Before I could even scream at Deek to stop, he’d lunged at Engel. The older man was knocked to the floor and Deek literally jumped on top of him, arm raised to punch him. Or worse.
I screamed, but it was mixed in with the shouts of surprise from the others.
Dax stepped forward and grabbed Deek’s raised arm. But Deek was enraged, and it took four more of the waiting warriors to restrain him.
“Deek!” he shouted, using all of his Atlan warlord strength to tug him off Engel Steen. “Get control of your beast. Now!” Dax turned to me. “Tiffani! Get over here and help us!”
I ran to Deek’s side and placed my hand on the sides of his waist, wrapping my arms around him so he would know I was near. It seemed to help, but I knew if the others released him, he would once more lunge for the councilor.
“Gods, that man has lost control. The fever has made him a madman!” Engel was lying on his back on the floor, his arms raised to defend himself. A small cut was on his brow, but I had no idea how he’d gotten it since Deek hadn’t actually punched him.
Tia dropped to her knees beside her father, worry on her face, but looked to Deek with a mixture of horror and sadness. “This can’t be happening.” Her gaze drifted to mine and I stared her down, daring her to repeat the nonsense about Deek not being mine. He was mine. Mine!
Dax stood between Deek and Engel, pushing Deek back with all of his strength.
I didn’t care about Engel, only for Deek. The beast seethed and raged. Sweat dripped from his face and his eyes. God, his eyes were wild. My Deek was no longer there, only the beast.
“Deek,” Dax said. “Commander.”
Deek growled at the last, trying to break past the beast to find his voice.
“Commander,” Dax repeated. “Stand down.”
“Mine,” Deek growled. “Mate.”
The beast did not like the idea of me not actually being his mate. While it made me feel good to know the beast was so adamant about me belonging to him, I knew this little interlude meant trouble for Deek.
“That warlord has lost all control!” Engel shouted. “You saw him. You saw what he did.”
He spoke to the guests and they nodded their heads, watching as Deek still fought for control over his beast. The mating fever was known by all and easily recognized. Hell, I’d been on Atlan a week and I knew what it looked like.
The guests started to murmur.
The fever returned.
Their mating wasn’t true.
Obviously, the alien woman was not his real mate.
He needs to be put away.
How sad. He’s going to be executed.
Chapter Ten
Tiffani
Executed?
The word sliced through my heart. How dare these strangers question what we shared? They knew nothing about our match, of what we were to each other.
But I couldn’t deny the fever had returned.
“Call the guards,” Engel said as he stood, legs shaky. “Tia, hurry and summon the guards. He must be put away. He’s a danger to himself and everyone in this room.” Engel’s gaze turned to me and he softened his voice. “Including you, dear. I’m so sorry.”
Dax was murmuring to Deek, but I couldn’t hear what he was saying. I moved to stand before my mate, hoping both my touch and the sight of me safe and whole would soothe him. I couldn’t fuck him in front of these guests, but at this point it wouldn’t matter. We’d fucked like rabbits for days and yet the fever had returned to claim him.
As I touched Deek’s hot skin, Engel’s somber gaze watched every move I made. He didn’t believe I was Deek’s one true mate. I could see it in his eyes. I wore the cuffs, which were supposed to be designed to help the males control their beasts. I had no idea how the circuitry worked on the warlords who wore them, but I’d tested the perimeter of my own cuffs two days ago and had collapsed in agony when I’d gone too far from his side. He’d argued with me, not wanting me to suffer, but I’d been adamant about testing them.
And wished I had listened to him. It was like being struck by a Taser.
So, I’d stayed at his side, content to do so, and not because it fucking hurt otherwise. I’d allowed him take my body whenever he wanted. I’d given him everything. Everything. And it wasn’t enough.
I knew that I was no good for him now. I could offer him nothing. No matter how badly I wanted more, I wasn’t the right woman for him. Perhaps Engel was right. Other than the cuffs, we had no proof of a mating bond between us, whatever that even meant. I’d been told at least a half-dozen times that an Atlan’s mate was the only one who could control her mate’s beast. The only person in the universe an Atlan in beast mode would listen to.