Page 51 of Salvaged By the Alien Pirate

As the aftershocks subside, Cirdox withdraws his fangs, licking the wounds closed once more. He collapses on top of me, his body slick with sweat, his wings enveloping us in a private cocoon. I can feel the bond between us, a glowing beacon in the darkness, unbreakable and eternal.

“You are my bond-mate, Neon,” Cirdox murmurs, his voice filled with a reverence that brings tears to my eyes. “My heart, my soul, my everything.”

The data I stole still pulses through my neural implants, a constant reminder of the Brotherhood hunting us, the Syndicate’s bounty on our heads, and the countless other threats lurking in the void. As Cirdox’s wings tighten around me, his warmth seeping into my bones, Zara’s voice comes softly through the ship’s comm system.

“Captain. Eclipse pursuit vessels have broken off—radiation’s too thick for their tracking systems. We’re safe for now.”

Cirdox rumbles an acknowledgment, the sound vibrating pleasantly against my cheek. His wings shift, creating a cocoon of shadow and shared warmth that blocks out everything beyond this moment. The bond hums between us, strong and sure, as steady as the Void Reaver’s engines thrumming beneath us.

“Sleep, little hacker,” he murmurs, pressing a gentle kiss to my temple. “I’ll keep watch.”

I drift off to the sound of his heartbeat, strong and regular now that the bond-sickness has been cured, and the quiet assurance of Zara coordinating our escape through the nebula’s protective embrace. For the first time since I can remember, I feel truly, completely safe.

Chapter 17

Cirdox

Thestarsblurpastthe Void Reaver’s viewport as I savor the steady pulse of strength in my veins. No more fever burning through me like plasma fire, no more trembling wings betraying weakness I couldn’t afford to show. The mate-bond thrums between us, Neon’s presence a constant warmth in my mind even as she works several decks below.

“Captain.” Zara approaches, datapad in hand. Her russet fur still bristles slightly—old habits die hard after weeks of watching me struggle. “The efficiency reports you requested. And... there’s something else.”

I accept the pad, noting the tension in her stance. “What is it?”

“K’vex’s ships have been spotted near the medical facilities in Sector Seven. Again.” Her tail lashes once—a tell she’s never quite mastered. “Third time this week.”

The information sends a surge of protective fury through my blood. Even with the bond-sickness cured, the threat to those colonies burns like acid in my throat. My wings shift restlessly,casting shadows across the bridge. “Send the coordinates to tactical. Have Grig plot an intercept course.”

“Already done, sir.” Her relief at my recovered strength wars with lingering concern. “Though perhaps we should—”

“Captain,” Neon’s voice cuts through the comm, carrying that edge of steel that first drew me to her. “You need to see these energy signatures. Something’s not right about these patrol patterns.”

I feel her focused determination through our bond, sharp as a blade and twice as dangerous. My fierce little hacker, already three steps ahead of everyone else. “On my way.”

“Good.” A hint of playful defiance colors her tone. “Though I can think of several other reasons you should join me down here.”

I growl softly, my wings mantling at her teasing despite the gravity of the situation. “Behave yourself. We have work to do.”

Her laugh echoes through the bridge. “Since when has that stopped us?”

The crew pretends not to notice our exchange, but I catch Zara’s knowing smile. They’ve watched their captain fight the bond-sickness too long not to celebrate his victory. But we all know the war is far from over. The Eclipse still threatens everything we’ve built, and K’vex’s betrayal cuts deeper than any plasma burn.

The power thrumming through my veins reminds me that I’m no longer fighting alone. With each breath, I feel Neon’s presence—sharp and brilliant and full of possibility. But that connection brings responsibility, the need to protect not just my crew but the mate who’s bound her life to mine.

“You’re brooding again,” Neon observes through our private channel. “I can feel it. Come down to tactical. I’ve found something in these transmission patterns that will definitely interest that protective instinct of yours.”

“Is that an order?” I ask, already moving toward the lift.

“Consider it a very compelling suggestion from someone who knows exactly how to handle brooding pirates.”

I chuckle, my wings shifting with anticipation even as my mind catalogs threats and contingencies. The bond-sickness may be cured, but our enemies still circle like vultures in the void. At least now I face them at full strength, with a mate whose brilliance matches my own.

The tactical room glows with holographic data streams as I enter, but my attention fixes immediately on Neon. She’s bent over the main console, the blue light of her neural implants casting ethereal patterns across her skin. My gaze lingers on the smooth skin above her collar, unmarked territory that makes my fangs ache with possessive need. Now that the desperate rush of bond-sickness is past, I want to claim her daily—not from necessity but pure desire. I want to mark her again and again until there’s no doubt she’s mine by choice, not just fate.

“Look at this,” she says without turning, her fingers dancing through virtual interfaces. “K’vex’s latest transmission patterns. They’re not just coordinating attacks—they’re setting up supply chain disruptions across three sectors.”

I move behind her, my wings curling forward instinctively to cage her against the console. “Show me.”

She leans back against my chest, her body fitting perfectly against mine as she projects the data into the air between us. “See these routing protocols? They match exactly with recent Eclipse movements. Too exactly.”

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