Kaede
Kaede stood beside Selena, waiting in the hangar for the newcomers to arrive. He had teleported Selena into the ship with him as VYA had sealed the hole he had burned into the ceiling and covered the damage with sealant and nearby floating debris.
“Are you sure you’re okay with this?” Selena asked, glancing at him. “It’s your ship and you’re the pilot.”
“I am the commander of a crew of five—well, six if you include me.”
“You didn’t answer my question.”
“If you want honesty, then I’ll tell you right now that I don’t trust anyone other than Tori, perhaps, because she took you in.” He gripped her shoulders and stared directly into the ocean-colored eyes he loved so much. “I don’t want you to leave my sight. Not because I don’t trust you but because I don’t trust them. My instincts are telling me they’re a threat, and to forget about them and go. They are only coming aboard because you have too kind a heart and I don’t want you to live in regret, thinking that you could-have-would-have-should-havewith this group of people. They don’t deserve you, so I’m doing this for you. I will allow you to call the shots because I know I could neutralize all six of them in the blink of an eye if necessary.”
“How?”
Chuckling, he grinned. “One of my drones can teleport them off the ship into open space.”
“Of course, you figured out a way to do that.” She rolled her eyes. “What could you possibly do that would surprise me anymore?”
Kiss you.The words were on the tip of his tongue, but if he started, he was afraid he wouldn’t be able to stop.
Bickering disrupted the silence of the hangar bay when the group of passengers entered. The twins were arguing over whether Ryzen should go or stay, and why Xenak couldn’t go instead. As they got closer, the emerald twin won out and theishing fraxfumed against the wall, refusing to tell his brother goodbye.
Whatever.
Kaede was just glad Selena didn’t want to bring Xenak along. He would have ejected the male before they even left the solar system.
Each of Selena’s new ambassadors carried a bag, except for Zyxel, who was trailed by a large chest on self-driving wheels.
“What’s in the chest?” Kaede crossed his arms and eyed the storage unit.
“Research, medicine, extra seeds in case we’re allowed to start a greenhouse, and other useful things,” the healer replied, staring him down as if daring Kaede to challenge him to open it.
Kaede wasn’t in the mood to play games with the cocky male. All he wanted to do was to get off this rock as soon as possible.
He surveyed the group one last time and sighed, sending a prayer to the Stars above.
“Let’s pack up and leave!”
* * *
After showing the guests to their respective rooms, Kaede told them to remain there until they lifted off and it was safe for them to walk around.
Thankfully, no one challenged him.
“Selena, I want to show you the bridge,” he said, reaching for her hand. “That is, if you want?”
She blushed as she glanced at their enclosed hands and nodded. “I would like that.”
Smiling, Kaede felt relieved and giddy as he led her through the bridge’s doors. He wanted to show her what he had built and finally get some alone time with the female that had haunted every moment of his life since he had lain eyes on her.
He didn’t know if she remembered him giving her an Oetsae, but even if she didn’t, the revelation mattered—his words mattered.
He loved this female and would do anything to make her happy, even if it meant waiting until she was ready for another mate or transporting her newfound friends’ home with her.
At least most of the males were mated to Tori, so he didn’t need to make sure they weren’t bugging Selena. Her reaction to Zyxel’s confession was all the proof he needed to know that male would be trouble. There was no way Zyxel would become Selena’s mate before Kaede did.
Ryzen was a harder male to read. Even though he was humanoid, there was a clear division between him and his brother and Tori, Selena, and Kaede. He didn’t appear to harbor any interest in Selena other than her identity and perhaps her wellbeing. However, he was unmated, so Kaede couldn’t rule him out as a male trying to join Selena’s bed and clan. Kaede didn’t plan to take the choice away from Selena, but he would protect her rights, especially during this journey. Until they reached their galaxy’s borders, he would receive no updates from Oeta or his sisters.
“This is my bridge,” he announced. He directed her to his commander’s chair. “And this is where I sit to oversee the ship.”
