Page 65 of Naga General's Mate

His unit’s quiet murmurs of agreement steadied him. They’d followed him through impossible odds before, and they’d do it again.

Brivul’s claws flexed against his weapon as images of Mila tormented his thoughts. The memory of her bruised face from their first escape twisted his gut. If Kurg had marked her perfect skin again…

His tail lashed, nearly striking the wall. The thought of his mate in pain made his scales bristle with rage.

“General?” Lors’s quiet voice pulled him from his dark musings.

“I’ll kill him.” The words came out in a low growl. “If he’s hurt her, I’ll tear him apart with my bare hands.”

“We’ll get to her in time.”

But Brivul barely heard the reassurance. His mind filled with Mila’s fierce green eyes, her determined spirit that refused to break even under Kurg’s abuse. She was his—to protect andcherish. He’d failed her once by letting Kurg take her. Never again.

The mating bond ached in his chest, an empty void where her presence should be.

His jaw clenched as he forced down the primal urge to roar his challenge to Kurg. He was more than just an alpha male driven by instinct. He was a former general, a tactical commander. And he would use every skill, every strategy he’d ever learned, to ensure Mila’s safety this time.

Chapter 29

Mila

The chains bit intoMila’s wrists as she shifted on the damp stone floor. Her ribs protested with each shallow breath, a reminder of Kurg’s brutality. The underground cell reeked of mold and decay, its darkness broken only by thin shafts of light filtering through a barred window near the ceiling.

“At least Priscilla’s safe now.” Her whisper echoed off the stone walls. The image of her sister’s beaten face haunted her, but the knowledge that Brivul would protect her brought a measure of comfort.

The cold seeped through her torn dress, making her long for Brivul’s warmth. Their last morning together felt like a distant dream now—his gentle touch, the safety of his arms, the way his violet eyes had sparkled when he called her his mate.

A rat scuttled across the floor, its claws clicking against stone. Mila drew her knees closer to her chest, ignoring the protest of her bruised muscles. “You should see this place, Brivul. Makes the cargo hold look luxurious.”

Her fingers traced the rough wall behind her, finding grooves carved by previous prisoners. How many others had sat here, counting their breaths while waiting for rescue or death? The thought of Priscilla ending up here made her stomach turn.

“I’d do it again.” She tested her chains for the hundredth time. “Every time. For her.”

Blood trickled down her arm where the metal had rubbed her skin raw. The metallic scent mixed with the musty air, making her dizzy. Or perhaps that was the blow to her head. The guards hadn’t been gentle when they’d dragged her down here.

Heavy footsteps echoed down the corridor. Mila’s heart raced as Kurg’s silhouette appeared through the rusty bars. His rings glinted in the dim light as he unlocked her cell and stepped in.

“Look what we have here. The little slave who thought she could outsmart me.” Kurg’s cologne couldn’t mask the stench of cheap liquor on his breath. Behind him loomed his enforcer, the Draknid’s cybernetic eye casting an eerie red glow across the stone walls. Four guards flanked him, their weapons trained on her.

“I think I might have found the perfect buyer for you.” Kurg’s thick fingers gripped her chin. “The mines of Korus always need fresh meat. The radiation burns will be the least of your problems.”

Mila jerked away from his touch, her chains rattling. The thought of those mines made her blood run cold. No one survived there more than a few months.

“And once you’re safely underground, I’ll pay your dear sister a visit.” His lips curved into a cruel smile. “Maybe I’ll make it quick. Maybe I won’t.”

The Draknid’s mechanical eye whirred as it focused on her. Its red beam cut through the darkness, scanning her like she was merchandise to be cataloged.

“You won’t touch her.” Mila snapped.

Kurg laughed, the sound bouncing off the damp stone walls. “Bold words from someone in chains. Your sister was always the weak one of you two. It won’t take much to break her. Just like your mother.”

Rage burned through Mila’s veins, hot enough to make her forget her injuries. Her mother had died protecting them both. She wouldn’t let her sacrifice be in vain.

Kurg finally stepped back, straightening his elaborate coat. “Enjoy your last night of relative comfort. The mines aren’t known for their hospitality.”

Kurg’s footsteps faded up the stone stairs, leaving Mila with his four guards and the Draknid enforcer. The enforcer’s red eye tracked her every movement, its mechanical whir setting her teeth on edge.

A crash suddenly echoed from above, followed by shouts. The guards turned toward the noise, their weapons raised.

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