An Alien for Her Heart (A New Home #2)

Epilogue 2

EPILOGUE 2

VAREK

Two moons after the rut and we’ve moved back to Catherine’s farm. We’ve settled in. All the buildings are operational. All the tools.

The little farm has truly blossomed. The little garden by the side of the lodge is lush and vibrant, thanks to Catherine’s tireless dedication and the rich soil. I have treated the field too, getting rid of the pests in the soil, and fed it with fertilizers, ready for the new planting season.

The grasses have been cleared and the samplings of great trees planted along the perimeter. I have never seen a farm with such a thing before, but it was my mate’s idea. She drew in the soft earth, explaining her vision with a light in her eyes that made me pledge to do anything to see that line continue to shine.

Each dawn I wake, I head to the fields with a song in my throat the same melody as my core-rhythm. I have found happiness and it shows. Even the animals know.

The wild tilgran have begun to venture close. Catherine has even named a few. And the umus, those little puffballs that were the reason I ventured out to this farm in the first place, have settled into their new home with ease.

Each morning, I wake to the sight of Catherine tending to them, her face alight with a pure, uncomplicated joy as she runs her hands through their soft fur. She’s experimented by shaving one and twisting the fibers into a thick string she calls ‘wool’. She’s confident she can make clothing from the string and even though I am happy about her joy and excitement, I’d rather she not put too much effort into something I will simply rip off her at the earliest opportunity.

“Clothes to sell in the town, silly!” She chuckles, setting down the umu she’s been petting. The creatures have taken to her as if she were one of their own, nuzzling into her touch and trilling soft melodies that seem to wrap around her like an ethereal embrace.

The oogas, too, have flourished under her care. Their enclosures now ring with the sounds of contented bays and playful yips, a far cry from the frightened creatures I first encountered. Catherine has even begun to train them, teaching them to come when called and to perform simple tasks.

She is…my mate is just magnificent.

As for me, I’ve thrown myself into the role of being everything she needs. I’ve reinforced the perimeter fencing, set up surveillance systems to monitor for any potential threats, and even constructed a small workshop where I can mend the equipment that breaks around the farm.

But my proudest achievement by far is the fail-safe lock on that thrice-damned water hole. The mere thought of Catherine falling in again sends icy shards of fear through my veins. Never again. Never again will I let carelessness put her at risk.

She teased me about it at first, calling me her fierce, overprotective mate. But I could see the warmth in her eyes, the unspoken gratitude for my efforts. She understands, I think, the depth of my devotion. The lengths I will go to ensure her safety and happiness.

Which reminds me. I chuckle as I look at the relaxation device I’d gifted my kahl. Catherine admitted to using it to pleasure herself—a task it was not meant for.

“It vibrates, and you told me it’s to help me relax!” She’s laughing, but her cheeks are a vibrant red.

“Yes. You were to place it at pressure points to relieve tension.” Nonetheless, I’m shocked and intrigued as to how it brought her to her peak.

Catherine grins, her eyes sparkling with humor. “Well, I did use it on a pressure point that was really tense. You know, the one down south that needed some extra attention.”

A growl rises in my throat as I grip the device. “I want to try.”

Her eyes widen and she yelps as I go after her. She runs and I let her. I will catch her, but I like watching her try to get away from me.

“No, Varek! We just got out of bed!”

“And we can go in again.” I purr, tackling her into the soft cushions.

I pull her into my arms, our laughter echoing through the room.

In the evenings, we sit together on the porch, watching star’s rays paint the sky orange and pink as it sinks below the horizon. Catherine leans into my side, her head on my shoulder, and I marvel at the perfect fit of her body against mine.

We talk about everything and nothing, sharing stories of our pasts and dreams for our future. She tells me of her childhood on Earth, of the family she left behind, and the ache in her voice makes me hold her just a little bit tighter.

I tell her of my own family, of the brother who stands at my side and the parents who raised us to be strong, honorable males. I speak of my fears, too—the worry that I will somehow fail her, that I won’t be the mate she deserves.

