Page 4 of Fated to the Alien Hero

Every year, I’d wake up at the crack of dawn and hurry down the stairs to find presents piled around the tree that sparkled with silver garland and white twinkling lights. It didn’t matter how old I was, the sight never failed to fill me with joy. It didn’t matter who the gifts under the tree belonged to. They all made me happy. I once read about something called love languages. While they all sounded nice, it was receiving gifts that spoke to me.

Maybe that’s why I didn’t see the bad in Grady. When we started dating, he would always bring me little gifts. Nothing extravagant, but it was the simple act of getting the gift that made me think he cared about me. Loved me. I can see now that he must have known gifts were my weakness and exploited it.

It takes me a second to realize Evren has finished wrapping my arm, although he still hasn’t released me. He’s so close, and I swear there’s a faint light glowing within his eyes. I blink away the thought, because that isn’t possible. Someone clears histhroat, and whatever hold Evren has on me snaps. I step away with a light shake of my head.

“Thanks.”

He inclines his head. “You are welcome.”

“We should get going back to the village so you can be seen by the healer,” Jodah says.

I won’t argue. The sooner I get away from here, the better it will be. I can only hope Grady doesn’t come looking for my body.

Chapter 3

Evren

Never before have I had this many conflicting emotions bombarding me. I do not believe Astrid understands what has happened between us.Ido not understand, but nothing could make me happier. Except perhaps finding this male who abused her and…I do not know what I would do.

When she grabbed my hand, pleading with me not to let anyone know we found her, the most extraordinary thing happened. My mating marks appeared and my soul light sparked to life. Deeka has brought mykeeshla—my fated mate—to me. But according to Astrid, she already has a mate. One who attempted to kill her. How is this possible?

No answer comes to me. For now, I will not think about it. My focus in this moment must be getting her safely to the village, so she can be treated by Kyler or Sage. Jodah is right. We need to go.

I turn to Astrid. “Are you able to walk?”

She nods shakily. “I think so.”

“Come, we will go slow.”

Rassim, Katem, Jodah, and I make our way back to the luani we left lying a short distance away. Astrid follows and I make sure I keep my pace slow and remain at her side in case she needs my assistance. We had been traveling back to the village with our kill when I spotted movement nearby. Imagine my shock in discovering that movement had come from Astrid.

I keep glancing at her as we walk, making sure she is all right. Pain is etched across her face, but there appears to also be determination. We reach the large beast and she sucks in a sharp breath.

“What is that thing?” she asks.

“It is a luani. A dangerous creature that will provide much sustenance for our people as well as a fur that offers warmth in even the coldest weather.”

“Wow.”

“Do you not have beasts like that back on Earth?” Katem questions.

Astrid shakes her head, flinches, and stops moving it. “Nothing like that. At least not exactly.”

I do not like that she is still hurting. My gaze shifts to Jodah. “Do you have more burim root?”

He reaches into his pouch and brings out a smaller bag. I hold up my water skin since his is empty and once he has added the crushed powder, I shake it up and step over to my mate.

“You are still in pain. Drink more of this and it should help.”

Astrid reaches for it and our fingers brush. My flesh tingles where she touches it, and the sensation travels the length of my arm and across my chest. My mating marks turn another shade darker. Eventually they will become as dark as the wood of the fiku trees.

“What predators roam your planet?” This is the first real opportunity I have had to ask about the humans’ former planet. The warriors with human mates have shared a few things theirkeeshlashave spoken about, but it is different coming from someone who actually lived there instead of hearing a story secondhand.

Astrid swallows the water and wipes away the few drops that cling to her split lip. I expect her to wince or flinch, but she does neither.

“There really aren’t any. At least not anymore,” she says. “There hasn’t been for a long time. But there used to be giants cats called lions. They weren’t as big as that thing there, but they sort of resemble each other. A little bit, maybe.”

She drinks more of the burim root-infused liquid before handing it back to me. I slip it into my satchel and then my tribe brothers and I hoist the luani onto our shoulders once again. My gaze shifts to Astrid.

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