Her Alien Guardian (Galactic Discipline)

Chapter 3

CHAPTER 3

T essara

To my astonishment, Captain Alpha sighed.

“That’s what your Vionian masters told you, I suppose,” he said.

I stared up into the extraordinarily handsome, extraordinarily blue face, my mind reeling. His words seemed to hang in the air between us, heavy with implications I couldn’t quite grasp. Part of me wanted to believe him, to trust the kindness I saw in those otherworldly eyes. But years of conditioning and fear weren’t so easily overcome.

“You… you want me to think you’re different,” I said, my voice barely above a whisper. “That the Magisterians aren’t the monsters we’ve been told about. But I know better.”

Alpha’s expression softened, a flicker of sadness passing across his features. “I understand your skepticism,” he replied. “But I assure you, the reality of our society is far different from the propaganda you’ve been fed.”

As he spoke, he began to move around the room, his massive frame somehow graceful despite the cramped quarters. I watched him warily, noticing how his eyes took in every detail—the marks on my skin, the cruel design of the punishment bench, the discarded implements of torture scattered about.

“Your masters told you we’d rape you to death in the mess hall, didn’t they?” he asked, his tone gentle but matter-of-fact.

I flinched at the bluntness of his words, but nodded slightly. “Among… among other things,” I admitted.

Alpha shook his head, a look of disgust flashing across his face. “Such barbarity,” he muttered. Then, louder, “I won’t lie to you—the transition won’t be easy. Our cultures are very different. But I promise you, no one on my ship will harm you in that way.”

I wanted to laugh at the absurdity of it all. Here I was, bound and naked, completely at his mercy, and he was trying to reassure me? It had to be a trick, a ploy to make me lower my guard.

“You expect me to believe that?” I challenged, a spark of defiance flaring within me. “That you’re here to rescue me out of the goodness of your heart?”

Alpha’s lips quirked into a small smile. “Not entirely,” he admitted. “We do have our own motivations. But they don’t involve brutalizing helpless women.”

As he spoke, he began to examine the restraints holding me in place. His fingers, so massive compared to mine, moved with surprising delicacy as he tested the strength of the cuffs.

“These are barbaric,” he muttered, more to himself than to me. “No consideration for circulation or long-term comfort.”

I couldn’t help but snort at that. “Comfort wasn’t exactly a priority,” I said bitterly.

Alpha’s eyes met mine, and I was struck again by the depth of emotion I saw there. “It will be now,” he said softly. “You have my word on that.” Another smile flickered across his lips. “Well, except when you don’t want your comfort taken into account.”

I bit my lip at that, pushing away the shards of memory that tried to get my attention: times when Lieutenant Jorg’s rough treatment had made me gush with need.

Part of me longed to believe him, to embrace the hope he offered. But my survival instincts screamed in warning. I studied Alpha’s face, searching for any sign of deception. His words were so at odds with everything I’d been taught, everything I’d experienced. Could it really be true? Could the Magisterians be something other than the monsters I’d always believed them to be?

As if sensing my inner turmoil, Alpha continued, his voice low and soothing. “I know it’s hard to believe. You’ve been conditioned to expect the worst from us. But think about it—if we were truly as barbaric as the Vionians claim, would I be standing here talking to you? Wouldn’t I have already…” He trailed off, his meaning clear.

I swallowed hard, realizing the truth in his words. The Magisterian marines hadn’t stormed in, hadn’t torn me from the bench to use me for their twisted pleasures. Instead, this captain stood before me, speaking of rescue and comfort.

“Maybe…” I began hesitantly, “maybe they exaggerated about the mess hall. But that doesn’t mean you’re here to help me. There must be something else, something just as bad.”

Alpha sighed, running a hand through his short, silvery hair. “I won’t lie to you,” he said. “Our society is very different from what you were probably used to before the empire requisitioned you. We do believe in traditional gender roles, in the natural order of men leading and women following.”

My heart sank at his words, fear creeping back in. “So you do want to dominate us,” I whispered.

“Yes,” Alpha admitted, his gaze steady. “But not in the way you think. We believe in the right and responsibility of Magisterian men to dominate women, but only those who truly desire it. We identify those women who need to submit, who find fulfillment in surrendering control.”

I blinked, trying to process his words. It sounded impossible, like something out of a fantasy. “But… how can you know? How can you be sure a woman truly wants that?”

Alpha smiled. “We have ways of verifying consent scientifically. No woman is forced into submission against her will.”

As he spoke, he moved closer, his massive frame looming over me. I should have felt terrified, but instead, I found myself oddly calmed by his presence. “What about me?” I asked, my voice barely above a whisper. “What will happen to me?”

“That,” Alpha said softly, “is largely up to you. We’ll care for you, help you heal from the trauma you’ve endured. And if you choose to stay with us, to explore what our society has to offer… well, we’ll cross that bridge when we come to it.”

His words sent a shudder through me, a mix of fear and the unwelcome, twisted craving I knew from my horrid-but-survivable starfleet service as a naval concubine. I closed my eyes, overwhelmed by the conflicting emotions swirling within me.

“I don’t believe you,” I said finally, trying to make my voice sound defiant.

