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Chapter Text

Predator, Predator 2, Predators, The Predator, Alien, Aliens, Alien 3, Alien: Resurrection, Prometheus, Alien: Covenant, AVP: Alien Vs. Predator, AVPR: Alien Vs. Predator Requiem.

Chapter 1

*The Beginning: 15 years ago*

Leaving Earth and joining the hunters seemed like the logical thing to do, the right thing to do. Now the decision just seems stupid and vain. What made me think that I could match the ways of these half-savages? What did I hope to prove myself? What made me think I could live by their laws — much less gain their respect?

Lost in the woods after losing sight of her parents she was alone and fearful, blue eyes and long black hair she was only 8, trying to find her way she tripped and fell. Luna was looking around noticing the moon was full and close, she remembered her parents talking about how it was the Hunter’s moon. 

For some reason she kept looking at the moon feeling relaxed, suddenly though out of nowhere she saw something moving around her. It was quick and she couldn’t make out the shape, noticing it had a long tail and it was whipping around violently.

Without warning the thing was about to pounce on her but was shot down and there was a huge explosion, covering her ears she curled up. The Hunter/Yautja scanned the area and approached her, he could see she was fearful, kneeling down he powered off his shoulder cannon and reached his hand out.

Opening her eyes and slowly moving her hands she set them down, now face to face with a mask of what looked like a man. Glancing at what he was doing she was uncertain to reach out, but did it and felt as he gently helped her up. With clicks he remained kneeling, following after they walked together towards a bright light that faded and there in the distance she noticed a man standing there with a cloak and was really tall, coming closer she saw his face.

Luna felt scared and pulled back feeling the man next to her stop, realizing these aren’t just any ordinary humans or people, but they were aliens. Approaching closer she saw his mandibles and heard his clicks, he looked towards Luna and the young Hunter beside her. Hiding behind him Luna felt relieved that the thing in front of her wasn’t showing any threat to harm her and that’s where it began.

*Present time: 15 years later* 

Luna was trained in combat and taught how to survive on her own at a young age, having to go through intense training she gradually began to learn and know the Yautja’s. Teaching her how to communicate with them and how she could understand what their process was, everything they did she could understand. Luna (Luar-ke) was looked after by the leader also known as ‘the Elder’ he taught her how to carry herself as a Huntress but as a superior.

That was the summary of Luna (Luar-ke) currently she was the best Huntress and only among the Hunter’s to earn the title as a Monarch bestowed by the Elder himself. Long hair going down her lower back, with a toned body she had battle scars and carried marks of prestige. Everyone respected her and even showed courtesy, this wasn’t the life she expected to have though. Since that night so many years ago she wanted to see her parents again, hoping to have the opportunity to do so.

Everyday of her young life she was trained in hunting and how to use the weapons of the Yautja’s in battles and war, with the Alien’s/Xenomorph’s, a war that has gone on for centuries between the two races, it was always the Hunter’s who came out on top. Having her fair share of battles like the other’s she was without emotion, in every battle she unleashed her full strength. Pleasing the Elder who looked to her to eventually take over and be in equal position with the Elder. 

Currently she was sharpening her Sacrificial dagger, her biceps and forearms had scars that were new and old, thanks to the Yautja’s she was able to persevere and handle the Xenomorph’s in battle, since their mouth/mouths had acid that can burn through anything. So she was taught how to avoid their most fatal attacks and what they would do in order to get a killing blow, during a close encounter.

*After some Time*

She was getting on her armor and sliding in her dagger, she wore a leather top she made herself under but her abdomen showed and thighs. Getting on her Bio-helmet and body armor she took her time, followed by Wristblades and prepared her Plasmacaster. The Bio-helmet she wore was gold in color, the quills (Dreadlocks, or simply dreads, also known as braids, tresses, Flesh-braids, or “predlocks,”) were long and connected to her wrist gauntlet. 

There was the sound of footsteps not too far coming close and it was her mate, he was the most recognized Hunter among the other Hunter’s, Gahn’tha-cte (Ruthless). He was protective of her, if any of the other Yautja come near her he gets possessive, sometimes she hates when he is like that so she knocks some sense into him. Always going to the Elder who always backs her up when she needs it, she has many that want to protect her since of course she was the Monarch now, the Elder sends his highly trained guards sometimes when she goes on missions.

Luna didn’t like that much, she didn’t have much freedom but did, for example when she is out and doing something or is somewhere, or on a mission they go with her, two or three at a time and she can’t shake them off, understanding that the Elder and her mate are looking after her, but she feels she can be on her own and doesn’t need protection, the next mission would be on earth. 

In a way Luna was excited, this would be the perfect time so slip away, being on the ship and only having 8 years of her life she wants to find her parents. First she would have to get the Elder and her mate to leave her for a good amount of time so she can sneak out. Deep down she didn’t want to take part in the war’s and battles, all she wanted was her family, to see them at least one more time. So she will take this chance and suffer if any consequences later.

