Page 156 of The Hunter

“Hey, uh… Where’s Cole?” Diego asked. “Did he…”

“He’s totally fine,” Lacey answered quickly to reassure them. “But you guys are not going to believe all this…”

She told them everything, starting from the beginning of their journey. Recounting the events of the last month made it all seem so unreal. How had so much occurred in just a few weeks? How had so much changed?

But hadn’t that been her experience since the moment she’d awoken aboard the ruined Somnium? Heck, nothing had ever been the same since she’d signed up to join the Homeworld Initiative. Life was all about change, about adapting and growing. And she wasn’t making that journey through life alone anymore.

Unsurprisingly, everyone had about a million more questions once she finished the story. Though her wounds ached, her mouth was dry, and the weariness of travel weighed down on her, she very well might’ve answered every one of those questions were it not for Telok.

He settled his big hands over her shoulders and turned her so her injured side faced away from him, squatted down, and carefully lifted her into a bridal carry, holding her close against his chest. “No more asking. My mate must rest now.”

Without awaiting a response, he carried Lacey away from the crowd. She rested her cheek against his shoulder, closed her eyes, and enjoyed the ride, secure in his hold and soothed by the slow, steady beat of his hearts against her palm.

“I’m gonna sleep for days,” she muttered.

Telok chittered. “So long as you are in my arms.”

She smiled and drew in a deep breath, taking in his warm wood-and-smoke scent.

The rustling of a silk curtain being thrown aside had her opening her eyes. To her surprise, she found herself in her own den.

Brow knitting, she looked up at him. “Why did you bring me here?”

He inhaled. His chest rumbled with his exhalation, the sound at once satisfied yet hungry, and his glowing green eyes fell upon her. “I want to be surrounded by your things. By your scent. Want to be surrounded by you.”

With a pleased grin, Lacey caught his mandible and gave it a gentle tug, drawing his face down to hers. “Who would’ve thought grumpy, stoic Telok was such a romantic?”

“Romantic, grumpy, a sweet jerk…” He brushed his mouth over hers, his hide creating the delightful friction against her lips she’d come to love. “Whatever words you use, my nyleea, my wife, I am yours.”

EPILOGUE

As Telok strode across Kaldarak, everything seemed…more. The morning sun shone brighter, granting every color new vibrancy, the scents on the air smelled sweeter, and the sounds of the city and the surrounding jungle were more harmonious than ever.

Telok himself felt lighter, as though his excitement had caught the breeze to speed his steps.

All around, thornskulls worked diligently to finish the arrangements. They’d transformed Kaldarak’s platforms, bridges, and dens, decorating it all with crystals, swaths of sheer dyed silk, and ropes interwoven with vines and flowers. At the city’s heart, huge tables had been moved into place to hold platters of food for the coming feast.

Today, the leaders of Kaldarak, Takarahl, and Tovuunshai would gather in one place to share food and friendship. Ahnset would arrive soon, as would Tas, Shir, Sophia, and Cole, marking the male human’s first visit home since he’d set out to find Hunter’s eyes with Telok and the others seven moon cycles ago.

Everyone Telok cared about would be together. Ahnset would finally meet the broodlings—not just Akalahn, but Urkot and Callie’s son, Khoda, and Rekosh and Ahmya’s daughter, Sheviah. She would see Ivy’s belly round with her second broodling…

And she will see Lacey’s round with our coming broodling.

He quickened his pace as he neared the human platform, crossing the bridge and hurrying past the lounge and Will and Diego’s den to climb to the next level. To the den he and Lacey shared.

Rather than accept a larger dwelling intended for a mated pair, they’d chosen to remain here, in the den that had been built for Lacey. For moon cycles, he’d labored to expand it, adding storage for his weapons and tools, ensuring Lacey had plenty of space to work, adding shelves upon shelves where she could keep her ingredients, lotions, soaps, jars of incense, and teas, and spots to hang her herbs and flowers to dry.

And of course, he’d included extra room for their future broodlings.

Pride filled Telok’s chest as he approached the entrance. He could not weave his mate a dress, could not shape stone as well as Urkot or wood as well as Cole, but he had helped craft their home with his own hands. It did not matter if others could have done better. This place belonged to him and his mate.

He brushed aside the silk curtain, which had been dyed her favorite shade of green—suspiciously close to the color of his markings—and stepped inside.

Telok barely suppressed a moan as he breathed in. Though he’d smelled that blend of his and Lacey’s scents countless times, it never failed to spark desire in his core.

His eyes fell upon his mate immediately. Unsurprisingly, she remained right where he’d left her, curled up on her side atop their bed of fluffed silk, a thin blanket draped over her naked body. He strode to her silently and leaned down. To this day, he marveled at the serenity that relaxed her beautiful features when she slept. Human faces were so malleable, so expressive, and he’d enjoyed puzzling out the meaning behind every subtle change that appeared on hers.

Though she’d teased him about it, Telok could easily content himself simply watching her sleep. She was comfortable, safe, unburdened.