An Alien Love Bk. 02 The End

Hey there! So this is the end... For now. I'm working on some other Alien Love books but I don't have anything to share at the moment. I hope you stick around, however, because I am working on some stuff. Thanks to all who are reading! You're really awesome and I appreciate it.

Cheers.

~M. From C.M. Moore

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*Chapter 28*

Epilogue.

Sloan and Murry circled each other in the boxing ring in the palace's training center.

"I'm getting better." Murry danced backward. "I swear it."

"Stop talking and show me." For how long they had been training together, Sloan hoped that Murry was getting better. Every day for months, they worked on Murry's fighting technique, and still, Sloan was kicking the kid's ass.

Murry threw the first punch. Sloan easily dodged. He danced around Murry and spotted Octnavin entering the training area on the far end. Behind the ruler followed Rhylent, JP, and his advisor, Neilattellemen. Murry caught their entrance as they walked up to Keltix, Daris, and Petey. Sloan did a smooth gutshot, and Murry bent over, muttering.

"Pay attention. You're watching them and not your opponent."

Murry snapped a nasty word in the Dagerstanteen's language and glared at him. He threw another punch and missed Sloan again.

"I thought you said you were getting better?" Sloan asked as he did some fancy footwork around Murry. "I swear," he mocked.

"I am. I have been practicing with Daris in the evenings."

"Then you equally suck. Daris is not even one yet, and my offspring is already better than you." Sloan grinned at the taunt as Murry punched and missed him. Sloan spun, kicked, and knocked Murry flat on the mat.

Swearing again, Murry bounded to his feet and threw a series of strikes. Those were an improvement.

"Good." Sloan blocked, ducked, and then blocked again. Murry kept after him forcing Sloan back to the ropes. "Good. Keep me guessing."

Murry muttered again before he threw the next punch. Sloan turned to block but Murry's fist connected with his stomach. The pain was a blast. The fire inside of him was unlike anything he'd ever felt. Sloan gasped and fell to his knees. He didn't even know Murry could hit that hard. Sloan had been punched many times in his life, but never did he feel agony like that.

"I'm so-sorry," Murry stammered and lurched back. "Are you okay?"

Sloan's stomach cramped, and he wrapped his arms around his middle. He threw up on the mat as a wave of dizziness hit him.

Before he could wipe his mouth with the back of his hand, Octnavin was next to him. The alien had crossed the room and jumped the ropes in seconds. Tentacles curled around Sloan's shoulder, and Octnavin drew him tightly to his chest.

~Sloan?~

"I'm okay." Sloan shoved back a lock of his blond hair and took a deep breath. That had never happened before. He might vomit again.

"Get your human away from mine," Octnavin growled at Keltrix. All Octnavin's siblings, Petey, Daris, and Octnavin's advisor, now stood next to the ring.

Keltrix and Petey sprung over the ropes and stood in front of Murry in a protective gesture.

"He did not mean it." Keltrix tucked Murry behind his back. "They were just sparing. They do this a lot. Sloan wanted to teach Murry."

"I'm okay," Sloan repeated as he got to his feet. "It's cool." Raising was a mistake. Another wave of dizziness caught him. He leaned heavily on Octnavin as he closed his eyes. Finally, the world stopped spinning.

"I'm sorry, Sloan." Murry leaned around Keltrix. "I didn't know you were incubating. Sloan didn't say anything. If I had known, I wouldn't have hit him in the stomach." Murry stepped to the side of Keltrix as he continued. "But honestly, Sloan, if you're carrying, you should take a break. After you have Octnavin's offspring, then we can box again."

The entire room stilled as Murry's words registered. Sloan let them sink in. He was incubating. That would explain the dizziness and wanting a nap mid-morning. As Sloan processed Murry's words, everyone's eyes went to Murry as if he'd just dropped a bomb.

"What?" Octnavin was the first to recover from the surprise. His head swiveled back and forth from Murry to Sloan.

"What did you say?" JP jumped the ropes and wrapped his sense tentacle around Sloan's middle. The alien shoved his shirt aside. "How do you know this?"

