Page 11 of Royal Alien Mate

“We’re almost to my chambers, sunshine,” he said, a hoarse whisper in her ear. His breath tickled her neck as he spoke, a caress far too sensuous for her liking, causing goosebumps to rise all over her body as endorphins rushed her scalp, leaving her deliriously lightheaded yet increasingly warm.

No no no, she thought.I don’t want this. I don’t want him.

He was a murderer and a royal member of the race who was suppressing her people. Yet their union had already been blessed by the Wise One, the elderly Martian who had claimed her arrival on this planet heralded a turning point in history. Whatever had the holy man meant by that?

In any case, she couldn’t fathom a circumstance in which she could ever harbor affection for her new mate, even if they were about to consummate their union.

Fear seized her when he carried her through a wide set of double doors that opened upon his approach. They entered a huge, opulent chamber that bespoke great wealth.

A growl resounded from Vaath’s throat, causing her fear to deepen.

“At last,” he said, “we are truly alone.”

Chapter 8

Esmay’s pulse quickened as the double doors zipped shut, sealing them inside Vaath’s chambers. He carried her near a large open window and finally set her down. She slipped out of his arms and turned to gaze outside, peering over the city that surrounded the palace, as well as the lush green forests, distant mountains, and huge blue lakes. She had no idea how their terraforming technology worked, but she was beyond impressed. The Martians had created an absolute paradise.

“Your world is amazing,” she said.

“I am glad you like it.” He stepped behind her and wrapped his arms around her, hugging her to him from behind. “It is my hope that you will come to think of Mars as your home.”

Her heart sank. Would she ever think of this place as home?

She stared at the mountain peaks, some of which were covered in snow, and pondered this question. The only place that currently felt like home was the tiny two-bedroom apartment in New York that she had, until very recently, shared with her beloved parents and sisters. Oh, how she missed them already, and not even a full day had passed since she’d left Earth.

Without warning, tears burned in her eyes.

“Are you hungry?” Vaath asked.

She shook her head. “No-no,” she replied, her voice cracking with emotion.

At once, he turned her around in his arms and peered down at her with concern reflecting in his dark, otherworldly gaze. “What is wrong?” He held her out a bit and looked her up and down, as if searching her for bodily injuries.

“It’s nothing. I’m fine.” She blinked rapidly and hoped no tears escaped her eyes. She didn’t wish to break down crying in front of her new mate, especially only minutes after the blessing of their union. She couldn’t even remember the last time she had cried. Probably when she was fourteen, when her dear grandmother had passed away. She had always tried to remain strong for the sake of her sisters, as she had never wished for them to understand the level of cruelty that existed in the world. Even after they fell asleep at night, she had refused to cry, refused to surrender to the frustrations that had often plagued her, the worries that had prevented her from sleeping.

“Tell me,” Vaath said, and though he didn’t speak harshly, it struck her as a command. “You are my mate, sunshine, and your pain is my pain. Tell me what is wrong so that I might help ease your burdens.”

She blinked at him, startled by his words. Did he mean it? Was he truly concerned about her? “I’m just thinking about my family,” she found herself confessing as she held his gaze. “I left Earth without saying goodbye.”

“Why didn’t you say goodbye to your family?” He ran his fingers through her hair, his movements gentle and soothing, as if he were trying to calm her. Despite herself, she wasn’t immune to his touch, and she gradually relaxed as he continued petting her.

“I didn’t say goodbye,” she eventually replied, “because they would’ve tried convincing me to stay on Earth.”

“I see. You mentioned earlier that you became a mail order bride in order to save your parents from prison, yet you claim they would have tried to stop you from leaving Earth. Are you saying they would have willingly gone to prison for you?”

“Yes. They would have,” she said, her heart cracking at the thought of her parents behind bars. “I overheard them talking the night I left to apply to become a Martian’s bride. They were going to try getting a quick divorce so that my father could claim all our family’s debt as his own, thus sparring my mother from going to prison too. But I couldn’t let that happen. My younger sisters would have been devastated to lose our father like that. At least now they’ll be okay for a long time. The ten thousand galactic credits they received on my behalf will keep them comfortable for many years.”

Vaath cupped the side of her face as his expression turned compassionate, reminding her of the way the Wise One had looked upon her but minutes ago. “I will see to it that your family is given an immediate deposit of one hundred thousand additional galactic credits and I will waive their future tax requirements. If they do not live in a safe area, I will also be happy to have them relocated to a new home. Furthermore, you may contact them whenever you wish, sunshine. There are several video comms in my chambers, all of which you are free to use.”

Esmay gaped up at him in stunned silence. Had he really just said what she thought he had?

Not only was he planning to give her family a massive amount of money, but he was offering them safety as well. Plus, he promised she could contact them whenever she wished. It all sounded too good to be true, and gratitude swelled in her chest as she stared up at Prince Vaath, her enemy and her mate.

The tears she had been holding back started to fall.

* * *

Vaath wrappedhis arms around his bride and ran his hands up and down her back, attempting to soothe her. The penalties the humans incurred for rebelling against Marttiaxoxalian rule seemed perfectly just to him…that was, until he was faced with Esmay’s personal and undeniably tragic circumstances.

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