Page 25 of Claimed by the Alien Warrior Triad

…but I hope beyond hope that it’s my abductors.

Then the boulder shifts, pushed aside, and I squeeze against the wall as Haleon runs inside carrying Brigg with him.

The sight makes my heart break. I look desperately for Stryker, but he’s nowhere to be found. I follow Haleon into the cavern, where he sets Brigg gently on the ground.

Brigg is burnt,badly.

His eyes roll back in pain, and the proud, powerful warrior groans in agony. His pure white skin is marred, blistered, and burnt on his left arm and across his chest. In the darkness of the cave, I can barely make out his wounds – but I know they must be bad.

Stryker is gone, Brigg is wounded, and it’s all my fault.

I wish there was something I could do. Haleon uses his flint and tinder to light a torch, and the sudden fire makes Brigg whimper and try to crawl away. My jaw drops as I see the extent of his brutal burns. My heart pounds, and stress fills me. It’s impossible to believe he’s still alive with the extent of his wounds. He might cling to life for a few moments more, but surely those burns are a death sentence. I hear footsteps coming down the entranceway, and relief fills me as Stryker runs into the cavern.

But my relief is short-lived. He’s dripping blood from a long gash on his chest. Stryker casts me a dark glance and brushes past me, holding a mushroom the size of a football in his hands.

Haleon and Stryker crush the mushroom with a mortar and pestle on the stone table, chanting under their breath. As they work, Brigg writhes in agony on the floor. I run to Brigg’s side, and hold out my hand, curling my fingers around his enormous, right hand. Brigg clenches, staring into my eyes wildly, and pain shoots through my palm as the wounded warrior holds onto me for dear life.

I embrace the pain. I deserve it, and I just want to help him.

“You’re going to be fine, Brigg. Haleon and Stryker are going to help you,” I murmur softly, trying not to look at the brutal burns covering so much of his once-perfect skin. His hand is wet in mine, and sweat drips down his body.

Stryker and Haleon crouch next to Brigg. They’ve turned the mushroom into a white paste. The two men chant, applying it to Brigg’s arm and chest. At first Brigg winces and moans in pain at their hands on his fresh wounds – but once they’ve coated half of the paste over every burn, Brigg’s face relaxes and he stops clenching his jaw.

Whatever is in that salve is healing him, or at least relieving his pain.

Haleon and Stryker lean Brigg back against the furs, and only then does Stryker dip his finger into the paste and presses his finger over the gaping gash on his own chest.

The two of them haven’t even looked at me. I hope it’s because they’re concentrating on their battle brother – but I know the truth. Theyhateme.

I almost got them all killed, and the pain Brigg is feeling ismyfault. They trusted me enough to leave the crack in the boulder so I wouldn’t feel trapped...

…and I betrayed that trust.

They won’t make that mistake again. Stryker says something guttural in his language, then stares at me with angry, green eyes. His eyes glow venomously as they judge me. I can’t understand his words, but I get his meaning. Guilt roils up inside of me, and I hate myself more than he or Haleon ever could.

You know exactly what he means, Aubrey. You’re a fucking idiot. You nearly got all of us killed!

Stryker and Haleon stand, leaving me with Brigg. I hear the sound of the boulder closing in place. I suddenly feel so naked, with nothing covering my chest, and I take a small fur to wrap around my upper body.

In the chaos, I’d barely remembered to feel ashamed of my own nudity – but now the judgmental eyes of those two warriors make me feel it more than ever.

I’m trapped in a cave with three very pissed-off warriors. Stryker comes back, and my blood runs cold.

He’s got a switch in his hand. A long, thin branch. I knowexactlywhat is going to happen next.

The massive beast is going topunish me.

Stryker towers over me, reaches out, andgrabsthe fur I have covering me.

He throws it aside easily, and then motions for me to bend against the wall.

I know how vulnerable I’ll feel with my ass arched for his discipline. I hesitate, fearing the pain that’s going to come no matter what I do, or say… But I know the pain Stryker inflicts on me will be nothing compared to the agony that Brigg’s burns and wounds must be bringing him.

I deserve so much worse than just a switch.

Stryker motions again. I shake my head, trembling.

“Blaza gan,” snarls Stryker when I don’t move. Then he grabs me, picks me up, and walks me next to the table – where he throws me effortlessly over his lap.

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