"Oh." Murry shrugged. He pointed to Sloan's vomit on the mat. "He threw up the blue stuff." Murry waved to the splatter. "Unless he just drank Kool-Aid. And then the question is, how did he get blue Kool-Aid on this planet?"

"The cat is correct. Sloan is incubating," JP confirmed as his eyes met Octnavin.

On the outside, Octnavin made no move. Inside his head, he screamed. Sloan knew that wasn't a sound of joy.

Like a door slamming, Octnavin kicked Sloan out of his mind. The alien let go of him and jumped out of the ring. He walked slowly and calmly, but Sloan could tell the alien was having a mental break down. His advisor followed along like nothing had shaken his leader.

"My exalted ruler?" Keltrix jumped the ropes and followed Octnavin out of the boxing ring. "Are you alright?"

Octnavin headed for the exit. Head held high and eyes straight ahead. His advisor followed all the while tapping on his glass plate.

"Keltrix," Octnavin said as he reached the door. "Have the humans take time off from training." He paused and turned around to face everyone. All eyes were on Octnavin. He stood tall and calm, but Sloan knew his siblings heard his freak-out in his mind. They had a shared connection.

"Yes, my leader," Keltrix acknowledged. "We will have a mandatory rest period."

"JP?" Octnavin turned to his younger sibling.

"Yes, my ruler?"

"Kill my offspring and have it removed from Sloan immediately." Octnavin turned back to the door as if that were it. He was going to leave.

"I..." JP balked as everyone froze. It appeared like the words weren't processing.

"What?" Sloan's eyes went wide when he finally recovered from his shock. "Are you out of your fucking mind? We're not killing it. Get your ass back here, dick."

The entire room stared at Sloan after his outburst.

Fuck. He forgot that they weren't alone.

Sloan gulped as Octnavin slowly turned around, and his eyes pinned him. He'd been doing so well being submissive when everyone was around him and Octnavin. He bit his tongue. It was only that one sentence had him forgetting his place. It didn't matter now. Sloan wasn't going to let Octnavin kill his young.

"My exalted ruler." The advisor bowed and then pointed at Sloan. "Shall I handle your incubator? He called you a—"

"I heard what he called me." Octnavin held up his tentacle to shush his advisor. "I will handle this." Octnavin's eyes narrowed. "Come here, Sloan."

"Your incubator should be whipped," Rhylent chucked.

Sloan jumped out of the ring to do as told.

"Stop jumping around," Octnavin snapped. "Walk here."

"Yes, sir." Sloan approached Octnavin. He stopped directly in front of him—time for some smooth-talking.

The alien stood at the exit, and Sloan could tell Octnavin struggled with both the idea of him having the offspring and talking about the birth with an audience. He gave a glance at the door.

"My exalted ruler, my apologies." Sloan bowed. "You shocked me, and I lost my temper. Please forgive me. Later I will gladly accept any punishment you see fit, even a whipping." He shrugged at Rhylent. "But right now, please reconsider your offspring's life."

"Please reconsider, my leader." JP came to Sloan's side.

When Sloan was close, Octnavin wrapped his tentacles around Sloan's body and pulled him against his chest. The hold was tight as if Octnavin was afraid of letting go. Sloan set his hand on Octnavin's pec where his heart should be.

"Look at me," Sloan whispered. "I'm right here."

Octnavin's green eyes met his. The terror in the green depths had Sloan offering comfort in the ruler's head. Octnavin returned his calm with a particularly gruesome image of Sloan dying. It was from Daris's perspective. There was so much blood and then Sloan's whisper that he loved Octnavin. Sloan could see his eyes closing like that was the final goodbye.

~I cannot do this again. What if you die? I cannot...~ The pain from Octnavin's thoughts washed over Sloan in waves.

~It won't be like that. I'm here with you.~

~What if I lose you?~

~You won't. Peace, my mountain, peace.~

Sloan glanced around. Everyone was still staring at them in shocked silence. Octnavin's word was law. Even if everyone didn't want him to kill his offspring, Octnavin could do it.

