Page 39 of Naga Warlord's Mate

She didn’t voice her agreement yet, though. Instead, she traced the battle scar on his arm, considering their options carefully.

Chapter 21

Andear

Andear’stailcoiledtightlybeneath him as Priscilla pressed her palms against his chest. The warmth of her touch sent waves of possessive need through him, but he forced himself to focus on her words.

“You’re right. We can’t just wait on the council. We need to prove the Xirath’s real intentions before it’s too late.”

His scales bristled at the determination in her voice. She was plotting something—something that would put her in danger. He could feel it.

“Mila and I could infiltrate their ship. She knows how to hack their systems, and I know how to move unseen. We just need to get evidence of their true plans.”

Andear’s tail whipped sharply against the stone floor. “No.” The word came out as a growl. The mere thought of her anywhere near the Xirath made his blood boil.

“My sister needs to know what I’ve been doing anyway. She’ll understand why this is necessary. With her connections—”

“What you’re suggesting is not only foolish but far-reaching.” His hands gripped her shoulders, drawing her closer. The mate bond surged, making his protective instincts surge. “I will not risk you.”

Priscilla raised her chin, her green eyes flashing with that defiance that both infuriated and enthralled him. “Is it foolish, or is it necessary?”

“Both,” he snarled, sliding one hand up to cup her face. “You think I don’t see what you’re doing? Testing limits, pushing boundaries. But this isn’t training anymore. The Xirath will kill you if they catch you.”

“They won’t catch me.” Her fingers curled against his chest. “You’ve trained me. You know what I can do now.”

Andear’s tail wrapped around her legs, pulling her flush against him. “What you can do is stay here, where I can protect you.”

“You can’t keep me locked away forever.”

“Watch me.” The words came out darker than he intended, but he didn’t take them back. She was his mate. His to protect. His to keep safe.

Priscilla’s eyes narrowed. “So much for not being your prisoner.”

Andear stared down at Priscilla, his tail still wrapped possessively around her legs. Her words struck him like a punch to the gut. His prisoner. The very thought made his scales ripple with frustration. Of course she wasn’t. She was his mate, his to protect, his to... His thoughts scattered as her small hand pressed against his chest, right over his thundering heart.

The touch grounded him, even as his instincts raged. The scent of her—honey and determination—filled his senses, mixing with his own musk in his den. His territory. Their territory now.

“Mila and I know how the Xirath operate. We were once prisoners in Jorvla to a corrupt kingpin. If anyone can move unnoticed among the likes of them, it’s us.”

The reminder of her past made his muscles coil tightly. His tail squeezed slightly around her legs before he caught himself, forcing his grip to loosen. The thought of her back in chains, back under the control of creatures like the Xirath, made his blood turn to ice in his veins.

She’d transformed from that frightened slave into this fierce warrior before his eyes. Every day in training, she’d proven herself stronger than anyone expected, him included. The mate bond thrummed, reminding him of her strength, her determination, and her fire.

But the protective instincts that had awakened in him since claiming her as his mate warred against logic. His hands tightened on her shoulders, feeling the lean muscle he’d helped her build. She was right. She wasn’t helpless anymore. She’d earned her place among his warriors through blood, sweat, and sheer stubborn will.

Still, the thought of her anywhere near the Xirath made him sick to his stomach. His tail coiled restlessly against the stone floor, betraying his inner turmoil. The memory of the assassins wasstill fresh—the way they’d tried to take her, to harm what was his. If he hadn’t reached her in time...

Andear’s gaze locked with hers, searching those determined eyes. She wasn’t backing down. Of course she wasn’t. It was one of the things that had drawn him to her in the first place—that unbreakable spirit that refused to bend, even to him.

Andear exhaled heavily. His tail coiled restlessly beneath him as he reluctantly agreed to her plan.

The walk to her sister’s home felt like marching into enemy territory. His instincts screamed at him to take Priscilla back to his den, to keep her safe and protected. Instead, he found himself following her lead.

When Mila opened the door, her eyes widened at the sight of the imposing warlord beside her sister. Andear’s scales rippled with hesitation as they settled in Mila’s living space, his tail curling protectively around Priscilla’s chair.

“You’ve been doing what?” Mila’s voice cracked as Priscilla explained her training. Her gaze darted between them, settling on the protective way Andear positioned himself near her sister.

“I’ve been training with the warriors,” Priscilla repeated firmly. “And Andear is my mate.”

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