Page 58 of Cursed Alien

Malrik nodded, keeping one arm around her as he turned to face the Alpha. “I am ready to answer for my past.”

“And I’ll be right beside you,” she added, her hand finding his.

The villagers began to retreat, urged along by Agatha’s stern gaze. Her father came to join them, his expression a mixture of worry and pride.

“You’re sure about this?” he asked quietly.

She nodded. “I love him, Papa. In any form.”

Her father sighed, then managed a small smile. “Then I suppose I’d better get used to having a Vultor son-in-law.”

Malrik looked down at her, his expression softening into something that made her heart skip. The beast was still there—she could see it in the wildness of his eyes, the power in his stance—but now it was balanced with the intelligence and nobility of the Vultor.

“What happens now?” she asked, looking between Malrik and Seren.

“Now we make peace,” Seren said, and she realized he wasn’t just talking about the villagers.

EPILOGUE

Six months later…

Bella tightenedthe last bolt on the power coupling and sat back on her heels, wiping her brow with the back of her hand. The mechanical heart of the keep hummed with new life, a symphony of perfectly calibrated parts working in harmony. She’d spent the better part of the morning repairing the auxiliary power system, ensuring it would engage seamlessly if the main grid faltered.

“There.” She gave the metal housing a satisfied pat. “That should hold through the next three storms at least.”

She tucked her tools into the pockets of her coveralls and headed back through the keep. Six months of hard work had transformed the once-crumbling fortress into something magnificent—a waystation for travelers using the new mountain pass that connected the human villages and the Vultor territories.

The trade agreement that Seren and the village council had finally signed had changed everything. Merchants and travelers now passed regularly through the mountains. The keep provided a safe stopping point, offering shelter, food, and minor repairs for those traveling the route.

She made her way through the corridors, nodding to a human merchant who was studying one of the ancient tapestries Malrik had restored. The man bowed slightly, still clearly nervous about being in a structure associated with the Vultor, but the presence of other humans helped ease such tensions.

She headed toward what had once been the stable block, now converted into a workshop and living quarters for her father. He had moved in three months ago, after it became clear that she would never return permanently to the village. Malrik had suggested the arrangement, and her father had accepted with surprising enthusiasm.

The workshop door stood open, and she paused in the doorway, watching her father bent over his workbench. Tools hung from the walls in neat rows, and half-finished inventions covered every available surface. The scent of metal and oil reminded her of their old shop, bringing a smile to her face.

His health had improved dramatically since moving to the keep. The mountain air seemed to agree with him, and having regular work for his hands kept his spirits high.

“Papa?” she called softly.

He looked up, his face breaking into a wide smile. “Bella! Come look at this contraption I’ve been working on.”

She crossed to the workbench, examining the device with professional interest. It appeared to be a small, handheld scanner of some sort.

“It’s for the traders,” he explained, his eyes bright with enthusiasm. “Detects metal fatigue in axles and wheel components. Should prevent breakdowns on the mountain roads.”

“Clever,” she said, genuinely impressed. “The merchants will pay good money for that.”

“That’s what Malrik said.” He set the device down carefully. “He stopped by earlier to bring me these.” He gestured to a stack of small metal components arranged neatly at the edge of his workbench.

She smiled, touched by Malrik’s thoughtfulness. He made a point of checking on her father daily, bringing materials or simply sitting with him while he worked. The two men had developed an unlikely friendship, bonded by their shared love of creating things—and their shared love for her.

“How are you settling in, Papa? Truly?” she asked, perching on a nearby stool.

He considered the question, his weathered hands absently arranging his tools. “I never thought I’d live in a place like this,” he admitted. “A Vultor keep, of all things.” He chuckled, shaking his head. “But I’m content, Bella. I have my work, comfortable quarters, and most importantly—” he reached out to squeeze her hand, “—I have you nearby.”

“You don’t miss the village?”

“What’s to miss? The gossips? The small-minded council?” He shrugged. “I have more interesting conversations here in a day than I had there in a month. Did you know that Seren’s chief engineer stopped by yesterday? We talked about power conversion systems for hours.”

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