Through the observation window of Eryn’s hospital room, Maggie gazed at her friend who wouldn’t wake up. Her heart ached for her as well as the man holding vigil at her bedside. In his place, she’d be beside herself, not only because she loved Roth, but because their mate bond was incredibly strong. A special connection hard to understand unless mated.

Like now, while she watched for her mate’s handsome face to appear above hers in the glass. She sensed his presence before the elevator doors opened at the end of the hall. Sometimes, their connection was stronger, and if she closed her eyes, she could determine his whereabouts on the base. He called it mate GPS and didn’t seem to mind it a bit. As fated mates, they were so in tuned with one another they had a special intuitiveness others did not.

When his strong hands slid over her shoulders, their eyes met in the reflection of the window. “How is she today, little captain?”

She shook her head. “No change. It’s been days, Roth. I’m so scared for her and the baby.”

His attention shifted into the room. “Ram looks exhausted.”

“I’m sure he is. He hasn’t left her bedside.”

She felt his body brush against hers as he grunted. “He’s foolish not to, if only to sleep for a few time cycles.”

“Hours,” she automatically corrected. Always telling him “When on Earth, do as the earthlings do.”

“Whatever,” he drawled. “If he wears himself out, he’ll be no good to either of them.”

She angled into him and looked up, which from her five-foot-four stature to his seven feet was a considerable distance. “What would you do in his shoes, Commander?”

He frowned down at her. “Don’t think about something like this happening to you. I couldn’t bear it.” After wrapping both arms around her shoulders, he pulled her in tight to his body and dipped his face to hers. “If it did, I’d be the same kind of fool.”

Maggie stood on her toes and brushed her lips over his. “Did you come by to check on Eryn, or on me?” She drew back less than an inch, his lavender eyes so close she could see the little flecks of dark purple. She could lose herself in their beauty.

He squeezed her and then straightened. “Both. I spoke with Lana. She is going to come in and relieve you for a few hours so you can get some sleep.”

“No, Roth, I don’t need—”

“No arguments, Maggie. She will call if there is a change, and I’ll get you here in minutes. Like Ram, you are no help to Eryn if you tire yourself out. And, as your mate”—the power of his authority washed over her whenever those words prefaced an order—”I won’t allow that to happen.”

Still, this was Eryn. “You promise to wake me when I’m needed, even if you think sleeping is for my own good?”

“On my Primarian honor, at the first sign of change.”

“Okay.” She leaned against him, her eyes shifting back to the motionless form on the bed, and the grim man watching over her. “Do you think, after this…? I mean, if she—”

“When she,” he corrected. “I have faith after losing so much already and suffering so long apart, the Maker won’t end this chapter for them here.”

“Afterward, they can mend whatever is wrong between them, can’t they?”

“He won’t go into detail. But even at odds, their bond was strong enough to conceive a child. With this in their favor, I have to believe they are capable of overcoming whatever drove them apart.”

“I hope so, Roth.”

He walked her down the hall, a strong arm around her sagging shoulders. When they reached the end, the elevator opened and Lana stepped out.

“Perfect timing.” A hopeful expression filled her stunning face. “How is she today?”

“And there’s the $64,000 question,” Maggie replied, drawing questioning looks from them both. “It’s an ancient…” She stopped and waved it off, too tired to explain. “She’s no different.”

Lana’s face fell, still beautiful, though disappointed. “And Ram?”

“Refusing to leave,” Roth grumbled.

Her troubled eyes shifted up to him. “If his commander can’t get him to take a break, I’m not sure what I can do. But I’ll try.”

“Thank you, Lana,” he replied.

“Are all warriors so stubborn? Ram reminds me so much of Trask—” She flinched. “All the ones I’ve met are mulish to the nth degree.” Her eyes widened, and she rounded on Roth. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean… Um, present company excluded, of course.”

“Don’t kid yourself,” Maggie said with a tired smile. “I’ve found the bigger they are, the ornerier they are.”

“I’m not familiar with that particular word, and it doesn’t translate.” He angled toward her and arched his brow. “But I have a feeling it isn’t complimentary, mate.”

“It means lovable, honey.”

Lana smothered a grin.

“Mmhmm.” Her big warrior guided her into the elevator, his hand riding so low on her back his fingers rested along the upper swells of her bottom. They flexed the tiniest bit. “I’ll take your word for it, but I’m sure there is a dictionary at home, somewhere.”

When he leaned in to punch the button for the lobby, Lana’s worried gaze met hers. Maggie subtly shook her head, a silent signal not to worry. If he decided to take offense at her teasing insult, so be it. Whatever punishment he chose for this crime would be more than made up for in the aftermath.

With a heavy, exhausted sigh, she leaned into him, encircling his waist and holding on tight as the elevator descended.

“Any news on the assholes responsible for her attack?”

“One is in custody. The coward was evidently too slow, and the others left him. Surveillance picked up four men in a beat-up old truck right after the time of Eryn’s assault. It didn’t belong to him, or the one Ram already…dispatched.”

She tipped her head back to meet his teal gaze. “Good work, honey. I would’ve been more graphic and smiled when I said it. May he rot.”

“That’s my mate, so bloodthirsty.”

“Mm… With a suspect to interrogate and leads on the vehicle, it means we’ve almost got ’em, right? I mean, how many rust-bucket, gas-powered old pickup trucks are still running today?”

“Exactly twelve with the same make. The local sheriff is working with the base MP’s, since the crime occurred on USIF property. I think they’ll be making arrests soon and we’ll have justice.”

“Ram-style justice, or U.S. legal system justice?”

“The dead man is the one who touched her, little captain. Would you find them all guilty by association?”

“Yes.” She leaned against the supportive forearm at her back to look at him. At the same time, she whipped out her ambassador’s mantle and got serious. “With the increase in violence and protests against Primarians and women interested in becoming mates, targeting either group can now be deemed a hate crime, this includes intimidation. Six men climbing a fence to go after one lone female, a pregnant one at that, because she might be a mate, in my book, is hate, whether they went out for a few jollies or were intent on gang rape like Ram suspected. As ambassador, I intend to use my influence to see they receive the harshest punishment when they convict these motherfuckers.”

“Maggie!” he growled.

“Sorry,” she murmured, settling back into him. Although she didn’t mean it. “She’s my best friend, Roth.” Her voice broke at the image of Eryn’s pale face, the bruise on her temple standing out vividly days after the attack. “She must have been terrified out there all alone. And now…” As a tear overflowed, she buried her face in his chest and whispered, “They need to pay for what they’ve done.”

“Ssh, purrada. We’ll see justice is served. I promise.”