Kaalen and Bronn had told her as much during their time together. They had told her Dhiro often treated them like children rather than grown men who were capable of taking care of themselves.
Before Dhiro made the trek to Earth to find her, he would often go to their grocery store, buy weekly supplies, and go to each of their houses, filling their cupboards and fridge. Kaalen said he would sometimes be upstairs with a woman when his brother entered and he’d have to pretend to be quiet so he didn’t know he was home.
The brothers sounded so very close.
She wished she had a family like that, but she had no one back home. No family memories to relish. Dhiro and his family were now her own, and she would take care of them as such.
“Mother, I do not mean to alarm you, but getting back home, it is … I do not know if that is going to be completely possible.”
“I know you, Dhiro, you will get yourself and Ella back home. People are waiting to talk to you. They want to make sure you’re aware they did not mean what you thought they meant. There was no ill will toward Ella.”
“Why do they even know?” Dhiro asked.
“Your brothers have been in contact. They wanted your re-arrival to go without a hitch.”
Dhiro nodded, and she saw his face filled with emotion. Tears were in his eyes, and he had a frown between his brows.
“I am going to sign off now, Mother. I will keep the engines moving. Please, make sure we’re being tracked when we get a little closer.”
He signed off, and Ella pulled him close against her. “Your brothers love you.”
“I will bring them back, Ella. You know that. I have seen how Earth people act when they fear the unknown. I will not have anything happen to them.”
She kissed him on the head. “And I will be here for you, always.” She tried to offer him comfort.
“I love you, Ella. I know that I will be hard to live with at times. I … for a long time, I have trained my emotions to stay put, not to get in the way. I … I do not want you to be upset with me.”
Ella kissed him. “Dhiro, all I feel when I’m with you is happiness. You will never disappoint me. I cannot wait for our child to be born. For hope and happiness to once again flood your planet.”
Dhiro sank his fingers into her hair, pulling her in close and kissing her. She felt instant desire and then the ship jerked. The lights on the panel lit up red, and she saw true fear in her mate’s eyes.
Chapter Eleven
Dhiro jolted upright, his heart hammering in his chest. This wasn’t good. He immediately got Ella buckled in the co-pilot seat. He was too far from Trenu Zel for assistance and too far from Earth to return safely. They were deep in space in a ship that would be better fit for the salvage yard. So many thoughts and regrets filled his head. Why couldn’t he have been satisfied with a life on Earth? Why risk his mate in such an unfit ship? Was he being punished for leaving his brothers behind?
“What is it, Dhiro?”
He wouldn’t have Ella alarmed. “Nothing to worry about.”
Just about every major system was malfunctioning. His sensors were firing off left and right. He pulled out his diagnostic pad and began his scans, the reports flashing up one after another. More bad news after the other. How cruel would fate be to cause them to fail right now, so close to saving all his people? Everything would have been for nothing.
The only consolation would be Bronn and Kaalen possibly finding happiness on Earth or another Trenuian making the voyage to Earth now that they knew pregnancies were possible. Life could go on without them. He pushed those thoughts from his head. He needed to save Ella and their child, to get them safely home.
Giving up on them wasn’t an option.
“Is there anything I can do?” Ella asked.
The alarms were ear-piercing, coming from all areas of the ship. Even the faint scent of burning rubber lingered in the air. The atmosphere was chaotic, and he could sense her rising anxiety. He wouldn’t show her his fear.
“I need to tend to the systems now. Please stay calm.”
He rushed off and lifted the hatch to the underbelly, grabbing a support rod and sliding inside feet first, determined to get the ship stable. He prioritized the alarms, handling the most important first. Life support was in jeopardy. It had been their biggest issue back on Earth, the reason his brothers had to be left behind. They were supposed to have enough power for two beings to get home safely, but now it showed only one could make it back alive.