Page 84 of An Alien for Her Heart
“And we can go in again.” I purr, tackling her into the soft cushions.
I pull her into my arms, our laughter echoing through the room.
In the evenings, we sit together on the porch, watching star’s rays paint the sky orange and pink as it sinks below the horizon. Catherine leans into my side, her head on my shoulder, and I marvel at the perfect fit of her body against mine.
We talk about everything and nothing, sharing stories of our pasts and dreams for our future. She tells me of her childhood on Earth, of the family she left behind, and the ache in her voice makes me hold her just a little bit tighter.
I tell her of my own family, of the brother who stands at my side and the parents who raised us to be strong, honorablemales. I speak of my fears, too—the worry that I will somehow fail her, that I won’t be the mate she deserves.
But she silences those doubts with what I now know is called a kiss, her lips soft and sure against mine. “You are everything I could ever want,” she whispers. “Everything I never knew I needed. Never doubt that.”
And so, I don’t. Because here, in this moment, with my mate in my arms and our future stretching out before us like an endless sea of stars, I am whole.
I am home.
But one day, when I return from checking the perimeter, I hear a sound that sends a child down my spine. A deep groan of pain. And it’s coming from the lodge.
I rush inside to find Catherine on the floor, her skin as hot as the star and her hands clutching her chest.
I drop to my knees beside her, my heart pounding with fear. “Catherine!”
She looks up at me, her eyes glassy with pain. “It hurts,” she gasps. “My chest…I thought I was having a heart attack, but that’s not it. My chest feels like it’s on fire.”
I scoop her into my arms, cradling her against my chest as I carry her to our bed. Her skin is scorching to the touch, and I can feel the rapid flutter of her heartbeat beneath my palm.
“I have you,” I murmur, brushing the sweat-dampened strands of her mane from her forehead. “I have you.”
She nods, her digits clutching at my chest as another wave of pain washes over her. I hold her close, whispering soothing words in her ear as I try to quell the rising panic in my chest.
And then I see it. Just above the neckline of her tunic, a faint glow begins to emanate from her skin. It starts as a soft shimmer, barely noticeable, but as I watch, it grows darker and more distinct.
The lines of akahlsigil.
I let out a shaky breath, relief and wonder warring for dominance in my heart. She’s not dying. She’s not ill.
She’s becoming mine in the most profound way possible.
I press a gentle kiss to her forehead, my lips lingering against her fevered skin. “It’s the sigil,” I tell her softly. “It’s appearing on your chest. That’s what’s causing the pain.”
Her eyes widen, a mix of fear and awe in their depths. “The sigil? But…it’s been months.”
“I don’t know why it’s just appearing now,” I admit. “But it’s a sacred thing, a symbol of our bond. It means you’re truly mykahl, in every way that matters.”
She nods, a small smile curving her lips despite the pain. “I like the sound of that. But is it supposed to hurt this much?”
I hold her closer. “I was there when my siblignkin’s mate received her kahl sigils.”
“Eleanor?”
I nod.
“Did it hurt like this?”
“Unfortunately.”
She grits her teeth, gripping me tighter.
For the next few hours, I hold her as the sigil slowly takes shape, the intricate lines etching themselves into her skin. She whimpers and cries out as the pain crests and ebbs, but I never let her go.