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  The Alien Chief’s Bargained Bride

  Summary

  Mallory Delour would do anything for her little sister, Stephanie. So when a genetic disease threatens her sister’s life, Mallory is left with only two options:

  She can go into crippling medical debt to delay the inevitable, or she can become an alien’s bride with the assurance that Stephanie will receive life-altering gene therapy.

  For Mallory, the choice is easy….

  But for Alek’dar, it isn’t.

  When the humans approached him, he’d been wary. But, by taking them up on their offer, he can kill two birds with one stone—a bride for him and an alliance with the humans.

  Happiness hasn’t been factored into their decision but that doesn’t necessarily mean they can’t find it.

  Unless someone, or something, stands in their way.

  Contents

  Summary

  Contents

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Appendix

  Coming Soon

  The Exiled Alien’s Unlikely Bride

  Ready For More?

  Acknowledgments

  Copyright © 2019

  All rights reserved. This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means including information storage and retrieval systems, without permission in writing from the author. The only exception is by a reviewer, who may quote short excerpts in a review.

  For everyone who never believed in me

  Chapter One

  Mallory

  “To be honest,” Stephanie began, her voice was barely above a whisper. I perked up and my attention diverted from the bag I was currently struggling to close. “I’m kind of excited.”

  My lips twitched into a smile that wasn’t quite sincere. Careful to avert my eyes from her knowing gaze, I nodded eagerly. Even at seventeen, she was quite perceptive. “I don’t blame you, Sis.”

  Stephanie worried her lip between her teeth. “So you’re not mad?”

  “What?” As if I could ever be mad about this. It was almost offensive, but knowing Stephanie as I did, I didn’t take it to heart. “No, of course not!”

  “Are you sure? I mean I’m going to be gone for an entire year, off-world.”

  Sure, I might have been a tad jealous, but it was for the best. It wasn’t like she was going on vacation or anything. Stepanie was going to receive treatment—and be completely cured—for her Friedreich’s Ataxia. I just wish I had been able to afford it sooner, to save her all the pain and suffering she’d endured over the last seven years.

  But when you’re the only one in the household capable of working, it puts a damper on things.

  Pausing my packing, I sighed, and reached for her fidgeting hands. “Of course, I’m not going to be mad at you, Stephanie. You need the treatment, and if that means you’re the first one of us off-world, I’m ecstatic for you.” I gave her a reassuring squeeze before resuming my task.

  “I wish you could come.”

  “I wish I could, too, but you’ll be fine.”

  She clicked her tongue in disapproval. “Still, I hate how expensive it is.”

  “I know, but at least you’re going to get better. That’s all that matters.” With one last tug, I was able to zip the suitcase closed, the stupid thing. I hadn’t wanted to tap into Stephanie's credits anymore than I already had to, so I settled for the cheaper set of luggage for her journey. Which meant they were smaller.

  With a sigh of relief, I leaned back, tossing my raven locks over my shoulders.

  “If you say so, Mallory.”

  Standing from my seat on her bed, I grinned and gently tapped her nose. “I do say so Steph.” I took a look around at the bed, making sure I hadn’t left anything out. “Looks like we have everything just about ready,” I murmured, more for myself than anything, as I went through my mental checklist for what she might need over the next year. Or years…. A pang of guilt ate away at my gut, but I steeled myself to the feeling. It was a necessary omission.

  She didn’t need to know that I wouldn’t be here when she came back. I’d still be planetside, as far as I was aware, but not in the village. Not where she could have regular access to me, like now.

  “I sure hope so.” She giggled, waving her hand in reference to the three bags clustered beside her bedroom door. While they might not be much to others, those three bags contained almost everything she owned.

  “Same here.” I started for the door, turning back before I crossed into the hallway. “Well, I’m going to head into the kitchen for a minute to check on the cookies. Do you need anything before I go?”

  She shook her head, her loose brown locks shifting with the movement. “Nah, I should be fine here.”

  “All right. I’ll be back in a few.”

  “Thanks again, Mal.” Her voice took on a somber note.

  I lift a hand in acknowledgment as I head out of the room. “It’s no problem, little sis.”

  I didn’t wait for a response as I shuffled down the hall. It wasn’t until the scent of spice cookies wafted through the house and hit my nostrils that the tears pricked at my eyes.

  Sniffing, I willed them back.

  Now wasn’t the time.

  Not with her still here.

  And to be honest, I thought I was all cried out, but I guess I was wrong.

  Once I got her to the spaceport, I’d have to do some packing of my own. I couldn’t get it done yet because I didn’t want to let on how I was able to finally afford the treatment. We had nowhere near as many credits as it would require for her to receive the treatment on my shit pay alone. So, when the Council—made up of elected officials from all of the outlying villages—approached me with their offer, I couldn’t refuse. I didn’t have a leg to stand on when they offered to pay for her treatment.

