Page 17 of Charmed By the Alien Warrior

As soon as we dismount and unsaddle the eponirs, releasing them to graze, Sorrin announces he’s going hunting. He mentions catching the scent of something called a koyo before disappearing into the dense jungle without waiting for a response. His brisk departure leaves an odd tension in my chest, but I brush it off.

The rest of us work quickly to set up our temporary camp. The warriors joke and laugh while they go about their tasks, even Yarik cracks a smile. And the relaxed atmosphere soothes me more than I expected.

Isabella and I busy ourselves and head to the stream to refill the waterskins. Then, we lay out our sleeping pallets close to the fire. But no matter how hard I try, I can’t seem to tear my attention away from the trees where Sorrin disappeared. He’s been gone longer than I would have thought just for hunting.

The knot of unease in my stomach tightens. I don’t want to be drawn to him, but something about him has a magnetic pull I can’t explain. Maybe it’s this planet, messing with my head. Haley fell hard for an alien—maybe there’s something inthe air here, a pheromone. Or something in the water. That’s got to be it, right?

A faint jingling noise interrupts my thoughts, and I glance over at Isabella to see her pull something shiny from her bag. Her brown eyes are distant as if she’s lost in a memory.

The soft jingle draws my gaze again, and it takes me a second to register what it is. I blink in surprise at the sight of something so mundane and earthly on this alien planet.

“Why do you have keys?” I ask, keeping my voice low.

Isabella’s gaze meets mine, and her lips tip up in a sad smile as she lifts the keys to dangle from her fingers. Hanging from the keyring is a small plastic charm that I recognize immediately as a black cat.

“They were in my pocket when I was abducted,” she explains. Her fingers trace the edges of the cat as if it’s something precious. “I’d just left work, and I was walking to my car. Then well—you know the rest.”

A chill runs down my spine at her words because I know all too well how that part of the story goes. One minute, life is normal, and the next, everything changes so drastically that life becomes unrecognizable.

The little black cat sways gently from her fingers, catching the dying light, and I can’t tear my eyes from it. It’s worn, the paint on the ears have faded from years of handling, but there’s something oddly comforting about it. It’s a small piece of Earth—of home—on this planet so far away.

“My mom gave me this keychain when I bought my first car. When I was a kid, we had a black cat named Salem. Obviously, that was his name, right?” She chuckles. “It’s kindof silly, I guess, but this keychain has always brought me good luck.”

I can’t help but raise a skeptical eyebrow at her. “You were abducted by aliens, Isabella. I don’t think it worked.”

She snorts. “Yeah, I guess it didn’t work that day. But it’s not about luck anymore. It’s just something I’ve always had with me, you know? And now, it’s a reminder that home is real.”

I pause, considering her words.

“Well,” I murmur, “maybe your luck’s just waiting for the right moment.”

Isabella’s lips tip up in a smile, but it’s bittersweet. “Maybe.”

My gaze drifts to the jungle, the thick trees casting long shadows as the last traces of sunlight filter through them. The night is fast approaching, and Sorrin still hasn’t returned. A knot of anxiety settles in my stomach.

What if something happened to him?What if he’s injured out there all alone? What if…

I swallow hard and cut off the spiraling thoughts.What the hell am I doing?Worrying about some overgrown, overly confident lug I’ve barely known for a few days? It’s ridiculous.

I shift uncomfortably, trying to focus on anything but my rising worry. The flutter of night insects, the low murmurs of the others, the flickering campfire. But it’s no use. None of it can chase away the gnawing apprehension spreading through me.

Isabella clears her throat, pulling me out of my spiraling thoughts. “I’m sure he’s okay,” she says. There's a knowing note to her voice that makes me stiffen.

I sit up straighter, jerking my gaze away from the dark tree line where I’ve been far too obviously staring.

“What? I don’t know what you mean,” I say, trying to sound casual, but the heat I can feel spreading across my cheeks betrays me.

Isabella raises a skeptical brow. “Uh-huh. You’ve been watching the same spot for the last thirty minutes,” she points out. She leans in slightly, her voice dropping to a teasing whisper. “It’s okay to admit that you’re worried about him. That you like him. It’s not a crime, you know.”

“Worried? About Sorrin?” I force a laugh, waving my hand dismissively. “I can’t stand him. He’s a cocky asshole.”

As soon as the words leave my mouth, guilt swells up inside me. Sorrin isn’t an asshole. He hasn’t done anything but help me and my friends since we got here. He doesn’t deserve the way I’ve been treating him, and I know that. But old habits die hard, right? Pushing people away before they can hurt me. It was the same thing I did back on Earth.

Isabella smirks at me, clearly seeing through my weak attempt at deflection, and I can’t help but squirm a little under her gaze. Finally, she shifts her brown eyes to the flickering fire. “Sometimes it’s the ones we least expect that get under our skin.”

She says it so softly that I’m not sure if she meant for me to hear her words or not. But I do, and they’re like a sharp crack against my thoughts.

I barely know Sorrin, so why do I feel so unsettled by him? Somehow, every time I think about him or see him, I feel all twisted up inside. I don’t understand it.

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