Page 32 of Wrecked By My Alien Mentor

She leads me to a chair, her hips swaying like she’s practiced it a thousand times. She’s beautiful, I’ll give her that, but she’s not Cora. Nothing about this does anything for me. Still, I keep my eyes on Lars, my lips curling into a smirk as he laughs at some joke one of his thugs makes.

When the dance is over, I slip the woman an extra hundred and head for the door. The cool night air hits me like a relief, and I tap my earpiece. “Cora, status?”

Her voice comes through, sharp and amused. “Safe and sound. Apparently, so are you. How was the lap dance?”

I freeze, then groan. “You heard that?”

“Every grinding, awkward second of it.” Her tone is teasing, but there’s a warmth there that makes my chest tighten. “Don’t worry, big guy. Your secret’s safe with me.”

I can’t help but chuckle. “Just part of the job. You’re the only woman who can make me lose my cool.”

“Good to know. Now get back here. I’ve got poison to pour into your coffee, remember?”

I laugh, the sound genuine despite the tension. “On my way.”

CHAPTER 15

CORA

The holographic shimmer of Pyke’s office walls flickers faintly, casting a soft glow over the three of us. Pyke leans back in his chair, the metal creaking under his weight, his red scales catching the light like polished copper. Orion stands beside me, his arms crossed, his jaw set in that stubborn way I’ve come to know too well. I can feel the tension radiating off him, like a storm about to break.

Pyke steeples his claws, his voice low and measured. “Luhr’s been sniffing around too close. He’s made Orion, and that’s a problem. We need to pull you both out of St. Louis. Send in a hit squad to clean this up.”

“I’m not a liability. I can handle myself. Send me with the squad.”

Pyke’s eyes narrow, a hint of frustration bleeding through his calm exterior. “You’re too valuable to risk. And besides, you’re compromised. Luhr knows who you are. If you’re spotted, this whole operation goes sideways.”

I step forward, cutting through the tension like a knife. “What if I go to Luhr instead?”

Both of their heads snap toward me. Orion’s eyes narrow, a protective growl rumbling in his chest. “Absolutely not.”

I hold up a hand, silencing him before he can spiral. “Hear me out. I’ll tell him Orion’s dead. That I used the creamer on him. I’ll say I finally realized he was right—that aliens are real, and I want to join his cause. We can use me as bait to draw him out.”

“You’re not trained for this kind of infiltration. It’s too dangerous.”

“I’m not exactly helpless,” I shoot back, crossing my arms. “I’ve been training with you for weeks. And besides, this isn’t just about Veritas. Luhr tried to kill you. That makes this personal.”

Pyke leans forward, his piercing gaze locked on me. “It’s a solid idea. Risky, but solid. We can monitor you the entire time. If things go south, we extract you immediately.”

Orion steps closer, his towering frame looming over me. “You’re not doing this. I won’t allow it.”

I tilt my head up, meeting his gaze without flinching. “You’re not my keeper, Orion. This isn’t your call.”

He doesn’t argue further. Pyke’s low chuckle breaks the tension. “She’s got a point, Orion. Besides, she’s the best shot we’ve got at taking Luhr down without a full-scale confrontation.”

Orion’s shoulders tense, but he doesn’t argue. Instead, he turns to me, his voice softer now. “You understand what you’re walking into, right? Luhr’s not some petty thug. He’s dangerous.”

I nod, my jaw set. “I know. But he’s also arrogant. He’ll underestimate me. That’s his mistake.”

Pyke leans back, a satisfied smirk playing on his lips. “Alright, then. We’ll prep you for the op. But remember, Cora—no heroics. We pull you out at the first sign of trouble.”

“Got it,” I say, my voice steady despite the knot of fear in my stomach. I glance at Orion, his expression unreadable but hiseyes burning with something I can’t quite place. Worry? Anger? Maybe both.

Pyke claps his hands together, breaking the moment. “Good. Let’s get to work. Cora, you’re with me. Orion, I need you to prep the extraction team.”

Orion hesitates, his gaze lingering on me for a moment longer before he nods curtly and strides out of the room. I take a deep breath, steeling myself for what’s to come. Luhr doesn’t know it yet, but he’s about to meet his match.

Pyke leads me through the winding corridors of Veritas Base Alpha, the walls shimmering with a faint blue light that makes the whole place feel like something out of a sci-fi movie. The armory is tucked away in a nondescript section of the base, but the moment the doors slide open, it’s anything but ordinary. Rows of sleek, high-tech weapons line the walls, and a faint hum of energy fills the air.

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