“Satisfied?” I asked Councilor Bertok.
He pursed his thin lips, but nodded and returned to his seat. He could do nothing else and he knew it. I’d met his requirement, although he had most likely expected me to strip her bare and shackle her in chains. The old fark.
The crisis was averted and yet the cost was solely heaped upon Eva. She kept her head down throughout the remainder of the meeting. She was, no doubt, embarrassed and very angry. While I focused on the agenda at hand, I monitored Eva carefully, assessing she was comfortable. While I was high councilor, I was also her mate and she was my top priority. I had committed myself to my role my entire life. It was time to commit myself to Eva.
As I brought the meeting to a close, one of the head guards ducked into the tent. By the urgency on his face, the sweat that dripped from his brow, something was wrong.
“High councilor, there has been an accident. Several are dead and we have injuries.”
* * *
It was possible I’d been more embarrassed when Goran had watched Tark fuck me, but it had been eased by arousal and ultimately an amazing orgasm. Being forced to sit on the raised platform beside Tark, not as his equal, but clearly as his… woman, or worse, a chained pet, was beyond mortifying. While he hadn’t actually tied me up, handcuffed me, or shackled me as that awful Bertok had wanted, I had been truly trapped. The chain attached to the nipple rings had kept me by the pole just the same. Tark was being considerate, but I was bound nonetheless. I’d fumed over it for the first few minutes of the meeting, but then realized my mate was doing his job.
Variation in custom occurred across Trion as well and Tark had to meet these differences of the councilors. Instead of shackling me, he’d devised a way for me to subjugate myself while providing me some dignity. I knew Tark’s strength and he could easily remove the pole from the sand as quickly as he’d placed it.
It had been the look in the men’s eyes that kept my head lowered, that made me feel inferior, not Tark. I didn’t want to see the leers, the arousal, the eagerness, even the curiosity that I’d seen when I first came into the tent. I only wanted Tark’s gaze on me. I liked it when I saw his eyes flare with heat. I liked knowing he was eager for me, that his curiosity rivaled mine for him. I didn’t mind any of it with Tark because I’d brought that about and I felt powerful, not slutty.
Was this what he had been trying to prevent by keeping me in seclusion? I’d hated the feeling of being hidden, kept from everyone else around me. I wasn’t used to it, but now I knew why. Outpost Nine was… uncomfortable, even for Tark. He’d had to make accommodations of his personal beliefs, his customs and convictions with the other councilors—it was obvious now with Bertok and a few of his followers—and I would have to compromise with mine. I’d been outspoken and he had spanked me to teach me the laws of the land. I was fortunate I’d been chastised before now, for I had learned to hold my tongue. If I hadn’t, surely Tark would have been forced to spank me in front of the entire council. His position not only as my mate, but as high councilor, would demand it. He’d talked about the palace, the city where he lived. Fortunately, our stay in this encampment was temporary.
But when the guard came in sharing the news of an accident, I didn’t want to keep my head down or remain hidden. I wanted to do my job.
Tark stood immediately and yanked the pole from the sand, releasing me from my pseudo-confinement. I jumped to my feet. Tark grabbed my arm and dragged me toward Goran.
“Take her to the harem.”
As Goran nodded, I said, “No! I might be able to help.”
The room had broken out into pandemonium. Everyone was talking at once, many leaving the tent with guards surrounding them.
“You mean your medical training?” Tark asked, his voice pitched low so only Goran and I could hear.
I nodded. “Besides, we don’t know if the accident was truly that or some kind of attack.”
Tark’s jaw clenched, but he was considering. He hadn’t said no yet. I didn’t want to be sent back to the harem, twiddling my thumbs and idly letting the world pass me by. Someone might die if I didn’t help and that went against everything inside of me.
“Consider that it could be a distraction to steer everyone from the harem,” I added. “You must admit there are many who do not like me. Hurting me means hurting you.”
Tark didn’t like my comments, but I could see he knew them to be a very distinct possibility.
“Please, Tark,” I begged. “I am of more value to this planet, to you as high councilor, to you as a mate than just a breeder. You may think me a murderer, but I am skilled at what I do. Let me help.”