Tamed by the Beast(39)

If we only had a few hours left, I didn’t want to waste them oblivious to the warmth of my Deek’s arms around me.

The heavy golden chain around my neck suddenly felt like a curse, like a taunt, a tease. That gold represented forever, my place in Deek’s family.

And now it meant nothing but lost dreams and regret.



* * *



I must have drifted off, for when I next opened my eyes, it was to hear women’s voices. I thought it odd, then remembered what Sarah had told me about Atlan women parading through this prison they called a containment facility to offer the Atlan males one last chance at finding a mate. Their presence filled me with rage as I considered the possibility that one of them might be a match for Deek.

He was mine.

Except he wasn’t. Or we wouldn’t be here.

Lifting my hand, I ran the sensitive tips of my fingers along the gold and dark gray carved links around my neck. They were a symbol of my claim on Deek, my status as his matched mate. They were a visible declaration of my hold over him, of my ability to control his beast.

Except, I’d failed.

Perhaps one of those women would be more beautiful, more desirable. Perhaps one of them could save him.

Unfortunately, there was only one way to determine if any of them coming through the facility could offer solace to the males condemned to die. That, of course, included fucking to see if the beast was compatible.

I shifted beneath the heavy arm thrown over my waist and scooted from the bed as quietly as I could. When Deek stirred, I murmured for him to go back to sleep. Which, to my extreme shock, he did.

He never slept this deeply. Every night, all I need do was shift beneath the covers and he was instantly on alert. He’d claimed it was due to too many combat missions, too much time spent on the front, where the extra few seconds it took to wake could cost you your life.

But here, now? He barely lifted his head, the blink of his eyelids slow, as if they were heavy.

Shaking my head, I walked to the grav-wall to find several Atlan females slowly moving from cell to cell down the corridor, peeking into each one and seeing the prisoners, deciding if one was appealing.

One female stopped in front of me. I inspected her on the other side of the shimmering force field and tried not to show how much I was hurting. She was tall, like all Atlan females, almost a foot taller than me. Her hair was a light summer blond with shimmering highlights and the mass fell past her waist. Her breasts were larger than mine, but her waist was trim and defined, and the muscles in her arms and legs would have qualified her for a bodybuilder competition back home.

And, as if that weren’t enough, she was gorgeous. Pale blue eyes and pink lips. She looked like a giant edition fashion model.

No fucking way I could compete with that.

“Hello. I’m Seranda.”

Even her voice was soft and lilting, beautiful.

I nodded in reply.

“I am here to help,” she said, looking around me to Deek.

My pulse pounded, but I tried to keep the panic from rising. “Help with what?”

“I heard of you on the media and I’m sorry things didn’t work out between you and Deek. He’s a fierce and highly respected warrior.” Her voice held more than a little awe as her gaze left me and traveled to the bed behind me, where my mate, my Deek, still slept. Her gaze was more than interested, and I fought back the scowl I knew would form between my brows. I didn’t have a right to that scowl. I didn’t have the right to Deek. Not anymore.

When her gaze returned to me, there was pity in her pale blue eyes. “He is gorgeous, Tiffani Wilson of Earth. I’d like to help you save him.”

I arched my brow at what she was insinuating. “You… you want to fuck him and see if his beast likes you.”

“Likes me?” She shrugged her perfect shoulders. “His beast needs to recognize me as his mate.”

I pursed my lips. “Yes, I’m well aware of that. What if it doesn’t work?”

“Then I will have tried, won’t I? And you will have lost nothing. His execution was announced not long ago.”

My heart skipped a beat, agony like a pickax buried in my chest. “When?”

“Today. He has eight hours.”

I wanted to poke her eyes out, but it wouldn’t make a difference. I wasn’t Deek’s mate. I had no sway over him, no say in who he should be with. I was nothing to him now.

But I loved him. He was a gentle, caring lover one moment, a demanding animal the next. He always took care of me, made me feel like I was his sun and stars, like he’d do anything for me. Die to protect me. He made me feel wanted. Beautiful. Whole. He made me feel whole.

“What if it doesn’t work?”

“Then he dies.” She shrugged. “But at least you’ll know you tried to save him. If you say no, your selfish jealousy will mean his death.”