"Xytol." Harper stepped forward, her voice soft and trembling, her gaze shimmering with unshed tears.
"You found her," Xytol breathed, his face breaking into a broad smile. "Saved her."
"I...." The confession sat on my tongue, words of betrayal and guilt ready to spill forth, but they died at the approach of my mate.
"Yes, he saved me," Harper smiled, her expression radiant as her arms reached for my brother. "Thanks to you."
They embraced, holding each other for a long minute, Harper's smaller form enveloped in Xytol's thin arms. "I'm so happy," Xytol breathed, his purple eyes shimmering with moisture. "I'm so happy you're safe."
He loved her too—how could he not?
I waited until their embrace ended, watching as Harper stepped back to my side, her hand immediately seeking mine. The warmth of her palm against my own did nothing to ease the cold dread pooling in my stomach.
"Xytol, there's something I must tell you." My voice came out rough, weighted with the shame that pressed down on my shoulders.
My brother's smile faltered, the joy draining from his features as concern flickered across his face. "What is it?"
I dropped to one knee before him, assuming the traditional position of seeking forgiveness for an unforgivable offense—back straight, head bowed, one fist pressed over my heart. The cold metal of the ramp bit into my knee through my uniform. Harper gasped behind me, her sharp intake of breath cutting through the sudden silence, but I couldn't look at her. I could only look at my brother, forcing myself to meet the purple eyes that so mirrored my own.
"I've betrayed you," I said, each word like a shard of glass scraping up my throat. "The female you asked me to protect, I've claimed her as my mate."
The dock fell silent, the air itself seemed to still. Even the ambient hum of the ship's systems faded into the background. Adtovar and Maddie held their breath, frozen in place. I could feel the weight of every gaze upon me, but none heavier than Xytol's.
"The moment I saw her, my spine tingled with the mating instinct." I forced myself to meet Xytol's eyes, to let him see the truth of it laid bare. "I tried to fight it. Stars above, I tried. But the bond, it was undeniable. Immediate. Overwhelming. I had no choice, brother. My body, my soul, recognized her as though she'd been carved from the cosmos specifically for me."
I bowed my head lower, pressing my fist harder against my chest until I could feel the steady thrum of my heart beneath. "I know you love her. I know you trusted me to protect her. And I repaid your trust by taking her for myself. I beg your forgiveness, though I know I don't deserve it."
The silence stretched on, suffocating and thick, each second an eternity. I heard my own breathing, harsh and uneven, and felt the tremor in Harper's hand where it lay on myshoulder. Tension radiated from being on the dock—a throbbing beast waiting for blood.
Except my brother. Xytol's reaction was something I'd never expected.
He laughed. A genuine, full-bodied sound that echoed across the dock, bouncing off the metal walls and reminding me of the time when we'd played as younglings without worry or care.
"Get up, you big oaf," he chuckled, his voice rich with affection and amusement as he grabbed my arm, helping me to my feet.
"You're not angry?" I blinked, confusion washing over me in waves.
"No, I'm ecstatic." The brightness of Xytol's smile, the way it crinkled the corners of his eyes and lit up his entire face, showed he spoke the truth.
"But...." I began to argue, my mind scrambling to make sense of it, but the words died on my tongue. I had no idea what to say, how to process this unexpected turn.
"I never thought of Harper as my mate," Xytol grinned, his eyes bouncing from me to Harper and back again, dancing with barely suppressed mirth at my bewilderment. "She's my friend."
"Best friends," my mate echoed, squeezing my shoulder with gentle reassurance.
Xytol turned to glance into the Alliance ship's interior, his expression softening in a way I'd never seen before—tender, vulnerable, full of longing. He raised his hand in a slow, beckoning motion, his fingers curling in invitation.
A lone male emerged from the shadows, stepping into the dock's bright lights with cautious grace. He was tall and lean, with the distinctive gray skin that marked most Romvesians. His hair was black as a moonless night, shaved close over his ears inthe traditional warrior style, while the rest fell in a single thick braid that draped over his shoulder, reaching nearly to his waist. His eyes were dark—nearly black—but there was no mistaking the profound affection that blazed in his gaze when he looked at Xytol, or the way his entire face transformed with warmth and devotion.
"This is Karloxx," Xytol said softly, his voice dropping to something intimate despite our audience. "My mate."
Same-sex mating was not uncommon among our people. Less common than opposite-sex bonds, perhaps, but no less sacred, no less real, no less blessed by the goddess.
Karloxx stepped forward with quiet confidence as he crossed the remaining distance to Xytol's side. My brother's hand found his instinctively, their fingers threading together in a gesture so intimate, so perfectly natural and right, that I felt my guilt begin to dissolve.
"I'm most honored to meet you," Karloxx said, his voice deep, weighted with sincerity. "Xytol has spoken often of his brother, the warrior."
"I...." My voice caught, the words tangling in my throat. The relief, the joy, the sheer impossibility of this moment threatened to overwhelm me completely. "I'm happy for you, brother. Truly happy."