*Arriving on earth in 30 minuets (human time)*

Preparing everything she made sure her weapons and armor were set, after awhile though she was ordered to head to the throne room, her mate had something else to do so she was able to lose him. The Elder would brief her on the mission since this particular mission mattered for both world’s, to eliminate the remaining Xenomorph’s. Other’s will join her in the hunt but everyone will divide off.

*The Mission Briefing*

“Grand Elder.”

*she bows*

“Luar-ke, when you go on this mission you will be carrying more than just what you’ve been so far, you’re the leader and this is a test to see if you qualify to lead the younger Hunter’s into battle, and I will send two of my personal guards with you no exceptions.”

*moving to stand up*

“But Grand Elder, I’ll be okay I don’t need them.” 

*she bowed*

Approaching her he reached his hand out touching her shoulder, moving to her arm.

“Remember I’m doing this so you’re safe, I trust you completely, but you mean so much to the Yautja’s and mean so much to me, I couldn’t bear it if anything happened to you.” 

Pulling her in for a hug a tear slipped out, knowing that later she will regret what she’s about to do, but she plans to handle it discreetly.

“We’ve landed, you’re dismissed.” 

*she bows*

Turning to leave she made her way down the halls looking for an opportunity, but turning down this one hall she ran into her mate Gahn’tha-cte. Curious he turned his head to the side and back at her with a few clicks, knowing that she can’t get passed him she decided to distract him.

Touching his chest plate and abdomen she took her bio-helmet off and kissed his mask, it was long but sweet, in return he moved his arms around her, “my love be safe out there.” He told her and she enjoyed the feeling of being held by him, having only mated about five times their bond grew stronger, well his connection to her did after intercourse, he was standing by her side 24/7 and if not it was only for a few hours but then it was almost a whole day.

He was getting better with it though, after parting off she decided to take another way, noting that they were back in the same area on the same night she went with the Yautja’s. So her parents could potentially be here, if not she will look through the internet and see if their are any missing person’s report about her. If there is she can get the number and call them. Having plans to reunite with them, but she would have to be stealthy. 

So she was observing where she can slip out of, finally catching onto a blind spot she made sure the coast was clear and slipped away from the rest.

Being as silent as possible she made a beeline for the woods, heading the direction she believes is the right way, she was running but using a cloaking device. Noticing that no one is following behind she felt at ease, switching to thermal vision, along with the seven different frequencies she was able to maneuver through the desolated woods. 

Scanning the area there was no heat signatures or sign of anyone, so she kept moving while also stopping each tile in different area’s. After awhile she noticed not too far, three heat signatures, they were on a road that they pulled over on. One seemed to be very sick, thinking she could bargain with them if they let her borrow their phone or a laptop it could workout in her favor.

Taking off her bio-helmet and hiding it away in some bushes she was attempting to hide away her shoulder cannon and dagger along with her wrist blades. Thinking it was good enough she walked out, since she was human they probably wouldn’t freak out, the only thing she had from her parents was a crescent moon necklace. So if there is a missing person’s report she would have to look for that.

“Hello excuse me I need your help.” She said moving with caution and being non-threatening, the male came forward “who are you? Why do you look like that?” She looked at herself and back at him smiling, “it’s a long story, so listen I need to borrow your phone and computer to see if there was a missing person’s report on someone named Luna Knight.” The female then came forward, “that sounds familiar, so wait are you that missing girl that was gone for 15 years? That Luna?” She asked and she gave a nod.

Coming to a realization she still has the paper report that was put up with a number, “I think I still have the paper somewhere, hold up.” Watching as she was digging through the glovebox she pulled out a folded up piece of paper handing it to her. “Here, and I didn’t notice this before, but the necklace is the same.” Looking it over thinking how to read English again she was able to make out the numbers.

“Thank you for helping me with this, I see that you’re son is sick, here give him this, it’ll help him, once again thank you.” She bowed and they just smiled, giving her a phone she called the number.

*The Phone Conversation*

“Hello?” 

“Yes, hello?”

“Momma is that you? It’s Luna, Luna Knight,”

“Luna?! Oh my god what happened to you? Where are you.” 

“I’m okay, I still have the moon necklace around my neck you gave me with your initials and dad’s.”

Hearing her tear up was painful, it struck her deep.

“Listen let dad know I said hi, and I’m sorry to both of you for making you worry, things got complicated and I can’t tell you, but I’ll see you soon, for now I have to go though.”

“Wait why?”

“It’s a long story momma, but yeah let dad know.”

“Okay, but he’s currently doing his duty, remember how he’s in the Army?” 

“Yeah I do, I’ll see you guys soon, but for now I have to go.” 

“Wait!… write down this address really quick, come home when you can.” 

