Silence.
“Where is the Hive base?” If I could discover the location of that base, I could use the details Oberon had acquired to ensure the Coalition could destroy it completely, from the inside out. Block all entrances and exits. Make damn sure there were no survivors. Especially not the Nexus unit who must be imbedded there. The base was huge, more like a Hive city than a military station. I’d never seen anything like it.
Fuck that. I had no idea such places even existed.
Oberon remained silent. Nothing more I could do but wait and watch as Doctor Mersan reversed the action of the ReGen wand—yet again—and began the process of healing him.
The door slid open next to me. I ignored it. No doubt Elite Hunter Kayn was here to bother me with this bride business. Perhaps the female in question had arrived in the transport room. We would make her comfortable and send her on her way.
I didn’t have a fucking Interstellar Bride. Didn’t want one. The day after my brother’s death, all those years ago, I ordered the warden on the ship to delete me from the matching protocol’s database. Whatever female had been sent—I had no doubt she would be lovely—was not mine. Would never be mine. I didn’t want a fucking mate. One more life to be responsible for? One more person to fail? No. Fuck that. The weight on my shoulders was more than heavy enough without adding an innocent female whose heart I would break. No, not break, destroy.
Like I’d destroyed Catherine’s.
“Hello, gentlemen.” A female walked into the room. Gods be damned, she was fucking beautiful. Long, golden hair had been pulled back into an intricate braid decorated with ribbon. I immediately wanted to free her hair so I could wrap the strands around my fist and hold her still for my kiss. She had full, ripe breasts, and hips made to cradle a male’s body. She wore a floor length dress fit for a queen. Dark blue, it hugged every curve from breast to feet, the fabric clinging to her hips and thighs as she moved. She looked softeverywhere.
Both gown and female had no business being on this ship.
Immobilized by shock at her presence, I stared. Her shoulders were bare, the skin smooth. My gaze wandered to the swell of her breasts over the top of her bodice. My cock filled with fire as my mind panicked.
This was my bride? No. This could not be.
I realized a significant amount of time had passed. I glanced at Oberon to find the fucker as transfixed, and shocked, as I. He held her gaze, dared look at her. If there had been a hint of lust or disrespect on his face, I would have killed him and found my answers another way. As he had proven the last few days, when he chose, it was as if his face were carved from stone.
She turned to face me.
Fuck.
Blue eyes the color of gemstones held my gaze without fear. Those eyes wiped every fucking thought from my mind. Every. One.
“Zarren.” She smiled at me. She fucking smiled. Why would she do that? How did she know my name? I never used that name. Did she not know who I was?WhatI was? “You are even more handsome in person. I knew you would be.” She stepped toward me. I tried to step back, forgot I was already against the wall, and stumbled to the side. Which made her frown, just a little, a tiny burrow appearing between her brows.
Even as I realized this was much more the reaction I was used to, I mourned the loss of that innocent happiness focused on me.
Elite Hunter Kayn stepped into the doorway and looked at me. He shrugged before I could ask. “Lady Helion ordered us to bring her here and allow her entry.”
“I see.” Fuck. Everyone on this small ship would know by now. Lady Helion. They would all believe she was truly mine. By Prillon law, unless we were in combat or military exercise, she outranked everyone on this ship in domestic matters, except me.
My mate—if indeed that’s what she was—placed a hand on my forearm and beamed at me. Gods help me, did this female have zero sense of self-preservation? No one touched me. Ever. The warmth of the female’s hand on my arm set off another explosion in my cock. I imagined her hand wrapped around my length, pulling me closer, begging me to take her.
Fuck. No.
Never.
I had the weight of billions of lives on my shoulders, I could not afford tolovea single one of them. Emotion made my job unbearable.
Still as a statue, I had no idea what to do. I did not touch others. I definitely did not touch small, delicate females, doubly true when they were this beautiful—and breakable.
She should not be touching my arm. She should not trust me not to hurt her. I was not—nor would I ever be—her mate and protector.
No. No fucking mate. This was a mistake. I wasn’t even in the system. How had this stunning human female been misled into believing she was mine? I didn’t have a second. Never felt the need to ask another warrior to stand with me when I had no intention of needing anyone’s help to protect and care for a mate I would never have. This was madness.
Oberon Arcas, the fucking bastard, burst into laughter. I ignored him to focus on Mersan. Perhaps the doctor would have useful advice.
Doctor Mersan watched the entire scene with what appeared to be complete shock. He looked as uncomfortable as I felt. Not one word passed his lips. Nor Kayn’s, nor Warlord Razmus’s.
Only my prisoner dared make a sound. He would pay for his laughter later. Once the lady was so far away she could not hear him scream.
Unfortunately, the sound of his amusement drew the female’s attention and she spun around to face the other two males in the room. One, my prisoner. The other, Doctor Mersan, a brutal and efficient warrior, equally as dangerous as I.
