Page 35 of Human Reclaimed
I couldn’t hide my disappointment, which made him smile with masculine satisfaction.
“Soon,” he promised, kissing my forehead. “When we’re not exhausted from tactical planning and have more time to enjoy each other.”
We settled into his bed, his strong arms wrapping around me from behind, pulling me against the solid wall of his chest. His heartbeat thumped steadily against my back, oddly soothing, despite my racing thoughts.
I stared into the darkness, processing everything that had happened in just three days. Three days since being abducted. Three days of working with these cyborgs I’d once considered weapons. Three days of falling for Rune at a pace that terrified me.
“I can hear you thinking,” Rune whispered, his breath warm against my neck.
“Sorry. A strategist’s brain never shuts off.”
His arms tightened around me. “What are you contemplating right now?”
“How I went from prisoner to… whatever this is… in three days flat.” I traced a finger along his forearm. “It doesn’t make logical sense.”
“Not everything needs to.”
“That’s rich coming from you,” I laughed softly. “Aren’t you programmed for logic?”
“I used to be.” His voice had a thoughtful quality I was coming to cherish. “But living free has taught me some things that defy programming. Like how I feel when you smile.”
My heart did a dangerous little flip. “This is probably just chemistry. A stress response from being away from home and latching on to someone for comfort.”
His chuckle rumbled through his chest and into mine. “If that helps you sleep at night, Captain.”
“It doesn’t,” I admitted. “That’s the problem.”
Rune shifted, turning me to face him, his features barely visible in the darkness. “Then stop analyzing it and just feel.”
I fell silent, studying what I could see of his face. The truth was, Rune made me feel alive in ways I hadn’t since before I lost Travis and Meredith. He was everything I could want—kind, brilliant, attentive, surprisingly witty, and devastatingly attractive. The fact that he wasn’t human seemed increasingly irrelevant.
“I don’t trust this fast,” I whispered. “It’s been three days, but it feels like I’ve known you forever.”
“Perhaps some souls recognize each other.” His thumb traced my cheekbone. “Even across different species and time.”
I laughed softly. “Now who’s being illogical?”
“You must be rubbing off on me,” he murmured, pulling me closer.
Nestled in the cocoon of his arms, listening to his steady heartbeat, I finally felt the tension drain from my body. For once, I felt truly safe—protected not because I couldn’t protect myself but because someone wanted to stand beside me.
As sleep began to claim me, I realized I was finding something on Planet Alpha I never expected—not just purpose but a sense of belonging I’d lost long ago.
I woke up to Planet Alpha’s twin suns filtering through Rune’s narrow window, casting golden stripes across his bare chest. His arm was wrapped around me, heavy and warm, his steady breath stirring my hair. For a perfect moment, I forgot everything—the kidnapping, the pirates, and the danger. I was just a woman waking up beside a man who made my heart race.
Reality crashed back when Rune’s wrist communicator chimed. His eyes flew open, instantly alert, those deep blue irises finding mine.
“Morning,” I murmured.
His lips curved into a smile that did ridiculous things to my insides. “Morning.”
The communicator chimed again. Rune glanced at it, his expression darkening.
“Tegan needs us at the security center. Now.”
We dressed with military efficiency—me in my fitted beige tactical pants and black T-shirt, and Rune in his signature black-on-black ensemble. No time for showers or breakfast. Something was wrong.
The morning air hit my face as we stepped outside, humid and fragrant with alien flowers. Colonists moved about their daily routines, oblivious to whatever crisis awaited us. Rune’s stride lengthened, and I matched it, our boots hitting the stone pathway in perfect sync.