So she was handed a pen and began to write it down.

“Got it, see you soon.”

*Phone conversation ends*

“Thank you for your kindness, it seems he is looking better, farewell.”

Making her way back to the trees she picked up her helmet and put it on, looking back one last time as they tend to their son she smiled. The journey back to the ship would be awhile, hopefully there would be no suspicion on her leaving, but she can’t get her family involved or human’s. Unknown to her though she was watched by Gahn’tha-cte, catching all of it he would have it so he can tell the Elder, but first he wanted to make himself known.

When Luna wrote down the address she had an extra paper, sliding the real one in her bra she slid the fake one in her thigh. After running for a bit she paused to catch her breath, but suddenly out of nowhere there was a loud thud and it was him. Now in front of her he came closer, with clicks he was wondering what she was doing, “hey, I was just gathering intel, we should get back to the ship.” Putting his arm up to block her she went back to standing in front of him.

“Why are you doing this?” She asked, and only felt him pull her closer to him, he said: I know what you were up to, you wrote something down that the human’s told you, what was it?” 

“Why?” And with that he reached for her thigh, pulling out the paper he looked at what was on it, it was a thank you for saving the young boy back there.

“Yes I saved a human and gave him something, you happy now!!” She pushed him away and he grabbed her again.

“I’m sorry my love, but you know we’re not suppose to have contact with human’s, you’re heart is in the right place but do you have any idea how risky it is?”

Understanding his viewpoint she apologized, “I won’t tell the Elder but don’t do anything like that again.” 

“How about you back off before I snap, you got that?! She walked passed him and was ignoring him, he followed and caught up.

“Don’t be mad.” 

“I’m not just mad I’m furious and I’m trying so hard not to be.”

Walking back to the ship it was quiet, they held hands though, she allowed it after he kept making her feel bad for hitting him.

“Your mission went well?” The Elder asked.

Both bowed in response, “yes grand Elder.” She said.

Dismissing them and sending them back first, they made their way through the halls ending up in the armor and weapons room. She started to strip everything off and he gave her privacy, once she had the address written down she tried to remember it. Deciding to input it in her tracking device she locked it and hid it, coming back out she saw him standing there. 

Taking his hand they left together back to their room while the young Hunter’s finished what they were doing, it was an exhausting night but it was all worth it. At least they know she’s okay and that’s all that matters.

*To be Continued*

Chapter Text

Chapter 2: Shadows Of The Hunt

The hum of the Yautja ship’s engines was a low, constant vibration in the walls of Luna’s quarters. It should have been comforting—proof that she was among her people, safe—but tonight it felt like the sound of a cage.

Her armor lay neatly on its rack, cleaned and polished. Her Sacrificial dagger glinted faintly in the dim light. She sat cross-legged on the floor, still in her leather under-armor, running her fingers over the crescent moon pendant. The metal was warm from her skin, a small reminder of a life that had been hers long before titles, hunts, and battles.

She had memorized the address from earlier, turning it over in her mind until it burned itself into her memory. The false paper was still tucked away in her thigh pouch—just in case Gahn’tha-cte tried to check again.

A soft click-click came from the doorway.

Her mate leaned against the frame, his tall silhouette blocking the hall light. “You are thinking too much,” he said in his deep, rumbling voice.

“I’m planning,” she corrected, standing up slowly. “We still have the mission ahead. I’ll be ready.”

He studied her through the narrow lenses of his mask, the small tilt of his head telling her he didn’t believe her. “The Elder will expect results. And I—” his tone shifted slightly, the protective edge returning—“I expect you to keep your word about staying away from the humans.”

She stepped closer, her voice low but firm. “And I expect you to stop watching me like I’m some prey you’re tracking.”

The tension between them was thick, the air charged with challenge. He didn’t back down, but he also didn’t press further. Instead, he gestured toward the corridor. “The younger hunters await you in the training hall. The Elder wants you to test them before we deploy.”

————————-

Training Hall

The smell of metal, sweat, and oiled weapons filled the air. Young Yautja warriors lined up in two rows, armor gleaming, bio-masks on. Their eyes—hidden behind their lenses—were locked on her.

Luna stepped into the center of the hall, her voice carrying authority. “Today we hunt in pairs. I want speed, coordination, and precision. Hesitate, and you’re dead.”

They began their drills, and she moved through them like a shadow, correcting stances, blocking blows, and striking with controlled force. Her movements were smooth, the product of years of discipline, but her mind kept drifting to the address. To her parents. To Earth.

One of the young hunters—a bold male with crimson armor—lunged too hard, his swing aimed at her head. Luna ducked and swept his legs from under him in one motion, her dagger at his throat before he hit the floor.

“Control,” she said sharply. “You are not fighting Xenomorphs here. You are fighting to learn.”

The others stood straighter after that.

