Chapter 51
Hattie
The moon was truly stunning.
The glowing silver rock stole her breath as she stared out across its windless surface.
A place that few had ever tread, but all had imagined with awe.
And sure, it wasn’t as beautiful as Earth from space, or Turv, or Jupiter.
But this was Earth’s moon. Their nearest celestial neighbor.
It was special because of proximity and history.
“So, where’s the-”
The question died before she could finish asking it.
From around the side of the ship, without warning, dozens upon dozens of bright, twinkling blue lights – like combots but huge – were suddenly rushing through space.
They sparkled and twinkled as they wrapped around the moon, twisting and encircling it like the rings of Saturn.
They split into two rings, then three, then four.
All of them spinning in different directions, moving around the moon like the electrons orbiting a massive atom.
“Woah!” She breathed, stunned by the beautiful light show. And this was just them getting initial topographic scans to determine where they wanted to build.
Four rings consolidated down into two. Then into one. They continued to spin around the moon for a minute before peeling away. Rushing out into space. Where were they going? The ship they came from was the other way, wasn’t it? Did they have something else to scan?
Oh, they were moving in specific patterns. Creating… a galaxy?
Hattie’s head tilted curiously, watching as the blinking lights created the spiral limbs of what was, unmistakably, her home galaxy. It spun slowly in the sky, sparkling, for a few seconds before they broke apart again.
This time, they came together into two rings, overlapping each other, with a group of them sparkling at the top of one of the rings. They looked a bit like wedding rings. But that…
Hypnotized by the glittering light show, Hattie stared in wonder as the rings fractured into multiple clusters that all began dancing around each other. She held her breath, staring. Waiting. Stunned by the impromptu show.
The first clump of lights suddenly began to take shape. An H. Then the next. An A.
On and on it went, spelling out with glittering lights amongst the backdrop of sparkling space-
HATTIE SWEET, WILL YOU MARRY ME?
Gasping, she fell back a step. Then whipped around, heart pounding in her throat.
She was both shocked and amazed and overjoyed to see Tuvo there. Down on one knee. That golden ring from around his neck now lifted in the air.
“Hattie,” he started as she struggled to breathe. “I love you. You are my heart. My only reason to live. My reason to kill and die. The only thing I want is to see you happy. To give you everything you desire.”
“Tuvo,” she gasped, covering her mouth, shaking as tears poured down her cheeks.
“I have defeated your guardian in combat. I have earned the permission of your father. I have destroyed all your enemies. I would lay their bodies at your feet so their blood would reach your toes. There is nothing I would not do for you.
“And now, I ask you for the only thing I ever want from you in return. Hattie Sweet, will you marry me, take me as your mate, and make me the happiest male in all the universe?”
“Tuvo,” she moaned, nearly collapsing against him. Words failed her and, for a second, it was all she could do to gasp and nod fervently. Then, like a damn breaking, the words finally burst forth. “Yes! Yes! So many times yes!”
Hattie’s heart was pounding so hard in her ears, she almost didn’t hear the others cheering and clapping as she offered Tuvo her hand.
Slowly, reverently, he slid the ring over her finger. The sparkling, blue gemstone winked at her in the light as he kissed it reverently.
“Vi adassi. Vi kyrya. Always.”
Sobbing, she collapsed against him. And he was so tall, her knees barely even bent as she threw her arms around him, burying her face in his neck, as she clung tight. Sobbing and laughing and kissing every inch of his skin she could reach.
He got to his feet, cradling her close.
Then, the others were there, surrounding her. Laughing and talking and smiling. She patted Tuvo’s shoulder and, reluctantly, he put her down. She turned as the girls enveloped her in their arms. All of them demanding to see the ring, congratulating her, laughing with her.
She turned from them, back to Tuvo, to find the other males around him. Clapping him on the back, congratulating him just as enthusiastically, though these weren’t their traditions.
Sniffing, she ran and threw her arms around his torso.
“How did you know?” She asked, beaming and crying.
“The others told me,” he said, looking over her head. “Thank you, females, for your instruction in this. Your help was invaluable.”
“You guys,” she turned in his arms, looking at them. “You did this? Wait, the whole thing? The spa this morning?”
“That was my idea,” Peony said, raising her hand with a smile, Viktor nestled in the crook of her elbow as Atem put his arm around her and their son. “Not only did it get you out of the way so Tuvo could set everything up, but we got to dress you up for the moment without you knowing.”
“We all helped, actually,” Holly smiled. “Romi did the math so the construction ship could complete the subspace swing on time and this close. Survii coordinated with them to use the scan bots to make the lightshow.”
“You give me too much credit,” Survii said, stroking Alanna’s side as he spoke. “The idea was all Tuvo’s. All I did was reach out to a few of my contacts.”
“You all helped?” Hattie looked around at all of them. At their self-satisfied smiles. “But why? I mean, thank you! But why would you go through all this for me?”
“Because you’re worth it, my sister,” Atem said, smiling at her with no small amount of pride.
“I made a vow to you,” Survii said, beaming at her. “Late I am in keeping it, but I have kept it.”
“And for everything you’ve done to help us,” Havali added, gently rubbing Scarlet’s slightly rounded belly from behind.
“And because we love you,” Alanna said, beaming at her.
“Guys!” She cried, covering her face. Unable to withstand the onslaught of love and joy that washed over her. Crushing her with the power of a tsunami.
Tuvo was there, holding her from behind. Kissing the top of her head. “Was it everything you dreamed, kyrya?”
She shook her head quickly, turning and throwing herself at him again. “It was better, Tuvo! It was absolutely perfect. You’re perfect!”
He chuckled, stroking her back. “I love you, kyrya.”
“I love you more.”
She kissed him eagerly. Showering him in love. Eager now to get him back to their room so she could show him her appreciation in the best way she knew possible.
He had done all this for her. He had gone through the trouble of talking to all these people, setting all this up, coordinating all of this, just for her.
She would have been happy just to be claimed. To be his mate. She was carrying his pup, she slept in his nest, she occupied a place in his heart no one else would ever fill.
But this?
This made it all perfect.
Family dinner continued right there in the viewing room. Everyone in her family, human and domini, gathered to eat at one table – together.
Her mother picked up Viktor and played with him, giving advice to Holly and Scarlet about their pregnancies.
Assuring them that she was happy to babysit if needed.
Alanna introduced the concept of arm wrestling to the guys, and they absolutely loved it.
It was a form of physical competition that didn’t traumatize the humans.
She sat with Tuvo – him on a lounge, her on his lap – watching over everyone as they chatted and laughed and celebrated.
“Thank you,” she said, nuzzling back into him.
He chuckled. “Don’t thank me.”
“No, you’re definitely getting thanked for this. I couldn’t imagine anything better, Tuvo. It’s all my dreams come true.”
“All of them?”
“Well, when I figure out how to make a coffee pot at your house, life will be perfect,” she laughed, reaching back to stroke his head.
“But Hattie,” he leaned down, licking and nibbling at her ear. “I haven’t even married you yet.”
“Huh?”
She went still as he reached for her hand that now bore her mating ring. He didn’t have a matching one, though the other guys had made sure to bring one for themselves when they asked the other girls to marry them.
“Wait, do you mean…?”
He brought her hand up and kissed the ring again. “I’m not nearly done making your dreams come true.”