Nikhil(71)

Paul swung his feet to the floor, took a deep breath, and thought for a moment before responding. "Good."

"How's Craig doing?" he asked standing.

"He needs, at least a few more hours in the repair unit. I will contact someone to escort you back to your area and bring someone else back."

"Are you okay with that, Paul," Mac asked rising to stand by him.

"Yeah, I’ll see who wants to go next."

Entering the outer room, they saw Blag rising from the repair unit. Apparently it had completed healing him.

"Blag, are you ready to return to your people?" Luol asked.

"Yes," Blag responded shortly.

"I checked with General Treyvon and was informed he contacted your Minister."

"Minister Klueh?!!" Blag spat. "That means my Ashe still does not know I am alive."

"You don't believe Klueh contacted her?" Luol couldn't hide his shock.

"Of course not. I am not Kaliszian, just a species that lives within your Empire." With that, Blag turned and walked away.

∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞

Nikhil was enraged, his fist leaving an impression in the solid steel door of the medical unit that he was locked out of. He'd nearly drawn his blade on Onp when he learned his Mackenzie was no longer where he'd left her. Now he was unable to enter where she was, and heads would roll for it. He lifted his fist to pound again when the door suddenly slid open.

"Nikhil." Luol took a step back allowing the enraged warrior to enter.

"Where is she?" Nikhil growled threateningly.

"Mackenzie is in my office sitting with the human called Eric while he uses the educator."

"She isn't supposed to be here. She is supposed to be where I left her. Where she is safe."

"I'm safe here," Mac announced, walking out of Luol's office hearing Nikhil's words.

"Mackenzie," he breathed. Shouldering his way passed Luol, he pulled her into his arms needing to feel her in them, needing to know she was safe.

"I'm fine, Nikhil." She rested her hands on his chest and was surprised at how hard his heart was pounding. He'd really been worried. "I'm really okay, Nikhil."

"Goddess, Mackenzie." He lowered his head to capture her lips for a quick, hard kiss. "Don't do that to me again. I've only just found you."

"But wouldn't you have known if I was in trouble?" She pulled back slightly. "Because I wear your True Mate bead."

"But I don't wear yours," Nikhil admitted hoarsely.

"What?" She gave him a confused look. "But the educator said the bead connected us."

"That's what happens when the beads are exchanged," Luol said softly from behind Nikhil. "As you have no True Mate bead to give Nikhil, the connection is not complete."

"Nikhil?" She looked up at him questioningly.

"I have to touch the bead you wear to know your condition," he admitted.

"Why didn't you tell me that?" she asked.

"I hadn't had the chance to and..."

"And?"

"And I hoped, that given enough time, the full bond would still form."

"I see." She pushed against his chest putting some space between them. "So you lied to me."

"I did not lie to you, Mackenzie," he instantly denied.

"You just didn't tell me the truth." This time, she shoved hard against his chest and as his arms fell away, she moved out of his embrace. "That's not going to work for me, Nikhil. If I can't trust in you, believe in you, and have you tell me what I need to know, then this," she grabbed her hair that held his bead and it swung out as if it meant to return to him, "is meaningless."

"Don't say that!" Nikhil exclaimed. The heart in his chest that had just begun to settle started pounding even harder than before.

"Why not? It's the truth!" Mac felt her heart break at the devastated look on Nikhil's face. He thought she couldn't feel his pain because he didn't wear her True Mate bead but he was wrong. He'd touched her soul with how gently and carefully he had cleansed her, and how he kept putting her needs first. But none of that mattered if he wasn't honest with her.

"You are my True Mate, Mackenzie," he told her reaching for her again, but she stepped farther away, and he slowly dropped his arms.

"Yes, but you might not be mine since you don't wear my bead and that's what you didn't want to tell me, isn't it?"

"I... yes... some might see it that way," he reluctantly admitted, "but I don't. We have bonded, Mackenzie. I don't need a bead to tell me that. I feel you here." He touched his chest where his heart was still pounding so hard that it seemed to be trying to fly to her, knowing it was safe in her care.