———————-

Later – Briefing Chamber

The Elder’s voice echoed through the chamber. “The nest is hidden deep within human ruins. The infestation must be cleansed before it spreads. Luar-ke, you will lead the assault unit. Your mate will command the flanking team. Move quickly, kill cleanly.”

She bowed, feeling Gahn’tha-cte’s gaze on her from across the room.

They would be on Earth again soon. This time, she thought, she would find a way to break away for longer.

Even if it meant risking everything.

———————

Night Before Deployment

Alone in her quarters, Luna activated her tracking device. A small blinking icon marked the location of her parents’ address. She memorized the surrounding terrain. The hunt tomorrow would take them close—close enough that she could vanish for a short while without being noticed.

At least… she hoped.

A quiet click-click came from outside her door. She froze.

“Luar-ke,” Gahn’tha-cte’s voice rumbled. “May I enter?”

She hid the tracker under her armor before answering. “Yes.”

He stepped inside, but instead of questioning her, he offered a small, carved bone pendant—the kind given before a dangerous hunt. “For protection,” he said simply.

She took it, feeling the weight of his loyalty… and the danger of betraying it.

Tomorrow, the hunt would begin. And so would her real mission.

To be continued…

Chapter Text

Chapter 3 – The Hunt and the Snare

The drop ship rattled as it cut through Earth’s atmosphere, the hull glowing faintly from re-entry. Inside, Luna sat strapped in, Bio-helmet on, her tracking device humming quietly beneath her armor. The location of her parents was only a handful of miles from the designated hunting ground.

Perfect.

Gahn’tha-cte sat across from her, silent, but his gaze locked on her every movement. His posture was relaxed, but she knew better—he was watching for any sign she’d break her promise.

The Elder’s voice came over the comm-link from the main ship.

“Luar-ke. Gahn’tha-cte. Clear the nest quickly. Do not linger.”

She clicked in acknowledgment, already running her plan in her mind: clear her section, signal the others to sweep the opposite flank, then slip away under cloak.

——————-

The Hunt

The ruins were smothered in vines and shadows, old human stone swallowed by time. Her team moved like ghosts—wristblades drawn, plasmacasters primed. The first Xenomorph burst from the darkness, hissing, acid saliva sizzling on the ground.

Luna pivoted, firing her shoulder cannon—one shot through its skull. Her hunters fanned out, clearing corridors with practiced speed. Every kill was precise, efficient.

When the last echo of Xenomorph screeches faded, she signaled the younger hunters to sweep deeper into the ruins. “Take the northern flank,” she ordered. “I’ll check the southern tunnels for stragglers.”

They obeyed without question.

As soon as they were out of sight, she activated her cloak and slipped into the tree line beyond the ruins, heading toward the coordinates in her tracker.

———————

The Shadow

Branches whipped past her as she moved fast but silent. The forest air was thick with the scent of wet earth—and something else.

She froze, switching to thermal vision.

Another heat signature. Tall. Broad. Too close.

Her heart kicked.

“Why are you running from your own hunt, Luar-ke?”

Gahn’tha-cte’s deep voice came from behind her, the cloaking shimmer revealing him as he deactivated it. His mask tilted slightly, as if amused—and furious all at once.

“I told you I was sweeping the tunnels,” she shot back.

“You told me a story,” he countered, stepping forward until she felt the heat of his chest armor against her back. “Do you think I wouldn’t notice you heading away from the nest?”

She turned to face him, chin lifted. “Maybe I’m tired of being watched like I’m a weakling.”

He growled low in his throat, mandibles twitching. “Or maybe you need to be reminded who you belong to.”

———————

The Punishment

Before she could reply, he pulled her sharply against him, his grip bruising on her hip. His mask was gone in seconds, his eyes locked on hers. The forest around them blurred—only the sound of his growls and her own quickened breath remained.

“You run,” he said, voice deep and rough, “I catch you. And when I catch you… I claim you.”

It wasn’t tenderness. It was dominance—a punishment wrapped in heat. She could feel the restrained anger in every movement, the possessive need to reassert control. And despite herself, despite the fury still burning in her chest, she met him in equal force.

The world narrowed to tangled limbs, armor pushed aside, and the thrum of adrenaline mixing with something far more primal.

When it was over, they stood breathing hard, her hands still gripping his shoulders, his mandibles brushing her cheek.

“This isn’t over,” she said, voice low.

“No,” he agreed, mask clicking back into place. “It’s just beginning.”

————————

Return to the Hunt

They made their way back to the ruins without speaking. The younger hunters had nearly finished the sweep, unaware of what had transpired in the forest.

But Luna’s plan wasn’t dead—it was delayed.

She still had the address. She still had the tracker. And next time… she wouldn’t be followed.

