Page 35 of Stolen By the Wraiths
But something had changed in the facility's atmosphere. The rescued prisoners, despite their trauma, were no longer cowering. They were standing together, finding strength in numbers and freedom.
"You made one mistake," I said, opening my scent glands completely for the first time since bonding with Alix. Not in panic or desperation, but as a controlled weapon. I flooded the room with targeted signals, incapacitating pheromones designed to overwhelm anyone not genetically compatible, territorial markers that promised violence to threats.
And a broadcast of our unbreakable bond.
"You thought broken people would stay broken."
"Stop them! Don't ruin decades of—" Hessler's order cut off as the chemical assault hit her nervous system.
The security team collapsed within seconds, their equipment useless against biological warfare they'd never anticipated.Hessler tried to crawl toward an emergency comm, but the chemical overload left her convulsing on the deck.
"That," Alix said with satisfaction that echoed through me, "was beautiful."
"It was freedom," I replied, gathering her close while alarms blared around us. "Finally understanding that my abilities are tools, not weaknesses."
Her pride in my transformation was warmth between us. But underneath was something more primal—arousal at seeing me in complete control, anticipation of how thoroughly I was going to claim her once we were safe.
The Raptor's loading ramp extended fully as the crew coordinated the final extraction. Jessa handled the piloting while Thoryn helped load traumatized prisoners. My crew had come through exactly when needed.
"All aboard," Jessa called. "Consortium reinforcements incoming—five minutes out."
We helped the rescued prisoners board while the crew managed the extraction. But as the ship lifted away from the facility, all I could focus on was the woman whose hand was warm in mine.
She'd risked everything to save me, proven herself capable of operations that would challenge trained soldiers, and reminded me that love was stronger than any weapon our enemies possessed.
"No regrets?" she asked as we settled into the ship for departure, her body warm against my side.
"Only that it took me so long to trust what we have," I replied, pulling her closer while the facility disappeared beneath us. "You magnificent, deadly woman. You saved more than my life back there."
"What did I save?"
"My faith in what real connection looks like," I said, meaning every word. "My understanding that shared strength is better than controlled strength."
Her smile was radiant, a promise of beautiful chaos to come. "Good. Because I'm planning to spend the rest of our lives proving that freely chosen bonds are always stronger than forced ones."
The promise sent anticipation racing between us that was unrelated to escape and everything to do with the future we'd chosen. Whatever came next, we'd face it as partners proven unbreakable by whatever horrors our enemies devised.
But first, I intended to show my deadly mate exactly how proud I was of her strength—and exactly who she belonged to. When we were safe, when we had privacy, I would remind her in the most thorough way possible that she was mine, and I was hers, and nothing in the galaxy could change that truth.
ALIX
Thirty-six hours later, the Raptor sliced through hyperspace like a blade through silk. The adrenaline had faded, replaced by bone-deep weariness and something I'd never felt before: safety that didn't come with conditions.
I couldn't stop touching the data core in my jacket. Forty-three people freed. This corner of Kess Vain's network in ashes, its data wiped and personnel scattered. His twisted research destroyed so completely the universe would never see another facility like it.
But more than the tactical victory was the personal one burning in my chest. We'd survived separation, torture, and systematic attempts to break what we'd built. Instead of destroying us, they'd only proven that what we shared was unbreakable.
"Status report from medical," Deyric announced from his station, his usual calm tinged with satisfaction. "All rescued subjects are stable. Recovery proceeding faster than projected." He paused, a rare smile touching his lips. "Dr. Hessler's personal files contained enough evidence to bring down three corporate sponsors and a dozen government officials."
"Good," Jessa said from the pilot station. "Let them burn."
"There are encrypted references to other sites though," Deyric continued, his expression growing troubled. "Other handlers. Whatever Vain was running, it's part of something bigger."
Thoryn's massive frame shifted almost imperceptibly, his jewel-toned scales catching the light as his hands stilled on the table. Whatever he was thinking, he kept it locked behind his usual silence.
"At least we know what we're really up against now," I said, flexing my fingers. They still ached from the interface work that had brought down their security grid. The satisfaction was intoxicating—not just professional pride, but knowing I'd saved my mate through my own skills.
"True." Jessa glanced back at us with something amused flickering in her expression. "But right now, you two should take your victory lap. You've earned some privacy."
