Elait left his bride in his bedchamber, his mind reeling and his heart was pounding. He could barely keep himself from showing the obvious signs of arousal. His mating impulse was upon him, more strongly than he had ever felt. He would not be able to hold out much longer.

But first, he had to address his crew and the crew of the Breaking Dawn. Allowing Sophia to pilot the ship had been a mistake and he was going to get to the bottom of this fiasco. He went into the meeting room where the crews were assembled. He stood above the table with his hands on his hips and looked sternly at the pilot of the Breaking Dawn.

“I've heard from my mate that she was piloting the ship when the Mulgor attacked,” he said flatly.

The pilot stiffened and frowned, knowing that he had been found out.

“She saved us,” the man blurted out.

“That's what she claims,” Elait said. “But how could a human woman possibly out-pilot a Draconian?”

“She has fast reflexes and a sharp mind. She has the spontaneity of a human.”

“She is a female. She must be protected.”

“Human women are different from Draconian women,” medic Hanno stated. “They have a different culture. Especially now. Human women rival human men in their abilities.”

Elait mused over this for several moments. It would make sense in a species not in danger of extinction for their women not to be as pampered as Draconian women were.

That would mean that human women would take on other roles besides wife and mother. It made sense, but it still grated at his brain. All he wanted was to protect his mate and his son. And everyone seemed to be attempting to prevent him from doing that. Even her.

“I will decide on the appropriate punishment for your endangerment of my mate,” Elait said.

He turned on his heel and left the meeting room, not wanting to say another word to the pilot who had endangered his bride. He stood outside the door to his chambers, knowing that he would need to take her and claim her before the end of the day.

The Slipstream had to power back up after the excursion of getting past the Mulgor. There was time for what needed to take place.

His inner dragon would not hold back any longer. The door slid open and he walked through, finding the woman sitting alone on a couch facing the darkened windows. She stood and turned to him, her face dark and disappointed. The last thing he’d wanted was to begin their courtship this way. She was angry at him. But it could not be helped. His mate could not put herself in danger again.

“I hope you didn't chew the pilot's head off,” she said, crossing her arms.

“I thought about it. But he currently still has a head,” Elait said flatly.

She snorted and turned away, sitting back down onto the couch. His inner dragon growled inside his mind, telling him he must claim the woman now. He had waited a year to meet her, suppressing his need all that time. It was as if every moment that he had worked to hold back the thrall was now accumulating in a burst of need and insanity.

He had to retain control of himself or he would hurt his bride with the sheer force of his lust. He came around the side of the couch and sat beside her, keeping some space between them for her radiating anger to inhabit.

She turned to him with a frown, her arms crossed over her ample bosom. She was beautiful and petite, exactly what he had imagined in the moments when he allowed his mind to wander to her. He could smell the scent of her body and it was driving him mad.

“I don't understand why you’re being such a jerk,” she said.

“I don't know this word, jerk.”

“It means asshole.”

He looked at her with confusion in his face. She groaned and sighed.

“Whether I am an asshole or not, the fact remains that we must begin the mating ritual right now.”

“I don't know how you expect me to mate with you. The only reason I even agreed to be your mate was so that I could someday pilot a spaceship. And now you're telling me that the one person who allowed me to fulfill my dreams is going to be punished for it. I'm sorry, but I just don't like you very much right now.”

“There is no time for such trivialities.”

“I see, so you think that my passions and dreams are trivial?”

“I'm saying this argument is trivial. If we do not begin the mating ritual, I will lose my mind. Then we will not be able to return to Galaton. You and your child will be captured by the Mulgor and you will both die. That is why this argument is trivial.”

She looked at him wide-eyed and let out a sigh. He could tell that she knew that he was right.

“So, how do we start the mating ritual?”

“You should be aware of such things,” he said.

“I was just making small talk. I'm a little nervous. I've had your baby but I don't even know you.”

“It is true. We have barely communicated.”

“So are we supposed to just get naked and get nasty?”

“I do not believe the mating ritual is nasty, but I would prefer that you remove your clothes, yes.”

She stood with a sexy little groan and rolled her adorable brown eyes. The sight of her irreverence was somehow subtly arousing and he didn't dislike it.

Something about her spirit turned him on more than he would've expected. Draconian women were always subordinate, but this woman definitely was not. He liked everything about her. For a moment, he let his mind drift to the concept of allowing her to pilot the ship. Assuming her piloting put her in danger was to assume she could not do it safely. He tapped his lip, but brushed the thought aside for now.

In that moment, what he needed was to see her naked flesh and to feel it under his big hands. She stood before him in a traditional Draconian gown.

His bride hooked her finger inside the neckline of the garment and began to slowly pull it down over her shoulders. He sat wide-eyed, staring at her as she revealed her full breasts, her round stomach, and her curvaceous hips. She stood before him, tan-skinned and beautiful. His erection throbbed between his legs. He stood and gathered her in his arms, carrying her through his chambers and into the bedroom.