The Prillon male raised a brow, no hint of amusement or enjoyment on his face as he looked at my fallen mate. “Not today, Warlord. Not today.”
6
The Beast, Medical Treatment Cell
The Prillon warrior I’d served for years, the male who had forced me to make a terrible choice, sat next to the medical table I woke upon. Multiple heavy straps crisscrossed my torso, arms, and legs. I knew from prior experience that not even a Hive enhanced Atlan warlord could break them.
I knew because I’d watched this Prillon torture more than one for information.
Sometimes I’d helped, when the dirty work became too much for Kovo to stomach.
“Why here?” I asked.
Doctor Helion, Intelligence Core commander and overall pain in my ass blinked slowly as if confused by my questions. “What the fuck wereyouthinking, Kovo?”
“Not Kovo.”
“A mate?”
Oh, yes. Adrian. I could still smell her on my skin. “Mine.”
“Fucking idiot.” Helion snapped to his feet like he’d been hit with a jolt of electrical current and began to pace next to my bed. “This changes nothing. Mate or no mate, you will be executed in a few hours.”
“No.”
“Yes.”
“Mate. No fever.”
“It’s too late, Kovo. Too fucking late.” The Prillon grabbed the chair he’d been sitting in and hurled it against the wall in a fit of rage. I had never seen him lose his temper. “Gods be damned, Kovo. You know what’s at stake. Nothing can change. All you’ve done is ensure Adrian Davis will grieve when you die. That innocent young female will suffer when she shouldneverhave been involved.” He walked to the chair where it lay on its side and kicked it. “Fuck. I have too many stains on my soul already.”
“Mine.” The fault was mine. I’d fought Kovo to be free. He knew the consequences of our actions, of our choice. He’d tried to deny me, the beast, the primal monster more instinct than male. “My choice.”
“A reckless choice.” Moving slowly, deliberately, he picked up the chair and brought it back to its original location near my head. He sat once more, outwardly cold as ice, and looked at me. “Beasts. You have no idea how many hours I have wasted trying to decide if you are all more trouble than you are worth.”
“Battle.” Nothing could stand before a fully armed group of raging beasts on a battlefield. At least nothing I’d ever seen.
“Yes. Which is why you are all treated like fucking kings, if you live long enough.”
I turned my head and made a point of looking around. “Great castle.”
“Indeed.” He sighed, leaned back and crossed his arms over his chest. He wore black and gray battle armor typical of fighters in the Coalition Fleet. I wondered where he had come from in such a hurry that he had not changed into the standard doctor’s uniform he often wore when in civilian areas.
I had always assumed he wore the green to camouflage the fact that he was every bit as much a killer as any beast. Wouldn’t do to make people any more nervous than they already were when they had to deal with him.
“Kovo, this mission was simple. You volunteered.”
“Not Kovo.”
He narrowed his eyes and leaned forward to loom over me until our noses nearly touched. “Listen to me, beast. You are not separate. It’s not in your nature. Kovo agreed to this. There is no going back. I came down here to make sure you understand what I am telling you. I am sorry you found your mate. I really am. But it changes nothing. You either break her heart or…” He leaned back again, sentence unfinished.
He didn’t need to tell me what was going to happen. I knew.
I knew…and I regretted what I had done. Adrian was a worthy female. Beautiful. Soft. Perfect. She did not deserve the pain my death was going to cause her. I had lost control. Plain and simple. Now my mate would pay the price.
Fuck.
I closed my eyes and sank back inside Kovo. He fought his way to the surface, the change back to male at record speed. He was furious. In pain. Just like I was.
