Page 44 of Pursued By the Dragon Alien

Razion’s hands clenched at his sides. His wings twitched with raw, seething energy. No, she hadlefthim. Left without a word, without warning, without trusting him the way he had trusted her. But if she thought for a singlefekkingmoment that he would let her slip away without at least giving him an explanation as to why, then she didn’t know him at all.

And he would burn every damn system in the quadrant to find her.

SEVENTEEN

Lilas

Terror swarmed in her gut like a poisoned nest of insects. She thrashed harder. Instinct overrode reason as she tried to wrench free, but his grip only tightened. Arms, as thick as iron bands, locked her in place. “Please settle, little one,” he murmured, his voice containing that same eerie, calculated calm she’d heard before. “She will be very cross with me if you’re hurt.”

Lilas had no idea what he was talking about, or whoshewas. Some desperate corner of her mind reminded her that the settlements were supposedly free of the Axis, but if that was true, why was the overseer here?

Lilas’ heartbeat slammed against her ribs. She tore at Ellion’s iron grip, her breath coming in sharp gasps as she fought with everything she had. But he was too strong. His muscled arms locked around her, holding her still like she was nothing more than a caught animal.

But then—

“Lilas?”

The voice cut through her panic. Warm. Familiar. Impossible. She stilled. The fight drained from her limbs as her head snapped up.

Turi stood in front of her.

Turi.

For a single, disoriented second, Lilas thought she was seeing things. The dim outpost lights caught the deep blue of Turi’s hair, her green eyes—just as she remembered. She wore different clothes, better fitted, reinforced. Stronger. Little details that meant everything. Details that meant she was here. Alive. Real.

“Turi?” Lilas choked as the overseer lifted his hand from her mouth and fully released her. Her breath hitched violently. Her entire body trembled as a different kind of adrenaline flooded her system.

Then suddenly, they were in each other’s arms.

Lilas clung to her. Her fingers twisted into the fabric of Turi’s shirt as a sharp half-sob, half-laugh wrenched from her chest. Turi smelled like home, like a thousand late nights of whispered conversations under battered blankets, like harvest dust and stolen moments of quiet rebellion.

“You’re okay,” Turi breathed against Lilas’ shoulder. “You’re okay.”

Lilas let out a shaky laugh, squeezing back just as tightly. “So are you.” She pulled back just enough to look at her. “How—what—” Her voice failed. Her hands remained locked around Turi’s arms, as if letting go would make her disappear.

Turi smiled, brushing a tear from Lilas’ cheek. “We have time for that later,” she said gently.

Lilas swallowed hard. Ahead of them, the outpost lights buzzed faintly, casting long shadows around the narrow corridor where they stood. The smell of overheated metal and the faint scent of something sweeter—Turi’s scent, something warm andfamiliar—filled her nose. She barely noticed anything else, her attention locked on her friend.

Lilas shook her head, struggling to piece this together. “Where have you been? Are the others—?”

Turi’s expression softened. Her lips twitched with something close to amusement, but her eyes were still shining. “Sevas and Fivra are fine,” she said. “They’re back on our ship, but first, you should know—this is Ellion.”

Ellion. Her stomach twisted. The overseer with his purple scales and silver eyes—eyes that were the same as Razion’s. The male who had controlled their settlement, who had given them orders, who had stared down at them with cool, distant authority. Lilas turned to look at him. Her body was still tight with leftover adrenaline. He was watching them, his face unreadable, but his arms hung loose at his sides now, no longer trying to hold her still.

“So, things have changed.” Turi curled her fingers around Lilas’ hands again. “He’s my mate.”

Lilas blinked. Then blinked again. She yanked her hands from Turi’s grip. “Yourwhat?”

“My mate,” Turi repeated, calm, patient.

Lilas took a step back. “Wow, Turi. But he’s the overseer.”

“Was,” Turi corrected. “But yes.”

Lilas’ mind churned, every thought tangled and colliding. She stared in open astonishment as Turi reached for him, her fingers pressing lightly against his wrist, like touching him was the most natural thing in the world.

Lilas reeled, her pulse pounding in her ears.

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