  The price for her cure was my freedom—my hand in marriage to our alien neighbors.

  ***

  I was able to convince the council to spring for a ride to the spaceport. The trip was a long one, Stephanie was lulled to sleep by the gentle movements of the vehicle as it traversed over the terrain, so it was thankfully quiet.

  I kept my gaze out of the window, watching as the rolling hills of the grassland passed by. Not much grew out here except that grass. There might be the occasional tree, but it was almost like a barren wasteland. There wasn’t much wildlife either once humans moved in.

  In all honesty, I think it was better this way. If I had to make small talk for the duration of the drive, I might have broken down and told her the truth.

  The spaceport itself was in the biggest city humans occupied on this planet, and we lived about fifty kilometers away on the edge of human territory in a rinky-dink town too poor for its own doctor. And with her illness, it would take far too long to travel any other way at this stage of her disease. Though it wasn’t like there were many other options to begin with.

  Her disease was one of the worst cases that had been seen in recent
years throughout the near colonies. It took seven years since her diagnosis for her to lose enough mobility that she had to walk with a cane. And she had turned seventeen only a few months ago.

  It was no life to live. She was all but bound to the house because of the backwards thinking of our small community. They didn’t understand that it wasn’t like the common cold. Instead, it was tied to a person’s genetics.

  To be honest, I was surprised I didn’t have it, but from what the doctor explained, it was because both of Stephanie’s parents carried the disease. We shared the same mother, but had a different father. Even so, I wasn’t a carrier so I didn’t have to worry about my children having it.

  I got tested as soon as we found out about Stephanie’s grim diagnosis.

  Not that it mattered anymore. After all, Friedreich’s Ataxia was a human disease and any child I might have—if even possible—wouldn’t be. Not completely, anyway. Because my husband to be was an alien.

  The Striss would have to be somewhat compatible with humans or the peace agreement wouldn’t be on the table.

  A human bride for the Striss Chief.

  I had already undergone the communicator implantation in preparation for my delivery to the Striss. A rather unpleasant process that while uncomfortable was necessary. It wouldn’t do to not be able to communicate with my new people.

  While we hadn’t come across many non-human intelligent life forms, there had been more than enough to warrant the creation of translators. Though, as far as we knew, there was just the Striss and us on this planet and they tended to keep to themselves.

  The landscape slowly came into focus as the taxi slowed, passing through the Wall.

  The gateway to the city.

  With our destination looming overhead, I tried to wake my sister.

  “Mmm.”

  I nudged her arm, a small smile adorning my lips. “Come on, Sis. We’re here.”

  “I’m up, I’m up,” she replied, still groggy. She’d been unable to sleep much the night before if the burnt-out candle on her nightstand this morning was any indication.

  I sighed, shaking my head before returning my attention to the city outside my window. We still had a few more minutes so I decided wouldn’t hurt to let her get a few more minutes in.

  The city was a sight to behold—buildings made of the strongest man-made materials, stories upon stories high—and it used to take my breath away once upon a time. In comparison, our little town was one poorly placed spark away from being consumed by flames. But since Stephanie’s diagnosis, we’d been here so many times in the last seven years, the city had lost all its charm and wonder.

  With a sad sigh, I thought about the letter I had written to Stephanie that was currently resting heavily in my dress pocket. I toyed with the idea of sending it with her things so she’d find it when she got there, but I didn’t want to risk her finding it too soon and backing out of the agreement. It's why I didn’t slip it into her things before she left. I couldn’t risk her trying to stop me.

  In it, I gave her the barest bones of information about what was going on and how things were going to be a lot different when she got back. And how I wouldn’t be there to help her navigate our world anymore.

  I was going to be long gone, traded to the Striss for peace and a cure.

  But I think I was finally coming to terms with my fate. It felt so real now. Stephanie was getting cured, and she had the option to not look back and start over. Along with that letter was a card loaded with both the credits I’d been saving for her medical treatments and payment from the Council for my sacrifice.

  I briefly entertained the thought of selling the house for what little it would get, but decided to leave that up to Stephanie once her treatment was complete.

  As the vehicle rolled to a stop in front of the spaceport, I renewed my efforts to rouse Stephanie.

  “I need you to wake up, Stephanie. It’s almost time for your flight. We can’t be late.”

  “I’m up.”

  “You said that ten minutes ago, Steph. Come on,” I shook her shoulder, thankful the driver was already around back unloading her luggage.

  “Okay, okay, fine.” She yawned, rubbing at her eyes.

  I opened the door, satisfied that she was finally awake, grasping her cane to help ease her transition out of the vehicle.

  Afterwards, I asked the driver to wait for my return. I carried her bags as she started for the entrance, not wanting her to overtax.