"My exalted ruler, you have a meeting." The advisor tapped his glass plate.

"Neilattellemen," Rhylent snapped as he came to stand next to where Octnavin held Sloan. "How many incubators have you watched die trying to produce your offspring?"

"None, Royale Rhylent."

"And how many offspring do you have?" Keltrix asked.

"None, Royal Keltrix."

"Then go." JP gestured to the exit. "You can offer no wisdom here. You must give your leader time and space to make an important decision."

"I can handle the meeting," Petey said. "And give your apologies to the dignitaries."

"Yes." Octnavin nodded. "Go."

Petey left the room with Octnavin's advisor.

Sloan looked around, and then his eyes flipped back to fearful green emeralds. As the door closed, Octnavin set his forehead on Sloan's chest.

"I cannot see you die again," Octnavin whispered to his skin. "It hurts."

"Daris should've never shown you that. That kid needs to get his ass beat."

Daris dropped his head. "I said I was sorry."

"My ruler, my master, my mountain." Sloan tugged out of Octnavin's hold and offered his best dazzling smile. "I would never think about disappointing you. I know that death would be a disappointment. You have given me such faith in the past, and I only want to live up to your belief in me."

"Really?" Octnavin's voice dripped with sarcasm as his eyes narrowed. "And?"

"And you have decreed that I must live, so I will, and your offspring is strong and brave and will be delivered with no problems. Only a king of your caliber would have such an obedient and helpful slave. I only wish to be your incubator and serve your every need."

Keltrix grinned, and Murry tried to hold in his laugh. Sloan glared at them to zip it.

~Laying it on pretty thick.~ Octnavin said wryly in Sloan's head.

"And JP is a wise healer who would never let me, or your offspring, die." Sloan smiled at JP as he continued. "Am I right?"

"He speaks the truth," JP agreed. "I am a wise healer. I can keep them alive."

"And Keltrix is knowledge since he's done this twice with Murry."

"It is not a competition," Octnavin grumbled.

"If it were a competition, we would be winning." Murry grinned. "Two to one."

"You are lucky I do not drown your cat," Octnavin muttered to Keltrix.

~Sloan, you have to promise you will not leave me.~ Octnavin's eyes caught Sloan's. ~I love you.~

~I won't leave you. I'm here. I'm not going anywhere. I love you too.~

"Fine," Octnavin announced. "I have decided. Since my incubator promises not to disappoint me and only deliver a healthy offspring while staying alive this time, I guess we will proceed. I will let the offspring grow until we can safely remove my young, but I will be at your side the entire time. You will do as I tell you, and you can make it up to me for that unseemly outburst."

"I'll be very sorry all over the bedroom." Sloan licked his lips.

Murry laughed and then covered his chuckle with a cough.

"As I was saying," Octnavin continued. "Since I will be looking after my incubator, Daris will fulfill my duties as ruler during the period while Sloan is carrying. It will be good practice."

"Fucking cool."

"Language," Sloan admonished. "You're a prince or princess or whatever."

"And JP and Keltrix will be our support. JP will have the revival cylinder on standby since you are so fragile."

"I had one kid already, and I'm still here. How fragile do you think I am?"

"Very." Octnavin glared. "Rhylent." Octnavin turned to his sibling. "You will go to Earth and pick up the one that saved my human. I want her as the human doctor here in the palace. Offer her the invitation. She can handle things like the common cold, which I do not understand. How can so many little viruses hurt you?"

"A female human here?" Rhylent asked.

"I want her. She is already familiar with the Dagerstanteens because of Munroe. You can take Keltrix's offspring for flight training on the ship."

"As you wish, my ruler." Rhylent sighed and walked out of the room.

Sloan grinned. "You got rid of Rhylent because you don't think he likes the idea of me."

"It does not matter what anyone thinks about humans here," Octnavin whispered. "You devoured me, heart and soul. I am keeping you, Sloan."

"You said my name without sounding like a dick." Sloan kissed his cheek. "Excellent."