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There were more senate members in attendance than Ezul had been expecting, and for the first time in nearly three months, he felt a faint stirring of hope creep up inside him. He willed it away, but the feeling persisted, only growing when his father smiled at him knowingly.
“The senate has discussed a great many things since the apprehension of Vermile and the part he played in ensuring our race was ended. While we have thwarted this attempt of an uprising, we must always be cautious that more dangers could be lurking within our own factions.”
Murmurs of agreement rent the air, and even Kylok and Sahin nodded.
Jakkar continued, “We acknowledge that perhaps our timeline of engaging with Earth in the distant future was a bit… Unwise. It has been the ruling of this senate that an ambassador vessel is to be sent to Earth, departing no earlier than tomorrow, with the estimated arrival date of four weeks from now.”
The dead organ in Ezul’s chest began to beat frantically, and he stood straighter.Could he mean…
“As a few senate members will be on this vessel, we are in need of strong, loyal warriors who are able to assist us. I have nominated you, Kylok, to spearhead this mission.” Jakkar looked at his other son, smiling once again. “Ezul, though you are retired, you have also been selected. I expect you to bring home Cordelia and my grandchild.”
Home…
Tears pricked Ezul’s eyes, and his throat thickened with emotion as he nodded, the hope that had died within him months ago rekindling in an instant.
He was going to bring his Cordelia home.
Epilogue
Fourmonthslater…
It had been four months since Cordelia had been sent back to Earth. Four months without Ezul. Four months without feeling anything but grief and despair, the memory of her mate bleeding and broken on the ground, begging her to stay as he lay mortally wounded, circling in her nightmares night after night.
When she’d been forced to activate the key, separating her from Ezul forever, Cordelia had been lucky enough to find herself somewhere in North America.
At first, she hadn’t cared where she’d ended up, frantically attempting to use the key in the hopes of reactivating it and returning to Ezul. Surely his brother had been wrong and it would work a second time, taking her home.
Cordelia had held onto that pitiful hope for days, finally breaking down into tears when she realized there was no going back to Ezul.
She’d never see him again.
It was only because of the kindness of strangers that she was able to get ahold of her aunt, calling and crying over the phone, rambling. Her aunt hadn’t understood exactly what had happened, and Cordelia refused to explain, but she’d helped her find her way back home.
And now she was back in her old place in Chicago. Alone.
Alone and so miserable her heart ached each time she woke up in bed, cold and reaching for the warmth of her mate. Every day she expected to feel him, but every time only the cold sheets greeted her, wrenching her from her slumber and reminding her of everything that she’d lost.
Cordelia never would have assumed herself to be a weak woman. She’d been thrown into an alien planet, forced into a harem, faced down leilings, and despite all of that, she’d still never truly lost it. She’d been strong. But now?
Now she didn’t know which way was up, and she was drowning in a sea of misery, too weak to fight against the current that kept dragging her further into the abyss.
How was she supposed to move on with her life? She was lost in a world without Ezul, the markings he’d given her now only faint scars on her skin. She hated looking in the mirror, knowing she would notice them less and less each time. They’d disappear, just like the happiness she’d found.
Her life was hell, especially with Ezul’s child growing inside of her. Cordelia couldn’t even go to a doctor for any kind of check up on their baby. What exactly would she say when the technician did an ultrasound? What explanation could she possibly give?
She could only assume her child with her monster lover from another planet would appear dramatically different than a normal human baby. So she was left without the option of medical care, constantly terrified something would happen to the last piece of Ezul she had left.
Cordelia sighed, holding her stomach protectively while she stared outside the window, just like she found herself doing more frequently lately.
It was winter now, not that she really ever left her apartment to enjoy it, but the window was glistening with frost around the edges and it fogged when she stood too closely, peering up at the night sky, always searching forsomething.
But of course, nothing happened. It never did.
Ezul wasn’t coming to Earth.
She was trapped here without him. Lost from him forever.
Cordelia moved away from the window, finally too drained to stand any longer. She sat down on the couch in her living room, eyes locked on the nothingness around her.
