CHAPTER 8
Naraq
“It seems the confrontation has done more harm than good, Naraq.”
“I should’ve evaporated him.”
My commander smirked at the screen we watched of the incident along with the ten others that surrounded it.
“Their leaders don’t know what to believe.”
“And the centers?” I inquired.
“Slow. I don’t know that we’ll have enough volunteers, but we have enough turquoise to return home thanks to your companion.”
“Move us to the far side of their moon and keep me informed of the progress.”
“And the Regeneration Pods?”
“How long before they affect the turquoise supply?”
“At the rate they’re being used, four Earth days.”
I rocked back on my heels, considering Alexa’s advice. “Leave them for three more days, then remove all of them at the same time.”
After turning around to leave, I froze when I heard Alexa’s smooth voice and slowly rotated back to the screens to find her on all of them.
Her light-blonde hair flowed over her shoulders with multiple braids like Sanctarian women wore, and makeup enhanced the blue in her eyes. Her skin was translucent against the black tunic hugging her shoulders and breasts.
I swallowed hard, and my muscles rippled when she began a speech about her heritage, her positive treatment since she’d come forward, her unfounded fears, and the lies the human, Tray, had concocted.
She spoke of what she’d seen since arriving on this ship, and her excitement at traveling to a world that was her second home.
“She’s an impressive speaker,” my commander commented.
But I wanted to rip her clothes off and bond with her completely. “She was a teacher on Earth.”
“You’d never know by watching her.”
No one else should watch my companion, but at that moment I also realized she could rule beside me and lead our people if needed. My companion was my match in every single way.
“What a brilliant move, Naraq.”
I wanted to grab my commander by the throat for admiring Alexa, even though she deserved it. Alexa and I hadn’t bonded, and my need for her was out of control, making my possessiveness ten times worse.
In the end, she reaffirmed Sanctarian’s gratefulness for human help and asked that the people of Earth consider what they would do in a similar situation. She promised to work toward a compromise where humans could revisit Earth in exchange for their help and explained what a life-force meant.
My eyes narrowed to thin slits when she smiled brightly and thanked the citizens of Earth as several humans and Sanctarians crowded around her, confirming her statements in a unified show and speech.
“Where is my companion, Lara?”
“In your quarters, Ruler Supreme.”
“Transport me there immediately.”
I heard the piano first, and it was a beautiful melody Alexa played, but I wasn’t interested in her musical talent at that moment. “Alexa.”
“What?” she answered sweetly, behind the smirk on her lips.
Very few people could irritate me the way Alexa did, and I inhaled a deep breath before approaching the room with her things from her home. “You directly disobeyed me, Alexa.”
Her eyes lifted from the piano. “I did what I knew could help.”
“You should’ve spoken with me first.”
She shrugged. “You already said no.”
“Sanctarian companions don’t question their partners.”
“Well, I’m half-human, and I can think for myself.”
“Unacceptable. I’m Ruler Supreme.”
“Until now, I’ve gone along with everything you’ve said, but as a half-human, you need to make concessions, Ruler Supreme,” she warned. “Besides, as you just reminded me, I’m your companion, so doesn’t that make me some kind of ruler, too?”
“I allowed the Regeneration Pods to be used by humans and negotiated until my throat was sore from talking.”
“Yet you want us to leave our home planet, never return, and blindly accept we’ll be cared for and loved while our life-force is used to fix the problems with your species as well as give up our turquoise. That’s not a fair trade, Ruler Supreme.”
“If you bonded with me, you’d understand my position,” I practically snarled.
Her hands banged against the keys, making a horrendous sound that grated on my nerves.
“And if you thought about humans as much as you think about your own species, you’d see I’m right.”
“You may be right, Alexa, but you should’ve spoken with me first before putting yourself in danger!”
“You wouldn’t let me!” she yelled right back. “And how was I in danger when I’m on this ship? I won’t be told what to do! If I’m your companion, then I have a say, especially where humans are concerned, and when it comes to your protection!”
“You were protecting me?” I asked, stupefied.
“You know how Tray made the situation look! Who else would humans believe but one of their own?”
“You still should’ve spoken with me first.”
“I spoke with Lara,” she grumbled.
“Come with me.”
Alexa’s eyes narrowed. “Where?”
“An adventure.”
“Are you going to drop me off on Pluto or something?”
“No, but tempting,” I teased.
“Why am I so annoyed? Oh, I don’t know. Maybe because I haven’t slept in twenty-four hours, and I’m tired of dealing with alien problems.”
“When Sanctarians encounter their mate, the need to bond builds in strength until it’s fulfilled.”
“You could’ve warned me.”
“Well, forgive me when I had to deal with human problems.”
Alexa’s eyes narrowed to slits.
My eyebrow lifted. “Lara, prepare my private ship for departure.”
“Yes, Ruler Supreme.”
I offered one hand. “Will you travel the stars with me, Alexa? Trust me one more time?”
She glared at my hand before hesitantly sliding off the piano bench. With her chin lifted, she slapped her hand into my palm. “I will.”
I yanked her against my chest and lifted her chin with one finger. Her eyes were brighter, and her pupils dilated with the need to bond, increasing by the second. She didn’t understand it, but I did.
We needed to bond before we both detonated with pure desire.
“Lara, transport us to my ship.”