Epilogue

Sutton

The warm rays of Kal"dora"s twin suns filtered through the canopy above, dappling the forest clearing in a kaleidoscope of shifting light and shadow. I paused in my ministrations, savoring the gentle caress of the fragrant breeze against my bare skin as it wound through the ancient arrallu trees surrounding our secluded sanctuary.

So much had changed since that terrifying, mind-bending first encounter with Raxon and the Coalition all those cycles ago. Whole worlds and cosmic wonders I could never have fathomed back when I was just a na?ve human artist struggling to make her mark on Earth. Now I was Sutton of the Kal"doren, lifemate to one of their fiercest warriors and mother to...

A soft coo pulled me from my reverie. I glanced down at the swaddled bundle cradled in the crook of my arm, lips curving in a tender smile as I drank in the sight of my sleeping daughter. Little Yrral, a perfect blending of human and Kal"doren traits that still filled me with a sense of wonderment each time I beheld her precious features.

Her tiny rosebud mouth was slightly parted, delicate whiskers twitching ever so slightly as she dreamed. Beneath the soft blankets swaddling her, I could just make out the faintest dusting of russet fur along her chubby forearms and the tips of her tufted ears poking through the downy fuzz covering her crown.

She was so beautiful, so perfect in every way. A living embodiment of the union Raxon and I had forged together. The first offspring of our joined bloodlines, destined to blaze a trail for whatever new wonders the universe had in store for our kind.

I traced the curve of her cheek with one finger, letting the reality of this moment wash over me in a warm wave. So much struggle and hardship, so many mind-bending revelations and soul-shaking trials we"d faced to reach this point. But it had all been worth it a thousand times over to hold this precious new life in my arms.

"You know," a deep, familiar rumble cut through the stillness, "every time I see you like this, I can scarcely believe how blessed I"ve been by the ancestors."

I turned with a warm smile as Raxon materialized from between the towering arrallu trunks, his battle-scored pelt gleaming like burnished copper in the dappled sunlight. As always, the sight of his powerful, feline grace made my breath catch, even after all this time as his mate.

He moved with that same predatory poise that had first set my heart thundering all those cycles ago. And yet, the way his intense amber eyes softened as they settled on Yrral and me filled me with a sense of peace and contentment that transcended the physical.

I was home here on Kal"dora Prime, no matter how strange or wondrous the path that had led me to this point. This was my life, my family, my entire world bound up in the two leonine beings before me.

"You"re just saying that because you know it"s the only way to get out of doing the washing up after our meal," I teased as Raxon sank into a crouch beside us.

He rumbled low in his chest, whiskers twitching in that subtle manner that let me know he was fighting back a grin. "You wound me, little mate. As if I would ever stoop to such blatant attempts at emotional manipulation, especially in front of our newborn daughter."

I arched one brow, giving him a look that needed no translation. Raxon held my gaze for a beat longer, then seemed to deflate with a melodramatic sigh.

"Very well, you"ve found me out," he rumbled, leaning in to nuzzle the soft curve of my neck. "I"m an utterly hopeless sap when it comes to the two of you. Although, in my defense, can you really blame a male for being enamored by the sight of his lifemate and newborn cub?"

I shivered at the heated purr that accompanied his words, that same delicious thrill still racing through me even after all this time. Part of me would never get used to the casual, intimate way Raxon could bring my pulse thundering with just a few simple gestures or rumbled endearments.

"Mm, I suppose I can let you off easy this time," I murmured, tilting my head to allow him better access as his rough tongue rasped against my sensitized skin. "Just don"t make it a habit, you insatiable tomcat."

Raxon huffed out a low chuckle, the warm vibrations sending fresh tingles cascading through me. "You know me, little mate. I do so love to keep you on your toes."

He pulled back just enough to fix me with that piercing amber stare, eyes gleaming with undisguised affection and that same primal heat that had first bound our souls together. I lost myself in his gaze for a long moment, every other thought or concern simply melting away beneath the blazing truth of our bond.