I opened my eyes, finding Alpha’s intense gaze still fixed upon me. His words echoed in my mind, tantalizing whispers of a world so different from everything I’d known. A part of me longed to believe him, to embrace the hope he offered. But years of conditioning and fear weren’t so easily overcome.

“I don’t believe you,” I repeated, my voice stronger this time. “No matter what you say or do, I’ll never trust you.”

Alpha’s expression softened, a flicker of sadness passing across his otherworldly features. “I understand,” he said gently. “Trust takes time to build, especially after what you’ve endured.”

To my surprise, he picked up one of the whips Lieutenant Jorg had favored. His large blue fingers traced the braided leather almost tenderly, a look of distaste evident on his face. “Such crude implements,” he murmured. “Designed for pain without finesse.”

I couldn’t help but snort at that. “As opposed to what? Refined torture devices?”

Alpha frowned. “There are ways to bring pleasure through pain, little one. Ways that celebrate the body rather than destroying it.” He set the whip aside with a shake of his head. “But that’s a conversation for another time, if you choose to have it.”

His words sent an unexpected sensation through me, a mix of fear and that same helpless thrill of arousal. I pushed the feeling down, angry at myself for even considering his words might hold truth.

“You’re trying to confuse me,” I accused. “To make me doubt everything I know.”

“Is that such a bad thing?” Alpha countered. “To question what you’ve been told? To consider that there might be other truths beyond what your masters fed you?”

I bit my lip, unable to formulate a response. His logic was infuriatingly sound, chipping away at the walls of certainty I’d built around myself. But I couldn’t let myself be swayed. I couldn’t risk believing him, only to have those hopes dashed when the brutal reality I’d always expected came crashing down.

“It doesn’t matter,” I said finally. “I’ll never believe you. Never.”

Alpha sighed once more, a sound that seemed to carry the weight of centuries. “I won’t force you to trust me, honey. But I hope, in time, you’ll give yourself the chance to see the truth with your own eyes.”

As he spoke, he moved closer to the bench, his massive frame looming over me. I tensed, expecting… something. Violence, perhaps. Or maybe the mask to finally slip, revealing the monster I knew was there.

His massive blue hands moved toward the restraints, fingers deftly working at the clasps. As each cuff fell away, I felt a surge of conflicting emotions—relief at being freed from the cruel bonds, but also a growing panic that threatened to overwhelm me.

The cuffs clattered to the floor, the sound echoing in the small room. I flexed my wrists and ankles, wincing at the stiffness in my joints. For a moment, I simply lay there, my body trembling slightly as I tried to process the sudden freedom.

Then, without warning, panic seized me. My heart began to race, my breath coming in short, sharp gasps. The rational part of my mind knew I had nowhere to go, no escape route that made any sense. But fear and instinct overrode logic, sending me scrambling off the bench in a desperate bid for… what? Safety? Freedom? I wasn’t even sure anymore.

My legs, weak from disuse, barely supported me as I stumbled toward the door. The room seemed to spin around me, the stark metal walls closing in. I heard Alpha’s voice behind me, calm but tinged with concern, but the words were lost in the roaring of blood in my ears.

I made it as far as the ward room before my knees gave out. I caught myself against the wall, my palm slapping against the cool metal. Tears blurred my vision as I tried to force my uncooperative body to move, to run, to do anything but stand there helplessly.

Suddenly, I felt strong arms encircle me. Before I could even think to struggle, Alpha had scooped me up as if I weighed nothing at all. The world tilted as he effortlessly tossed me over his broad shoulder, one massive hand coming to rest on the small of my back to steady me.

The position was achingly familiar—how many times had Lieutenant Jorg carried me like this, usually on the way to some new torment? But Alpha’s touch was different. Firm, yes, but not cruel. His hand splayed across my back radiated warmth, a welcome difference from the chill of fear that had gripped me.

From my new vantage point, I could see the destruction wrought upon the ward room. Scorch marks marred the walls, and the acrid smell of smoke still lingered in the air. Fragments of shattered screens and twisted metal littered the floor, crunching under Alpha’s boots as he strode purposefully toward the bridge.

As we passed through the doorway, I caught a glimpse of Captain Voss and Lieutenant Bavo, their bodies crumpled on the floor. Their unseeing eyes stared blankly at the ceiling, a testament to the sudden, violent end of the Conqueror of Bresla ’s reign.

Alpha’s steady gait barely faltered as he navigated the debris-strewn bridge. My panic began to subside, replaced by a growing sense of mortification. What had I been thinking, trying to run? Where could I possibly have gone? The absurdity of my actions hit me full force, and I felt my cheeks burn with shame.

But along with the embarrassment came a surge of defiance. I couldn’t just give in, couldn’t let this Magisterian captain think he had broken me so easily. With a burst of desperate energy, I began to struggle against his grip, my hands beating ineffectually against his broad back.

“Let me go!” I cried, my voice hoarse and strained. “I won’t be your prisoner!”

Alpha’s stride didn’t falter, but I heard him sigh deeply. “Honey,” he said, his tone patient but firm, “or whatever your name is, I understand you’re frightened, but this behavior isn’t helping anyone, least of all yourself.”