5. Vren
Chapter five
Vren
I watch her face transform as the mating energy surges between us. Her lips part in surprise, her brown eyes widening with shock and wonder. Maybe, Fear? I cannot be certain, but the reaction is unmistakable.
She felt it too.
"What the hell was that?" Felicity asks, pulling back slightly, but not completely away. Her hands remain on my shoulders, trembling slightly.
My heart pounds with an intensity I've never known.
For years, I'd listened to the other males speak of finding their mates, describing the unmistakable electric connection, the sense of completion, the immediate bond. I'd resigned myself to never experiencing it—certainly not here on this distant planet so far from my own people.
"I wasn't sure until now," I say, unable to keep the tremor from my voice. "But, now there is no denying that you are my fated mate."
Felicity steps back further, her hand going to her throat. "Your what ?"
I move toward her instinctively, drawn to close the distance between us, but stop when she raises her hand. She needs space, and I must respect that, even as every cell in my body yearns to be near her.
"My fated mate," I explain, trying to temper my excitement with patience. "Among Zexians, we believe—no, we know —that there is one person in the universe who completes us. One soul whose energy resonates perfectly with our own."
"Like soulmates?" Felicity asks, her voice small. "That's just a romantic human notion."
I shake my head, seeking the right words in her language. "It is more than your human concept. It's biological, spiritual, and undeniable. What you just felt—that energy passing between us—is the first stage of bonding."
Her face pales. "Bonding?"
"Our bodies are becoming attuned to each other," I explain, reaching for her hand. To my relief, she doesn't pull away this time. "On Zexia, we say that the universe marked us for each other before we were born."
I watch her process this information, my chest tight with anticipation.
I never expected to find my mate among the humans.
Some Zexians come to Earth hoping to find a human companion, yes, but a true mating bond?
Such bonds are rare enough among our own kind.
Between species, they are nearly unheard of.
Yet here she stands before me, my perfect match. Everything about her calls to me—her courage in the face of the security guards, her compassion for my people despite the cultural tensions, even her initial resistance to our connection.
"This can't be happening," she whispers, more to herself than to me. "I barely know you. And I'm your caseworker ."
"The bond does not concern itself with human bureaucracy," I say, unable to keep a hint of amusement from my voice. "It recognizes what belongs together."
"This is impossible," she says, shaking her head. "I need to leave. I need to think."
My heart sinks, but I nod. "I understand. This is new for you."
"New?" She laughs, a sharp, nervous sound. "This is insane ! Electric shocks and fated mates and—and bonding? I can't process this."
"The bond won't harm you," I assure her, stepping closer despite myself. "It's a gift, Felicity. The rarest and most precious of gifts."
She looks up at me, and for a moment, I see longing in her eyes, mirroring my own. Then she blinks, and the professional mask slips back into place behind unshed tears.
"I have to go. This is... this is too much."
I want to hold her, to convince her to stay, but I know that would only push her further away. So I nod and step aside, giving her a clear path to the door.
"You may leave," I say softly, "but know this: the bond has already begun. It will only grow stronger with time."
I see the conflict in her eyes—desire warring with doubt. She gives me one last look before turning toward the door.
"Goodbye, Vren," she says, her voice strained.
"Until we meet again," I respond, certain that we will.
As the door closes behind her, I sit heavily on the edge of the bed, my body still humming with the energy of our connection. I had come to Earth seeking a new home, a place to belong among the stars. I never imagined I would find the other half of my soul here.
I close my eyes, focusing on the warm pulse of the new bond forming between us.
It's faint but unmistakable—a golden thread connecting her life force to mine.
Through it, I can sense her walking away, each step increasing the distance between us.
I feel a dull ache blooming in my chest as she moves farther from me, and I wonder if she feels it too.
Felicity is cautious, bound by her sense of duty and human social structures. She needs time to understand what's happening between us. And time is something I can give her, even if our separation pains me.
In our journey across the stars to Earth, we Zexians learned patience. I can be patient for her.
I move to the window, watching as she walks briskly down the street. Even from this distance, her form calls to me. My mate. My Felicity.
She stumbles suddenly, placing a hand on a nearby wall to steady herself. I know without question that she's feeling the first physical effect of our separation. The bond is already asserting itself, urging us to remain close.
My hands clench into fists as I resist the urge to run after her. That is not what she needs right now. She needs to come to terms with this new reality in her own way, at her own pace.
I touch the window glass, tracing her outline as she resumes walking, a bit more slowly now.
"I will wait for you," I whisper, knowing she cannot hear me. "For as long as it takes."
The ache in my chest deepens as she disappears around a corner, but alongside the pain is a joy I never thought possible. I have found my mate. The universe has blessed me beyond all expectation.
And no human regulations or temporary resistance will keep us apart forever. Of this, I am certain.