To be continued…

Chapter Text

Chapter 4 – Homecoming and Hellfire

The hunt was over—or so the Elder believed. The final sweep of the ruins had yielded nothing but acid burns in the dirt and the stench of dead Xenomorphs. Luna returned to the ship with the others, mask hiding the restless glint in her eyes.

That night, while the others celebrated the victory with the roaring clatter of Yautja boasts, she slipped away.

Her mate was absent—called to report directly to the Elder—which bought her the time she needed. She retrieved her tracking device, activated her cloak, and made for the landing bay. The guards were distracted with weapon maintenance; one careful jump into the darkness beyond the ship, and she was gone.

———————

The Journey

The forest seemed quieter than before, the only sound the thump of her boots against damp earth. She kept her thermal vision active, scanning for heat signatures as she navigated the human roads in the distance.

Her tracker’s blinking icon drew her closer and closer until—there.

A modest two-story house sat at the edge of a sleepy street, porch light casting a warm circle onto the steps.

Her pulse pounded harder than it had in any hunt.

———————-

The Door

She knocked softly.

The door opened, and a woman stood there—older now, hair streaked with gray, but those eyes… those were the same warm brown eyes from her earliest memories.

“Luna?” her mother whispered, voice trembling.

“Hi, Momma,” Luna said, her voice cracking on the word.

The woman didn’t hesitate. She threw her arms around Luna, sobbing into her shoulder. A moment later, a man appeared in the doorway, tall, still strong despite the lines on his face. His eyes widened as if he’d seen a ghost.

“Dad,” she breathed.

And then she was wrapped in both of them, their warmth chasing away fifteen years of cold hunts and alien laws.

————————

The Bond

They sat in the kitchen for hours, the moonlight spilling in through the curtains. Her mother fussed over her, making tea and placing it in front of her like she was still eight years old. Her father listened quietly, hand over hers.

She told them pieces of the truth—training, survival, a new life among “others” she couldn’t fully explain. She left out the blood, the battles, the alien politics. They didn’t need that shadow over them.

They showed her old photographs, stories of what had happened after she vanished. How they’d searched, how they’d refused to declare her dead even when everyone else did.

And for the first time in years, Luna laughed—really laughed.

———————-

The Shadow Returns

It started as a faint vibration under her feet. A sound she knew too well: a low, clicking hiss, distant but closing.

Her smile faded instantly.

Her father noticed. “Luna? What is it?”

She rose from the table, eyes scanning the window. Through thermal vision, the street outside was empty—until a shape slithered into view. Tall. Sleek. Wrong.

A Xenomorph.

And it wasn’t alone.

Somehow, some had survived the ruins and followed her trail here.

———————

The Attack

Glass shattered as the first one slammed into the living room, its screech filling the air. Luna shoved her parents toward the kitchen door.

“Go! Out the back! Don’t stop!” she ordered, already sliding her wristblades into place.

Her mother’s terrified voice broke. “Luna—”

“GO!”

They ran, and Luna turned to face the intruder. Her blades flashed as she slashed upward, catching its jaw before its inner mouth could strike. Acid splattered the wall, burning through wood.

Another screech from outside—two more.

She activated her shoulder cannon, the familiar hum cutting through the chaos. A blast ripped through the second alien just as it lunged through the broken window.

But the third was fast. Too fast.

It crashed into her, knocking her into the wall, claws scraping across her armor. She roared, driving her dagger up under its ribcage, twisting until it collapsed in a heap.

———————-

The Aftermath

The house was ruined—walls scorched, floor smoking from acid burns.

Her parents stood in the yard, holding each other, eyes wide with shock. She stepped out, blood—alien and her own—spattered across her armor.

Her father was the first to speak. “What… what was that?”

She met his gaze, her voice steady but low. “The reason I can’t stay. Not yet.”

Her mother shook her head, tears streaking her face. “You just got here.”

“I’ll come back,” Luna promised, gripping the crescent moon pendant. “But if I stay now, they’ll find you again.”

In the distance, a familiar shimmering distortion appeared in the trees—her mate’s cloak flickering as he approached. He must have tracked her.

Her parents didn’t see him.

But she did.

And she knew this was only the beginning of the danger she’d brought home.

To be continued…

Chapter Text

Chapter 5 – Lines in the Sand

The shimmer in the treeline resolved into the hulking, armored form of Gahn’tha-cte as he deactivated his cloak. His towering shadow stretched across the ruined yard, the low hum of his breathing audible even through the forest stillness.

Her parents stiffened at the sight of him. Her father instinctively stepped between him and Luna, his stance protective despite the clear difference in size and power.

“Dad,” Luna said quickly, stepping forward, “it’s okay.”

Her father didn’t lower his guard. “Who—what—is that?”

Gahn’tha-cte’s mask tilted toward the man, mandibles clicking once, then to Luna. “These are your humans?”

“They’re my family,” she said firmly, meeting his gaze.

