“Yes.”
“As a bride?”
She shook her head, keeping her eyes closed. “No. Not as a bride. Does it matter?”
“No.” Seth and I both answered immediately and a small smile tipped up the corner of her lips. The thin lines of strain around her eyes and lips relaxed and she became, if possible, even more beautiful as she gave over to the healing warmth offered by the ReGen wand. I knew that feeling, the one where the pain just disappeared. Her voice, when she spoke, was softer, as if she were half asleep and my cock rose in response until her words registered.
“I was a Coalition fighter.”
“I’ll say,” the doctor grumbled, then stood up from her crouch. “I’m not needed here. Remember, Chloe. You’re not here with the Coalition but as a bride. Your mates will take good care of you.”
She turned on her heel and walked out. What the fuck was the doctor talking about?
“Wait.” Chloe’s eyes snapped open and she dropped the hand holding the ReGen wand to her lap. “Mates?”
Seth grinned then. “You’re matched to me. I’m Seth Mills.” He tipped his chin in my direction. “And Dorian is my second.”
She frowned, a little V forming in her delicate brow. “You’re from Earth. By your accent, I’d say American or Canadian.”
“American. Born and bred, sweetheart.” Seth grinned.
She turned her green eyes from Seth to me. “Yes, but Earth men don’t usually share a woman. Unless you’re into threesomes.”
When Seth laughed, she looked back at him. “Only with Dorian.” He stepped closer, brushed back the fall of her hair. “I’ll only share you with him. But if you don’t want both of us, say the word, sweetheart.”
My heart stopped beating as Seth offered her an escape, from him. From me. I’d only been in her presence for a few minutes, but I already wanted to keep her. To fuck her. To protect her and claim her as my own. She was a dream, a warrior’s fantasy, all soft curves and silken beauty. Her eyes darted from Seth to me and her breath sped, her pulse pounding at the base of her throat.
I stared, hiding nothing, not my lust nor my admiration of her beauty. I wanted her to know exactly what I offered. What we would demand. Surrender. Submission. Her heart. I would not be satisfied with less, and I knew Seth would be as relentless as I when it came to conquering our mate in every way. Body and soul.
I saw the moment her decision was made, the longing in her eyes seconds before her cheeks turned a pretty shade of pink. “Are you sure about this?” She asked me, but turned her attention back to Seth. “He’s Prillon. You’re human. If we do this, you can’t change your mind later and go caveman if I want to jump his bones. Of if I fall in love with him, too. Or if I have a Prillon baby instead of a human one.” She was listing off these possibilities as if they were sure, foregone conclusions. That she would love me. Desire me. Want my child in her womb.
Every instinct I had roared at me to step forward and take her, fuck her now. Tell Seth to either claim her once and for all or get out of my way. But I knew our new mate was correct to question him. There would be no turning back from this, not for any of us. Once she was mine, Seth could not change his mind. He would have to kill me to tear me from our woman, and I had no doubt such an act would destroy her.
My friend turned from her to meet my gaze. Silent understanding passed between us. This moment was not much different than any other battle we’d fought together. Except this time, the prize was not survival, or the death of our enemies, but her.
Seth turned back to her and traced her bottom lip with his thumb. “I am very sure, Chloe. Dorian is a fierce and powerful warrior. I am honored that he would serve as your second. I can promise to give you everything I am, but that is all I can give. We can’t stop fighting to protect our people. This way, you will be cherished and protected, in case…”
He couldn’t finish the sentence, but he didn’t have to. Chloe grabbed his hand and pressed his palm to her cheek. “I know. I know the risks.” She released her grip on the ReGen wand and her free hand moved slightly, almost imperceptibly, closer to her side. I watched her fingertips tremble as she traced something beneath the gown as if it hurt her.
Chloe’s green eyes were dark with mystery as she turned to me. “I assume you want this as well? To share me with a puny human man, not a mighty Prillon warrior?”
“Yes,” I said, offering her a grin for the first time. Puny? “I have resigned myself to your Primary Mate’s puny physical attributes.” The laughter built within until I could not contain it. I had not laughed in months, not since my cousin’s death.
Seth growled, leaning in close to whisper his words against her cheek. “I’m going to make you pay for that puny comment later. When you’re naked.”
To my shock, Chloe tossed her head back and laughed. “Bring it on, Captain.”
Instantly, the mood lightened and she nipped at the tip of Seth’s thumb when he protested again. My worry at her odd behavior evaporated. No, my mate wasn’t hurt. She was sassy as hell and I couldn’t wait to ride that fire, bury my cock inside the inferno I saw brewing behind her eyes.
“You’re Seth’s, that’s for damn sure.” Yes, even from the short few minutes I’d known her, she was a touch cocky and definitely bossy. Hell, if she really was a Coalition fighter, she’d damned well have to be. And Seth couldn’t take his eyes off our mate. He claimed not to desire a female warrior, but Chloe already made a liar of him in that regard. He wanted her. So did I. “But you’re mine, too.”
Chloe took a deep breath, her mind working again with a rapid shift in her mood that fascinated me. She looked at Seth. “The warden said you are in ReCon?”
“Captain of ReCon 3, at your service.” Seth grinned and reached out to take the ReGen wand from her lap. He turned it back on and waved it over her head. “All better?” he asked.
She nodded, but pursed her lips as if she didn’t like him fussing over her. She chose to ignore him and looked at me. “And you, Dorian? What do you do around here?”
My name on her lips was like an electric jolt to my body. I wanted to hear it again. And again. “I am a pilot, my lady.”