Alien Indulgence: Grimalkin Beasts, #1

By Sophie Stern

Apollo isn't planning on taking a wife.

Ever.

He hasn't told anyone about this decision, but he knows that marriage just isn't in the cards for him. He'll have to figure out a way to help his brothers find brides because they can't wait around for him to take a wife.

And then he meets Kate.

Stealing his cousin's bride was never part of his plan, but Apollo goes full monster when he sees her. He takes her, claiming her as his own, and hauls her off to his home in the woods of Grimalkin.

But Kate isn't everything that she sees. The curvy redhead with the cutest freckles he's ever seen in his life has a secret.

And Apollo plans to find out what it is.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Sophie Stern
• Release date: May 30, 2023
• ISBN: 9798223864523

Book preview

Apollo isn't planning on taking a wife.

Ever.

He hasn't told anyone about this decision, but he knows that marriage just isn't in the cards for him. He'll have to figure out a way to help his brothers find brides because they can't wait around for him to take a wife.

And then he meets Kate.

Stealing his cousin's bride was never part of his plan, but Apollo goes full monster when he sees her. He takes her, claiming her as his own, and hauls her off to his home in the woods of Grimalkin.

But Kate isn't everything that she sees. The curvy redhead with the cutest freckles he's ever seen in his life has a secret.

And Apollo plans to find out what it is.

1

Kate

The trouble with aliens is that they’re unpredictable assholes.

At least, that’s certainly been my experience as a Grimalkin bride. I arrived on the planet less than 24 hours ago and while I kind of expected that I was going to meet my groom, I didn’t expect to have a different – much more handsome – alien come haul me away.

Nope.

That wasn’t really in the cards.

Where are you taking me? My voice wobbles a little because he’s hauling ass out of the dating agency office and hurrying down the road. I’m trying to balance the basket I’m carrying with the tiniest, sweetest little kitten in it.

And I’m trying to accept the fact that I’m now married.

To an alien.

Me.

I’m just some normal girl.

Ordinary.

Plain.

Simple.

There’s nothing particularly special about me except for the fact that I’m now living on another planet and I’m no longer single.

I don’t know where this guy is going to take me or what he plans to do with me. Literally all I know is that he’s got some sort of weird thing for redheads because here I am...being taken.

I want to be upset.

Really, I do.

I know logically that I should be angry that this man just stole away my chances to have a fast and easy marriage with the other guy. Leo. Apollo’s cousin. He snatched me up when I was supposed to be getting married to the other dude, but now I’m married to him.

And although I’m not terrible upset about it, I’m currently being hauled off to who knows where.

Home, he says.

So, that’s something.

Home.

Not my home, though. I close my eyes to keep myself from feeling dizzy. I’m upside down over his shoulder, so everything seems a little wonky. I might still be jet-lagged from the trip, too. I’m not really sure. All I know is that I’m uncomfortable and I’m tired, but I keep telling myself that everything is going to be fine.

After all, everything happens for a reason. At least, that’s what my mom used to always say. The little kitten in the basket I’m carrying looks up at me, but doesn’t meow. She’s silent. I need to name her, I realize. She doesn’t have a name.

Somehow, I find my voice and speak to Apollo.

Where’s your home?

Close.

How close?

You ask many questions, human.

Right. Because I’m not a Grimalkin. I’m not from here.

Then again, most women aren’t.

It’s my understanding that most of the women on Grimalkin are human, like me. That’s why there’s a whole setup with the dating agency. People from this planet can basically mail-order themselves a bride and end up with someone like me.

If you need a thick, curvy redhead with freckles and a penchant for the weird and wacky, then you get me.

Apparently, that’s what this guy wanted.

Why did you choose me? I find myself asking him. This is probably a dangerous question, but I really do want to know. What could have possibly gotten this dude to think that marrying me was a good idea?

You’re mine, he responds.

Yeah, I got that point. Want to tell me why?

Because you’re my mate.

Mate.

It sounds romantic and sweet: far too wonderful for a girl like me. Little Orphan Kate who needed a new adventure and decided to see the world isn’t cool enough for a guy like Apollo.

And oh, he’s definitely something else.

The idea of being Apollo’s mate has my insides screaming with happiness. There’s zero chance that this is going to turn out well for me in any capacity, and I’m aware of this, but that doesn’t mean I’m not delighted to have him describe me in this way.

And he smells good.

I need to stop thinking about him at all and just acknowledge that my situation is quickly spiraling into something very weird and potentially unsafe, but all I can think about is how he smells.

I can’t even describe it. It’s not quite woodsy or outdoorsy, but...

Well, he smells like spring.

And that makes me happy.

Why do you think I’m your mate?

You are.

Is there like, something you use to indicate that? Because I think I was supposed to marry that other guy. Only, now I’m married to Apollo. I probably shouldn’t have agreed to such a fast change. Maybe I should have insisted that I marry the man who was designated as my future husband, but how could I resist someone who has so much passion?

My cousin can live without you, he says gruffly, proving my point. I cannot.

He’s so different from Earth guys. I think if an Earth man said something like that, people would label him as a stalker.

Somehow, for Apollo, it works.

What makes you say that?

You ask many questions, human.

Kate, I tell him quietly. My name is Kate.

I don’t really mind that he’s calling me human. In fact, I kind of like it. I’m only telling him my name because I love the way it sounds rolling off his tongue and I want to hear him say it again.

Kate.

Kate.

Kate.

I know your name, Kate.

There it is.

Something deep inside me seems to suddenly lock into place. It’s like my heart is finally making room to dare to believe that this could work. All of this could work out.

So, I’m not marrying the alien I planned on marrying. That’s okay. I can be married to this one instead, right? I don’t think he’s going to murder me. I’m not really sure why I don’t think that. It’s just a feeling that I have.

And I know your name.

He turns, and I open my eyes again. The ground has turned from stone to grass. Are we in a field? I want to look around.

Can you set me down? I can walk, I tell him.

He pauses, and for a second, I think he’s going to refuse, but he doesn’t. Instead, he sets me down on my feet so I’m facing him, and I stare up at the big, green