He didn’t move closer. He simply stood there, observing—silent, but his presence filled the space like an unspoken warning. His posture wasn’t aggressive, yet it was clear to everyone here that if harm came toward her, he would unleash violence without hesitation.

Her mother’s voice was barely a whisper. “You… know him?”

“Yes,” Luna replied. “He’s… important to me.”

Gahn’tha-cte’s head tilted slightly at that, a faint vibration of a growl in his chest.

———————-

The Elder’s Call

Her wrist gauntlet vibrated. She glanced down—an incoming transmission from the Elder. She hesitated, then answered.

“Luar-ke,” the Elder’s voice rumbled through the comms. “Reports have reached me of your presence among humans.”

She froze, expecting the heavy weight of reprimand. But instead, his tone remained calm. “Your record of service is strong. You have earned my trust. However… you must know that your actions will draw attention.”

“I understand, Grand Elder,” she said quietly.

“I will remain neutral—for now,” he said. “But I sense a greater danger near your location. Be ready.”

The line went dead.

———————-

The Danger Arrives

A sound cut through the night—low, echoing hisses. Not one. Many.

Luna’s blood ran cold.

Gahn’tha-cte turned sharply toward the forest. His thermal scan lit up with multiple heat signatures moving fast. “Hive,” he said flatly.

Her father gripped her arm. “Is that… what attacked the house before?”

“Yes,” she said, already pulling her mask into place. “And this time, there’s more.”

———————

The Fight

The first Xenomorph burst from the treeline, claws outstretched. Luna’s shoulder cannon fired instantly, the blast tearing through its torso. Behind it, six more poured forward, screeches shattering the air.

“Get inside!” she barked to her parents.

But her father didn’t move. He grabbed an old shotgun from inside the doorway, snapping shells into place. “Not leaving you alone, kiddo.”

Her mother, hands trembling, armed herself with a fire axe from the garage.

Gahn’tha-cte gave a sharp, approving click before charging into the fray, wristblades flashing. He moved like a storm—cutting, smashing, ripping through the Xenomorphs with raw precision. Luna fought at his side, blades striking in perfect sync with his.

A screech from above—two Xenomorphs clinging to the roof. Her father fired, blasting one off. The other leapt, only to be intercepted mid-air by Gahn’tha-cte’s outstretched claws.

Acid hissed on the ground, burning through concrete. Luna danced back from the splash, her heart hammering as another lunged for her mother. She sprinted, driving her dagger into its throat before it could strike.

Minutes felt like hours, but finally, the yard fell silent save for the hiss of acid on grass. The ground was littered with steaming corpses.

————————

Aftermath and Intimacy

Her parents were shaken but alive. She made them retreat inside while she and Gahn’tha-cte disposed of the bodies, dragging them far into the forest to burn.

When they returned, he lingered outside with her under the pale glow of the porch light.

“You are reckless,” he said quietly, removing his mask. His eyes searched hers—not in anger, but in something far more vulnerable. “If I had been one minute later—”

“You weren’t,” she interrupted softly.

For a long moment, neither spoke. Then he stepped closer, tilting his forehead until it touched hers, his mandibles brushing her cheeks. The closeness was grounding—steady in a way the chaos of battle never could be.

“You fight like a Monarch,” he murmured. “But you make me fear like a mate.”

Her breath caught. She rested her hand against his chest plate, feeling the steady thrum beneath. “I’m still here.”

His claws curled lightly against her back. “Stay that way,” he said.

And for that brief moment, with danger still smoldering in the trees, she let herself sink into the quiet strength of his hold.

To be continued…

Chapter Text

Chapter 6 – Shadows Beyond the Stars

The days that followed the brutal skirmish near her parents’ homestead carried a strange rhythm—half warmth, half tension. The hive had been driven back, its drones burned into blackened husks, but Luna could feel the weight of the silence left behind. The Xenomorphs never truly retreated. They reformed. They adapted. And they always came back.

For now, though, the danger seemed to rest on the horizon.

Her mother, weary yet stubborn, was seated on the porch shelling beans while Gahn’tha-cte sat nearby, his massive frame awkwardly folded into a crouch so as not to loom like a predator. He spoke little, but every once in a while, his mandibles clicked softly—an unconscious mimic of the rhythm her mother’s hands made as they worked.

Her father had been the more difficult one. He’d challenged Gahn’tha-cte the moment the hunt was over, testing him with pointed questions about Luna’s safety, his intentions, and whether Yautja even understood the word love. But over shared repairs to the damaged outer fence—and a long, tense silence broken only by the hum of Gahn’tha-cte’s wrist tools—there was a shift. They weren’t friends, not yet. But her father had stopped glaring at him like a trespassing wolf.

Luna drank in these moments greedily, almost convincing herself she could have both worlds.

But the quiet didn’t last.

——————-

The First Sign

It started as a low hum beneath the ground—too steady for wind, too alien for any of the native creatures. The trackers on Gahn’tha-cte’s gauntlet lit up in warning glyphs.