  It didn’t take long to get to the line for her journey off-world, and I checked her two bigger bags for her so she didn’t have to walk as much. The smaller one I slipped over her shoulders as the line moved along.

  “So this is it.”

  I nodded, swallowing hard. “Yes. It is, isn’t it?”

  “Thank you so much for this, Mallory,” Stephanie began, her eyes watering with unshed tears.

  I shook my head. “You don’t need to thank me, Steph. I love you so much, it’s my job to take care of you.”

  “Still….” she trailed off, pulling me in for a hug.

  “Next.” We pulled apart at the attendants’ interruption.

  I took a step back, mindful of the passengers lined up behind her. “Safe journeys, Stephanie.”

  She nodded eagerly, “I’ll try to write as soon as I can.”

  “Good-bye.”

  “Bye. Love you.”

  I lifted my hand in acknowledgment as she passed through security and out of sight.

  The tears I’d been holding back all morning finally fell at the thought that I would probably never see her again.

  Chapter Two

  Alek’dar

  "A human female?" Qui'da inquired with a frown on his face.

  I flexed my fingers, withholding the growl that was building in my throat. I was getting tired of this repetitiveness. I attempted to put some space between us, crossing the kitchen of my newly built home, but he was right on my claws. I’d already spoken with my council about the decision on how to proceed and any concerns Qui’da had should have been addressed then.

  "Yes. A human female." I released a heavy sigh, crossing my arms. "No matter how many times you ask, the answer will remain the same."

  "Why? Why go through with this farce instead of just conquering them?" He demanded, “This is ridiculous, Alek’dar.”

  Anyone else would have been cut down where they stood, but Qui’da wasn’t just anyone. He was my younger brother and my second in command.

  “Regardless, I will be going through with this. She shall be my mate.”

  “But-”

  I held up a hand, eyes darkening with building anger. “Enough. If humans cannot abide by the terms of the agreement, I will do as we have always done and conquer. Until then, we will proceed as I have stated.”

  “Fine.”

  “Don’t bring it up again.”

  ***

  Mallory

  Her shuttle was in the air, ascending high into the atmosphere, long before I made it out of the vicinity of the spaceport and to the Council’s office. It was located near the lake, on the other side of the city. Thankfully my ride was still there waiting outside, not that I was paying him for his time. The Council was. They were bankrolling everything. They’d given me plenty of credits for anything Stephanie might need for the next year and paid for her gene-therapy.

  The price of my cooperation was steep but it wasn’t like they had plenty of volunteers lining up for the opportunity. To them, making peace with the Striss meant a lot. It wasn’t that we were at war, per say. Rather, we were running low on resources and our scientists were unable to keep the hybrid foods we had been mass producing from dying. It was too expensive importing food off-world and we were getting dangerously low.

  Not that this was common knowledge, but the rumors were out there if one knew where to find them.

  Before the council came to me with their offer, I was struggling between paying for Stephanie’s mounting medical bills, keeping o
ur bellies full and saving for an operation that would save her life. I even considered the unmentionable—laying with men for money—to help relieve us of the financial burden even just a little. I never did, but the thought, once it crossed my mind, seemed rooted there. Ever present.

  “Ah, there she is.”

  At the statement, I was pulled from my thoughts and noticed Councilman Jones relaxing in a lounge chair in the lobby. He was a short, heavyset man with thinning salt and pepper hair. I veered off my path towards him, since he was one of the men I would need to see today.

  “Sorry for the delay, I was seeing my sister off,” I murmured, eyeing the heavyset man.

  He nodded, struggling to rise from his seat. I could almost hear his bones creak with the effort, while I kept my face neutral. “Ah, right. That was today.”

  “Yes.”

  He cleared his throat before he tactfully changed the subject. “Follow me, please.”

  “Of course.”

  Upon reaching the office we were going to be meeting in, he was completely winded. It was hard to keep my disgust to myself, people were starving all across their settlement and they were overgorging themselves.

  Back when they had first settled on the planet, they realized early on how much more expensive it was than they had estimated. Without hesitation, the leader at the time sent all non-essentials to the outlying territory to forge their own way, effectively abandoning them to their deaths. Only they hadn’t just died. Someone had been able to cross breed some of our original plantlife with the native species and it kept them from starvation. Upon learning that there was a way to cultivate the native foods by cross-breeding it with our own, the Settlement reached out, regaining control with militarized force.

  The system was set up so most would fail—especially if they got sick. And while I somewhat blamed our financial situation on myself, part of me recognized that it wasn’t because I wasn’t slaving away.

  I learned early on that everyone was replaceable. Except for those in power. What the councilmen didn’t realize was that they’d given me a tiny sliver of it when they came to me looking for a potential woman dumb enough or rather desperate enough to go along with their scheme. But I was desperate and almost out of options. Still, it didn’t mean I had to be stupid about it and not make sure I had everything I needed to go through with their plans.