Page 47 of Owned By the Hvrok

A part of him wanted more.

To remove the rest of his armor.

To remove hishelm.

To look at her with nothing between them.

But that…thatwould be dangerous.

He couldn’t afford it. Not now. Not here.

Everything had changed.

They were on Anakris—a hostile, predatory world. The ship was damaged. Resources were limited. The Nalgar could discover them at any moment. And theKrollmight still be hunting.

Survival came first.

He released her wrists slowly, deliberately. Her arms lowered, heavy from the emotional crash. She looked at him now with eyes not filled with fury—but something else. Uncertainty. Wariness. A tremble of trust, perhaps, though he dared not name it.

He would need her to stay calm.

While he left to scout.

Food. Water. Salvageable materials. TheLyxai’s reserves would not last. And until help came—if itdidcome—they were alone.

He would have to lock her in again.

It was not cruelty.

It was necessity.

He could not risk her panicking, hurting herself, damaging what remained of the ship’s infrastructure. He could not take her with him either—not yet. She would be a target, an anchor.

And if the Nalgar found her alone…

No.

They wouldn’t.

Because they wouldn’ttouchher.

He would rip the planet apart before he let that happen.

But she needed to understand.

She needed totrusthim.

And he… needed to communicate.

His gaze lingered on her face for one final moment.

I will protect you,he thought.Even if you don’t know it yet.

But this time, he didn’t leave her behind.

Instead, he released her fully, stepped back, and gestured for her to follow.

To come with him.

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