“They’ve reformed,” he told her, voice a rumble she could feel through her bones. “And they’ve marked this place. Your bloodline is prey.”

Her parents, overhearing, stiffened but said nothing. Her mother’s hands trembled only once before she returned to her work. Her father’s jaw set like stone.

Within hours, the air smelled faintly of acid and ash. Small creatures fled the nearby brush. And in the distance, a new hive’s structure began to glisten against the treeline, an obscene monument that hadn’t been there the day before.

———————

The Choice

Luna didn’t hesitate.

“They’ll come for you first. We’re leaving.”

Her parents argued—especially her father, who hated the idea of stepping onto a Yautja ship—but the truth was undeniable. Staying meant being slaughtered in their sleep.

The walk to the landing zone was tense, her parents flanked by towering hunters who appeared out of thin air in flashes of active camouflage. The elders had been informed, though their presence was absent—for now.

Gahn’tha-cte kept close to Luna, his arm brushing hers, his claws subtly angled outward in constant readiness. It was not a possessive gesture but a defensive one—a silent promise he would not fail her or her family.

——————-

Aboard the Huntship

The moment her parents stepped inside, the air shifted. Yautja warriors looked on in curiosity and faint disdain. Her mother’s eyes darted to the towering trophies mounted to the walls—skulls of beasts that made horses and cattle look like ants.

Her father’s mouth tightened.

“This is what you call home?”

Luna braced for a fight, but Gahn’tha-cte intervened.

“It is where I survive,” he said evenly. “Where she survives.”

There were no more words after that.

——————-

The Hive Follows

It should have been a retreat. It became a chase.

From the ship’s rear viewports, Luna saw them—Xenomorphs clinging to spore-covered spires jutting from an asteroid’s surface, then leaping into the void with unnatural grace, riding the gravitational pull of their hive toward the fleeing vessel.

The hive wasn’t simply defending its ground. It was pursuing. Off-world.

Inside the ship, Yautja warriors roared battle-prep calls. Weapons racks clattered open. And for the first time, Luna’s parents saw her move with the pack—her armor locking into place, her hands tightening over the grips of her plasma caster.

Her mother’s voice was soft, almost reverent:

“She’s not our little girl anymore.”

Gahn’tha-cte glanced at her parents, then at Luna. “No,” he said quietly. “She’s more.”

The battle would begin in minutes.

*To Be Continued*

Chapter Text

Chapter 7 – Blood in the Stars

The Yautja warship drifted in low orbit above a fractured moon, its hull glinting with the faint shimmer of distant starlight. Inside, the hum of alien engines and the faint hiss of temperature regulators filled the corridors with an almost oppressive silence. Luna could feel it in her bones—the calm before the storm.

Her parents sat in the central observation chamber, dwarfed by the looming walls and tall alien warriors passing them without a word. They still looked uncomfortable in this place—foreign air, alien gravity, the constant scent of ozone and burnt metal—but Luna could see the subtle changes. They weren’t shrinking away anymore.

She glanced at Gahn’tha-cte beside her. The towering Yautja warrior was a wall of muscle and armor, but his eyes—those predatory, heat-sensing eyes—kept drifting toward her in quiet vigilance. He was ready. He was always ready.

“Your parents… they are uneasy,” he rumbled in his native tongue.

“They’ve never been this far from home,” Luna replied softly, her voice tight. “Never seen this much death in the sky.”

A sharp clack of metal on metal drew their attention. The Elder had entered the chamber, his massive figure wrapped in ceremonial armor. He didn’t need to speak to command respect—his mere presence sent lesser warriors stepping aside. He regarded Luna with a measured look, then shifted his gaze to her parents.

“They are strong,” the Elder said finally. “And they are yours. That is enough for me.”

Luna blinked, unsure if that was his way of offering acceptance. But before she could respond, the ship shuddered violently. An alarm—deep and resonant—echoed through the halls.

“They’ve found us,” Gahn’tha-cte growled, his mandibles flaring.

The tactical display flared to life on the chamber’s wall, showing a swarm of red heat signatures approaching the ship from the fractured moon’s surface. The hive had come for her. Again.

“Get them to safety,” Luna said to her mate.

“No,” Gahn’tha-cte countered, his voice low and dangerous. “We fight together. All of us.”

Within minutes, the Yautja warriors were armed and deploying into the hangar. Luna’s parents stood frozen as weapons racks slid open, revealing rows of serrated spears, plasma casters, and blades that shimmered under the ship’s light.

“You… you’re really going out there?” her father asked, his voice wavering.

“Yes,” Luna said firmly, strapping on her own hybrid armor. “And so are you—at least to the safe sector. But you’re going to see what I’ve been fighting for.”

