I refused to respond. I would not encourage her recklessness.
“Marz, I didn’t come all the way across the universe to hide while you and Vance put yourselves at risk. This is my home now. You’re my family. Let me help save it.”
“No.” I took a deep breath, trying to rein in my horror at the idea. “You’re not trained for combat. The storm is unlike anything we’ve ever seen. We could be ambushed by Hive. You would not survive five minutes out there if we come under attack.” My voice was louder than I’d intended, and the pain in her eyes was like a knife twisting in my chest. But that wasn’t what threatened to break me. No. It was the hurt and betrayal coming through our mating collars. Somehow, I’d broken her trust.
I pleaded with her to understand. “Our primary duty is to protect you, mate. Care for you. I can’t do that out in the storm. It’s too dangerous.”
Rowan turned to Vance, desperation lining her features. “Vance,” she said, her voice softer but still insistent. “Please. Make him see reason. I’m not some helpless Earth girl who needs protecting. I’m a scientist. I probably know more about what’s under the surface than anyone at Base 3. All your mining teams, your geologists, are at the other bases. Rachel admitted as much. The transporters aren’t working. I’m all you’ve got. If there’s a way to stabilize the energy fields, or redirect the storm’s path, maybe I can find it. But I need to be out there to do it.”
Vance’s expression softened, and for a moment, I worried that he might side with her. He reached out and took her hands, his touch gentle. “Rowan,” he murmured, his voice thick with emotion. “You mean too much to us.” He glanced at me, his jaw tightening as he turned back to her. “We cannot risk losing you.”
Without another word, he pulled her under the mistletoe, and to my surprise, he kissed her. It was different from the kiss I’d given her—gentler, a sweet kind of longing. I saw the way his hands cradled her face, the way he kissed her as though trying to savor every second of the moment. It wasn’t a kiss of possession or desperation. It was a kiss of farewell, even if he wasn’t prepared to say it aloud.
When Vance finally pulled back, his forehead rested against hers for a brief moment “You mean too much to us,” he repeated softly, his thumb brushing over her cheek. “We are nothing. You are everything. No, mate. We cannot allow you to risk yourself.”
Rowan’s gaze flitted between us, her frustration palpable. “You’re both being ridiculous,” she snapped, taking a step back from Vance and folding her arms across her chest. “I’m not some fragile doll you need to lock away for safekeeping. If you won’t let me come, then I’ll go to the governor and get his approval. I know he’ll listen to me.”
Her words struck me like a physical blow, and a surge of anger flared hot in my chest. I closed the distance between us in two long strides, my hand gripping her arm. “You will not,” I growled, the words coming out harsher than I’d intended. “You’re not going anywhere.”
Before she could argue, I captured her mouth in a kiss that was hard and desperate, a fierce claim filled with all the emotions I couldn’t control. There was no gentleness in me. It was rough, possessive, my lips crashing against hers with a need that bordered on madness. I could feel her resistance falter, thesoft gasp that escaped her as she yielded to the kiss, but it wasn’t enough to calm the fury thrumming through me.
When I finally broke away, we were both breathing hard. Her eyes blazed with defiance, her cheeks flushed with a mixture of anger and something else. “Marz,” she said, her voice trembling slightly. “You can’t just order me around like this. I’m not a soldier.”
“No,” I said, my voice low and rough. “You’re my mate. And I’m not going to let you get yourself killed.” Our mate did not yet understand what I was willing to do to protect her. If I had to fuck her into submission, I would. She. Was. Mine.
Perhaps it was time to make sure she understood exactly what that meant.
10
Marz
I wasfoolish to hope my stubborn female would give up her irrational thoughts of placing herself in danger with just my words.
Her eyes softened, but there was still a stubborn glint there. “You don’t own me, Marz. If there’s a chance to help save this place—save all of us—I’m going to take it.”
“No, you will not,” Vance interjected, his tone firm. He exchanged a look with me, his silent agreement there. We would both lay down our lives to protect her, even if it meant keeping her here against her will.
Rowan’s lips pressed into a thin line, her gaze flicking between us as though she were trying to decide whether to argue further or not. Her hands clenched at her sides, and I could see the hurt behind her eyes.
For a moment, the three of us stood there in silence, the air thick with tension, with the scent of her arousal and the warmth of our mingled breaths. The twinkling lights from the tree seemed to mock the heaviness of the moment, their cheerfulglow contrasting sharply with the reality of what awaited us outside.
Finally, Rowan let out a frustrated breath, her shoulders sagging. “If anything happens to either of you out there...” Her voice cracked, and she looked away, blinking rapidly. “I’ll kill you myself.”
I reached out, my fingers brushing her cheek, and she leaned into the touch despite the frustration I felt through our collars. “We’ll come back to you.”
Vance stepped forward, placing a hand on her shoulder. “We’re yours, mate,” he said gently. “It is our duty and our right to protect and care for you. We can handle the storm.”
The defiance hadn’t completely left her eyes and a dark part of me welcomed the challenge. The defiance.
The chance to push her, force her to submit.
“I don’t want to lose you,” she whispered. “Either of you.”
I inhaled. Deep. Pulled the scent of her into my body. Tasted her on my tongue. “You’re wet, mate.” I stepped forward, trapping her between me and Vance as I pulled my cock free from my armored pants.
Rowan’s gaze darted to the hand I had wrapped around the base of my hard length. She licked her lips. “I am?”
“We can smell your pussy, mate.” I towered over her, gave her nowhere to run. “We’re going to fuck you now.”
