just have to fuck off.” I threw my hands in the air and nodded to Seth’s team. With Seth gone, they were mine now. My responsibility. “Four of you stay here, stay sharp. Set up a transport block so we don’t get any more surprises.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Medics, secure the wounded, make sure we’ve done everything we can and get them transported out.” I walked toward the door. “Three of you with me to the bridge. Richards, I want you on system checks. My unit, grab someone from four and check the other decks. You guys know the drill.”
Both teams scurried to do as ordered and I ignored the big alien as he fell into step beside me. I felt like a cocker spaniel walking next to a Rottweiler. Still, we had three armed members of my unit at our backs, and I was still carrying my ion pistol.
“This term you use, fuck? It is associated solely with a man rutting a woman and bringing her pleasure, not with… battle.”
The men about me relaxed a little at his words, thinking Dax was joking. He wasn’t. Heat flared to my cheeks, but it wasn’t out of embarrassment. No, it was the instant mental picture of this warlord pressing me up against the nearest wall, ripping my pants open and rutting into me.
If I ever went back to Earth, I was going to murder a certain mouse.
“What is your problem?” It felt much better to divert my interest in him into frustration. “Didn’t they tell you I opted out of the bride program?”
“Yes.”
I stopped in my tracks at his admission and he took a step closer so I had to tilt my chin up to meet his dark eyes. I wouldn’t retreat. His gaze roved over my face, then lower down my body. It was not the look of any warrior I had ever worked with. This was blatant and sexual, full of a possessive heat I’d never seen before and… holy shit, my nipples just hardened. Thank God for the chest armor.
“Do you think that matters to me?” He arched a brow as if he expected me to bow my head and let him lead me away like a fairytale princess. That was so not happening. Nothing was happening until I got my men back onboard the Karter and my brother back from the Hive.
He reached out to grab my arm, but I lifted my ion pistol halting him, the hilt of it nudging his hard armor. My men also aimed their weapons on him. He paused, but didn’t seem the least bothered… or afraid that he was going to die if he made one wrong move.
“Stand down,” he commanded.
No one followed his order and I raised an eyebrow in silent pleasure, knowing my men would stand behind me.
“If my title of warlord isn’t enough, the stripes on my uniform indicate that I outrank all of you,” he said, pointing with a bloody finger to the symbol on his shoulder. “I am pleased to see you defend and protect my mate, but you will stand down or face military punishment.”
He was correct. While he was clearly from a different planet, a planet where the men ate lots of spinach like Popeye to grow so big, he wore the coalition uniform we all recognized. He was a higher rank than me and we were, technically, required to obey his commands.
My men remained with their weapons raised and I realized this all hinged on me. If I told my men to fight the big, bad alien, they would. But they’d most likely end up in some coalition prison because I couldn’t control my temper. I was not in the habit of asking my men to sacrifice themselves for me, especially for something this ridiculous.
Turning my head, I nodded at them to lower their weapons. This was a battle for Commander Karter’s ears. It would have to wait until we got back to our battleship.
He looked at me and it was his turn to arch a brow, for I had yet to move my weapon from his belly. While he was now in charge of the group on the freighter, it didn’t mean I wouldn’t continue to be mad at him. Grudgingly, I lowered the weapon.
“What are you—do you have any idea what you did?” I clenched my hands into fists at my sides so I wouldn’t hit him with them. “I lost good men today. And the Hive just took my brother!”
“I am sorry for your lost warriors. But your brother should have kept you safe on Earth, where you belong. A woman does not belong out here, in combat, fighting the enemy,” he countered.
“My brother has no say in what I do.”
“Obviously. I, however, do.”
My eyes widened then and I laughed. “You might outrank me, sir,” I placed a heavy influence on the last word, “but you are not my mate.”
“With all due respect, warlord,” my second-in-command, Shepard, moved to stand beside me. He seemed to give this… Dax more deference than I. But he wasn’t being called the big guy’s mate. “I have to question the… accuracy of your claim. Captain Mills has been with us for two months. Earth’s laws don’t allow a soldier to enter the battle battalion program if they are married. Or mated.”
Shepard was diplomatic, clearly fearful to call this warlord an idiot. But Dax had to be wrong, absolutely wrong, for there was no way I was mated to this overbearing brute. Even my subconscious wouldn’t be that cruel to me.
Instead of ripping Shepard’s head off, Dax replied, “This Earth female is my chosen mate through the Interstellar Bride Program and I am claiming her.”
Oh, shit. He was from Atlan. The planet Warden Egara said I’d be matched to. I shook my head. “I left the program because it was all a mistake. The warden said that I couldn’t be matched if I didn’t consent. I’m a soldier now, and I’m pretty sure there’s nothing you can do about it.”
“You will tell Commander Karter that you are my mate and resign your commission with the coalition fleet.” He was clearly ignoring everything I was saying.
I placed my hands on my hips. “I will do no such thing, you big oaf.”