She stepped close and hugged him tightly, her face pressed to his chest. “I’m being stupid. I know. I’m sorry.”
“Guilt isn’t a stupid emotion. It means you care. Humans do that.” He didn’t mention how messy and complicated their lives were because they had so many emotions.
“Yes, we do.”
She raised her head and strained to look up at his face. “And don’t pretend you don’t care. You do. You just don’t want to admit it.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” He smiled as he said it because he knew she was right.
“Uh-huh. Sure.” She smiled, and some of the pain faded from her eyes. Not all of it but enough for him to know the messy part was over for now.
“And you totally aren’t going to be growly and possessive when we go out there and I meet your brothers.Because you don’t feel emotions the way humans do.”
He growled as her words struck a nerve, and he recalled the way Menace had reacted when the three of them had seen Joy for the first time. Now, he understood. “If they want to look at a female, they can find their own. You’re mine.”
“Ha! I knew it. You do care.”
He lifted her until her feet left the deck and she was nose-to-nose with him. “I do, little star. Very much.”
“Always?” she asked softly.
“Always.”
She kissed him, and he felt as if he’d stepped into the light of the sun after a lifetime of living in shadow. She was all the light in his world, and he would never let her go.
They left the ship together, her hand wrapped around his fingers as they descended the short ramp to the ground. Everyone was there—his brothers, Bysshe, and several groups of human females.
“For fuck’s sake. You too? Was it something in that shuttle’s water?” Loris demanded as soon as she saw the marks on his chest. “You better treat her right, Havoc, or so help me…”
“Peace, little warrior,” Vengeance said, smilingdown at the female who was obviously his mate. “She’s not yours to protect any longer. She is his.”
Bysshe stepped forward before anyone could say more. The pale blue-skinned android looked pleased but cautious as he gestured the others to silence. “Welcome home, Havoc. Hello, Maddison Summers. I’ve heard a great deal about you.”
“Hello, Bysshe.” Maddison smiled. “I’ve heard quite a bit about you, too. Actually, someone you know mentioned your name just a few hours ago. Havoc can tell you more.”
Havoc’s chest swelled as he looked around the group. “Maddison had the ship we stole scan for broadcasts while we were ascending into orbit. It found one you need to know about. It was from Rage! Our brother is on his way here, and he is not coming alone. He has allies, and they seek to punish the scrawnies for what they’ve done to us.”
The fa’rel roared, the sound reverberating through the forest and sending the local wildlife scurrying for cover. Even before the noise subsided, the questions started. How? When? What allies?
Once again, Bysshe gestured for them to be quiet. “Tell us what you know,” he said.
“I can do better than that.” He squeezed Maddison’s hand. That was the signal for her to tell the ship’s AI to play the recording on its external speakers.
“Ship. Please play the recording.”
Rage’s voice boomed across the landing site. “It’sgood to hear your voice, brother. I have much to tell you, but most of it will have to wait. This is what you need to know. The gyr are our kin. I will explain once we are together again. I never gave up hope, brother. I knew you were all too strong for the fucking scrawnies to kill.
“We are not far from you now. Our best estimate shows we will reach the system in three days. It’s taken me a long time to get back to you. Longer than I wanted. But we are coming.
“Now the truth is known, the Galactic Legion has abandoned the verexi to their fate. We will have our revenge, brother. More than that, we have a future. My mate and I will be there soon. Tell Bysshe he was right. He won’t know what that means, but I want him to know that without him, we might never have known the truth. Good hunting, brother.”
His brothers cheered, the mood in the camp one of jubilation. Havoc enjoyed the moment, but soon Maddison tugged on his hand.
“I know this is a big moment, but I’d like to talk to the others. I see that Captain Perez survived, but I don’t see some of the other crew.”
“I’ll come with you.”
She laughed. “Somehow I thought you’d say something like that. You’re not going to let me go anywhere while there are unmated males around. Are you?”