But she silences those doubts with what I now know is called a kiss, her lips soft and sure against mine. “You are everything I could ever want,” she whispers. “Everything I never knew I needed. Never doubt that.”

And so, I don’t. Because here, in this moment, with my mate in my arms and our future stretching out before us like an endless sea of stars, I am whole.

I am home.

But one day, when I return from checking the perimeter, I hear a sound that sends a child down my spine. A deep groan of pain. And it’s coming from the lodge.

I rush inside to find Catherine on the floor, her skin as hot as the star and her hands clutching her chest.

I drop to my knees beside her, my heart pounding with fear. “Catherine!”

She looks up at me, her eyes glassy with pain. “It hurts,” she gasps. “My chest…I thought I was having a heart attack, but that’s not it. My chest feels like it’s on fire.”

I scoop her into my arms, cradling her against my chest as I carry her to our bed. Her skin is scorching to the touch, and I can feel the rapid flutter of her heartbeat beneath my palm.

“I have you,” I murmur, brushing the sweat-dampened strands of her mane from her forehead. “I have you.”

She nods, her digits clutching at my chest as another wave of pain washes over her. I hold her close, whispering soothing words in her ear as I try to quell the rising panic in my chest.

And then I see it. Just above the neckline of her tunic, a faint glow begins to emanate from her skin. It starts as a soft shimmer, barely noticeable, but as I watch, it grows darker and more distinct.

The lines of a kahl sigil.

I let out a shaky breath, relief and wonder warring for dominance in my heart. She’s not dying. She’s not ill.

She’s becoming mine in the most profound way possible.

I press a gentle kiss to her forehead, my lips lingering against her fevered skin. “It’s the sigil,” I tell her softly. “It’s appearing on your chest. That’s what’s causing the pain.”

Her eyes widen, a mix of fear and awe in their depths. “The sigil? But…it’s been months.”

“I don’t know why it’s just appearing now,” I admit. “But it’s a sacred thing, a symbol of our bond. It means you’re truly my kahl , in every way that matters.”

She nods, a small smile curving her lips despite the pain. “I like the sound of that. But is it supposed to hurt this much?”

I hold her closer. “I was there when my siblignkin’s mate received her kahl sigils.”

“Eleanor?”

I nod.

“Did it hurt like this?”

“Unfortunately.”

She grits her teeth, gripping me tighter.

For the next few hours, I hold her as the sigil slowly takes shape, the intricate lines etching themselves into her skin. She whimpers and cries out as the pain crests and ebbs, but I never let her go.

Finally, as the last rays of the star fade from the sky, the last lines of the sigil take shape. Catherine sags against me, exhausted but smiling.

I tug her tunic down, baring her skin.

“It’s beautiful,” she whispers, tracing the lines with a single digit.

“ You’re beautiful,” I correct her, pressing a kiss to the top of her head. “My brave, strong, incredible mate.”

She tilts her face up to mine, brushing my lips with her. “I’m glad it was you,” she says softly. “So glad the universe brought me to you.”

I swallow past the lump in my throat, my core-organ too full for words. Instead, I lower my head and capture her lips with mine, pouring every ounce of my love and devotion into the kiss.

She responds with equal fervor, her arms twining around my neck as she presses herself closer. We lose ourselves in each other, the rest of the world falling away as I fill her with my love, my length, my seed.

When we finally slow, I rest my forehead against hers, marveling at the perfect rightness of this moment. I gather her close, my arms banded tight around her and my face buried in the wild tousle of her mane. There is an utter sense of peace and belonging.

This is where I was always meant to be. Not just in this moment, but in this life, on this path that had led me to her. All the tragedies and triumphs, the pain and the joy…it was all so I could find my way here. To my home, my haven.

To the other half of my soul.

“I love you,” she whispers, the words ringing with unshakable certainty.

A low rumble of contentment vibrates through me. “I love you, my kahl. My Catherine. Now and always.”

The words wrap around me like a vow, like an unbreakable cord binding us together for all eternity.

And in that perfect, shining moment, I know nothing will ever be the same.

And I have never been more grateful for it.