Page 22 of Fated to the Alien Hero

“I’ve had enough, but thank you.”

“I will take it then.” He picks up my bowl and carries it and his to the fire where he adds it to an accumulating stack.

On the way back, he gets waylaid by another warrior. While I wait for him to return, I glance around, trying not to be too obvious. Four Tavikhi-human couples sit together. I recognize five of the people, including London, who is seated beside a large warrior whose tail is wrapped around her waist. That must be the tribe’s leader. My gaze keeps going back to the fourth couple though.

They are not people I could have pictured together. If I thought Evren’s face was a bit too rugged to be considered handsome, then this other warrior’s is like chiseled stone. The massive scar that bisects the right side of his face makes me flinch. Not because it’s ugly, but because I can’t imagine how much it hurt. His body is covered with them actually. He’s also massive. Bigger than any of the warriors I’ve seen since I got here. I’m sure I haven’t seen them all, but there’s no way any of them could compare.

Yet, beside him is the tiniest woman. If not for her obvious breasts—and the possessive wayhistail also twines around her—I’d almost assume she was a child.

“That is Maeve and Benham.”

I jump at the sound of the voice and my head whips toward it. Evren sits down next to me again. He gestures toward the couple I’ve been rudely staring at.

“Benham is our head warrior and trainer. He also is our weapon maker,” he explains. “Maeve is his mate.”

I continue observing the two of them, but my eyes keep getting drawn to her. There is something about her—something in her eyes—that’s familiar. Not like I know her or anything. I just can’t tell what it is. She leans into her mate and he lays his arm around her shoulders, nearly hiding her from sight. Instead of appearing uncomfortable, she relaxes even further. Like she’s happy to be away from prying eyes.

“Maeve is working on becoming less fearful,” Evren says like he can read my mind. “I do not know exactly what caused her to be afraid, but there are quiet rumblings that it was something that happened to her back on Earth. No one asks for specifics, because Benham won’t have it. He is extremely protective of his mate. As are all Tavikhi.”

That’s it. She wears the same look I last saw on myself before Grady and I boarded the ship that brought us here. The look of someone who’s been treated badly by a person they loved and survived, albeit still suffering the battle wounds. It makes me wonder what her story is. Even more than that? It makes me envious that she’s clearly found someone here who truly loves her and, based on the softening of her body and the tightness loosening in her face, someone she loves back.

I turn away from her and the scene in front of me and focus on Evren. Could that be me if I choose to go down this path with him? Is it possible to be that blissfully happy?

“What is it you are thinking?” he asks quietly.

Deciding for honesty, I tell him. “I’m thinking about us.”

“And what is it about us you are thinking?”

“If we could happy together. If—when—I was free, I mean.”

Slowly, Evren takes my hand in his and laces his fingers with mine. He brings them up to his mouth and kisses them gently. Lovingly. In the same way he is. “I can only speak for myself, my Astrid, but I can say, without any doubt or hesitation, that you already make me the happiest of males. My whole life has been spent waiting for you, and now that you are finally here, everything I have ever hoped for is mine. My soul light shines brightly now, because the missing piece of it has been found.”

This isn’t the first time I’ve heard him mention his soul light. Zara called it love. Maybe I’m not imagining whatever light I see shining from his eyes on brief occasions. I gather my courage.

“I’ve seen it.”

Evren cocks his head. “You have seen what?”

I swallow down the indecision. “Your soul light. At least, I think I have. I’m not sure what else it could be.”

“Where do you see it?” The bony ridges over his eyes shift, like he’s confused. God, am I mistaken? Is he going to tell me it’s not possible?

“Sometimes, when you look at me or when we’ve touched, your eyes…glow, I guess you could say. There’s a light that shines out of them. I noticed it the first time I touched you. When you found me out in the forest and I grabbed your hand. You said that was when your mating marks appeared, right?”

Evren nods. “Yes. My mating marks were triggered and my soul light ignited in that moment.”

“I saw it.Stillsee it.”

He doesn’t speak for several seconds and I brace for his rejection of the possibility. For his dismissal of me.

“To my knowledge, no other Tavikhi or human has seen their mate’s soul light. Ever.”

And there it is.

“Do you know what this means?” Evren continues. “It means you have been blessed by Deeka. She knows what a worthy female you are and wants you to know it as well. That is why she has allowed you to do what no other person has ever been able to do. You are a wondrous female indeed, Astrid.”

I blink in confusion. What? “You believe me?”

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