Chapter 48
2 months later
Valen’s POV
She was gorgeous, in a see-through evening gown over black armoured breast plates and the same material for below, with bear feet – one metal, of course. She’s finally out in the sun again. Soon to join me for a walk under the perfect clear blue sky outside Destor – which had been revamped, being made into a training ground.
Enrique and Erin had accepted me as a comrade.
They trusted me. And I trusted Ryder. So she was safe with me.
I convinced Ryder to stay by my side and keep her need to kill the Elites contained until and if only it was completely necessary. I convinced her to look after herself, to take care of herself. And what do you know? She listened. And she fucking thrived with me.
The Dominions were dressed in uniforms – running around participating in training exercises in Destor, all entirely obedient to the Elites.
Ryder and I had no idea how or why they submitted so quickly – but at some point we stopped caring.
Because there was finally peace on Earth.
And Ryder… she has not seen me yet, even though she’s standing right next to me. I wore a disguise to confuse her – and I was delighted it was working thus far.
“Where is Valen?” Ryder asks Enrique, who stands to her left, holding Erin’s hand as they overlook Destor from the top of their Elite Hill.
“Oh?” Enrique looks at Ryder with a kind smile, “Oh?” Enrique looks at me and smiles, “He requested extra height. And… strength. And… well… a Messier body. We obliged. You can consider him a Zyre.”
Ryder is confused, until Enrique looks at me, standing to his side, disguised as his formal guard, wearing a hat to cover my mess of brown hair.
When Ryder turns toward me, she sees not a tame Genesis but her friend.
And she has to look up.
I can’t help but think – it’s about bloody time.
Ryder’s POV
A few moments earlier.
I was being granted permission to leave the ship. After spending 8 weeks confined with Valen, he and I had formed a very strong personal bond.
It genuinely felt like rehabilitation for me. Because I looked entirely different now too. I didn’t even look like a soldier anymore. I kind of felt like just a strong woman now, and I enjoyed looking groomed and pretty.
Valen had invited me out to the Elite Hill which overlooked Destor, to join him for a walk.
I’m dressed in a glamourous see through shimmering gown, over plated armour, and my hair pinned behind my ears, I follow my bracelet’s instructions to the outside.
Finally exiting the ship – the afternoon sun blazes down on me and blinds me for a bit as I walk out and try to adjust to sunlight again after 2 months indoors. Enrique stands in his shimmering metallic cape, while Erin holds his arm, dressed in her favourite choice of a blue plaid dress.
They are guarded by two obedient Genesis on either side.
What I see from the Hill, is the city below – full of armoured battalions playing games.
Dominions run about, training together, looking in-line and uniform.
The Elites really set them straight, huh?
“Where is Valen?” I ask Enrique.
“Oh?” Enrique looks at me and smiles, “He requested extra height. And… strength. And… well… a Messier body. We obliged. You can consider him a Zyre.”
I genuinely think he’s joking with me, but then Enrique turns to look at the guard between us.
Valen takes off his hat, and grins when he sees me.
I’m immediately taken aback.
He –
“Surprise,” Valen rumbles – his voice a little deeper with the different vocal cords.
He’s… taller than me…
I have to blink twice.
“Ah –” I can’t contain my smirk, “You’re really handsome–” – “You look beautiful,” Valen and I talk awkwardly and at the same time.
“Go for a walk,” Enrique suggests to us, smug.
Valen steps forward, dressed in a white guard’s suit trimmed with silver, he puts his hand on the small of my back as we go for a stroll across the Hill toward the forest where a large garden had been planted by the human’s seed bank, being maintained by the Genesis Dominions.
I’m utterly speechless as I walk with my bare feet through the grass, and I can just enjoy walking by Valen’s side.
“I got a promotion,” Valen explains, “Believe it or not, I’m in charge of consulting the heads of each Dominion. They report to me. Skye. Opular. Seye. Vizentium. And I report back to Enrique.”
“No way,” I blurt, laughing aloud, “Really?” I look up at Valen with what I can only assume comes across as puppy-eyes. He’s fucking gorgeous and deserves this. I admire his new bright neon brown eyes and his new glowing teeth.
“Yeah, so I requested an upgrade to deal with them,” Valen smirks down at me, “…and here I am.”
“You never needed it,” I whisper back at him, “They’ll respect you regardless of size.”
“I definitely didn’t do it just to win your respect,” Valen jokes, while also telling me, what I assume to be, probably the truth; indirectly. Damn. He changed himself for me?
I try to hide my smile as I look over the garden and down to Destor. By his side, I am finally at peace. It honestly couldn’t get any better than this. I had visits from Ryder, my son – and he expressed how much he enjoyed the military training. To see him beaming, and to see the Dominions so busy they can’t war with one another… well… it was a welcome reprieve from our earlier wars, to say the least.
The Elite Humans had seriously brought a new era and implemented it very quickly. I was impressed.
“The other humans are due to land soon, aren’t they?” I ask Valen, “Next week?”
“Yes,” Valen raises a brow, “That’s where some small issues may arise. But if the Elites can settle them all in like they did with the Genesis – we should be able to maintain peace and harmony for a long time.”
“I always do wonder if the Elites really managed to convince all the Genesis with the simple promise of food,” I chuckle, “I guess it is very important for Genesis soldiers to be fed properly…” but it was still a little odd they were obedient to the bone.
“Do you remember when we first met – we were skin and bones,” Valen loves bringing this memory up.
“Yes,” I laugh and smile, “You really can’t get over our first meeting.”
