Page 44 of Falling for the Orc Alien

“Please say something,” I whispered when the silence stretched on interminably.

Zorak sighed heavily, his massive shoulders slumping even further. “I don’t know what to say,” he replied hoarsely. “I crossed the galaxy to find you once, and you pushed me away. I don’t know how much more heartbreak my soul can bear.”

My vision blurred with hot tears at the stark pain in his voice. I moved closer, gently taking his large hands in my own trembling ones.

“I know,” I said softly. “But I’m here now, and I promise I’m not pushing you away this time. I’m pulling you close, with my whole heart and soul.”

I searched his beloved face, willing him to feel the truth of my words. “I love you, Zorak. I’m so sorry it took me this long to accept what you’ve known in your heart all along about our bond. But I believe in us now, completely, in what we share.”

The hard lines of his face softened almost imperceptibly at this. A single ray of hope seemed to warm the cold emptiness that had taken up residence in his eyes.

“You truly mean that?” he murmured.

“With everything I am,” I vowed fervently.

Zorak let out a shaking breath. He lifted one large hand to tenderly cup my cheek. “I never stopped loving you, not for one moment,” he whispered. “Loving you is in my blood and bones. I would have waited for you forever, no matter how much more pain it caused me.”

My heart swelled near to bursting. I leaned into his touch, letting my eyes drift closed for a moment. “You won’t have to wait anymore,” I promised him. “I know now without a shred of doubt that this is the path my soul was always meant to take, with you by my side.”

Chapter 26

Zorak

I could hardly believe Vanessa was here. The hurt and anger that had weighed my soul down seemed to evaporate, replaced by overwhelming joy that she had returned.

When she professed her love and asked for forgiveness, I wanted to sweep her into my embrace immediately. But caution tempered my elation. She had broken my heart too many times before. I needed to be sure this was real, that she truly accepted our bond now.

So I remained guarded, watching Vanessa closely for any sign of lingering doubt. But I found none. The sincerity in her voice, the adoration in her eyes, the aching regret pouring through our soul link - it all whispered the same truth. She was here to stay.

How could Vanessa be here? After the hurt and anger had been carried through our soul link for so long, I hardly dared to believe it. And yet here she was before me, gazing up with wide eyes filled with such love that many of my wounds began to heal at once.

The floodgates opened. I pulled her into my embrace and kissed her hungrily, rejoicing when she returned my passion just as fervently. I had missed her with every fiber of my being. Having her in my arms again was like waking from a nightmare to find it wasn’t real.

“I could never let you go,” I whispered, cupping her chin and pressing a gentle kiss to her lips.

She sighed against my mouth, her arms holding me close as she released the terrified feelings that had kept us apart for so long. We clung to one another, wishing this moment would last forever, and as we unraveled each other’s pain with tender touches, I felt myself exhale in relief from all the despair that had weighed me down before.

Vanessa’s love enfolded me like a cozy blanket, keeping me safe from the harshness of reality. When we finally parted, I was undoubtedly content; the world seemed rich with possibility now that she was by my side again.

“I missed you more than I can say,” I said.

The warm atmosphere of the moment carried us into dinner, my nephews chattering excitedly as they regaled Vanessa with stories from school. “You wouldn’t believe what happened in Physical Fitness Instruction today!” one of them exclaimed.

“Oh, yeah? What was it?” she asked, her eyes twinkling in amusement.

I smiled as I watched them, their youthful enthusiasm palpable and infectious. They seemed to be growing fond of her already; her embrace lingered a moment longer than necessary when they hugged, and when they finally pulled apart, there was a newfound contentment emanating from her.

We settled around the table, our conversation light and easy. After so much time apart, it felt like we were starting anew - no past transgressions or lingering hurt between us. With each joke shared and secret smile exchanged, I could feel our bond strengthening again.

A deep sense of joy filled every inch of my being; Vanessa was home again and nothing could ruin this moment between us. We talked and laughed until late into the night, as if no time had been lost since our reunion.

That night, with Vanessa sleeping peacefully beside me, the worries that had plagued me earlier returned. How could I choose between her and my family? Either way, someone I loved would suffer. The thought was unbearable.

I found no solutions as I kept vigil until dawn. But Vanessa, with her compassionate heart, found an answer - we would divide our time between Orkaris and T’rra. I was awestruck by the elegant simplicity of it. With some compromise, we could have both.

It was a good plan.

So why did it hurt so much?

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