Page 12 of Fated to the Alien Hero

“Thank god.” Zara chuckles. “Evren would freak out if he knew you were upset or having a panic attack.”

A fluttery sensation starts up in my belly at thoughts of him and my neck grows hot. I still can’t believe I’m supposed to be his mate. To be honest, I don’t really know what that all entails. I know Evren explained about his goddess choosing the woman who’s meant to be his and all that, but I still don’t understand how that’s possible.

“So you’re the healer’s mate?”

“Yep.” She bobs her head.

I nibble on my bottom lip and wince at the pain. Have to remember not to do that again. “What exactly does that mean?”

Zara’s mouth quirks. “Well, I suppose in human terms it means we’re married. Leg shackled. I’m Kyler’s ball and chain. His old lady, and he’s my old man. We’re bound together in holy matrimony until death do us part. Except that’s not exactly true, since not even death separates mates. When one dies, so does the other, and they remain mates even in the holy land of their goddess, Deeka.”

My good eye bugs wider with every word that falls from her lips. For the second time, she laughs.

“You should see your face.” Zara snorts and her laughter turns to a few chuckles. “Sorry. My mouth sometimes runs faster than my brain. It’s a curse or a blessing, depending on who you ask. Seriously, though, what it means is that you have a guy who loves you. Who will do anything for you. Who will treat you likeyou’re the most precious person to ever exist. You’re the other half of their soul, essentially.”

“What do you mean a guy who loves me? Evren and I don’t even know each other.” I throw out my good arm. “We literally just met a few days ago.”

“Doesn’t matter.” Zara raises a single shoulder and drops it. “The second you touched him and triggered his mating marks, you also ignited this thing called a soul light. That soul light is basically the spark called ‘love’. So, yeah…a guy who loves you.”

This is way too much to take in. I mean, I know there’s something about Evren that speaks to me. Something about him that just feels…right. But love?

Zara nudges my shoulder. “I know it’s a lot to take in, especially with the minor complication of you having a shitbag husband already, but everything will work itself out in the end.”

I almost choke. ‘Minor complication’? That’s what she’s calling Grady? Also a ‘shitbag’. It’s not an inaccurate description. Heiskind of a shitbag. I glance around, almost guiltily, as if he were in the room and hearing my naughty thoughts.

“Sorry you drew the short stick and had to be the one to be here when I woke up.”

Zara huffs out a sound. “Are you kidding? I volunteered for this. Mostly because I’m the only one who wasn’t going to pussyfoot around or try and sugarcoat things. Well, Remi wouldn’t, but she’s out hunting with her other half. The others are nice—too nice, if you ask me—and I love them. I mean, they’re my sisters, but they also tend to coddle a little.”

She eyes me up and down before meeting my gaze again. “You strike me as the type of person who doesn’t want platitudes or gentle hand-holding. You’ve survived…what? Three years of some man’s bullshit and abuse I heard? From the looks of you, he tried really hard to kill you and couldn’t. That means you’re stronger than people give you credit for.”

Am I? All this time I’ve thought I was weak for letting Grady continue to hit me. For not finding a way to leave. Especially before he got me on a spaceship to another planet. Yet, I’ve managed to survive everything he’s done to me. Somehow. Maybe I am stronger than I’ve thought myself to be.

“Thank you. For saying that. It means a lot.”

“Us women have to stick together. We’re a sisterhood.” Zara snorts. “Don’t tell the others I said that, though. They’ll never let me live down the fact that I’m the one being all mushy and shit and talking about family and feelings. Just don’t ask me to hug it out or anything.”

I bite back a smile that threatens. “I wouldn’t dream of it.”

“Good.”

“I know I said I didn’t need any help earlier, but I think my bladder is saying otherwise now.”

“You got it.” Zara helps me down from the raised platform I’m lying on and guides me behind a large fur that hangs in the corner.

Thankfully, she’s efficient, and I quickly take care of my business, trying not to cringe at my helplessness. Once we’re both cleaned up, I make my way back to the bed, but stop before getting in and adjust my arm in its sling.

“Do you think I could go outside and take a walk?”

She raises an eyebrow. “If you pass out and I can’t catch you before you hit the ground, Evren is going to be pissed.”

“I’m not going to pass out.”

Zara studies me a moment longer. “All right, let’s go.”

Together, we exit through the doorway of the tent and step into the sunshine. I tip my head back and breathe in the clean, fresh air and enjoy the warmth. Various sounds of the village reach me and I glance around to take it all in. A few humans and Tavikhi wander around and to my surprise, some of them are kids.

“It’s bigger than I thought it would be.”

---