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“I am truly sorry. What about your brother?”

“His body was never recovered. I’m not sure if he was there at the time. He traveled for work a lot, often going off planet. He was an interstellar translator in high demand. But it’s been almost two years since that day. Logically, I know he’s probably dead since I haven’t heard from him. But there’s a part of me that just can’t give up hope.”

He reached across the table, took her hand, and squeezed it gently.

“You are no longer alone, my darling mate.”

Chapter 9

You are no longer alone, my darling mate.

Errik’s softly spoken words kept replaying in Holly’s head as they finished eating. They stuck to safer topics for the remainder of the meal. She told him a little more about Earth, mostly talking about landmarks and scenic places she’d visited, while he told her more about Starzzia. As he described the alien city, she found herself anticipating their arrival on New Vaxx more and more.

A new adventure.

A home. A mate.

And maybe one day, a family.

Just yesterday, she would’ve still claimed she was unsure about having children. But as she got to know Errik better, she couldn’t stop thinking about what a wonderful father he would be. As attentively as he’d treated her thus far, she couldn’t fathom him being anything but caring.

But her heart ached for the young boy who’d grown up in an orphanage on Vaxxlia only to be sent to the local barracks at the age of eight when he’d begun warrior training. That was probably the most shocking revelation about his culture to her. She couldn’t imagine a child that young being sent away from his parents, but apparently that was normal among the Vaxxlians. She took comfort in the fact that parental visits were frequent and reminded herself she would have many years to prepare for such an eventuality.

After they finished eating, she helped him load the dishes into the refresher and tidy the kitchen. She glanced at the food replicator, stunned that he possessed one of the exorbitantly expensive devices. She’d heard of food replicators but had never seen one in person until now.

He fixed her a cup of tea, then departed his quarters to fetch her belongings from the medical bay. He set the suitcases down, pressed a kiss to her forehead, and promised to return for the night once he checked the navigational settings on the bridge.

She took advantage of his absence to freshen up in the large bathroom, double-check her appearance, and even dab a small amount of her favorite perfume behind her ears.

Excitement spiraled through her.

Her hands trembled, and her pulse quickened. Heat resumed pulsing between her thighs, and she started to feel breathless.

When Errik returned, they would consummate their mating union.

She departed the bathroom and walked toward the bed, the achiness in her nether region growing by the moment. All she could think about was falling into bed with the huge Vaxxlian warrior and becoming his forever.

Forever.

Her heart skipped a beat.

They would exchange mating vows before he claimed her. She’d read about that on the Internet, though she had no idea what the exact vows were. She glanced down at her white dress, flushing anew when she easily glimpsed her red panties through the thin material.

She peered toward the door again.

Well. She was ready.

Should she climb into bed and wait for Errik? Or should she take a seat on the padded bench near the viewport?

Before she could make up her mind, Errik returned. He strode through the door and immediately approached her. His eyes gleamed with lust, his nostrils kept flaring as he took deep breaths, and the prominent bulge at the front of his pants had returned.

A sexy growl rumbled from his broad, muscular chest.

He could smell her. The realization drew a shaky gasp from her throat. He knew just how aroused she was. If he hadn’t told her to keep the red panties on, she probably would’ve changed her undergarments just because she’d soaked through them already. Her face heated but she quickly reminded herself that she shouldn’t be embarrassed.

They were about to become mates. Surely it was a good thing for her to be so fiercely attracted to him.

He reached for her and ran his hands through her hair. She leaned into his touch with a soft sigh and closed her eyes. Though she was practically vibrating with need, she appreciated his restraint. He seemed content to take his time earning her trust and making her feel comfortable. Tears burned in her eyes at the thought, but thankfully, she was able to blink them away before he could notice.