Page 38 of Wrecked By My Alien Mentor

He stumbles over his words, caught off guard. “I—I lost my job! I’m about to lose my house! It’s these alien corporations—they’re rigging the system!” His voice cracks, a mix of anger and despair.

I snort, loud enough to cut through the tension. “That’s ridiculous. How much do you need?”

His face scrunches in confusion. “What?”

“Your mortgage,” I snap. “How much is it? I’ll pay it. And you’ll have a job waiting for you at Orion Industries tomorrow.”

The crowd murmurs, whispers spreading like wildfire. A woman steps forward, her face streaked with tears. “I’m drowning in medical bills! My son?—”

“Done.” I cut her off with a sharp nod. “Your son’s care is covered. You’ll work for me too.”

The mob shifts, their anger wavering as uncertainty takes its place. They’re not ready to trust me yet, but they’re listening. Cora peeks out from behind me, her hand still gripping my arm like she’s anchoring me to diplomacy instead of destruction.

“Listen to me,” I bark, my voice carrying the weight of command. “There are no aliens. No conspiracies. Just people who’ve fallen through the cracks. I’m here to make it right. Every single one of you will leave here with a job and a future. But this?” I gesture to the chaos around us. “This ends now.”

The silence that follows is heavy, a tentative truce. Cora’s fingers loosen their grip, and for the first time since I found her, she breathes.

Lars bursts through the remnants of the mob, his face twisted with rage. He shoves people aside, his voice a venomous hiss. “What are you doing? They’re the enemy! They’re the ones ruining your lives! Attack them!”

The crowd hesitates, their eyes darting between Lars and me. One man, the same one I just offered a job, steps forward. His face is hard, his jaw set. “You’re the one who’s been lying to us. You’re the one who’s been using us.”

Lars snarls, shoving the man back. “You’re weak! All of you! You’ll never?—”

The man shoves Lars back with a force that sends him sprawling to the ground. The crowd murmurs, their anger shifting from me to Lars. I step forward, looming over him, my lips curling into a grin. “You’ve lost this time, Luhr. No one will follow you anymore.”

Luhr glares up at me, his yellow eyes burning with hatred. He sneers, his voice dripping with venom. “Maybe I did lose, but so have you!”

Before I can react, his arm stretches out unnaturally, elongating like rubber. His hand closes around Cora’s throat, yanking her toward him. The mob scatters, their fear of the unnatural driving them away. In seconds, the street is empty except for the three of us.

Cora gasps, her hands clawing at Luhr’s grip. Her face flushes red, her eyes wide with panic. I take a step forward, my fistsclenched, but Luhr tightens his hold, his grin widening. “One more step, Orion, and I’ll snap her neck.”

I freeze, my heart pounding in my chest. Cora’s eyes meet mine, and I see the fear there, but also the determination. She’s not giving up, and neither am I.

“Let her go, Luhr,” I growl, my voice low and dangerous. “This is between you and me.”

Luhr chuckles, a cold, humorless sound. “Oh, but this is so much more fun. You care about her, don’t you? I can see it in your eyes. You’re weak, Orion. You’ve let this human cloud your judgment.”

Cora’s voice is strained, but she manages to speak. “He’s not weak. He’s stronger than you’ll ever be.”

Luhr’s grip tightens, and Cora chokes, her words cut off. I take another step forward, my rage boiling over. “If you hurt her, I’ll tear you apart piece by piece.”

Luhr’s grin widens, his yellow eyes gleaming with malice. “Promises, promises. But you’re not in a position to make threats, are you? You’re at my mercy now.”

I clench my fists, my mind racing. I need to get Cora out of this, but one wrong move and Luhr could kill her. I can’t risk it. I can’t lose her.

“What do you want, Luhr?” I demand, my voice steady despite the storm raging inside me.

Luhr’s grin turns into a smirk. “Oh, I think you know what I want. I want you to suffer. I want you to watch as I take everything from you, starting with her.”

Cora’s eyes meet mine again, and I see the unspoken message there. She’s not afraid. She’s ready to fight. And so am I.

Cora’s nails rake down Luhr’s arm, her poison nail polish sizzling as it disrupts his shapeshifting grip. His hand splinters, fragments of his form breaking off like shattered glass. He stumbles, his yellow eyes wide with shock. “What the?—?”

“That’s for grabbing me, lizard boy!” Cora spits, kicking him in the shin for good measure before darting back.

I don’t waste a second. My fist connects with Luhr’s jaw, the impact sending him sprawling. He recovers fast, a blur of green scales and fury. He’s quick—too quick. I barely register the first punch before it lands, a sharp crack against my ribs.

“You’ve gotten slow, Orion,” Luhr hisses, his voice dripping with venom. “Too soft. Toohuman.”

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