Page 17 of Tempted By the Alien Warrior

Dania snorts, her ears flicking forward. Her muscles twitch, like she’s fighting the urge to flee whatever is coming our way.

“What’s that?” I whisper.

Vrok stiffens. His head snaps up as his hand drops to the weapon at his side. His silver eyes narrow, scanning the dense jungle ahead of us, and his pointed ears twitch restlessly.

“Stay quiet.” His voice is a low whisper that I barely catch, but it’s sharp enough to cut through my growing fear.

The foliage ahead shudders. Leaves rustle and branches sway as if they’re caught in a sudden storm. But there’s no wind. Just the stifling heat and sticky humidity of the jungle, and the looming certainty that something is about to go terribly wrong.

Then I see it.

The creature moves with a slow, deliberate grace that feels almost unnatural for something so massive, as it emerges from the trees. Its scaled body is broad with thick legs that rattle the ground with every step. A powerful tail sweeps behind it, snapping branches like they’re tiny twigs. Its long, sinuous neckcurves downward, leading to a blunt head crowned with jagged green horns.

I freeze as my breath catches in my throat.

Its mottled green and brown hide blends so perfectly with the jungle that I wonder if it’s been watching us this whole time. A deep, guttural rumble vibrates from its chest as its nostrils flare wide and a snake-like, long pink tongue flicks out, tasting the air. Then, I see its teeth. Small, black, and needle-sharp, they look like they were designed to tear apart flesh. A cold shiver crawls down my spine.

Vrok raises a hand, signaling for me to stay still. Not that I needed the reminder. I couldn’t move if I tried.

“It’s a grahkar,” he mutters under his breath, his gaze never leaving the beast. “Usually harmless unless provoked.”

Usually. That word hangs in the air, doing little to soothe the sudden burst of adrenaline that is coursing through my veins.

The grahkar takes another step forward, its heavy tail dragging behind it. Dania shuffles uneasily beneath us as she lets out a nervous snort.

“Easy, Dania,” Vrok soothes.

His voice is a steady rumble as he strokes the eponir’s neck with slow, deliberate movements. Dania’s muscles remain tense beneath us, but she doesn’t bolt.

I watch the way his large hand moves over her coarse fur, how his quiet presence seems to calm her. A flicker of envy stabs me. He’s so self-assured and so utterly in control, while my heart is pounding so hard it feels like it might tear through my ribs.

I swallow and curl my fingers into fists to hide the trembling that won’t seem to stop. It’s ridiculous. Dania’s already steadying under his touch, and I’m barely keeping it together. For one reckless moment, I wish he’d do the same for me. Maybe press a steadying hand against me, murmur something low andsoothing, and tell me that everything is going to be okay. But I know better.

Vrok isn’t here to comfort me or to hold my hand. He’s here because I made him come. And if I want him to take me seriously, if I want to prove that I can do this, I can’t keep freaking out at every rustling branch and every massive prehistoric beast that crosses our path.

I take a slow breath and force my hands to unclench. If I want to survive this, I need to be braver. Laedirissae isn’t going to soften for me, and if I don’t toughen up, it will swallow me whole.

The grahkar pauses. Its yellow, reptilian eyes flick toward us. For a heartbeat, time seems to pause, as if the entire world is holding its breath. Everything shrinks down to this single, terrifying moment. Me, Vrok, and the dinosaur looming above us.

Then, with a loud snort, the creature blinks, turns, and lumbers across the path before melting back into the jungle.

I exhale shakily, my entire body relaxing with relief. “I’m glad that’s over,” I say, my voice trembling.

Vrok glances back at me, his brow lifting. “If you think that was bad, you’re in for a long journey, little female. This is only the beginning.”

He doesn’t say more. Instead, he shifts his attention back to the path ahead and urges Dania forward.

I cast one last glance at the spot where the grahkar disappeared, my heart still racing. Laedirissae might be breathtaking in its beauty, but it can be a brutal planet. And as much as I hate to admit it, Vrok’s right.

This is only the beginning.

6

Vrok

She’s too different.Too human.

And yet, despite her fear of the jungle and the beasts that lurk within it, she refuses to give up. It would almost be admirable, if it weren’t so infuriating.

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