Chapter 20 #3
"Your brainwave patterns synchronized," George explained.
"Not perfectly—that comes later, with the full bond—but enough that I could measure it.
When you spoke to him, when you touched him, his neural activity aligned with yours.
Even while he was unconscious, it was as if you were providing a template, guiding him back through the chaos. "
"That's why she could reach him when we couldn't," Serna said softly.
"Precisely." George nodded. "The bond was already forming before the conditioning fully broke. It gave him something to anchor to—a lifeline he could use to fight his way back. Without it..." He trailed off, but the implication hung between us.
Without it, Enslak might never have recovered.
I felt Enslak's hand find mine, his fingers threading through my own. "You saved me in more ways than one," he murmured.
"The bond saved us both," I said, squeezing his hand.
"It's more than that." The Prime's expression grew serious. "Vaktaire mate bonds are sacred. Permanent. You're not just his partner, Detective Nguyen. You're his other half. His balance. His home."
The words settled over me like a weight—a responsibility, yes, but also a promise.
"I know," I said quietly. "I feel it too. That connection. That rightness."
"Good." The Prime stepped back, her composure returning. "Then you understand why I can't be angry with you. Why I can't punish you for what you did. You saved my son. You gave him back his life, his future. How could I be anything but grateful?"
"So we're not in trouble?" Binwee asked, speaking for the first time.
"You're not in trouble," the Prime confirmed, though she shot Binwee a sharp look. "But in the future, I'd appreciate it if you'd consult me before stealing members of my family."
"Noted," Binwee said, relief flooding her voice.
Serna turned to George. "And you, Healer—your expertise was invaluable. Thank you for caring for my son."
"It was my honor, Lady Prime," George said, bowing.
"Now." Serna's expression shifted, becoming more businesslike. "Detective Nguyen, I understand you were offered another mission by Asad Intelligence."
My stomach dropped. "Yes, ma'am."
The offer had been waiting for me when we arrived aboard the Bardaga. A formal communication, encrypted and marked urgent, outlining a deep-cover operation in the outer territories.
I'd read it three times, feeling the pull of it—the challenge, the purpose, the chance to make a real difference. It was everything I'd trained for, everything I'd wanted when I first joined the force back on Earth.
But that was before Enslak. Before I understood what it meant to have a mate, to feel that bone-deep connection that made everything else fade into the background.
"Are you interested?"
I looked at Enslak, seeing the tension in his shoulders, the worry in his eyes. He would never tell me not to go, but he didn't want me to leave.
And neither did I.
"No," I said firmly. "Not right now. Enslak is still healing, still recovering. And I..." I squeezed his hand. "I want to be with him."
"I understand." Serna nodded, a faint smile playing at her lips. "But the offer will remain open. When you're ready. When he's ready. You've more than proved yourself a valuable operative. Asad Intelligence would be honored to have you."
"Thank you," I said. "That means a lot."
"Then take the time you need." Serna's expression softened. "Both of you. Heal together. Build your bond. And when you're ready—when he's ready—I hope you'll come home."
"Home?" Enslak asked.
"To Calpa," Serna said. "To the family. Your place in the Alliance." She paused. "Unless you'd prefer to stay on Avalon?"
Enslak looked at me, and I saw the question in his eyes. What did I want? Where did I want to be?
"I don't need Avalon," I said. "I just need him. Wherever he is—that's home."
"And I need you," Enslak said quietly. He turned to his mother. "But I think I'd like to try. To come home. To remember what that means."
"Then it's settled." Serna smiled warmly. "You'll stay on the Bardaga for now. Continue your recovery. And when you're ready, return to Calpa."
"Thank you," Enslak said. "For understanding. For giving us time."
"Thank your mate," Serna said. "She's the one who fought for you. Who refused to give up. I just..." Her voice caught. "I wish I'd had her faith."
"You have it now," I said. "That's what matters."
Serna nodded, wiping her eyes. "You're dismissed. All of you. Go. Rest. Recover. We'll speak more later."
We filed out of the chamber, relief making my legs weak. Binwee caught my arm as we walked.
"That went better than expected," she said.
"Yeah." I laughed shakily. "I thought we were going to be thrown in the brig."
"The Prime loves her son," Binwee said. "She was never going to punish the people who saved him." She squeezed my arm. "You did good, Niki. Really good."
"We all did," I said. "I couldn't have done it without you and George."
"True," Binwee said with a grin. "But you're the one who refused to give up. That takes guts."
"Or stupidity," I muttered.
"Sometimes they're the same thing." George fell into step beside us. "But in this case, I think it was courage. Love. Exactly what Enslak needed."
I glanced at Enslak walking beside me, his hand wrapped around mine, and felt that connection between us pulse and strengthen.
"Yeah," I said softly. "I think you're right."