He took his time looking me over, as if he were inspecting a breeding mare for his prize stallion. “She’ll do, although I wish you had chosen a Prillon mate.”
“She was matched to me through the Bride Program. I assume you acknowledge their success rate. That should be enough to satisfy you. To me, she’s my matched mate. I would have no other.”
His father crossed his arms with a harrumph and scowled. “Fine, Commander. Fuck whomever you want. I don’t care as long as she breeds. I will transport immediately for the claiming ceremony.”
Behind me, Rav growled.
Um, yeah. No. There was no way my father-in-law was going to watch the claiming ceremony. Gross and altogether creepy.
His protest fell on deaf ears as Grigg’s rage boiled over. Gently, too gently, he stepped forward and used his arm to move me behind his back, out of his father’s sight. “No.”
“What did you say to me?”
Grigg’s entire body tensed with rage and I stayed where he wanted me, content to lean against him, to press my forehead to the center of his back so he’d know I was there, that I was with him. “I said no, Father. No more.”
I heard a rustling and felt Rav’s approach as he walked to Grigg’s side, standing with Grigg as he refused his father.
“What are you talking about? No more? What the fuck kind of game are you playing with me, boy?”
I expected Grigg to explode in wild rage, was shocked when the opposite occurred. It was like all the anger drained out of him, leaving him calm and relaxed. “Amanda is my mate and I will not subject her to your presence. I am done with you. I’m your blood, and I will always honor our family. But I am not your son, and you are not welcome on my ship. If you have need to communicate with me again, you may send a message via my communications officer. I have no desire to speak with you ever again.”
The general raged, but Grigg simply lifted walked forward and placed his palm on a small command pad. The room went blessedly silent.
I followed him, wrapping my arms around Grigg from behind as Rav’s sense of satisfaction mingled with Grigg’s resignation. “About fucking time.”
“Yes, it was.” Grigg’s hands settled over mine atop his abdomen and I squeezed. I didn’t completely understand what had just happened, but based on my mates’ reactions, it was a good thing, and had been a long time coming.
I wanted to ask but the sound of men speaking—in English!—reached my ears and I released my hold on my mates to battle my own demons.
As we’d planned, I walked to the front of the room where I could be seen by all as the spec-ops soldiers who’d just arrived from Earth. They entered and seated themselves at the tables, their eyes dark, their expressions grim. About what I’d expected. They were SEALS and Rangers, spooks and assassins. But I knew by the cautious look on more than one face that Myntar’s mangled body had not been what they’d expected to see in their first hour in deep space.
Welcome to the front lines, boys.
Grigg and Rav moved to the front wall, one on each side of the giant monitor where they offered me their silent support. They were leaving this to me, thank God, because Grigg’s idea of diplomacy was torturing each and every man for information before sending them all back to Earth in body bags.
It had taken me nearly half an hour to talk him out of it, but he had a point. Earth was part of the Interstellar Coalition now, and we were either “in” or we were “out”. There was no middle ground, not when the Hive threat loomed to destroy us all.
When they were seated and the door closed, I turned to face them and seeing so many human faces again felt strange. They looked…alien.
“Gentlemen, I assume you have questions?”
I spent the next hour telling them exactly who I was, who I worked for, the mission I’d been assigned and everything I’d learned since. They’d watched the recording of Myntar’s death, seen his body, watched replays of several battles and been shown video and statistics on Hive movements, numbers, and just how long this war had been going on…over a thousand years.
When I was done, I looked each man in the eye and held his gaze. “I know for a fact that at least two of you were sent here for the same reason I was, under direct orders from the Director to gather intel and get your hands on any weaponry, technology or information the agency might find useful.” I tapped my foot as I leaned forward, my palms flat on the table directly in front of me. “But now, like me, you know the truth. You’ve seen the threat with your own eyes. Care to come forward?”
When the room remained silent, as I’d expected, I nodded at Grigg to let him know I was ready. He ordered comms to patch through my call. Behind me the screen lit up with a scene from home, Robert and Allen seated around a small table with a man I recognized as the Secretary of Defense.
Chapter Fifteen
Amanda
I turned to face them. “Gentlemen.”
“Miss Bryant, what’s the meaning of this? We’ve been waiting here for over an hour. Why are you contacting us? We were expecting to speak to an officer of the Zakar battle group.”
I resisted the urge to roll my eyes, barely. So unladylike, but Robert’s false concern, his attempt to play the confused and befuddled official, rubbed me raw. For years I’d believed his every word, now I could see him for what he was. A self-serving bureaucrat that would do anything for personal or professional gain.
“I am Lady Zakar, of the Battle Group Zakar, a proud warrior bride of Prillon Prime. And Robert? I no longer work for you.” I spread my hand out behind me in an arc, as if showing off the men seated behind me. “These men know the truth, gentlemen, and they’ll be coming home on the next transport. They’ve seen the bodies, seen what the Hive can do, as have I.”