Chapter 4
Aano
I watched Leah's curvy ass sway, her skirts softly swishing as she navigated the crowded Chokreini station like she owned it.
Curls bounced with each confident step, her laughter cutting through the sterile hum of the place.
Somehow, she already had half the station eating from her manicured palm—security officers, shop attendants, even the usually stoic Chokreini.
She acted innocent, but the way she worked a room made me wonder if she understood more about what she was doing than she let on.
Meanwhile, I was mostly trying to make sure that Yahn and I didn't draw the attention of anyone who might be in the syndicate's pocket, which was tough when my eyes were glued to the way Leah's designer dress hugged those hips.
I didn't believe in fated mates. It was a ridiculous concept—this was hormones and attraction, that was all. I'd fuck her and call it good.
Beside me, Yahn's anxiety radiated like a fucking beacon, his tail twitching with every casual glance thrown our way. He was irritated with the way the mission had gone down, and knowing Yahn, probably blaming me.
"Hurry up, you two!" Leah called over her shoulder, those blue eyes sparkling with mischief. "The Nova's waiting, and I swear the beds are to die for!" She blushed and giggled. "Not that I'm inviting you for that. I mean, unless you want to."
Yahn's hand clamped around my bicep, yanking me to a stop behind a glittering display of Chokreini art. His reddish-brown eyes narrowed, tail curling tightly around his leg—the way it always did when he was stressed.
"What is the plan here, Aano?" he hissed.
"Relax. I found us a smoking hot trust fund baby with her own ship."
"The Ducal Syndicate is still out there. We have no comms with Relzo, Lorxo, or your sister and—"
"— there are two Araced that have followed us this whole way. I know. Stop making a spectacle and follow our pretty little savior like a good boy."
His eyes narrowed. "Fuck off. What about the rest of the team? Last week, you were giving us that lecture on teamwork, and now—"
"Don't worry, I have a plan. The rest of the team will be fine." I clapped him on the shoulder hard enough to make him stumble. "Trust the process, Wakalai. This is how we operate."
"Trust the—" He stopped himself, exhaling slowly through his nose. "I've only been on your team for three weeks, and every possible thing has gone wrong."
"You're still alive, aren't you? That bit has gone perfectly.
" I winked, then jerked my chin toward Leah, who was waving impatiently from fifty meters ahead.
"Now put on your 'I'm having a great time' face before she gets suspicious. She’s playing the innocent, impulsive heiress, but…
" I trailed off and shrugged, not sure if I could explain my suspicion about Leah.
We resumed walking, Yahn's tail still betraying his tension as we passed beneath the transparent ceiling dome. The stars shimmered beyond, but my focus was on the crowd. Specifically, the group of Tholkons lingering near the luxury shopping district.
Six of them, all sporting the distinctive emerald-tipped ear piercings of the Ducal enforcer division. Motherfuckers weren't even trying to blend in. I angled myself, using my bulk to shield Yahn from their line of sight as we passed.
"Three o'clock," I said. "Syndicate muscle."
Yahn didn't turn his head, but I caught the subtle shift in his stance—weight balancing, hands relaxing at his sides. Ready to fight if needed. For all his protocol bullshit, the guy had solid instincts.
"Another group by the transit hub," he whispered back. "Four more."
"Aano! Yahn!" Leah's voice carried across the concourse, drawing far too many eyes our way. Including a Tholkon enforcer who turned sharply in our direction.
"Shit," I muttered, grabbing Yahn's arm and accelerating toward Leah. "Move."
We reached her just as she was punching in an access code to a side corridor marked "Authorized Personnel Only." The door slid open, revealing a pristine white hallway.
"Shortcut to the VIP bay," she explained with a conspiratorial wink. "Pays to know people."
I ushered her through quickly, throwing one last glance over my shoulder. The enforcer was moving toward us, speaking into his wrist comm. The door sealed shut behind us, cutting off his advance.
"Fancy," I commented, trying to sound casual while my heart hammered against my ribs. “Do you come here often?"
"Often enough," Leah replied, her fingers trailing along the glossy wall panels as we walked. "My mothers have business interests all through this sector. I grew up running through stations like this one."
The corridor opened into what had to be the most opulent shuttle bay I'd ever seen. Polished marble floors stretched beneath our feet, reflecting the soft glow from recessed lighting. Private vessels gleamed under individual spotlights, each one worth more than I'd earn in a decade.
