Chapter 14

"Are you sure you want to do this, Sadie-bug?"

Sadie turned to smile at her sister, the voluminous skirts of her wedding dress whispering around her legs.

"I"ve never been more sure of anything in my life."

The tension didn"t ease from Halle"s eyes even though she smiled. And it wouldn"t, not for a long time. She knew her sister through and through, and Halle blamed herself for not speaking up enough and stopping Sadie from going on the trip to Krantav Three. As if she should have known, somehow, that pirates would attack and try to capture Sadie to sell her as a sex slave or worse.

Movement at the door caught her eye and she smiled as Kaas and Ollie arrived, both dressed in formal outfits. Kaas, her brother-in-law, wore a formal version of the leather Latharian uniform, with a deeply embellished sash across his chest, while Ollie had on a tiny suit.

"There"s my handsome little man," she cooed, descending on him to scoop him into her arms and kiss his cheek soundly.

"Mama!" he complained, squirming even as he giggled.

She smiled down at her son as she set him back on his feet, brushing imaginary lint from his tiny suit jacket.

"You look so handsome, Ollie. Just like your uncle."

Her son beamed up at Kaas, who inclined his head in acknowledgment. The bond between the two shone through, the shy little human boy reaching up to take Kaas" hand again.

Halle stepped forward, holding a bouquet out to her. "Are you ready?"

Taking the beautiful alien flowers, she took a deep breath. "I"m ready."

Halle pressed her lips together and nodded, stepping back. The four of them left the apartment and made their way down the corridor, Sadie in the middle, with Halle on one side and Ollie holding Kaas"s hand on the other.

As they rounded the corner toward the great hall where the bonding ceremony would take place, Latharian warriors fell into step behind them. First one, then a couple more, until the corridor behind them was filled with a strange kind of honor guard. She half turned, frowning. Many of them were Vaarn's friends and comrades.

"Are they here to make sure I don"t escape?" she murmured to Kaas, only half joking. She really hoped they weren"t.

He chuckled, the sound a low rumble. "Quite the opposite. It is tradition for the mate"s family and friends to accompany her, to ensure she is not coerced and that she has protectors. They are here to protect you from Vaarn, should you decide not to go through with the bonding."

She blinked. "Latharian culture is… surprising sometimes, you know that?"

As they reached the great hall, her nerves returned. This was it. This was the moment she would officially, and forever, bind her life to Vaarn's. Halle gave her one last searching look, and Sadie smiled, standing straighter. Nothing would stop her from walking through those doors to the man she loved.

Taking a deep breath as the doors opened before her, she clutched her bouquet tighter and stepped through. Her heart hammered behind her ribs as all eyes in the room turned to her, nerves almost stopping her dead in the doorway, but then she looked up and saw him across the massive room.

Vaarn.

Her alien mate. Her protector. Her everything.

He stood near the dais, dressed in formal leathers that clung to his muscular frame. The deep purple and blue tones were a perfect contrast to his silver-white hair, which was intricately braided away from his face to fall around his shoulders. Their gazes locked… held.

Her breath caught at the expression on his face, and the intensity in his gaze. It was a promise of passion and devotion all rolled into one. Her smile spread as heat rose on her cheeks. She had never felt so wanted, so treasured, as she did when he looked at her like that.

Her nerves vanished, replaced by anticipation as she moved forward, concentrating on the man she loved. The great hall with all its alien splendor disappeared until there was only the two of them. He watched her as she walked length of the hall toward him, the connection between them crackling like a live wire. Then she was there, standing before him, close enough to touch.

His eyes blazed like twin moons, and his hands flexed at his sides as if he wanted to reach for her. But he kept himself contained, though she could tell it cost him.

Tradition be damned. She wanted to be in his arms right now. But she respected his culture, so she waited what felt like an eternity but was probably only seconds before Prince Rohn stepped forward.

"Warriors, welcome!" His voice carried the length of the hall. "Today we gather to celebrate a joyous event between one of our esteemed warriors and a beautiful lady from Earth. The Gods have found the warrior worthy and he bears the marks of mating on his wrist, so we are celebrating a true bonding today."

The gathered congregation in the hall erupted into a mix of enthusiastic applause and triumphant war cries, their voices echoing off the cavernous metal walls.

Prince Rohn smiled down at them as he stepped down from the dais to stand before them.

He held out his hands. "Your hands, please."

Vaarn reached out without hesitation, and she bit back her smile as she slid her hand into Rohn"s huge one. Latharian males had no issues with commitment then. If Vaarn"s glare at the big prince was any indication, he wasn"t going fast enough.

"Blood calls to blood and soul to soul," Rohn said, his deep voice carrying through the large hall. "Soul calls to skin, female to male, binding the halves of a whole together for all eternity. Lady Sadie Keare, do you take this warrior who bears your marks on his skin to bond-mate? To support and honor him for the rest of his life?"

She slid a glance at Vaarn, finding him watching her.

"I love you," he mouthed.

She looked back at the Prince and nodded. "I do."

Rohn turned his attention to Vaarn, his expression forbidding but his eyes twinkling with genuine happiness for them. "Warrior Vaarn T"Kaan, do you take this female who has called marks in your skin to bond-mate? To protect her and honor her for the rest of your life?"

"I do."

Latharian wedding… sorry, bonding ceremonies were so short compared to human ones. She bit her lip as Rohn transferred both their hands to one of his, and wrapped a purple sash around them. Covered their hands and bound them together.

"Then…with the power vested in me by the Emperor himself and as a Prince of the Lathar, I bless your bonding. May it bring much solace and be fruitful."

Rohn grinned and winked at Vaarn. "Now for my favorite part… Warrior, you may kiss your bride."