Page 81 of The Alien Warrior's Heart

“She’s right.” Kia approached them hesitantly. “It’s a lot, having someone’s feelings in your head. Sometimes, it’ll surprise me. I’m still not use to that kind of connection. And it just gets deeper with time.”

Simone glanced up and saw Pin watching his mate intently, as if he would jump into the fray and drag her back if he saw even a hint of danger.

But Simone didn’t want to hurt anybody.

She just wanted the chaos to stop.

“If you want the pain to stop, you have to accept it, Simone,” Sara said gently. “You chose him. You agreed to be his mate. The mate connection only forms when there was a choice. When both parties made the commitment. You can’t run away. You have to...”

“I can’t!” Simone roared.

Both Kia and Sara blinked rapidly.

Simone trembled as she held her head and flattened her face against the floor, hoping the position would bring some relief. “He took Chozo.”

“What?” Sara exclaimed.

“He took Chozo,” Simone muttered, rocking as waves and waves of Zar’s hurt, pain and anger washed over her. “He took Chozo. He took him.”

Kia’s voice was piping hot as she snapped at her mate. “Pin, explain this. Where the hell is Chozo?”

“Neh, females.” Korben frowned. “You have it all wrong.”

Simone straightened slowly. “What do you mean?”

The terros exchanged a look with his warriors. Lans hovered close to Emma, standing in front of her with his broad shoulders tense and his frown severe on his roughly handsome face.

Lilliana hid behind Tiegan who was staring at them with an indecipherable expression.

Clavas stood to the side, his arms folded over his chest as he stared at the ground with a troubled look.

Pin knelt beside his mate. “When we rescued Clavas from the Heronas, we thought we had made a clean getaway.”

“But we didn’t,” Lans filled them in. “The Heronas sent drones to follow us. They scouted our dwelling and made camp to the east to spy on us.”

“What?” Sara gasped. Her head whipped around. “Korben, why didn’t you tell me this?”

“My heras, we were…”

“Can you save the love spat for later?” Emma frowned. “If the Heronas have us in their sights, why haven’t they made their move yet? Why haven’t they smoked out the place and carried us all away?”

Lans stared at Emma. “Your mind works in violent ways.”

“It’s a gift,” she said in a flat voice.

Lans’s lips twitched.

Tiegan sighed heavily. “They don’t want to kill us. They need our blood. They want our offspring.”

“Is anyone pregnant?” Lilliana asked, her eyes darting back and forth. “Because now would be a good time to share.”

Sara narrowed her eyes, ignoring Lilliana’s outburst. “If they haven’t attacked yet that means they came for something else.”

Korben met her eyes and admitted, “Chozo.”

Simone straightened. “What?”

“Zar was approached by Ziag’s brother, Dizid. He claimed he had snipers aiming bombs at our hideout.” Korben’s gaze swung to her. “Dizid threatened to kill Zar’s mate if he did not hand the expeh over.”

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