"Holy shit," I whispered, momentarily forgetting our pursuers.
Leah giggled. "I know, right? Wait till you see the Nova."
Armed security in crisp uniforms stood at discreet intervals, their weapons visible but not threatening.
And before the boarding area, there was an elaborate security check-in gate.
I glanced at Yahn and could tell we were both thinking the same thing: we needed to get past that gate.
She made a beeline straight for it, leaning on the desk as she fumbled through the pockets of her dress and pulled out her communicator.
“Ms. Sheffield,” the Chokreini said before he’d even glanced at her ID. “I trust you enjoyed the gala?”
"Yes! I found myself a couple of prizes," she announced, flashing a dazzling smile as she held out the communicator for identity verification. "Please let me show my two guests my shuttle.”
The Chokreini's eyes widened at her name. "Of course, Ms. Sheffield. Your vessel is prepped and ready in bay nine. Would you like to file a flight plan?”
“Not quite yet. I’ll do it digitally when we’re ready to leave.”
“Very well. Would you like an escort to your ship?"
"No need," Leah replied. "I know my way around. And these two will protect me if anything goes wrong."
As she turned again, my eyes dropped to the sway of her hips, the perfect curve of her ass.
I’d been fooling around with her to win her trust, but that didn’t mean my body wasn’t fully on board with outright fucking this luscious woman.
My cock twitched, apparently voting to follow this particular impulse straight to its logical conclusion.
Ahead of us, Leah stopped before an airlock.
Through the windows, we could see a sleek white vessel that gleamed like a newly minted credit chip.
She activated the biometric lock, and the airlock door slid open with a smooth, satisfying hiss that only a metric fuckton of money could buy.
She did the same with the interior door, which somehow, was even more smooth.
Then she turned, arms spread wide in a gesture of presentation, her smile dazzling enough to power the entire station.
"Welcome," she announced, "to the Nova."
I'd seen luxury before—hell, Relzo and Vaelu's ship was top of the line for a security outfit—but the Nova was something else entirely.
The moment we stepped through the airlock, the difference hit like a sensory overload.
The air itself felt expensive, perfumed with something subtle and exotic that made my nostrils flare appreciatively.
Plush carpet absorbed the sound of our footsteps, and soft, ambient lighting highlighted art pieces that probably cost more than my yearly salary.
Beside me, Yahn had gone utterly still, his tail frozen in a perfect curve of surprise.
Leah watched our reactions with barely contained glee, bouncing on her designer-clad toes like a kid showing off a new toy.
"So? What do you think?" she asked, blue eyes wide and expectant.
"Holy shit," I whispered, turning a slow circle to take it all in. "This isn't a ship, it's a fucking palace."
The Enotheas—Relzo and Vaelu's pride and joy—was a military-grade vessel retrofitted for comfort and function. Top-tier security systems, advanced weapons arrays disguised as communications equipment, quarters that were practical rather than plush. It was a working ship for a working crew.
This... this was obscene wealth given physical form. “I’ve never seen anything like this ship.”
Leah smiled. "Really? I guess I grew up in ships like this, but the Nova is by far my favorite.
Because I bought it myself," Leah explained, running her hand lovingly along a wall panel that rippled with soft colors at her touch.
"I picked everything from the trims and fittings to the drive system.
And of course, I made some special modifications. "
"Some modifications," Yahn echoed faintly, his professional mask slipping as he stared at a floating holographic sculpture that pulsed in time with the ship's ambient music.
Leah laughed, the sound light and carefree as she grabbed my hand.
Her fingers were warm and soft against my blue skin, her grip surprisingly strong as she tugged me forward.
“I did quite a lot of research on what was advisable for a woman traveling alone. There’s interior and exterior security, just in case someone thinks to try something with me. ”
Interior security? What did that even mean?
"Come on! I'll give you the tour."
She led us through corridors wide enough to walk three abreast, pointing out features with the casual air of someone who'd grown up surrounded by luxury. It was almost as if she didn’t understand just how lavish the whole ship was.
Every doorway, every panel, every fixture screamed money—not the garish ostentation of the nouveau riche, but the quiet confidence of old wealth that never needed to prove itself.
"This is the recreation lounge," she announced, gesturing to a space twice the size of the Enotheas's entire crew common area.