Page 49 of Adtovar

A faint, high-pitched whistle pierced the air. I thought for a moment it issued from theHistoriauntil I caught the grimace flashing across Willa’s face.

“Crap.” She glanced at something off-camera, and her expression softened somewhat. “That’s the call for the briefing for our next mission.” Her gaze fell lovingly on Adtovar. “We gotta go, Grandpa.”

“I don’t think you can call me Grandpa any longer. I’m a newly mated male,” Adtovar teased, although I secretly loved the moniker.

“Nope.” Willa’s face morphed into her widest smile yet. “You better get used to it.” She captured Charick’s hand in her own and laid them both over her stomach. A universal signal even in the far reaches of space. The way Charick’s expression softened only solidified it. “We’re going to be calling you Grandpa for real now.”

A deep, resonant sound of surprise rumbled from Adtovar’s throat. It seemed to hang in the air, a palpable expression of astonishment, before he finally managed to reclaim his voice.

“You—you are expecting a youngling?” A broad grin split his face, and his voice shook with excitement. “Congratulations!”

Adtovar’s joy upon hearing about Willa’s pregnancy was utterly adorable. His eyes sparkled with excitement, and his laughter rang out joyously, filling the room with warmth. As Iwatched him, thoughts of having a child of our own drifted softly through my mind, filling me with a dreamy sense of possibility.

“Congratulations yourself,” Willa giggled, her laughter light and musical before her expression softened into a tender smile. The love she held for her alien father was evident, glowing in her vivid blue eyes. “I can’t tell you what it means to see you so happy. I love you,” she added, her voice warm and sincere, as if wrapping him in an embrace from afar. “Talk soon!” The hologram flickered and then vanished, leaving us enveloped in silence.

The happiness radiating from my mate felt overwhelming, like a tidal wave crashing over me, its force and intensity impossible to ignore. His smile was so broad and deep that I doubted a blast of gunpowder could wipe it from his face.

“A youngling,” he whispered, shaking his head before laughing, deep and completely joyful.

“Would you… do you want a baby?” I asked, my voice trembling slightly. I’d never considered children before. Then again, I’d also never been abducted, dragged to outer space, or met the love of my life before, either.

Adtovar’s pale blue eyes met mine. There was a flicker of reminiscence, the memory of another child lost to him long ago, but this time, the memory seemed a comfort rather than a heartache.

“I thought my chance to be a father was lost to me,” he said softly, his words measured. He lifted a hand, trailing his fingertips along my cheek before cupping my chin. “But the blessings of the gods and goddess are greater than even I imagined. I would love to have a child with you.”

His words flowed over me like a gentle stream, each syllable carrying affection and happiness, so acute it felt as if my heart might burst from the sheer intensity of it. I climbed onto his lap and nestled against his solid chest. His muscular armswrapped around me, holding me tight with an embrace that felt both loving and protective.

“You know… George mentioned something about coming back in if I wanted a birth control shot,” I said, letting my fingertips trace around the buttons on his tunic. “Maybe I should tell him no.”

“And telling George no means....” Adtovar’s words danced lightly in the air, carrying a playful tone, yet beneath their surface lingered a subtle hesitation, a fragile thread of hope woven into his voice.

I leaned my head back, gazing deeply into the striking, otherworldly face of the male I loved so desperately. His eyes, a mesmerizing shade of pale blue, held me captive while his pale skin shimmered faintly under the soft ambient light that made his horns glisten like pearls.

“Yes, Adtovar, I would love to have a baby with you.”

His lips crashed upon mine. I could taste the sweet essence of his happiness and the love he held for me. Never in my life had I felt so adored, so deeply cherished. Reflecting on the insane events that brought me to this moment, cradled in the embrace of my mate, it was plain that the spirits had orchestrated my journey, perhaps with a little help from my ancestors. Truly, there was no other way to describe it.

Simply magic.