LYRA I came to the stars to stop being ordinary. I didn't expect to crash-land on a planet that wants me dead in about a dozen different ways before breakfast. Xylos-Vra is nothing like the sterile world I left behind. Its forests glow beneath twin suns, its predators hunt by instinct, and the ancient planet seems to have a life of its own. And then there's the alien who finds me. Kaelen-Thul is terrifying. Arrogant. Built like something out of a fever dream I never asked for. He's the Huntmaster of the Oru-Ka, a warrior sworn to protect his people from the dangers lurking beyond their borders. He should have left me to the wild. Instead, he takes me home. The longer I remain among his people, the more I begin to realise that Xylos-Vra might not be the prison I thought it was. Somewhere between the arguments, the danger, and the impossible attraction between us, the Nest begins to feel like the first place I've ever truly belonged. But the bond tying Kaelen and me together is more than attraction. It's ancient. And whatever chose us may have its own reasons. KAELEN-THUL I am the Huntmaster. I protect my tribe. I defend our borders. I answer to the Alu'un and the ancient laws of our people. I have never allowed anything to become a weakness. Then the sky gave me a human. Lyra is small, stubborn, loud, reckless, and utterly unequipped for the world she has fallen into. She challenges every command I give her and questions everything she does not understand. She should have been a burden. Instead, the moment I find her, something inside me knows. Mine. I do not understand why the Alu'un would bind a human to me. I do not understand why her scent calms the beast beneath my skin, or why every instinct I possess demands that I protect her. But I know one thing. Anyone who threatens her will answer to me. And when the darkness beneath our world finally rises, I will have to choose between the duty that has shaped my entire life... and the woman who has become my home. The Huntmaster is a spicy alien romance filled with primal attraction, tension, yearning, fated mates, cultural clashes, survival, ancient secrets, and a fierce human heroine who refuses to be tamed. Perfect for fans of Avatar, Ice Planet Barbarians, and Ensnared. You’ll love The Huntmaster if you enjoy: Fated mates What is kiss? “Touch her & die” Human × Alien romance Size difference Cultural clashes Longing & yearning Semi-Slow-burn Alpha MMC Lovable side characters Sassy, stubborn FMC Warrior tribes & survival Primal play & Tail play Unique alien anatomy Found family Forced proximity Rich worldbuilding Ancient secrets & dangerous enemies An overarching series plot