Jill’s nerves fired up again in the lift and all the way to the bridge as she followed Mari and Dovis. Nara stayed by her side in support. Right before they reached the bridge, Nara bumped her shoulder.
Jill met her gaze.
“We’re going to be sisters. I’ve always wanted one.”
Jill’s heart softened. “Me too.”
“Then let’s get you married to my brother-in-law to make it official.”
The entire crew waited on the bridge. The view out the front of the ship was of some moon they were near. It was lovely.
Cavas was the one who took her breath away, though. He wore a black uniform similar to what she’d seen on the crew, only a more formal version. He’d never looked more handsome.
Tears blinded her but she blinked them back. He was about to become her husband.
Cathian stood next to Cavas, wearing his official ambassador ensemble, sash included. She barely glanced at him as she made her way to Cavas. He grinned, his golden eyes taking in every inch of her.
“Beautiful,” he rasped.
“I didn’t have to carry her in,” Dovis joked.
Cavas held out his hands. Jill passed her flowers back to Nara, who gladly took them and moved next to Cathian with a big smile on her face. Jill clasped Cavas’s larger hands and, at that point, made sure to give a smile to each member of the crew. They’d all come, even Lilly and Raff. The Pods beamed at her. Even Midgel hovered in a corner. She didn’t smile, but she did give Jill a little nod.
Crath winked at her.
“We are assembled here today to life-lock Cavas and Jill,” Cathian began.
Jill stared deeply into Cavas’s golden eyes as his brother said the ceremonial words. They weren’t quite like a wedding on Earth, but they’d meshed some of them into it. She agreed to locking her life to Cavas’s. He swore to care for, love, and protect her for all their lives.
Then he was kissing her. Jill wrapped her arms around his neck, Cavas lifting her a little off her feet since he was so tall. Then he grinned. “Forever.”
“Forever,” she repeated.
“No way!” a female voice suddenly gasped loudly.
They all turned. A woman in rumpled pants and a shirt had entered the bridge. Jill took in her tall height, her muscular body, and the fact that she had thin brown fur covering her skin. She was an attractive alien, but one she’d never seen before.
“Marrow!” Some of the crew rushed at the new alien, hugging her.
The alien woman grinned big, hugging them back. She eventually got herself free again and gawked at Jill, before glaring at Cavas. “You too? You, Cavas? Shit! I’m only gone for a few days and you life-lock yourself to some new human? How in the hell did that happen? Did I hit my head and I’m unconscious? Is this some weird injury dream?”
Jill stiffened, a sense of dread filling her stomach. She glanced between the two of them. Had they dated? Slept together?
Marrow, whoever she was, appeared upset over walking into the end of their wedding. Why hadn’t Cavas mentioned if he’d been dating someone on the ship before meeting her?
Jill caught Cavas’s attention. “Were you and her…um…?”
“No!” He appeared horrified. “No! I’ve never touched Marrow. We’re friends only.”
Jill felt a hundred times better.
Cavas grinned. “Meet Jill, Marrow.” He pulled Jill close, hugging her to his side. “While you were flying my shuttle, I was finding an amazing female.”
“Unbelievable!” Marrow threw up her hands.
Crath crossed the bridge, putting his arm around Marrow. “I know. She likes him for some strange reason. I don’t get it, either.”
Marrow turned and hugged him before making a fist and rubbing her knuckles in his mane, almost giving him a noogie. “You’re alive. I’d kiss you but…yuck. I’m not that desperate.”
Crath chuckled. “I’d be afraid to let you put your lips on mine. I have a feeling you’d bite.”
“I totally do.” Marrow grinned at him. “Glad you’re alive, troublemaker. You’re like the bratty brother I never wanted. It’s good to see you.”
“You’re like the scary sister who’d beat me while I slept if given the chance,” he snorted. “I’m glad to be here.”
“Why did you seem so upset when you walked in?” Jill asked.
Marrow met her gaze. “Everyone is finding someone except for me. It sucks! But I’m glad Cavas found you.”
“It does suck to be alone,” Crath agreed. He smiled. “We’ve got to be next, Marrow. It’s just down to the two of us.”
“We’ll help you each find someone to love.” Nara grinned. “Crath wants a human. What about you, Marrow?”
“Anyone male who isn’t a controlling asshole, but he has to be sexually appealing.”
“I resemble that,” Crath teased.
Marrow rolled her eyes. “You’re totally a controlling asshole. You’re just charming about it. I’ll leave you to a human. They seem to like that kind of thing. I’d beat you often and make you cry.”
Cavas suddenly scooped Jill into his arms. “We’re leaving. Welcome back, Marrow. Please don’t interrupt us for a few days while we bond.” He carried her toward the doors.
The crew stepped out of their way, shouting out congratulations. Once they reached the lift, Cavas grinned down at her. “Thank you for agreeing to be mine.”
“I have a feeling the pleasure is going to be all mine.”
He chuckled. “All ours. Many times. You’ll never regret this.”
“I know.” Jill had actually found love in space—with a hot alien.
*
“What in the hell else did I miss? I wasn’t gone that long.” Marrow glanced around at the crew.
Cathian smiled. “My brother fell in lust with a human, and now that his military career is over, her happiness is his new mission in life.”
“He stole her from me,” Crath sighed.
A few of the crew snorted and laughed.
Marrow eyed him. “He stole her?”
Crath rolled his eyes. “I saw her first, tried to rescue her, but we got caught. Cavas got her off the planet, then took her back there to find me, and I wasn’t willing to get my ass handed to me in a fight for her. Mostly because,” he glanced at the Pods, “they said she liked his dick better than mine.”
“That’s not how it happened,” One stated.
Two spoke next. “Jill was sexually attracted to Cavas. Not you.”
“Close enough. She saw his dick instead of mine, or it might have been a different outcome. I’m sticking with that story. It soothes my bruised ego.” Crath winked. “He got her. I’m alone. That doesn’t mean I’m giving up on finding a cute human to call my own.”
“The most important information is that Beltsen Vellar has disappeared,” Nara announced, grinning. “And by that, I mean his second litter of sons kidnapped his ass and forced him to step down as the head of their family.”
Marrow’s mouth fell open.
Cathian pulled Nara against him. “Our brothers have confined him in a safe, secure location.”
“Like the prisoner he should be,” Nara muttered.
Cathian nodded. “He won’t be making more problems for us. They are stripping him of his power, taking over family holdings and accounts, and he will remain where he is until death. None of them had the heart to kill him because that would hurt our mother. She’s agreed to live in guarded seclusion with him for the rest of their lives. Once she was informed of all his misdeeds, Mother was very upset. I don’t envy the remaining years of his life.”
“My biological father was taken to the same location,” Raff continued. “Those two males can rot together, thinking about all their shitty deeds.”
Marrow bit her lip, scowling. “What about your title?” she asked Cathian. “I mean, if you aren’t the Tryleskian ambassador, we’re all out of a job.”