She shakes her head, a hint of a smile on her lips. “No, I didn’t, not even when I wanted to.”

“Oh, okay, then. Did you take out a destroyer with that shot, then?”

Her smile deepens. She nods, her hair slipping from the pinned braids, unruly and wild as she is.

“Tonight might have turned out very differently, had it not been for your quick actions. For your steady hand and warrior’s heart.”

This, at least, is the truth, and I hold onto that steady hand like it’s a lifeline. Maybe it is. She saved me. She brought out the extent of my powers, the only one who could.

“My mate,” I tell her, testing her, seeing if she’ll balk at the title once more.

When she doesn’t, a low growl rises in my chest. She places her free hand on my skin, her eyes widening slightly at the vibration.

“Before you,” I tell her, my voice thick with emotion, “the fire, the energy manipulation… it was latent. Always just beneath the surface, roiling but never able to be channeled. When I scented you in that prison on Nyria V49, it was as though I finally came alive. I could use the power. All because you, Leigh.”

Her throat bobs as she swallows.

I push a lock of her lovely, lava-red hair behind her adorable ears.

“You made me come alive. You made me realize that the time to act has come, the time to do right by my species, by all species, to stop the Roth Overlord. This wound?” I gesture to the half-wrapped bandage. “This is nothing in comparison to what you’ve done for me. I was asleep, going through life with my eyes closed, until I met you. You make me want to be a better male.”

“That’s a lot of pressure for one person,” she says, and this time, she takes her hand from mine, crossing it over her chest.

“You’re afraid of a challenge?” I ask, knowing it will only incense her.

“Of course not,” she scoffs, then raises an eyebrow. “But I can’t be your… moral compass, Nydo. Besides, why me? What makes me so special? You tried to take Niki as your mate before me.”

“Bah,” I say, nervous, noting every expression that flits across her face. Storing them away like little treasures to look at later. Hoarding them. “Roth have no need of a compass. We navigate by the stars.”

Her fingers tap against her arm, and I realize she wants more of an explanation.

I sigh. The least I can do is reassure her of this.

“Your captain was the first human woman I’d ever seen. She said human females were compatible with the Suevans, that she would breed with me. Does that mean I wanted her? No. But I am not a fool, Leigh.” I sigh, scratching the scruff on my chin. “I am many things, but foolish is not one of them.”

She tilts her head. “Didn’t she stab you?” Her eyes twinkle with humor.

I snort. “Perhaps I am sometimes a fool. The reason I wanted your human captain was because I knew that the first to have access to a human mate, whether it be the Overlord or me, would be the one to secure the throne. I didn’t want your Captain Jacks because of who she is. I wanted her because I realized a mate was the way to freedom for me, for my species… and now I realize it is the way to freedom for yours, as well.”

“A figurehead,” she says softly, mulling it over.

“Niki would have been a poor choice for a queen,” I say. “She is more suited for her warlord duties, I think.”

“Niki is great,” Leigh admonishes. “I could see why you wanted her, for reasons other than—"

“She’s not you,” I interrupt. “The only female I want, the only female I’ve ever truly wanted, Leigh, is you. Every day you breathe the same air as I do honors me.”

The corner of her mouth twitches up, her eyes crinkling at the corners slightly.

“I know that you think… that you think I lied about you being my mate, Leigh. That you think this is some play we are putting on to convince the Roth to follow me against the Overlord.” I shake my head, and she steps towards me.

I seize her waist and pull her onto my lap. Leigh sits, complacent, her chest heaving, then finally circles her arms around my neck. Her touch is tentative and sweet, and I cannot get enough of her.

“It’s not a lie,” I tell her. “Nothing about how I feel for you is a lie.” I keep other secrets from her, yes, but not this. Never this. “You are the only female who has ever matched me. Who has stood toe-to-toe with me and cared enough to worry for my well-being. You are… everything I have ever wanted, and your surprising skill with the plas rifle is just another benefit.”

She laughs at that, a small, choked sound that seems to surprise her.

“I know humans do not mate as the Roth do, and that the Suevans do not either, but I have known it was you from the moment I realized you were in that prison.”

“So you don’t just need me as an elaborate plot to take the throne? Because you made me think it was pretend.” Her eyes narrow, her tone conflicted. “I’m not just a way to make babies and continue the royal line?”

“You are both of those things,” I growl, and in a flash, our positions reverse as I fling her against the back of the med bay cot, crawling on top of her, rubbing my nose against the soft, delicately scented flesh of her neck. “Do not speak of getting with child unless you are ready for me to spill so deep inside of you that you will lose the ability to walk for the rest of the night.”

“Er,” she wrinkles her nose. “I don’t want that. Well, the consequence to that, at least.” She points to a polka-dotted patch on her arm. “Besides, I’m on birth control.”

I sit up, straddling her, scrutinizing her face. “What?”

“The women on Sueva gave us birth control, to counteract the hormones your asshole scientists pumped us full of. I’m not having any little Roths anytime soon…” Her voice trails off, her eyes turning speculative. “But I’m still really messed up from those hormones, because the rest of what you said sounds… like fun.”

“Oh shit,” a woman’s voice says. “Oh. Okay, uh, we were about to take off in the ships Roghat gave us, um, we were just coming to say goodbye…”

“Piper, why do you sound so weird?” the woman Billie surges into the room, and Leigh slaps a hand over her face. I grin down at her, unembarrassed, even though she squirms, clearly trying to get up.

“Jesus Christ,” Billie says, her mouth a surprised O. “What is… You know what? Okay. Sure. We’re leaving. We wanted to tell you the Suevans sent teams out after us. Apparently, your note only convinced them that Nydo stole you. You need to handle that.” Billie turns to leave. Piper, the yellow-haired one, stares at Leigh, clearly in shock.

“Wait,” Leigh manages, pushing me away. “We want to say goodbye. Hold on, nothing was happening!”

“That is a lie,” I tell them, highly affronted by her casual dismissal. “I was telling you you are my one and only, my mate, my whole heart. That is not nothing.”

“Well, yeah, that did happen,” Leigh says slowly, as Billie and Piper share a knowing look. “And no, it wasn’t nothing, but we weren’t having, you know,” she continues, making a strange hand gesture.

“We were about to have sex,” I tell them. “I was going to fill her up until she couldn’t walk without my seed leaking down her thighs.”

Billie pushes her hands against her eyes, and Piper’s jaw drops.

“Nydo!” Leigh pushes up against my chest, and I smirk down at her.

“I was.”

“That doesn’t mean you need to tell everyone, for fuck’s sake.”

“Ew,” Billie finally says. “Fluids are not my kink, but whatever floats your boat.”

“It would not float a boat, it would sink it.”

Piper claps her hand against her mouth, and I am pretty sure that she snorts a laugh, as well. Humans are strange creatures.

“Whatever tickles your pickle,” Billie continues.

“What is a pickle?” I ask, curiosity getting the best of me.

“It’s this long fruit called a cucumber,” Billie gestures wide, circling her fingers to indicate girth. “And you put it in a brine, and it turns sour.”