Page 9 of Chosen By the Alien King
Pete’s eyes widened.“A hint for next time you want me to help save the universe?Lead withthat.”
Nera laughed.
“Thank you, Pete,” I said, stepping forward to clasp his hand.“We’ll have your back the whole time.”
“I won’t let you down,” he replied.“I’m gonna go write myself a script with some stellar one-liners.”
“Um, yeah, good idea.”Nera scratched her head as we watched him hurry toward the crew beach house.
“This is asking too much,” I said, taking Nera’s hand.“What if something goes wrong?What if he gets hurt?”
“We’ll have escape routes in place and backup plans if things go south.You and me will be close by, ready to jump in if needed.Trust the preparations.”
She was right, but still, I couldn’t help but feel the weight of responsibility pressing down on me.We were risking everything to expose the truth, and there was no guarantee of success.
But that would come later.Right now, it was time to prepare for the wedding to my beautiful star.
Astheminutestickedaway, anticipation grew within me like a relentless tide.I waited on the beach in front of the flower-adorned altar whileAlien Love Island‘s cast and crew murmured restlessly from their seats in neatly arranged rows.Every once in a while, they turned their expectant faces toward me.Waiting and wondering.
Me too.Nera was over five minutes late.
Miekil, sitting in the front row and thereby blocking the view of those behind him with his large, green horns, leaned in and whispered, “Say the word, and I’ll go check on her.”
“No, it’s fine.”I forced a swallow, my throat suddenly dry.“Her style team’s probably running a bit behind.You know how it is.”
Miekil raised an eyebrow and chuckled.“I don’t, but okay.”
From the second row on the other side of the aisle, Nera’s pilot, Darc, waved to catch my eye and then jerked her thumb to the back, signaling if I wantedherto go check.
I shook my head.Fuxx, just leave it alone already.
She’d be here when she was good and ready.I had no doubts.None.Nothing sat like a boulder in my chest, expanding with every passing second.Nope.Nothing.
Miekil leaned closer.“If there was any way off this planet that wasn’t crashed or damaged, I would tell you that maybe she’s halfway across the galaxy by now, but there’s not, so I won’t.”
“Thanks,” I gritted out.
He sighed and shook his head.“I’m kidding.I’m trying to distract you and failing miserably.She loves you.She wouldn’t do that to you.You know this.”
Did I?Or did she have lingering doubts about marrying her worst enemy?
Chapter six
Nera
“It’stime,”Oreosaid,knocking on the bedroom door gently.“Smitha and I are going to go find our seats, okay?Unless you need anything?Tequila?More coffee?A lime-green slurpy made from the tears of your enemies with one of those swirly straws?”
I snorted a laugh.“That’s oddly specific.Are you sure that’s not whatyouneed?”
“Yes,” she said emphatically.“I’ll see you out there.”
“Okay.Thank you, Oreo.”I smoothed down the front of my drop-dead gorgeous dress and took a deep breath.
This was it.No more doubts, no more fears—just love and hope.At least for a little while before all hell broke loose yet again, like it always did.
But together, we’d handle it.Of that, I was certain.
Everything was ready.How the show had managed that in such a short time, I had no idea.Maxx had assured me that all I really had to do was recite my vows, just the standard, pre-written kind for a normal Xenoxx wedding, and then kiss him.I was pretty sure I wouldn’t fuck that up.
