The Dawning of Fate
Chapter 38

We were on the ship for a full week before returning to Icturi. At that time, my condition only seemed to worsen. The pain continued and nothing I ate would stay where it was supposed to. Tahla, Amondis, and Kyrin came to visit me often during that time. I considered these people to be my family now. Family. I was going to be a mother. I could hardly believe it. At the same time, that was the entire point of the fertility ritual so I guess I can’t be too shocked. Still. Was I ready to be a parent? Was Zan? He was excited, I knew, but also worried. My only hope was that I would gain enough strength to carry this baby to full term.

Zan and I were standing just outside the barrier between the rest of the world and our home. Gutark stood with an arrogance that made him seem to tower above the others. His bronze skin was rough, like weathered stone, and three deep red eyes glinted in the dim light of the sky. He grinned, displaying a sharp set of teeth, and a chill ran down her spine.

“It was nice to meet you, Echo. You have made my friend a very happy male. May you continue to carry his seed well!”

My brows pinched. “Thank you?” What a weird way to say goodbye. Aliens, man. He said his goodbyes to Zan but before he stepped into the vehicle again, he turned back to his friend.

“Oh! We picked up that little pink female you mention. She wouldn’t say much but I was very persuasive.” His grin made me shiver. “Turns out she had plans to trade your little Terran off and Dronan caught wind of it. Either way, it’s old news now.”

And with that, he boarded his hover tram and shot off. I turned to Azandum and he held me as we stepped through the gelatinous barrier. I couldn’t help but smile as I took in my flourishing plants and the view of our little farmhouse.

“Do you think Thunder’s still here?” I asked Zan as he carried me inside.

“With any luck, the beast has gone back to his home.” He responded with a grin in my direction.

My laugh was light and carefree. “Oh, shut up. You know you missed him.”

As soon as the words left my lips, a loud, long howl reached our ears. Zan’s arms tightened around me but I only smiled. I heard his heavy pounding paws before he bound through the door and crashed into us. We all ended up sprawled on the floor with Thunder taking his liberties to lick us everywhere. Zan’s growl of annoyance was ignored and my giggles just wouldn’t stop.

This was it. We were finally home. Thunder’s sloppy kisses made everything feel right like we had never left. But as much as I wanted to spend the rest of the day playing with the dog, I knew I had to face the reality of my deteriorating condition.

I groaned as I tried to push myself up from the ground. Zan’s arms wrapped around me, lifting me up with ease. “Let’s get you inside, Echo. You need rest,” he said firmly.

I nodded in agreement, allowing him to carry me to our room. As soon as we were inside, he gently laid me down on the bed, folding himself around me. Thunder hopped up and snuggled into my other side. This was our home, our sanctuary, and I was surrounded by the beings I loved most. Zan’s strong arms tightened around me, and I looked up to see the love in his eyes. It was as if nothing else in the universe mattered except for us at this moment and I knew I was exactly where I was meant to be.

THE END.