Chapter 23

TWENTY-THREE

T iffany's fingers trembled as she traced the intricate carvings on the ancient wooden door of Rickon's study. The sumptuous dinner with Zak still warmed her belly, but the nagging suspicion that had driven her here chilled her to the bone. She'd excused herself, feigning a headache, unable to shake the feeling that Rickon and Grixxar were up to something. Grixxar had missed dinner and the opportunity to talk down to her.

Now, as hushed voices filtered through the crack in the door, her suspicions crystallized into cold, hard fear.

"Tomorrow morning," Rickon's clipped tones sliced through the air, "the changing of the guard provides our window."

Grixxar's gravelly voice responded, dripping with malice. "And Zakhar?"

"Distracted," Rickon sneered. "Too besotted with his Earth whore to see the danger. We'll catch him off guard in his chambers."

Tiffany's heart pounded so loudly, she feared they'd hear it. Her palms grew slick with sweat as she leaned closer, straining to catch every word.

"What of the girl?" Grixxar asked. "Those failed attempts on her life have made Zakhar suspicious."

A dark chuckle from Rickon sent shivers down Tiffany's spine. "Oh, she'll meet her end, don't worry. But first, we'll let her watch as we tear her beloved king to shreds. Her anguish will be... exquisite."

"It reminds me of when we killed the old king," Rickon chuckled.

"I know. He wanted to change things to listen to Zakhar and his new ways as if there was something wrong with my way," Grixxar said.

"He had his uses, but he'd outgrown them. That accident was well-timed," Rickon snickered.

Terror clawed at Tiffany's throat. She stumbled back, her mind reeling. She had to warn Zakhar, had to stop this madness before?—

The floorboard beneath her foot creaked, the sound deafening in the sudden silence.

For a heartbeat, everything froze. Then, chaos erupted.

The door burst open. Tiffany caught a glimpse of Rickon's shocked face before instinct took over. She turned and ran, her heart thundering in her chest.

"After her!" Rickon's bellow echoed through the corridors.

Tiffany's legs pumped furiously as she tore through the castle. The opulent surroundings blurred into a dizzying kaleidoscope of color and shadow. Her lungs burned, each breath a ragged gasp.

"Zakhar!" she screamed, her voice raw with desperation. "Zak?—"

A hand clamped over her mouth, cutting off her cry. Strong arms yanked her out a side door and into the courtyard. Tiffany thrashed wildly, her nails raking across her captor's skin.

"Shh, little Earthling," Grixxar's hot breath ghosted over her ear. "Wouldn't want to spoil the surprise, now would we?"

Tiffany's blood ran cold as Rickon materialized before her, his eyes glinting with cruel amusement.

"My, my," he purred, reaching out to trace a finger along her jaw. "Such spirit. It will be a pleasure to break you."

Tiffany jerked her head away, glaring daggers at him. "Zakhar will stop you," she spat. "He'll?—"

Rickon's hand shot out, gripping her throat. "Zakhar," he snarled, "will die screaming. And you, my dear, will watch every moment."

A low, menacing growl rumbled through the night. Tiffany's heart leaped as Zak emerged from the shadows, his golden eyes blazing with fury.

"Let. Her. Go." Each word dripped with barely contained rage.

For a moment, no one moved. Then, everything happened at once.

Grixxar shoved Tiffany aside, her head cracking against the stone wall. Stars exploded across her vision as she crumpled to the floor.

Through blurred eyes, she watched in horror as Grixxar and Rickon shifted, their bodies contorting grotesquely. Where the men had stood, two massive panthers now crouched, muscles coiled to spring.

Zak's own transformation was a sight to behold. One second he was human, the next a colossal bronze panther, easily dwarfing the other two.

The beasts collided in a fury of claws and fangs. The courtyard became a battleground and the quiet night amplified every snarl and roar, the cacophony deafening.

Tiffany scrambled back, her head throbbing and her vision swimming. She watched in terrified awe as Zak fought, his massive form a whirlwind of lethal grace.

Grixxar was quick, darting in to slash at Zak's flanks before dancing away. But Zak was power personified. His massive paws swatted Grixxar like a toy, each blow driving the smaller panther back.

A particularly vicious swipe sent Grixxar tumbling. Before he could recover, Zak was upon him. Powerful jaws clamped down on Grixxar's throat. There was a sickening crunch, and Grixxar went limp.

Zak turned, his golden eyes seeking Tiffany.

Something told her to turn around. She whirled, but too late. Pain exploded across her back as Rickon, seizing his opportunity, raked his claws down her spine. Tiffany screamed, the agony white-hot and all-consuming.

She collapsed, her vision darkening at the edges. Through the haze of pain, she saw Rickon circling her, his dark eyes gleaming with triumph.

Suddenly, Nyx was in front of her, growling at the much bigger Rickon. The panther didn't seem to care that Rickon was bigger. He placed himself between them in order to keep Tiffany safe.

As Rickon tensed to deliver a blow, a bronze blur slammed into him. Zak had crossed the distance in a heartbeat.

The two panthers grappled, a whirlwind of slashing claws and snapping teeth. But where Grixxar had been a challenge, Rickon was barely a warm-up. Zak's superior size and strength quickly overwhelmed the older panther.

With a roar that shook the very stones, Zak pinned Rickon to the ground. His massive jaws closed around Rickon's throat, and with one powerful twist, it was over.

Silence fell, broken only by Tiffany's ragged breathing and the soft pad of Zak's paws as he approached her. As he neared, his form shimmered, shifting into his human self.

