Page 54 of Charmed By the Alien Warrior

Her head snaps up, eyes flashing. “What? No!” she hisses.

Placing my hands on her shoulders, I stare into her eyes. “You must. If anything happens to you…” My voice falters, the thought striking me like a lightning bolt to the chest. The pain is sharp and unrelenting, and I shove it aside . “I will protect you, but I need to know you’re safe.”

Her green eyes glisten with unshed tears, their color deepening to a stormy hue, like the River Elbi swollen after a heavy rain. She blinks the tears back before drawing her shoulders back. Despite the fear tightening her features, her expression hardens with resolve.

Finally, she gives a single nod. Trust, fear, and something else—something I dare not name—swirl in her gaze. Unable to resist, I lean forward and seal my lips with hers in a quick searing kiss that leaves us both breathless.

Then, it’s time. Mara slips behind the crate, crouching low and disappearing into the shadows. I swiftly cross the corridor on silent feet coming to a stop beside another stack of crates. My hiding place doesn’t offer as much concealment as Mara’s but it should be enough to allow me to surprise the Pugj fighters.

The scrape of a claw against metal drifts to me, and my grip tightens on my blade as I find a small crack at the back of the crates to peer through, allowing me an almost unobstructed view of the corridor.

Both of my hearts pound in my chest, sending a surge of adrenaline and mateblood to my veins. Mateblood that will strengthen my muscles and allow me to fight harder and longer—all to protect my amoris. The air is thick with anticipation like the calm before a storm. The nauseating stench from the Pugj is stronger, now, and burns my throat, forcing me to swallow the bile back.

My breath stills in my chest as the first figure rounds the corner and steps into view.

The Pugj fighter is massive in size with a hulking frame covered in matted gray hair that hangs in clumps. His eyes glow in the dim light as he lumbers forward.

Behind him, another Pugj moves into the space followed by two more smaller but no less dangerous figures who are clearly not Pugj. Even in the dim light of the corridor, I can make out the distinctive features of Laediriian warriors.

The sarding traitors!My hearts race, but it’s not just adrenaline and mateblood now that surges through me. Betrayal sharpens my focus, cutting through the fear and disgust.

The first Pugj fighter steps deeper into the corridor, his gaze scanning the dimly lit area and running over theempty crates and discarded machines. There’s no mistaking the menace in his stance. His claws flex at his sides as if in preparation to slice across the first victim they find.

That person will not be Mara.

I steady my breathing and tighten my grip on my sword, ready to lunge, when a voice cuts through the silence, drawing my attention back to the Laediriian warriors.

“Come out, wherever you are, human.” The voice sends an involuntary chill down my spine, freezing me in place for a brief, breathless moment. My pulses roar in my ears, and the old memories of my past threaten to pull me back into the dark pit I thought I’d escaped so long ago.

But I’m not that young, frightened hunter anymore. I’m a warrior with a sharp sword in my hand and a mate to protect.

Sevvern will not win. Not this time. Not ever again.

Chapter 19

Mara

“Come out, wherever you are, human.”

I immediately recognize Sevvern’s smug voice, and I roll my eyes. Does he seriously think I’ll just crawl out of my hiding place because he ordered me to? Like we’re playing some twisted game of hide-and-seek.

The silence that follows is suffocating, the tension hangs so thick in the air it feels like a weight pressing down on my chest. My heart thunders against my ribs, each beat so loud I’m certain they can hear it. The shuffle of footsteps grows louder as they move further into the corridor and closer to my hiding place.

Carefully, I reach for the large hunting knife Sorrin gave me, sliding it from its sheath with a deliberate slowness to avoid any noise. My fingers tighten around the hilt until the edges bite into my skin.

I’m not going to let fear take over—not after everything I’ve survived. Not now.

The knife feels awkward in my hand. Too large and clumsy for someone like me who’s more used to avoiding danger. But I’m not going to back down this time. I can’t.Because Sorrin is here, and I’ll be damned if I let him face these assholes alone. Especially when it’s clear they’ve come for me.

I freeze, every muscle in my body taut, not daring to even breathe. The silence around me feels deafening, broken only by the muffled shuffling of footsteps inching closer. I know Sorrin is here, somewhere, and I can feel the tension rolling off him like the electric charge of a building storm.

Sevvern’s voice cuts through the silence again. His low, mocking chuckle makes my skin crawl. “You’ve grown soft, Sorrin. Fighting to protect a human now? How far you’ve fallen.”

My teeth clench, my grip tightening on the knife until my knuckles ache. What an asshole.

I slowly lean around the corner of the crate and risk a glance at Sorrin. He’s crouched beside a stack of crates at the entrance to the corridor, his muscles coiled like a spring, waiting for the right moment to strike. His gaze flickers to me for the briefest moment, and I can see the fierce resolve in his eyes. He looks exactly like what he is—a warrior, a protector. And he’s protecting me. That realization sends warmth rushing through me, even in the middle of this nightmare.

I press myself back against the side of the crate, trying to make myself as small as possible. If I can just stay hidden until Sorrin takes them down, we’ll make it out of this. We’ll be okay.He’llbe okay.

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