Epilogue
EPILOGUE
Lauren
T he best thing about waking up next to D’Var is his heat. I never want to be cold again. The next few days after we reconnect, we are both blissfully warm. The bond is riding us hard; we give into it, only leaving the bed for bathroom breaks or food.
After two days I feel more like myself, D’Var looks a whole lot better as well. We just had some spectacular lazy morning sex. I am now lying in his arms, listening to his heartbeat.
“We should probably get up at some point and face your crew,” I say, feeling him smiling. Then his mood turns serious.
“Yes, yes we should.” He kisses the top of my head. “Let us take a shower, I will tell you all that happened.”
We quietly get into the shower, but when he starts washing my hair, he opens up. He tells me all about the moon, about the captives they rescued, about the Sternotheri. About killing Yalix, though I am sure he leaves out some details there, and about finding O’Rec unconscious.
“O’Rec found his mate, L’Ren. She was there, as a servant to the daughter of the High Commander of the Sernotheri.”
I gasp. Poor O’Rec. “He must be going crazy right now.”
“Yes, I think so. We have to help him now.”
I nod quietly. We really should. So, we quickly continue our shower, once we are clean and dressed we leave for the Command Center.
O’Rec is sitting behind his screens in the back, T’Rak is in his captain’s chair. It almost feels as if they have been waiting for us.
“Did you tell them we were coming?” I check in with D’Var.
“Yes, I did. They need to talk to us.”
“Hi,” I sheepishly say. When I look at O’Rec, I can tell he is troubled. He still looks healthy, but his smiling demeanor is all gone.
“We need to get my mate.” He starts by way of greeting. D’Var just nods, then O’Rec starts laying out his plan. I only listen half, but then I peek up at the words ‘leaving’.
“You are leaving?” I all but yell, my heart drops. Not this again.
O’Rec nods. “Yes, I am leaving, I am hoping I can count on D’Var as well. T’Rak will come, but I think we need all the help we can get.”
D’Var nods before he looks at me. “What do you think? Are you ready to accompany us on a mission through space?”
His words leave me baffled. He wants to take me with him? O’rec peaks up as well.
“My mate is human,” he says. “I believe it would help her if you were there.”
I look at D’Var.
“Are you certain?” I grill him, this feels like a momentous decision, he is accepting it way too easily for me to fully trust him.
D’Var clears his throat before taking my hands in his. “Am I happy that we are going on a dangerous mission and that you are coming with us? No, I am not. Leaving you behind is no option either, because I cannot stand not to be near you.”
“If we were on Arracate, I would stay with you for the first year, only take small missions but we are not in that situation anymore. So, we have to make it work with what we have. I cannot leave you, I just cannot.” He is silent for a bit, thinking.
“O’Rec needs me. He is my brother, he is in pain. I now know that pain; when I felt that, he was there for me. Now it is my time to repay him.”
I stand on my tiptoes and place a hand on his cheek.
“You are the most honorable warrior there is, D’Var. I love you. I will go with you. Even though it scares me to death, I know you will keep me safe.”
His big hand engulfs mine leaning into my touch.
“I love you, I thank the stars for having you.”
I smile and turn my head to O’Rec.
“We are in, what do you need?”