Page 78 of Xara and the Xenobeast

When the meal was ready, they sat together near the fire, eating in comfortable silence. His tendrils occasionally brushed against her skin—a habit that had evolved from cautious exploration to affectionate gesture.

“The Tal’Shai sent a message,” he finally said, setting his plate aside. “A trading vessel will enter orbit within the week.”

She nodded slowly. “I know. Tavi’Sha mentioned it today.”

His silver eyes studied her face. “It could take you back. To your world.”

The directness of his statement surprised her. “Is that what’s been bothering you?”

He didn’t deny it, which was answer enough. His tendrils coiled tightly—a sign of distress he couldn’t otherwise express.

“Do you think about it?” he asked, his voice carefully neutral. “Going home?”

She set her own plate down and moved closer to him, taking his large hand between both of hers. His skin was warm, the texture like fine leather over steel.

“I am home,” she said simply.

His eyes searched hers, looking for doubt, for hesitation. Finding none, his tendrils relaxed slightly.

“You had a life before. People who must miss you.”

She thought of her old existence—the endless grant applications, the departmental politics, the lonely apartment. She’d had colleagues, not friends. Professional respect, not love.

“I had a job before,” she corrected gently. “I have a life now.”

To emphasize her point, she took his hand and placed it against her abdomen, where the slightest curve had begun to show.

“Especially now,” she added with a smile.

His eyes widened, tendrils suddenly alert and questing. “You’re certain?”

“The Tal’Shai confirmed it last week. The genetic modifications they helped with are working. Our baby is growing perfectly.”

A sound escaped him—half growl, half something else entirely. His tendrils wrapped protectively around her waist, and he pulled her against his chest.

“Why didn’t you tell me?” he demanded, though there was no anger in his voice—only wonder.

“I wanted to be sure,” she admitted. “And I wanted to find the right moment.”

He pressed his forehead to hers, a gesture of intimacy that had become their own. “A child,” he breathed. “Our child.”

She nodded, tears of happiness pricking her eyes. “The first of its kind, according to Tavi’Sha. Human and... whatever magnificent thing you are.”

His laugh was a rare, beautiful sound. “I am yours,” he said simply. “As you are mine.”

The pups, sensing the emotional shift, stirred from their nook and bounded over, chirping questions. When Xara explained in simple terms, they became even more excited, patches flashing in patterns of joy as they pressed their small forms against her stomach.

“They’ll be protective siblings,” Ash observed, watching the pups’ display with obvious pride.

“God help any predator that comes near this child,” she agreed, laughing as Spark performed what could only be described as a victory dance.

Later, as they lay together in their bed, the pups curled at their feet, Ash’s tendrils traced gentle patterns across her skin. His hand rested protectively over the slight swell of her stomach.

“I never thought I would have this,” he confessed in the darkness. “A mate. A family. A future.”

She turned in his arms to face him, tracing the sharp angle of his jaw. “Neither did I. Not really.”

“Are you sure you won’t regret staying?” he asked, the last shadow of doubt in his voice.

She smiled and pressed her lips to his. “The only thing I would regret is leaving. This is where I belong—with you, with our children. This is our world now.”

His arms tightened around her, and his tendrils wrapped them both in a protective cocoon. Outside, the jungle pulsed with life—dangerous and beautiful, just like their love. But inside their home, there was only safety, warmth, and the promise of tomorrow.

As she drifted towards sleep, she felt the baby move—just the slightest flutter, like the beat of a butterfly’s wing. A new life, born of two worlds, growing strong within her.

She had crashed on this planet a prisoner, become a survivor, then a mate, and now she would be a mother. Each transformation had brought her closer to who she was meant to be.

Not Dr. Xara Reyes, isolated academic.

Just Xara. Beloved. Protected. Home.

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