She wore the familiar uniform of a coalition fighter, the body armor easily disguising every one of her curves. Perhaps it was because she was my mate, or because she was so damn attractive, but I wanted her with a ferocity I’d never experienced before. I had to focus to listen to her conversation with the commander as visions of ripping her armor to shreds and exploring her curves with my tongue nearly overwhelmed me. She was all woman, and she was mine. Her dark hair was pulled back in some kind of snug ball at the back of her neck. I had to wonder what it would feel like tangled in my fingers as I tugged her head back for a kiss. Her skin was pale, so much fairer than mine or anyone else’s on Atlan. I doubted she reached more than my chin, but she was large for a female. She wasn’t delicate or dainty, but obviously brash and bold and sassy as hell. My inner beast loved all that fire and my cock wanted to taste it. The beast in me clawed to come out, toss her over my shoulder, and carry her away.
I knew any man who looked at her would be instantly attracted and I fought the primal urge to mark her with my scent, rub my skin and my seed all over her flesh to make sure every male who came close to her knew exactly who she belonged to. She was mine and I needed everyone to know it, including the stubborn female who, even now, was trying to figure out a way to rid herself of me. All I could think about was burying my cock inside her, and all she wanted was to force me to leave her side.
The challenge riled my beast in a way I had not anticipated, and I felt myself eager to taste her teeth and claws in the bedroom. How she’d ended up unmated until now was beyond me. How was it possible no male on Earth had desired her, or claimed her? It made me think that there was something wrong with that species of males. Human men must be idiots.
“I’m aware that he is your relation.” Commander Karter held up his hand as she was about to speak again. “I’m also aware that two of your brothers already died at the hands of the Hive. I’m sorry for your loss, but there is nothing I can do.”
Two brothers died at the hands of the Hive? That explained quite a bit. How many more brothers did she have? Were Earth families close like they were on Atlan? Was there a kinship, a love, between siblings that drove her need to rescue him? If this was the case, I understood, for I had one brother as well. If he were captured, I too would try to rescue him. But she was female and my mate. If she needed to know her brother was safe, I would take care of it for her.
I grumbled and both she and her commander turned to me.
“I will go after her brother. It was my interference that led to his capture.”
I shouldn’t be impressed by her warrior abilities, the tactical skill I’d witnessed on that freighter. Females didn’t fight. They placated, soothed, nurtured. They weren’t stupid; in fact, quite the opposite. A female was the only one who could tame her mate’s inner beast and that took keen intelligence. The initial mating fever was depleted by the bonding, but the beast’s unpredictable rage never truly went away. Our mates knew how to soothe the angst that raged within, often silently. I had never known such a level of anger and rage as when she was in grave danger.
I wanted to protect her, fuck her, care for her. But Sarah Mills didn’t want a mate and she didn’t seem like much of a soother. So, I would win her heart the only way I could, by getting her brother back for her.
The commander leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms over his massive chest. Were I human, I may have been intimidated, but I was Atlan, and even larger than the Prillon warrior glaring at me now. I welcomed his ire, happy to redirect his irritation away from my mate. “You are another problem entirely, Warlord Dax. What the hell are you doing in my sector without authorization?”
“I came for my mate.”
“I’m a warrior, not a mate. I told the bride program that. I’m sorry you didn’t get the memo.” She looked at the commander. “Can you assign me to a squadron that is perhaps at least fighting in an area around their closest integration center?”
“Do you want to be captured and turned into a cyborg?” I asked, my voice loud in the small room. She refused to relent and I refused to leave without her. I couldn’t. While the cuffs were not on her wrists—yet—I would not abandon my mate. She was mine and I would protect her—even from herself—with my life.
She rolled her eyes. “No, but I have to save my brother.”
“No, you do not. I shall retrieve him for you.”
She opened her mouth, her gaze spitting fire, but the commander rose from his seat and slammed his hand down on his desk. “Neither one of you is going into Hive territory to rescue a dead man. Captain Mills, your brother is dead. If they didn’t kill him outright, he’s been integrated into their Hive mind, his body altered with synthetic technology we will be unable to remove. He is dead. I’m sorry. The answer is no.”