Page 65 of Whisked Away By the Alien

I draw her against my side and kiss the top of her head. “You are brave, Commander.”

“I’m a coward.”

My heart sinks. She’s staying on Earth.

I pull her into a full hug. “I still love you. Always will. And I’m not giving up. I promised we’d find a solution, and we will.”

She muffles her sobs by burying her face in my chest. I break the hold and wipe her cheeks. “Your tears will freeze into icicles.”

“Stop being so sweet.” She runs up the steps to her parents’ house.

A moment later, Mrs. Birnbaum appears at the door. “Come in here, Stenala, and say a proper goodbye.”

When I enter the home, Golda flings herself into my arms. The rest of her family follows suit, hugging me. I’m surrounded by humans I’ve come to love like my own family. I understand all too well why Golda cannot leave them.

Even her sister Rachel and Sadie are here. Rachel doesn’t hug me, but I see the tears in her eyes. For her sister. The tall blonde gives me a weak smile. I truly believe if I stayed longer, she’d accept me in time.

“Goodbye, Stenikov,” Mr. Birnbaum says, patting me on my back. “Stay safe. Come, Golda. You’re making this hard on him.” When he draws his daughter away from me, the loss of her body against mine hits me like someone has ripped my insides out.

My horns twist and I have trouble catching my breath. I cannot leave like this. I’m a warrior. I force my horns to untwist as I straighten my back, step forward, and kiss Golda one last time.

Salty tears sour the sweetness of her lips, but nothing can diminish my love for her, even her choice to remain with her family. I too had trouble leaving my family seven years ago, but I had no choice. Golda does. I will not rob her of her family.

My mouth slides to her ear where I whisper a private goodbye. Then, I turn quickly and leave the home, before I do something stupid such as throw her over my shoulder and kidnap her. The idea has merit, but it would not solve anything. My sholani is not ready to leave her family.

Without a coat on, Golda races down the front steps and captures my face in her hands. “I love you, Sten. Please, never forget me.”

I steal one last kiss, then break into a run. A darkness descends on my heart. I left my sholani behind. A sholan doesn’t do that, not willingly. And yet I did. Even saying goodbye to my father when he was on the funeral pyre wasn’t this hard. Can I survive without my Golda?

Her face enters my mind. When we last made love, she called mewarrior.

I am a zyanthan warrior.

We don’t give up.

Ever.

Especially on the ones we love.

CHAPTERTWENTY-THREE

GOLDA

You are and always will be a part of me, my sholani.

That’s what my sweet alien whispered in my ear before he left.

What have I done?

My mom leads me inside the house and closes the door. This feels so surreal. Ten days ago my biggest worry was figuring out why I couldn’t get the records to reconcile at work. Today, I let the love of my life leave without me.

I look at the faces of my family. Bubbe’s unusually quiet, sitting on the sofa shaking her head.

Mom sighs. “I’ll fix lunch.”

“I’ll take your bags up to your room,” Dad says.

“Bags?” I didn’t notice before, but two suitcases line the wall next to the dining room table.

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