"Tiffany," he breathed, gathering her gently into his arms. His golden eyes were wide with concern and love. "My brave, foolish Tiffany. I'm so sorry, I should have seen this coming, I?—"

Tiffany shook her head weakly, wincing at the movement. "No, Zak," she whispered, her voice hoarse. "You saved me. You saved all of us."

Zak's arms tightened around her, careful of her injuries. "Let's get you to the medical bay," he murmured, his voice thick with emotion. "It's over now. The rebellion ends here."

As Zak carried her away from the scene of carnage, Tiffany felt the adrenaline slowly ebb from her system. The pain of her injuries throbbed in time with her heartbeat, but beneath it all was an overwhelming sense of relief.

They had faced this threat together, and together, they had triumphed. The future of Nova Aurora stretched out before them, bright with promise. And Tiffany knew with absolute certainty that her place was here by Zak's side, come what may.

Tiffany winced as Zak gently carried her into the medical bay, her injuries from the attack still throbbing. Dr. Viiks rushed over, his iridescent skin pulsing with concern.

"My goodness," he exclaimed. "Let's get her into the healing chamber right away."

Zak carefully lowered Tiffany onto the bed of the pod-like structure. As the translucent cover closed over her, Tiffany felt a wave of anxiety.

"Zak?" she called out, her voice wavering slightly.

Zak's golden eyes met hers, full of reassurance. "I'm right here, my love. I'm not going anywhere."

The chamber hummed to life, a soft blue glow enveloping Tiffany. She felt a tingling sensation spread through her body as the advanced alien technology began its work.

"Zak," she mumbled, her eyes filling with tears. "There's something I have to tell you."

"What is it, love?"

"Grixxar and Rickon killed your dad. I don't know how, but his death wasn't an accident."

Zak let out a slow exhale. "I had a feeling about his death for a long time. My father and I had been making plans to make changes. He wanted to incorporate my ideas into new legislation and he was excited to do it. When he died right before we got to work on that, it seemed like a tragic accident. But when I found out his shuttle crashed, I knew there was more to it. My father was a skilled pilot. He'd never had any issues with his shuttles and it had undergone routine inspection with the system working properly."

"I'm so sorry," she cried. "What they did was horrible."

"I know, my love. But they will never hurt anyone again." He met her gaze and warmed her with his sweet look. "And my father…I miss him…but he's in a better place, I know this."

She gave a soft nod and tried to sit still for Dr. Viiks's scans.

The doctor studied the readouts on a holographic display, multifaceted eyes widening. "Fascinating," they murmured. "Your Majesty, it appears that Miss Tiffany's immune system is remarkably strong. Even more so than I would have expected given her recent experiences."

Zak frowned, his hand resting on the chamber's surface. "Is that unusual?"

The doctor's skin rippled in what Tiffany had come to recognize as a smile. "Not unusual, Your Majesty. Simply unexpected. It seems that your child's robust immune system is already benefiting Miss Tiffany."

Tiffany's heart skipped a beat. "Child?" she gasped. "What child?"

Dr. Viiks blinked in surprise. "Why, the child you're carrying, of course. Did you not know?"

Zakhar's face was a picture of shock and joy. "We're... we're going to have a baby?"

Tiffany felt a rush of emotions - surprise, happiness, and a touch of fear. "I... I had no idea. How is this possible?"

Dr. Viiks chuckled. "Well, my dear, when two beings love each other very much..."

"That's not what I meant," Tiffany interrupted, laughing despite herself. "I meant, how could neither of us know? Wouldn't he have known from scent?"

"Ah," the doctor nodded. "It's quite rare, but sometimes a shifter fetus will mask its scent with the mother's to ensure protection. And it seems your child will have the best of both worlds - your adaptability and His Majesty's strength."

As the healing process continued, Tiffany and Zak marveled at the news, their hands intertwined through the chamber's surface.

Once Dr. Viiks declared her healed enough to leave, Zak carefully helped Tiffany to their room, insisting on carrying her despite her protests.

"I can walk, you know?" Tiffany grumbled, though she secretly enjoyed being in his arms.

"Humor me," Zak replied, his voice soft with concern and love.

Tiffany was settled in bed when a knock at the door heralded Gerri's arrival. The matchmaker bustled in, her silver hair bouncing with each step.

"Well, well," Gerri said, her blue eyes twinkling. "When I suggested an adventure on Nova Aurora, I didn't quite mean ‘fight off alien panthers planning to overthrow a kingdom and get knocked up by an alien king', but I suppose you've always been an overachiever, Tiffany."

Tiffany burst out laughing, wincing slightly as her newly healed ribs protested. "What can I say? Go big or go home, right?"

Before long, Sia and Draven arrived, followed closely by Queen Astra. The room filled with concerned voices and gentle hugs.

"Don't you ever scare me like that again," Sia scolded, her eyes suspiciously wet. "I'm too young to go gray worrying about you."

Tiffany squeezed her cousin's hand. "Actually, I have some news that might make you worry even more."

All eyes turned to her expectantly. Tiffany took a deep breath, her free hand finding Zak's. "We're going to have a baby."

The room erupted in joyous exclamations. Sia immediately launched into what Tiffany could only describe as "auntie mode."

"Oh my god, I'm going to be an aunt! We need to start planning the nursery right away. Do you think the baby will shift into a panther while little? That would be soooo cute!"

Astra's eyes shimmered with tears of joy. "A grandchild," she whispered, embracing both Tiffany and Zak. "What a blessing."

As the excitement swirled around her, Tiffany leaned back into Zak's strong embrace. Despite the challenges they'd faced and the uncertainties that lay ahead, she felt an overwhelming sense of peace and belonging.

This was her family now - a wonderfully weird mix of humans, alien shifters, and soon, a child that would bridge both worlds.