Page 56

He drove into her harder, faster, his rhythm breaking into something desperate and perfect. That was all it took. Her climax detonated, a shockwave of pure ecstasy that shattered her consciousness into blinding white light. Her body convulsed around him, milking his length, and the intense pulse of her release was the final trigger for his.

With a final, deep plunge and a raw, guttural groan that she felt in her bones, he spilled into her. His hot release flooded her core as his big body shuddered against hers, his arms locking like steel bands to hold her through the storm. For long minutes, they stayed like that, pressed against the shower wall as the water washed over them and the aftershocks of shared pleasure rippled through their bond. Gradually, his grip loosened and he gently lowered her until her unsteady feet found the shower floor, but he didn't let go, pulling her tight against him instead.

"Amara," he breathed, his voice rough with spent passion and overwhelming emotion. "You are the best gift I've ever been given. Thank you for making today, and every day since you arrived, the best of my life."

She nestled into him, her cheek against his pounding heart. "Thank you for loving me," she whispered. "And for never being careless with my heart."

"I would never be careless with that trust. And I will spend the rest of my life proving I'm worthy of it."

And she knew, with every fiber of her being, that he meant it. This man, her Alpha, would love her the way she deserved. He would be the partner she could trust with her whole heart, the father their child would adore.

The future, once so uncertain, now stretched before them, bright and boundless and theirs to build together.

AMARA

Eight months had transformed Amara's world in ways she'd never imagined possible. The woman who'd once commanded corporate boardrooms now found herself sprawled across the plush sofa in their living room, her enormously pregnant belly making even the simplest movements a calculated effort. At a week overdue, she felt like a ticking bomb of hormones and impatience, ready to explode at any moment.

"I swear this child has inherited your stubborn streak," Amara muttered, moving uncomfortably on the sofa. "He's perfectly content to stay put while I waddle around like a displaced whale."

Raxen, who had been hovering within arm's reach for the past month, immediately tensed from his position on the arm of the sofa. "Are you having contractions? Should I call the healer?"

"No, you overprotective lion," Amara replied with fond exasperation.

But the past week had been particularly challenging. Her brothers Peter and Nathan had arrived from Earth, and while she'd initially worried about their reaction to her new life on Nova Aurora, those concerns had evaporated within hours of their arrival. Peter, ever the skeptical fire captain, had taken one look at the breathtaking alien landscape and Raxen's unwavering devotion to his sister, and his protective walls had crumbled. Nathan, with his counselor's intuition, had immediately understood why Amara had fallen so completely for this world and this man.

"You know," Nathan said from his spot near the massive windows overlooking the estate's gardens, "when Gerri first showed up with that wild story about alien planets and lion shifters, I thought we were dealing with an elaborate kidnapping scheme."

Gerri, who was perched in one of the leather armchairs wearing a stunning turquoise pantsuit that somehow made her look both grandmotherly and formidable, let out a delighted laugh. "Oh, darling, if I were running kidnapping schemes, I'd charge much more than karma points."

Peter, still adjusting to the casual mention of interplanetary matchmaking, shook his head with reluctant admiration. "I still can't believe you tricked my sister into thinking she was coming here for a mediation job."

"Tricked is such an ugly word," Gerri replied with an innocent flutter of her lashes. "I prefer 'creatively presented an opportunity.' After all, she did end up mediating the most important negotiation of her life—the one with her own heart."

Amara felt a warm flush of gratitude wash over her. Ten months ago, she would have been furious at Gerri's deception. Now, sitting surrounded by the people she loved most in both worlds, she couldn't imagine her life unfolding any other way. The woman who'd arrived on Nova Aurora broken and afraid to trust had discovered not just love, but a strength she'd never known she possessed.

"I've completely forgiven you," Amara assured Gerri. "Even if I would have run screaming in the opposite direction if you'd told me I was being delivered to some powerful Alpha as his destined mate."

"Which is exactly why I didn't tell you," Gerri said with a satisfied smirk. "Sometimes fate needs a little creative assistance."

Vessa, who had been quietly observing the family dynamics from her position near the fireplace, grinned. "I still remember the look on Raxen's face when you first walked into this room. I thought my composed, unflappable brother was going to spontaneously combust."

"I was not that obvious," Raxen protested, though his hand moved protectively to Amara's shoulder.

"Brother dear, you practically vibrated out of your skin," Vessa teased. "And then you spent the next week following her around like a lovesick puppy while pretending you were just being professionally courteous."

The easy banter filled Amara with a contentment so profound it almost brought tears to her eyes. This was what she'd never known she was searching for—not just romantic love but belonging. A family that chose each other, that fought for each other, that created safety through connection rather than control.

Raxen's warmth pressed against her side as he settled more fully onto the sofa, his large hand resting on the curve of her belly. He'd been wound tight as a spring for weeks, ready to spring into action at the first sign that their son was ready to make his appearance.

"You know," Peter said, his deep voice carrying the grudging respect that had been building all week, "I have to admit, Raxen, you've exceeded every expectation I had. And my expectations for the man who'd win over my sister were pretty impossibly high."

Raxen's chest swelled with quiet pride. "Your sister deserves nothing less than impossible standards."

"Flattery will get you everywhere," Amara murmured, leaning into his solid strength.

Nathan raised his glass of wine that Vessa had been plying them with all afternoon. "To impossible standards and the people brave enough to meet them."

As the others lifted their glasses in response, Amara felt a sudden, unmistakable sensation—a warm rush of fluid. Her breath caught as she realized what was happening, and through their bond, Raxen immediately sensed the shift in her emotions.