Roark
Natalya—or was it Lara?—drifted off to sleep. It disturbed me that she had lied about her name, but I would address that later, after she had had some much-needed sleep and food. Perhaps I should have offered food first, but her exhaustion beat at me, almost making me waver.
Heading back to the control room, I met Cami’s worried eyes as she paced anxiously. “How is she?”
“Tired.”
“I can’t believe she’s been here all this time!” She bit her nails, then chewed on her lower lip. “What happened to her?”
Zorvak stalked over and grabbed Cami’s hands, pulling them away from her mouth. “Cami, you must calm down.”
“I can’t. Did you see her? She’s skin and bones! A shell of the girl I knew.” Tears filled her eyes, dripping down her cheeks. “Zorvak, I was responsible for my crew. How did I not know? She had to travel through the wormhole after me. Where did she go?”
My mind wandered. Earlier, when Cami had spoken, I felt Lara let go of her reservation and completely relax into my chest. Jealousy tried to take over, but I squashed it, telling myself that the reason she had relaxed did not matter. Lara was here with me, and I could protect her. Nothing else mattered.
“She is here, and safe. That is all that matters.” Zorvak wrapped his arms around her.
“I don’t care.” She shrugged out of his embrace. “I am not having the NI removed! Not now!”
“Cami, we agreed.”
“Zorvak, I’m not leaving until I find out what happened to Lara. I won’t leave her alone.”
Clinching my jaw, I crossed my arms and said in a stern voice: “I will take care of my bond mate.”
I didn’t need Cami’s help or interference; Lara was my responsibility.
“I can’t just leave her again!” Cami protested, almost pleading.
Zorvak gently took her hands. “Cami, Roark can take care of her.”
“But…”
He placed his finger against her lips. “Roark needs time to bond without interference from you.”
She dropped her head and sighed heavily.
“Let us head to Jaur,” he added. “While you are having the NI removed, they can use that time to get to know one another.”
“Fine.”
I blew out a slow, inaudible breath, grateful to Zorvak. Now I would have time alone with my bond mate—time without prying eyes.
Heading over to the controls, I programmed in the coordinates for Jaur. I glanced over my shoulder and asked, “Did you get the supplies?”
Zorvak nodded. I saw the ever-so-subtle worry covering his face. Sliding into the pilot’s chair, I tuned out both Cami and Zorvak, and concentrated on the task at hand. When permission to leave the space station was granted, I navigated away until we cleared the area.
Needing to reach out mentally, I made sure Lara was still asleep. It still irked me that she had lied about her name. Deep inside, I understood she’d been trying to protect herself, but my ego kept screaming that she would never need to protect herself from me.
An hour passed, then two. My nerves tingled, and I fought the urge to visibly check on Lara. I knew that Humans needed a lot of sleep, and Lara looked as though she had not slept in weeks.
Zorvak slid into the chair beside me. “Cami is in the galley having a bite of food.”
I nodded but kept my mouth shut, lest I risk offending him.
“Can you believe her friend is here?” Zorvak asked, sounding both perplexed and amazed.
“It is puzzling that there are two Humans that we know of, and they are both Compatibles with our species.”
“I agree.” Zorvak rubbed his chin. “Especially when it’s already rare on Ulaya.”
“I wonder if their brains are not as shielded?”
“And we could bond with any Human female?” he asked, and I nodded. Zorvak quickly glanced over his shoulder. “I doubt it. I believe the fates stepped in and granted us both a Compatible. I just don’t know why.”
“Perhaps it is because they are few on our planet.”
“Perhaps.” Zorvak sighed. “You know I cannot keep Cami away when Lara wakes. She will be very…verbal…if I try.”
That meant she would yell at him, probably staying mad for a long time. It had already happened a time or two.
“I understand. To be honest, I am not sure how to handle this…uncharted territory.”
“What do you mean?”
“I have never really thought about a bond mate, not until recently. And even then, deep down I thought it was a bad idea. But now…I want to know everything about her.”
Zorvak grinned, clamping my shoulder. “Welcome to my world, Roark.”
“What do you mean?”
“Do you think I wanted a bond mate when I tied myself to Cami?” He glanced over his shoulder to ensure we were still alone. “I needed help, a way to free myself from the fight club.”
“I see how happy the two of you are.”
“Yes, but it took time to build trust, and then came love”
Growing up with parents who were happy living only on what the ruling family gave them, I strived to be the best by going after what I wanted. If Lara needed time to adjust, I would give her time even if it went against my very nature.
*****
My mind would not shut off as random thoughts occupied every minute. How would Mother and Father feel about me taking a Human mate? As much as I needed to prove myself to others, their approval meant everything to me. Growing up without a lot, we had possessed a closeness that most families lacked. As Captain of the Royal Guard, I felt as though I straddled two worlds. It shamed me to admit that I hid my upbringing from others, even though I loved my family fiercely.
My heart leaped inside my chest the moment Lara stirred. Instead of storming into my/her room, I would replicate some food for her, give her time to orient herself.
Sliding out of the chair, I exhaled deeply. “Lara is awake.”
“Take your time.”