Chapter Four
Tyran
It was Hunt who recognized the situation a touch differently and quickly stripped off his tunic, dashed up the few steps to the transport pad and covered the sleeping form.
He turned his head and glared at the two officers manning the transport controls, who both quickly averted their gazes.
“Get a blanket immediately,” Lady Rone called.
I heard footsteps, but didn’t look away from the fragile female. I couldn’t. I couldn’t even move, not until Hunt called my name.
With long strides, I closed the distance to my mate and knelt down beside her. She looked like she was asleep, but was she—
My fingers went to her pale neck, felt along the soft skin for her pulse, felt it sure and strong. Her hair was pale, a faint golden color and I wondered if her eyes would be fair and amber, like Hunt’s, or an exotic shade I’d never seen before. Her face was delicate, heart-shaped and beautiful with full pink lips and long lashes resting on high cheekbones. She was perfect. The most beautiful female I’d ever seen. I met Hunt’s pale gaze and the corner of his mouth tipped up. Was he laughing at me for checking her pulse?
Did I care?
No.
A blanket appeared over my shoulder and I unfolded it, covered her and Hunt pulled his shirt free from underneath, donned it again as I lifted her carefully into my arms, the soft material protecting her modesty and also keeping her warm.
She was soft and curvy. While I couldn’t see much of her form beneath the blanket, I could feel her, the plush softness of her curves. I was eager to explore every part of her. My cock grew hard at her feminine scent.
No one would see her bare but Hunt and me. No one.
“Should we take her to the med station?” Hunt asked. “It’s standard on battleships for brides to receive a medical exam upon arrival.”
While I knew he was putting her wellbeing first, I found myself instantly possessive and I wanted no one, not even a doctor, to touch her. I understood the philosophy behind the exams. Most were concerned about fertility and injury during transport. The practice had become common hundreds of years ago, when transport was not so well perfected, and often, the trip through space would cause permanent damage to fragile females. But I didn’t care about breeding our mate, I only cared about bedding her. Pleasing her. Easing the loneliness and pain both Hunt and I knew too well.
She was mine. Mine. No doctor would touch her. No other should see her unconscious and vulnerable. I wanted to rip the governor’s eyes out for gazing upon her. I now understood what an Atlan felt like when his beast was upon him. Possessive. Protective. Unreasonable. I was being irrational, and I didn’t care.
“Lady Rone was asleep after transport as well. She woke after a few minutes,” Maxim told us and I relaxed a bit in relief.
“I woke in one of the exam rooms of the med floor. It was definitely an abrupt, and clinical, awakening.” The lady in question had her arms crossed and a scowl on her face. “Which I doubt this young woman would care to experience.”
“We thought only of your health, mate. I was there and so was Ryston,” Maxim replied.
“And the doctor,” Lady Rone said, countering her mate’s words with a grumble. “You and Ryston were more than enough for me to handle without the doctor.”
My mate was so small, so light in my arms. I stood easily. “Thank you, Lady Rone. As my mate is from Earth, I will take your advice. No doctor then. Thank you, Governor, Lady Rone, for your assistance.”
The lady leaned forward, trying to peek around the blanket. “Oh, wow. She has beautiful blonde hair. And look at those cheekbones. I hate her already.”
Stunned, I stared, my mind working furiously for a solution should the governor’s mate decide to dislike my lady. Luckily, she grinned.
“I’m kidding, but if she’s got D-cups, I’m not going to be able to be her friend.”
I had no idea what D-cups were, but I would ensure my mate avoided them so she and Lady Rone became friends rather than enemies. When my mate woke, I would ask her to explain these strange threats from the governor’s mate.
“While I don’t doubt news of your mate’s arrival will be the topic of conversation by everyone in Base 3, even the entire Colony, within the next few hours, I will let everyone know you are taking time away from your duties until tomorrow,” Maxim said. Away from your duties was diplomatic speak for taking time to properly pleasure our mate.
Maxim slapped me on the shoulder. When I didn’t move, he frowned. “Aren’t you taking her to your quarters?”
I knew he spoke sense, but as I held her in my arms, the heat and scent of her filled my mind with demands, with needs I’d never felt before and had no way to combat. Hunt looked at me, a question is in his eyes that I could not answer. All I knew was my cock grew hard, my thoughts hazy with lust, my feet refused to move. She was mine, and the long walk to our soldiers’ quarters had never felt so far.
Her naked form haunted me and my mouth dried in anticipation of tasting her…everywhere. I glanced at Hunt, confident he would go along with the plan forming in my mind, to take her here. Now. I couldn’t wait for new quarters to be assigned. I didn’t want to wait and try to ease her fears with gentlemanly conversation. If she was truly mine, that wouldn’t be what she needed.
Turning from Hunt, I met and held Maxim’s gaze. “Thank you, Maxim. With all due respect, Governor,” I turned to include Lady Rone and the two officers standing at attention near the transport controls. “All of you. Get the fuck out.”