Her hair was long and golden and her eyes were wide and fearful. In just her slip, her skin was creamy and smooth, just like Queen Leah’s. And she was small. So very small. How had she fought against the dead man…and won?
Gunnar was right. Our mate was far from meek. And she did not look impressed with the small army of Viken warriors below her. Leah was the only female among us, the only one our mate might trust.
Chapter Five
Rolf
Sophia didn’t move, didn’t even blink as the Queen shouted up into the tree.
“Listen, Sophia. I know you’re from New York. Antonelli? Italian, right? I’m Leah Adams, from Miami. I’m from Earth, too. I walked away from cheeseburgers and bad TV to come here. Actually, I had an abusive and controlling asshole fiancé. Perhaps Warden Egara mentioned me after your testing? I was the first mate matched to Viken and I got the three kings. They’re identical triplets.” She angled her head to Lev. “They’re all hot like him.”
She paused, let the words sink in. Sophia did not respond. Leah stepped forward and held her hands out at her sides, imploring our mate to come down.
“Your mates are here. They were frantic for you. They found you and they’ve been sitting here, guarding you. Waiting for me to introduce you. Don’t be afraid of them. They’re the good guys, I promise. You can come down now. They’ll protect you. No matter what happened after your transport, you’re safe. Gunnar, Erik and Rolf are your matched mates.”
I moved to stand beside Gunnar and Erik so Sophia could see the three of us together.
“Yes, they’re big brutes,” Leah continued, huffing out a laugh. “But they’re yours. They won’t hurt you. Right, guys?”
We nodded in unison and watched as Leah scooted around the trunk. Sophia sat there, her fingers gripping the rough bark. She looked at each of us in turn, and my cock grew hard as she looked into my eyes for the first time. I saw longing there, and fear. Her gaze lingered on Erik’s long brown hair before shifting to Gunnar.
She froze and her eyes widened, growing darker, but not with fear. I’d seen many women react to Gunnar in exactly the same way. With desire.
“Come down, sweetie. I promise you, you’re safe now,” Leah insisted, her voice soothing.
Gunnar handed me his ion blaster, stepped forward and held out his hand to our mate. “Come down now, Sophia. You’re safe. I am Gunnar, your mate. And I give you my solemn vow, no one will ever hurt you again.”
We waited. Impatiently.
“I…can’t.” Sophia’s voice was soft, timid. Tired. The small sound made my heart clench in my chest.
“They won’t hurt you,” Leah repeated. “No one here will hurt you. If I know your mates, no one will hurt you ever again.”
I heard Gunnar grunt.
“I’m not afraid of you, at least not anymore,” Sophia continued, and she stared down into Gunnar’s upturned face. “I can’t climb down. My muscles are frozen and stiff. I’ll fall.”
I didn’t wait then, but stalked over to the base of the tree and began to climb. Sophia’s eyes widened the closer I got to her, but she didn’t move. When I stood on a lower branch and we were at eye level with each other, I smiled.
“Hello, beautiful. I’m Rolf, your mate.”
She offered a small smile. Gods, she was lovely. This close I saw that her hair was actually a mix of colors, light brown and red strands mixed in with the masses of gold. Her skin was soft and creamy, the swells of her breasts visible beneath the thin slip of cloth she wore. Her lips were a pale pink and her soft brown eyes looked up at me with a stark loneliness I understood all too well. When I held out my hand, she placed her smaller one in mine and that slight touch made me burn to taste her, to wrap her in my arms and keep her safe from the world. The heat of it, the connection, had her meeting my gaze, wide eyed.
Nodding once, perhaps telling her that I felt it, too, I then glanced down at the others, a good twenty feet below. No wonder she was scared. She was a tiny thing and had a crowd of big men beneath her. And a long way to fall.
“You’ve had quite the day. What do you say I help you from this tree and we go far, far from here? Where there’s a bath and food. Some clean clothes. Gunnar and Erik want to meet you, too.” I was the soother of the three of us. I’d never appreciated that mantle before, but now, I was thrilled. I would be the one to coax our mate into my arms, into our protection, once and for all.
“All right.”
Her hand was so small in mine, I could not wait to discover what I would feel pressing her body to mine, tasting her. Thrusting my cock into her eager core and listening to her soft cries of pleasure.