Page 96 of Alien Prince

But then I think of Kael, the way he looks at me and the way his touch sets my skin alight… the ways we tease each other, challenges each other, believes in each other…

I love him.

The realization makes my chest tighten with equal parts joy and fear. I’ve never felt this way before.

But is this real? Is this true? I mean, he’s an alien. I was essentially kidnapped. Is this Stockholm Syndrome? Or is it partially trauma bonding after the assassination attempt?

No, my feelings for Kael started long before the assassin.

As for feelings for my captor… Technically, it was the vessel that took me, not him.

That’s ridiculous. I can’t logic this away. So many factors had to align properly for Kael and me to meet, and as a result of our meeting, I’ve fallen for him. Yes, he’s the only man I’ve ever loved, but that doesn’t mean it’s not real.

But is love enough? Can I truly be a part of his world, or will I always be an outsider, trying to fit into a life that wasn’t meant for me? After all, the vessel brought other women for Kael to potentially have as his queen.

The bed creaks softly, and I glance over my shoulder to see Kael stirring. His violet eyes blink open, his gaze immediately finding me.

“Emily,” he says, his voice rough with sleep. “You’re awake.”

I nod, trying to muster a smile, but I know he sees through it. He always does.

“What’s wrong?” he asks, sitting up and swinging his legs over the edge of the bed. His expression is open and concerned, and it makes my heart ache even more. “If it’s about the assassination attempt, allow me to assure you that none will ever come that close to you again. I personally guarantee it.”

“It’s not that so much as… I don’t know if I can do this,” I admit, my voice barely above a whisper. “This world, this life… it’s so different from everything I’ve ever known, and… All of this is just so much to take in.”

Kael furrows his brow, and he reaches for my hand, his large thumb rubbing my knuckles. “You’re intelligent and strongand resilient, Emily,” he says, his tone firm but gentle. “You’ve proven that again and again.”

“I don’t feel strong.” My voice trembles. “I feel lost. Like I’m trying to be something I’m not, just to keep up with you and your world.”

He pulls me closer, his violet eyes locking with mine. “You belong here with me,” he says quietly, “but if you can’t see that and if you truly believe you’d be happier on Earth, I won’t stop you from going back.”

My heart skips a beat. If he’s willing to let me go back home… then this can’t be Stockholm Syndrome.

But is Earth home for me still? What if years have passed back on Earth?

What if I return and it’s only been minutes?

I look at him, the man who has become my anchor in this strange, beautiful, terrifying world, and my heart twists.

Can I fight for a future here, with him, on a world I don’t fully understand? Or do I return to Earth and the life I left behind, knowing I’ll never see him again?

The choice feels impossible.

“You don’t have to decide now,” Kael says, “and even if you chose to stay now and later change your mind, the offer will always remain. I only want you to be here if you want to be. You have power, Emily.”

In his strange, exotic eyes, I see added words.

You have power over me, Emily.

And so does he over me.

Chapter Eighteen

Kael

Emily is with her maid, guards posted outside of my chamber, which is the only reason why I feel that she is safe enough for me to leave her side.

The throne room is quiet, the heavy stone walls seeming to press in closer than usual. I stand at the window, staring out at the bustling city below, but the usual rhythm of life offers no comfort today. My thoughts are a storm I can’t escape, and at the center of it is Emily.

---