Page 70 of Charmed By the Alien Warrior

His gray eyes twinkle, the playful light in them softening as he leans down to press his lips against mine in a kiss thatleaves me panting. For a moment, the chaos of the world fades away, replaced with the warmth of his touch and the steady beat of his hearts beneath my hands.

But reality quickly sets in, and I pull back, my gaze flicking to the women huddled in the back of the cave. Their eyes are wide with a mix of relief and apprehension.

“Sorrin,” I whisper, his thumb brushing away a stray tear. “We need to help them.”

He nods, his gaze shifting to the bedraggled group. His jaw tightens, and I can feel the simmering anger at what they’ve endured—what we’ve all endured. But he pushes it down, stepping forward with a reassuring smile.

Together, we turn to face the others. Sorrin’s expression shifts, the playful light in his eyes fading as he takes in the bedraggled women. They’re tired and it’s obvious some of them are nursing injuries, while others look as if they’re barely holding themselves together.

“Let’s get you out of here,” he says, his voice gentle yet commanding. “We have eponirs waiting outside, food for you, and a medic to tend to your injuries.”

The sound of approaching footsteps snags my attention, and I see Warrix step past the waterfall, the satchel he keeps his medical supplies in slung across his shoulder. He stands patiently waiting, his gentle gaze scanning the group as if he’s already cataloguing their injuries.

The women exchange uncertain glances. I understand their hesitation—it wasn’t that long ago that I was in their exact same position. They’ve been through so much, and trusting strangers is a risk. Especially nearly seven foot tall teal strangers who just fought off three dinosaurs.

I gesture to Sorrin and the other warriors who have joined us at the entrance to the cave, their postures relaxed yet protective. “These are the Laediriians. They’re our friends. They helped us, and they want to help you, too.” I meet each of their gazes.

Isabella steps forward, adding her voice to mine. “They’ve done everything they can to protect us. They’ll do the same for you.”

A long pause follows our words, and the women glance at each other as if they’re having a silent conversation. Finally, Cassandra rises and takes a tentative step forward. Her shoulders are still hunched, but there’s a spark of determination in her eyes as they meet mine.

“I’m game if everyone else is,” she announces, her voice steady despite the tremor in her hands. She glances back at the others, waiting.

Leah exhales a sharp breath, crossing her arms. “Me, too.”

One by one, the other women nod in agreement, their expressions softening. Relief swells in my chest, but I keep my voice calm. “Thank you. We’ll take care of you—I promise.”

Sorrin moves to my side, his presence solid and grounding. “Let’s get out of this cave and back to safety,” he says, motioning toward the entrance.

As the group begins to move, Warrix steps forward, already pulling supplies from his satchel to tend to the most immediate injuries. The warriors assist the women carefully, their movements deliberate and gentle, a stark contrast to the ferocity they showed in battle.

I turn to Sorrin, my fingers brushing against his as we guide the group out of the cave and into the sunlight. His gaze meets mine, and in his eyes, I see everything I feel reflected back—relief and a fierce, unyielding love.

“You did good,” he murmurs, his voice low enough that only I can hear.

“So did you,” I reply, a small smile tugging at my lips.

As we step into the golden light of the sun, the waterfall roaring behind us and the open sky stretching endlessly above, I know this is just the beginning. There will be more challenges ahead, more battles to fight, and more lives to save.

But with Sorrin by my side, I’m ready to face them all. Together.

Epilogue

Mara

“Emily’s gone!”

Haley bursts through the door of the hut I’ve only just moved into with Sorrin a couple of days ago, her face flushed and streaked with sweat. Strands of her damp hair cling to her forehead, and she’s panting like she ran all the way here without stopping.

“What?” I stand up, nearly toppling the small pile of my belongings that I’ve been organizing. My heart skips a beat, the sudden panic in her words jolting through me like a live wire.

The words tumble out of Haley’s mouth in a breathless rush. “She seemed kind of down last night during the evening meal, so I went to the medic hut this morning to check on her. And she’s not there.”

My stomach sinks. Emily has been quiet and withdrawn for as long as I’ve known her—which is admittedly not that long—but her disappearance makes no sense. Until recently, she’d barely left the medic hut, keeping to herself and speaking only when spoken to. It’s only in the last few days that she’s started eating with everyone else at the central fire pit.

She’s been through so much—we all have—but leaving without a word? That doesn’t sound like her at all.

“She’s probably just taking a walk,” I suggest. But even as I say it, doubt creeps in. Something about Haley’s panic-stricken expression tells me she’s already ruled out the simplest explanation.

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