“Liam Chyron of Sector 1,” someone bellowed.
I felt Rager’s hand on my shoulder, heard his words. “Step back and protect Bella. We have company.”
Bella’s mouth was gone. Only then did I open my eyes and groan. She wasn’t on her knees before me any longer. My balls ached. It was then the needy haze cleared. I watched as Rager stepped between us and the door. Evon wrapped Bella in a blanket, covering her from neck to ankle.
“Liam Chyron of Sector 1.”
I spun about, saw the station commander standing in the doorway, surrounded by three guards. Their gazes flicked over the four of us, what we’d been doing—or about to do—quite obvious. Other than them seeing Bella on her knees naked, I didn’t give a fuck.
Rager held out his hands to halt their movement. He was huge, and mean as hell when riled, and everyone knew it. The guards stopped dead in their tracks, trying to look everywhere but at our raging hard-ons. I wasn’t ashamed of my desire for my mate. I’d had my mate’s tongue on my damn balls and they’d interrupted.
We formed a solid wall between the guards and Bella, all three of us naked and ready to fight to the death to protect our mate.
“What is the meaning of this, Commander?” Evon demanded. His family had served Viken in the Coalition Fleet for generations. His father was a respected Fleet commander, higher in rank than even the man standing before us.
Bella tried to peek over my shoulder, but I wrapped my arm around her and gently pushed her to stand behind me. This was strange, to say the least. They’d broken into our private quarters, armed and were now pointing weapons at three members of the Royal Guard. Something terrible was going on here, and until I knew what, I didn’t want her exposed to these men who could turn out to be our enemies.
The commander nodded his head to Evon in a show of respect. We’d served under him for several years now. “My apologies, gentlemen, for interrupting your private time with your new mate.”
“Then why are you here? And why did you break into our quarters?” Rager’s question was more growl than actual words, his fists clenching and unclenching at his sides.
“We are here for Liam.” His gaze turned to me, and all three of his companions shifted so that their weapons pointed at my chest. None too gently, I used my other arm to nudge Bella over to stand behind Rager. That was a lot of firepower aimed my way, and I would not risk her being caught in the fire.
“What?” I growled, my hands in fists. “I’m right here. What do you want? What is the meaning of this?”
The commander looked me dead in the eye. “You’re under arrest for treason.”
Chapter Six
Bella
Watching three brutish guards escort Liam from our bedroom was like a blow to the solar plexus. One moment I’d been in bliss, surrounded by my new mates, eager to take them into my mouth and bring each of them pleasure. I’d felt powerful and beautiful at the same time, something I’d never experienced before. And now?
Now I wanted to take on the three guards dressed in black and scream.
Had Liam done something wrong? What had I gotten myself into? Was my mate a traitor? A criminal? Had I walked out of the frying pan and into the fire, choosing to leave Earth behind? My conviction had been vacated when I became an Interstellar Bride, but would I be matched to a criminal because I’d been one myself?
Doubts crept into my mind, slowly, like a dark sludge suffocating my joy. The glow of our mating faded quickly, leaving me cold and shivering even as Evon and Rager stood between me and the others, a living, breathing wall. Nothing was getting through them. I knew that. And that knowledge was the only thing keeping me on my feet as this ice-covered world ripped the rug out from under me.
Evon and the commander faced one another in silence as Liam walked silently between the others.
“There has been a mistake,” Rager insisted.
“I’m afraid not.” The commander was unapologetic. Even his eyes were empty, resigned. “Liam’s security codes were used to transport stolen weapons and communications equipment to Sector 1.”
“That’s impossible.” Evon shook his head, even as he took a step back. I couldn’t see his face, but I could hear the shock in his voice.
Liam was gone, vanished into the hallway with the three guards. They hadn’t even allowed him to put on his clothes. No, they were going to parade him through the halls to somewhere—jail?—like a savage, naked and exposed. And that really made me want to kick this guy in the balls.
“The judicial hearing is scheduled for two hours from now. If you’re going to prove him innocent, I’d hurry.” With that, the commander spun on his heel and left me alone with Rager and Evon.
The moment the door slid closed behind the intruders, Evon turned to face us, his cool mask slipping away to reveal pure rage. His eyes, usually icy blue, were filled with heat now, but a very cold heat. “He didn’t do this, Bella. I promise you.”
Rager agreed with a quick nod. “It’s impossible. Liam is ours. He’s fought at our sides against the Hive, saved both our lives. There is no way he betrayed Viken.” He pulled me into his arms, as much, I felt, to reassure himself as to comfort me.
“But…” I hated to play devil’s advocate, but I seemed to be the only one with a level head at the moment. Which wasn’t saying much, considering my mental state was shaky at best. The seed power lingered, but it turned to a fierce protectiveness for Liam, even while my mind wondered of his innocence. No, he was innocent. My body, my mind, ached from the confusion. “What about his family? Their ties to the VSS? The bad guys, right? Are you sure?”
Evon turned my head from Rager’s chest and kissed me hard and fast. Not long enough. A punishment. “I will forgive this line of questioning once, Bella, because you are new here. You do not know what we know. You have not seen what we’ve seen. You do not fully know us or perhaps the extent of evil of the Hive. But I vow to you on my life, more, on my honor, Liam would never betray us.”