Page 150 of Cosmic Captain

He smiled softly and his tail twitched. Don had to have heard what I wanted. “I did,” he said, “but can you say it?”

I grabbed his left hand and asked, “Will you be my husband?”

“I would love nothing more in this world than for everyone to know I belong to you.”

Carefully, I slid the gold band onto his ring finger. It wasn’t the same one I’d made in the dispenser; rather I’d commissioned a ring with star carvings that matched my necklaces.

“You are mine, Dontilvynsan,” I said, kissing his hand. “Never did I think I would get married. But you are so special and so perfect for me. I know we have to do the whole binding with theCrystal thing, though you haven’t officially consented to be my mate, but I never want to be away from you. I want to spend my life with you.”

“I love you,” Don whispered. “I love you so much, Little Warrior. I never would have thought one as amazing as you would be mine.”

I scoffed and claimed his mouth, laying on top of him. “I’m an asshole, Sweetheart. You’re literally the only person who doesn’t think so.”

He shook his head and kissed me again. “You are strong, kind, gentle, and absolutely perfect for me.”

I pressed the most gentle of kisses on his eyes, cheekbones, the tip of his nose, before molding my lips to his in a slow, claiming kiss. I fiercely thought,You are mine, Dontilvynsan, and I will never let you go.

Chapter 51

Six months later.

“I do believe Seth will be very upset with you, my Mate,” a warm voice said behind me before arms slid around my waist.

I leaned back into Don’s wide chest and linked my hand with his. I played with the gold ring on his finger—his wedding ring. I’d never thought I would marry, but here I was: mated to Don and calling him my husband.

“It was Caleb’s idea,” I said. “And as the only drakcol in the know, I expect you to keep the secret.”

He kissed my neck. “I don’t divulge people’s private thoughts.”

We both stared at the fifteen foot monument of Lucy, Seth’s black cat, in the middle of the first human settlement on the moon orbiting Tamkolvanloknol. We humans had voted to callthe moon Terra. Caleb had suggested something wholly stupid—Dirtopia—but thank god, sense had prevailed. I’d been utterly terrified his name would win the vote for days.

But the drakcol, all besides Don, thought humans worshiped cats—the sheer amount of cat videos didn’t help—and had erected a temple to our house gods. Caleb, being Caleb, had put in an order for a statue of Lucy in front of the temple. Seth had no idea.

Technically, I was in charge of Terra’s development, but Caleb was helping, as were other humans. But I was going to have to turn over all of it to Caleb because Don had been ordered to the Immortal Planet again, and I refused to be left behind. Don and I would never be apart again. Also, the Crystal had genetically linked us in a private ceremony with his family, so wecouldn’tbe apart again, which I very much liked, almost as much as I liked his thoughts and feelings always being in my brain.

Normally, you could still have privacy once you were connected by the Crystal, but because of Don’s inner fire, our bond was so much stronger. We were connected all the time.

He kissed my neck, and I grinned.

The last six months had been magical, for the most part. I’d continued therapy, which was good, though man, it sucked and was hard work. I spent a lot of sessions crying, but like Camden had told me, it did help. Slowly but surely, I was working through what happened to me. Would it ever leave me? No. But I would survive and more importantly, thrive.

Don kissed me again, and I sighed, rubbing my hand over his arm. He’d started to trust me, talk to me, and finally,finallybe selfish with what he needed. I fucking loved it when Don would ask for what he wanted, trusting me. It was sexy when he told me how much he needed me to hold him or fuck him or even when he needed a moment of space. I loved each request because it meant he was trusting me.

“I love you,” he whispered against my neck.

I moaned. Why wasn’t there a bed in one of the apartments? If there had been, I would have fucked him. Though the grass, while purple, looked rather soft. I bet Don wouldn’t mind riding me. There was literally no one around. We could fuck in the middle of Lucyville with zero observers.

He took a deep inhale. “Mate, please.”

I smirked. My husband was always desperate for me, and I loved it. “I’ll take care of you at home, then.”

“I would like that.” He kissed my neck again. “I have a gift for you.”

Turning around, I looked at him. “You do? Why?”

“Because I wanted to buy it for you.”

That was a good enough reason, I guessed.

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