My friends think I have the perfect relationship. But every time they tease me about my happily-ever-after with my alien, I have to force a smile. They don't know how badly I messed up my mating, how much of what they see is just Adak and I barely holding things together.

I think I love my mate, but I've been wrong before.

And when the sytos come for us, I might lose my chance to make it right.