“Why would I ever get over it?” Valen asks, smoothly, “Let’s go for a walk into the forest just for a little bit.”
“Enrique won’t mind?” I make sure.
“We’ll remain close,” Valen winks, before leaning over to whisper in my ear, “…and there are no cameras watching our every move in the forest...”
My eyes sparkle with the mention of privacy.
We had spent 2 months bonding – albeit over small talk and mindless stories and harmless board and card games.
Real deep conversation was so rare and I almost didn’t miss it.
Because it was always very… usually… painful in some regard.
I get butterflies now because of it, as Valen boldly takes my hand and directs us to the leatherwood trees, now with new growth sprouting from the reintroduction of older seeds.
He takes me down a lightly treaded path, toward a small picturesque pond with one big rock.
He jumps on top of the flat-topped boulder and reaches down for my hand, to haul me up next to him.
I sit down with my feet dangling down toward the water.
Valen doesn’t sit next to me, but boldly sits behind me, legs spread either side of mine, he puts his chin on the top of my head.
I try to twist a bit into him and try to get comfortable.
“You really wanted to do this for a long time, huh?” I make fun of him.
“You’re so awkward, Ryder, relax,” he chuckles and tries to tickle my waist. I spin into him instead, pushing on his chest in retaliation.
Valen ‘gives up’ and leans back on an elbow, and enjoys the fact I can lay on his chest and still have room to feel small while looking down at him with furrowed brows.
I roll my eyes at him, he’s so typically happy to be bigger just so we can rough around.
“I guess you think I can’t kick your ass now,” I just guess.
“Yeah, not a chance,” Valen raises a brow, I assume challenging me to a brawl.
I reach up a hand and trace my fingers along his jaw instead.
“I don’t want to beat your ass,” I answer him, genuinely meaning it.
“I never wanted to beat your ass either,” Valen responds kindly, “Ryder, I have your back,” even as he says it, he’s slipped a hand between the slit in my gown, and runs his fingers from the inside of my knee, up the inside of my thigh. He just tests his ground, while he has that kind of access. The silly man doesn’t have to ask me.
I look at him to welcome him forward; I’m not really sure what gentle love is.
I only know being rough housed into sex. Valen sees I can’t act, and he turns so I slip off his side onto the smooth rock, and he moves his face toward mine, his nose brushes past my nose, as he just breathes in my breath – still testing his parameters.
His fingers are only still on my thigh, so I grab his wrist and I pull his hand up and in against my armour.
I have to click off the sides to move it out of the way, and three of Valen’s fingers finally rub over my clit and slide down my pussy, to feel me for the first time.
I close my eyes and relax as his fingers push inside me, while his lips catch my mouth – and he finally takes full control.
He weighs me down into the rock, as he kicks my legs open and my hands fall to pull at his pants – to free the hard cock straining to get out.
I basically offer my ankles to Valen, as I place them over his shoulders.
He’s free to take me.
Valen’s cock soon replaces his fingers – which tested my warm and wet pussy first. As his cock sinks into fill me, he deepens our kiss.
I hold his face with my hands as he starts to slow fuck me with deep strokes. I like the taste of his lips – less wolf, less animal – more human. More emotion.
It’s strangely gentle but beautiful sex. He’s tasty too.
Valen only breaks the perfect kiss to look into my eyes, as he pulls his dick out far – then slams in hard.
Fuck yes.
Now he starts to pound into me, watching my expression change.
“You’re mine now, Ryder,” he whispers over me.
“No I’m not,” I snap back – and I actually see his eyes flame up with confusion, “I belong to no one, Valen. I fuck whoever I want!”
“Then I’ll have to change that,” Valen takes it as a challenge and his forehead drops to touch mine, and he tries to kiss me again – but I grab his throat in my hand and I push him off me.
He doesn’t expect that.
“Finish and get off me,” I tell him, dead serious.
Valen stops fucking me, his cock now just pulsing while buried inside, “You still want the Dominator,” he accuses me, “It’s written all over your face. You belong to him, is that it?” he now pulls right out and does up his pants, while my legs fall back down and I sit upright.
“I fuck whoever I want,” I explain, “Valen… please…” I try to explain. I don’t know why he is upset.
“It’s fine, I respect your decision,” Valen tries to sit on the rock, clearly uncomfortable.
“You should have just finished what you started,” I try punching his arm lightly, but this irks him.
“Sex isn’t meaningless to me,” Valen snarls at me now, and he can’t stand sitting next to me. He jumps up and tries hard to compose himself, as I see his heart break in his twisting expression.
Oh, no.
I didn’t mean to –
Valen turns and jumps off the rock, going for a walk.
“Please – stay there,” he just holds up a hand and asks me to obey, so we both avoid trouble.
And Valen goes for his walk.
I feel inadequate and stupid.
I wanted to have sex, I just didn’t… I just didn’t want him to call me his.
As a Luna, it was pretty simple – I had many lovers.
I was… well… I sigh.
My nostrils flare as I breathe in the air of the open forest, as I see Valen’s form disappear into the trees as he stalks off.
I look all around me.
…freedom…
All around.
After a moment, I stand up.
I didn’t mean to break his heart. I loved him but I loved many.
Besides, I couldn’t deny my nature. I had been patiently biding my time, looking for an escape and liberty… and here it was. So soon. Right now. I was finally outside the ship.
I didn’t plan on it being this moment
But, there was no plan like the present.
I’m sorry, Valen.
I was a Luna.
I had to run free.