The battle began before the landing bay doors even finished opening. The first wave of Xenomorphs leapt into the hangar, shrieking, their bodies gleaming wet under the alien light. Yautja warriors roared in response, the clash of metal, plasma, and claw echoing through the chamber.

Luna’s blood was already singing. She fought with precision and fury—each movement a calculated strike, each kill a statement. Her parents, shoved into the protective alcove by Gahn’tha-cte, could only watch as their daughter cut through the monsters like she’d been born for it.

But then—it appeared.

The hive leader.

It was larger than any she had seen before, its crest jagged and asymmetrical, its obsidian body lined with scars. It didn’t rush her. It watched her, the same way a predator sizes up prey it has no intention of killing immediately. And in that unblinking stare, Luna felt something cold settle in her gut.

Gahn’tha-cte roared and stepped in front of her, his combi-stick snapping open, but the creature’s focus didn’t waver. It hissed, low and drawn-out—almost like a voice.

“You… are mine,” it seemed to say, though no sound in the human sense escaped its maw.

The Elder stepped forward, plasma caster humming at his shoulder. “It wants you,” he said, his voice unreadable. “Not dead. Taken.”

Luna’s hands tightened on her blades. “Then it’s going to be disappointed.”

What followed was chaos. The Yautja warriors clashed with the incoming swarm, Luna weaving through their ranks to meet the hive leader head-on. Gahn’tha-cte fought at her side, his strikes protective yet vicious, spilling acidic blood across the deck.

Her parents, watching from the safety barrier, saw the truth in that moment—not just that their daughter could fight, but that this alien beside her would die to protect her.

The hive leader lunged, catching Luna in its tail’s grip and slamming her into the wall. Pain exploded in her ribs, but before it could drag her away, Gahn’tha-cte was on it, his combi-stick driving deep into the beast’s chest. Acid hissed against his armor, eating through the plating, but he didn’t let go until the creature screeched and released her.

The battle lasted hours. When the final Xenomorph fell, the ship’s floor was slick with blood—black and green alike.

Gahn’tha-cte found her leaning against the wall, catching her breath. He touched his forehead to hers in the Yautja gesture of deep connection, his voice quiet so only she could hear.

“You are more than prey,” he murmured. “You are my equal.”

And somewhere behind them, the Elder watched… but said nothing.

*To Be Continued*

Chapter Text

Chapter 8 – The Hive’s Claim

The aftermath of battle left the Yautja ship scarred and heavy with tension. Luna’s body ached in places she hadn’t known could hurt, but it was the shadows in her mind that weighed most. The hive leader’s gaze haunted her, its silent promise echoing louder than any roar.

In the quiet of her chamber, she peeled off armor plates, each clang sounding like a reminder—she was marked. Not just by the wounds on her skin, but by something darker, something ancient.

Gahn’tha-cte entered without announcement, the usual armor replaced by a simpler robe-like garment. His eyes held a storm—fury, concern, and something deeper.

“You wear their mark,” he said softly, voice rough. “It is no ordinary hunt.”

Luna nodded, fingers trembling. “It wants me alive. For what, I don’t know.”

His claws curled into fists. “Then we must be ready to kill it before it claims you.”

But before they could speak further, a ripple in the comms system drew them to the Elder’s chamber.

—————

The Elder’s Offer

The Grand Elder sat in his throne, his bio-mask removed to reveal eyes gleaming with a fierce intelligence. “The Hive has chosen you,” he said, voice low and slow. “This is an honor, but also a curse.”

Luna’s gaze sharpened. “Chosen? Why? What do they want from me?”

The Elder’s hands folded. “Their fixation is old—woven through the shadow of our wars. You are not just a Huntress. You carry a bloodline that speaks to their ancient instincts.”

He paused, then added, “And because of this… I would propose an alliance.”

Luna’s brow furrowed. “An alliance?”

“Yes.” The Elder’s eyes flickered to Gahn’tha-cte. “You, Luna, must become more than just Monarch. You must bind yourself to me as mate.”

The words struck like a blow.

“No,” she said immediately, stepping back. “I’m already bound—to Gahn’tha-cte.”

The Elder’s gaze was steady, unyielding. “You do not understand what this means. To accept is to wield power beyond your reckoning. To reject it may bring ruin.”

——————-

The Hive’s Return

Before Luna could respond, alarms screamed through the halls. The hive leader was coming back—this time with reinforcements unlike any before.

Gahn’tha-cte grabbed her arm, voice fierce. “We fight. Together.”

Her parents appeared, faces pale but resolute, standing behind the warriors readying weapons.

The battle was brutal. The hive’s onslaught was relentless, but Luna fought with new fire, wielding her strength, fury, and will against the terror stalking her. Gahn’tha-cte was at her side, a living storm of claws and rage.

Yet through it all, the Elder’s words echoed in her mind—a dangerous promise that might change everything.

*More To Come*