Alien Bride

It’s not that easy. I didn’t get a proper goodbye. I was pulled away from one of my mates.

He was the first of the pack to treat me with respect. I went along with this because he convinced me. But now he just persuaded me to let him die.

It feels so fucking wrong.

There are thoughts a mother cannot share with the world, let alone their child. When he or she is born, what am I supposed to say? That I let their father die to save the others?

Our family didn’t need a hero. It just needed love.

We get to the small craft and Akron nudges me on board. “You stay here,” he says.

With no options left, I agree.

As time passes, I can’t stop thinking about my baby. In less than nine months, I will have a child. I don’t want to have to tell them I let their fathers die.

I need to get off of my ass.

Another deathly roar rumbles through the canyons. I have nothing left to lose, so I step out of the craft.

“Akron, wait!” I yell.

The crowd turns.

“I’m not staying behind,” I say. “I’m coming with you. To fight.”

Akron nods and wipes his forehead. “You sure you’re ready? We could all die.”

I step toward them. “I have to act on my principles,” I say. “I’m readier than I’ve ever been.”

He tosses me a gun. As I coil my fingers around the handle, it lights up red, ready to shoot. I feel its power.

My heart feels heavy. My body is wrecked. I’m in so much pain I can’t think straight. But I’m ready. “Let’s do this,” I say.

“Okay,” Akron grunts. “You and I will head this way.”

One of the workers edges through the crowd. “And us? What do you expect us to do?”

Akron points to a separate path. “You know this planet better than I do. We’ll split up and flank him.”

The worker nods and directs the others to follow.

This is going to work. This has to fucking work.

Following Slain’s screams, we walk through a tall canyon. The wall casts a shadow over our heads. Suddenly, the air turns eerily silent. The wind stills.

“Akron,” Slain shouts.

All of us look up at once. The Emperor stands above, green energy surrounding his body. He is holding Vraik and Lök hostage with the force of his hand.

He looks like a monster.

“Slain, let them go. You’ll never hear from us again,” Akron says.

Slain grimaces. “Where did you store the Resnyx?”

“The Resnyx is gone,” Akron says.

For a moment, there is silence as the Emperor takes all of this in. But once it registers that he is ultimately powerless to find the rare element, he becomes enraged.