Follow the conclusion of the Champions of Aaru storyline as the warrior Bet-Nawa faces the greatest challenge of his career: finding love with a halfbreed who rejects her Lexar heritage.

Bet-Nawa has never encountered an enemy he couldn't defeat. When a partnership between the human alliance and the Lexar leads to new marines boarding their vessel, he's surprised to find one of their commanders is half-Lexar herself. The pull to her is powerful and demanding—outmatched only by her disdain for their people.

A traumatic childhood took Svetlana from one foster home to the next until one human family finally gave her a chance. Her birth records, as well as the truth of her background, are sealed behind military confidentiality. When her new duties land her aboard the Exemplar leading a squad of highly trained Marines, Svetlana knows the top brass chose her for her Lexar blood.

If working alongside the Lexar is hell, an assignment with the hottest warrior she's ever met may be heaven. With his presence alone, Bet-Nawa awakens urges Svetlana has never dared to embrace. Together, they're an unstoppable force against an immovable object. She won't give in; he won't give up.