“I was there. That fucker tortured me for over a week, killed my unit and made me watch.”
He sighed and I realized I had lost focus, if only for a second.
“I am sorry about the loss of your unit.”
I nodded. There was nothing else to be said. “As I was the only one to survive, I am… between assignments. My unit is gone. I have more than served my time for Everis and the Fleet in this war. Niobe—Vice Admiral Niobe—is not just my mate. She is my job. My mission now.”
“You are an Elite Hunter, Quinn. You are not one of my officers. You are not, technically, part of the Coalition. What is it you want from me?”
“I want to be permanently assigned to Vice Admiral Niobe as her personal attaché. I go where she goes. I.C. Core Command. The Academy. Every meeting, every mission. It’s the only way I can protect her.”
“You answer to the Everians, Quinn. Not to me.”
“Strip me of my Elite Hunter status. Assign me a commission in the Coalition Fleet. Give me the clearance I need to be at my mate’s side.”
His brows winged up in surprise. “Why should I do that?”
“As I said, my mission now, and until I draw my last breath, is Niobe. Place me as her personal security. Where she goes, I go.”
“And if I refuse?”
It was my turn to study him, assess the threat to my mate. He was the means to a desired end, a solution that would make both me and my mate content, but if he refused? “I will find another way, but I will be with her. I will protect her. I have no other choice. I cannot accept the way things are. I cannot watch her go into danger alone and unprotected.”
“She is protected by the Coalition, by highly skilled warriors, by trained I.C. assets.”
“And not one of them will protect her as I would, and you know it.”
He did grin then and I began to relax, to think that, perhaps, I would have my way without further argument.
“You would no longer be part of the Elite Hunter lists. Ever again. You would no longer report to Everis, but to a higher-ranking Coalition officer.” When I didn’t even blink at those scenarios, he added, “You’d become nothing more than a Coalition fighter at the lowly rank of lieutenant. You are too smart, too highly skilled and trained to accept that kind of demotion. Hell, you’d barely outrank a cadet.”
I shrugged. “Titles mean nothing. You can call me whatever you wish, I am what I am. My skills and training will not change. I am an Elite Hunter, even without the title. No one can protect my mate like I will. I must serve Niobe. But to do that, I need the rest of the Coalition Fleet to acknowledge my status as her protector. I will gladly follow her commands....”
“And mine.” His demand was clear, uncompromising. But I had faith he would not ask anything of me I could not accept. He was not an unreasonable male.
“I accept.”
The silence lengthened as we stared at one another, neither of us blinking. Hi
s silver eye was uncanny. Strange. But I had no doubt he saw everything. Perhaps more. “You break into my home, incapacitate my warriors, demand to speak to me, and you think I should reward you by giving you exactly what you want?” he countered.
“Yes.” I held his gaze, willed him to understand. “Listen to me. I can deal with her being a vice admiral. She’s smart, skilled. I do not doubt her abilities or her wisdom. I am proud of the rank she’s achieved. I am proud of her, proud to call her mine.” I sighed, tried to relax my tense shoulders. “But I can’t accept her being in danger. The idea of her going off without me there to keep her safe is making me insane.” I leaned forward in my chair, knew a challenge was in my eyes. I would not back down, not on this. This was my future. My mate’s safety. “Commission me. Make me a Coalition officer. Give me the highest level clearance needed to be by her side. I am loyal to my mate, to the Coalition of Planets, to the survival and safety of all member worlds. I have more than proven myself. I will not betray you or the Fleet. I would never betray her. Assign me as her personal security. I would be the most highly skilled and ruthless lieutenant ever seen in the Coalition.”
“As I said, you’ll lose your Elite Hunter status.” That statement meant he was still considering it.
I shrugged. “With all due respect, as I said, I don’t care. Make me a lieutenant and assign me to the Academy, to her personal security. Where she goes, I go.”
“And if I don’t?”
I leaned back in my chair. “As a mated male, what would you do if you were me?”
He studied me closely before raising his wrist comm to his mouth. “Security code Nial, Prillon Prime…” He rattled off a string of Prillon code words and phrases before some kind of computer system answered his call.
“This is the Central Core, Prime Nial. How may I be of assistance?”
He looked at me. “Last chance to change your mind.”
“Not happening. She’s mine.”