Page 36 of Bonded Queen: to the Alien Warlord Triad

General Ra’al

Iscan the room for my woman. I can smell her, mixed with the fragrances of floral soaps, but she is not there. My hand moves towards my blade as the auras of my triad tense, when she walks out of a room on the far side of the royal quarters and we all relax.

All the troop figures and status reports melt away in front of her. Rachel is a work of art. So precious. So delicate. So small and helpless.

Her eyes seem to have grown bigger in our absence, round and expressive, pleading for my protection. The two servants follow her. They are blurs to me, human-like shapes of no importance.

When I was piloting my Reaver through the city, overseeing the final killing of Scorp trying to dig into the buildings and tunnel, directing troops to different sites for repairs and to stand guard, the world kept flicking in and out of reality.

Now that I am here, with her, everything is so clear. I breathe in as she approaches, exulting in the faint tendrils of her scent that tickle my nostrils.

Orr’s aura burns up in my mind. His raging need for her mirrors my own growing hunger. She turns me into a base animal, but I must keep my mind sharp and ready to lead. My decisions will determined the fate of this planet. Trebulous did not fall by the sword, but from the onslaught of the Scorp and the cowardice of the army and rich, who used their resources to escape.

It’s not the powerful who left that worry me.

It’s the ones that stayed. Planet Trebulous may not be rich in uranium or Orbs, but is a strategic planet. It is on the edge of Wild Space. The next sector over belongs to the Aurelian Empire.

Emperor Raegan and Queen Jasmine were heartless, but they are not stupid. It was a particular kind of ruthless strength that they had to forbid us to Orb-Shift to save Abascus, prioritizing their warships over human life.

They would not have left this planet empty without their agents. They could be anywhere. Our interrogators have been working tirelessly since we landed. Two of the first they vetted are the servants before me—chosen with randomness from small businesses that had no strategic import, where the Aurelian Empire would not have wasted resources filling with spies.

Rachel stops ten feet away. I can smell the nervousness in her scent. Orr punished her hard. She needed it. She cannot be a wedge in any of our troops. She cannot threaten the order that protects this planet. Any human who disrespects the Aurelians who saved their lives must be dealt with. There cannot be even the rumor of easy rule or favoritism.

She is barefoot, in a cotton robe. I can see the slopes of her breasts, and I imagine running my hands down her neck, grabbing her breasts, squeezing them and toying with the nipples. It is almost obscene to imagine my rough warrior’s hands on her pure, innocent, soft flesh. It would be so natural for her to get on her knees and serve, her perfect lips wrapping around my cock.

Then I would take her. She is so innocent, so pure and untouched, but what drives me wild is not just the scent of her virginity.

It is the smell of a potential Mate. She is fated to me, and she will be mine.

I can’t stop myself. My legs propel forward as I lose control. I put my hand under her chin, needing to touch her, and force her gaze up to meet my eyes.

11

Rachel

My heart pounds like a rabbit’s. The huge alien warrior was staring at me like a wolf looking at dinner as I approached, and when I froze, he marched forward. His huge legs ate up the ground in seconds. I was petrified as he put his hand under my chin, and he forces my gaze up to meet his burning grey eyes.

How can his colorless eyes look so cold yet so hot at the same time, like ice boiling and freezing all at once?

Up close, I can see his grizzled stubble, the thin lines carved in his face. He’s weathered. A hard man used to war. He slides his thumb up my cheek, staring into my soul, then slides it back down…

And moves it towards my lips.

His rough thumb grazes my lips, and they open, instinctively, my lips parting slightly. I know exactly what he’s thinking of, and I flush, stepping back, nervous and overwhelmed.

I want to speak, to say something, anything, but my thoughts are all jumbled in front of the huge man. I didn’t even see Kriz and Orr move, but they’ve come closer, both watching me like I am the only thing that exists.

“Are the accommodations to your liking?” asks Ra’al.

“Yes, sir,” I reply, managing to break eye contact with difficulty. I look down, but then instead of piercing grey eyes, I get a view of his broad chest and I’m reminded of the fact that he’s so tall I’d barely have to crouch to have my lips level with…

“Good. You look exquisite.” I’m not used to this kind of compliment. It feels so different than when the guards catcalled me.

“Truly a stunning creature,” states Kriz. Gods, but he’s handsome, with refined, patrician features, a truly royal being who exudes refined leadership. His pure marble skin makes him look like a statue. I get the feeling that Ra’al and Orr want to devour me, to take me for their own pleasure.

Kriz…

There’s something about him that seems more sophisticated, a hard, controlling edge to the way he stares at me.

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