonance patterns align perfectly during their shared meditation cycles.”

“The station’s structure can’t handle more tunnel networks.” But I was already reaching for my datapad. “Remember the Sylphid phase-shifting incident?”

“That was an isolated event.” Her crystals pulsed with a knowing confidence. “And they’re still our highest-rated success story.”

“They’re living in the maintenance shafts.”

“The acoustics are excellent for harmonic bonding.”

I shook my head, tracking the Orlian couple’s progress through the promenade. Their movements flowed like windblown sand, but their scents carried notes of uncertainty. The enhanced senses from Barek’s claiming let me pick up subtle chemical shifts that indicated compatibility - or its absence.

“They’re not ready.” I made a note in their file. “The younger one still carries grief-markers from their previous mate.”

“My algorithms indicate-”

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