Chapter 24

Zanthar lay in the distance. Drake took in the swirling colors of his planet. Normally he’d be elated to be returning home, his mission accomplished. Now all he felt was numb.

They’d succeeded beyond his wildest expectations. They were returning with Dr. Lakewood, and the scientist had already revealed a weakness in the Hareema adaptation that would give Zanthar an indisputable edge against their enemies.

They’d also rescued a member of the Hareema resistance. If they could tap into the other shape-shifters who were against their central government, they could turn the tide of the war and perhaps bring down the enemy they’d been fighting for centuries.

Still, despite their success, Drake knew his own situation had not improved. The frenzy still rode him, and soon everyone on his planet would know that he had succumbed to the charms of a human female. Although he would not be the first to have done so, it was still not widely accepted among his people.

What was worse, he wasn’t certain how Jamie would receive the news of his plight. There was no way she would forget what she’d heard about the frenzy. She would know that if she did not accept him as her mate, he would die. And Jamie wasn’t the type to allow that kind of tragedy to happen.

But if she accepted him to save his life and wasn’t committed to him, it would end far worse for her. She would be unable to shake her Zantharian mate. He would be by her side for the rest of her life, whether she liked it or not. Once the bond was in place, he would be unable to leave her alone.

And then there was the possibility of a child. Even if she only allowed him to mate her once, it could be enough for his seed to take root inside her. The human females who had taken Zantharian mates had already proved the potency of a human-Zantharian bond.

Could he saddle her with his child for the rest of her life if she didn’t consider herself his true mate?

He piloted towards the surface, landing the craft at their central control hub. He’d already informed his people of his approach, and he expected to be greeted by his brother upon his return. There would be little private time to explain things to Jamie, not while he was debriefing with the security forces.

The craft touched down and he unstrapped himself. Drake took a deep breath, the weight of his worries pressing against him like a rock strapped to his chest. When he turned, Jamie was already out of her seat. She looked at him expectantly.

He couldn’t meet her eyes, so he turned towards the hatch, opening it. Outside his brother, Xivthar Rasveen, Supreme Regent of Zanthar, stood with a wide smile on his face. Beside him was his human mate.

“Sylvie!” Jamie screamed from behind him. She pushed past Drake, hopping out of the craft and into the arms of her sister.

“Jamie! What in the holy heck are you doing here?”

“Looking for you, you bitch,” she said, laughing. “You made me come all the way into outer space to find you!”

Sylvie hugged her sister tightly. Drake enjoyed the warm feeling that filled his insides. Jamie had achieved her goal of being reunited with her sister. He wondered if she would still be as exhilarated when she discovered the cost of their reunion.

Once everyone had disembarked, Xivthar led them towards a conference room. “It looks like we have a lot to talk about,” his brother said, slapping Drake on the shoulders. “But, I wonder, maybe I should let you, erm, take care of business before we debrief.”

Drake shook his head, his eyes darting to his mate. “I don’t think it would be welcomed,” he mumbled softly.

His brother’s eyes widened. “So it’s like that?”

Drake nodded. “It may be.”

The regent frowned at his younger brother. “We’ll figure something out. Some way to stave off the frenzy.”

Drake didn’t reply. There was no way he knew of to stop the frenzy, short of claiming his mate.

The conference room was already crowded. The human captain, Jennifer Brooklyn, sat with her hands on her swollen belly. Major Ontarii stood behind her, rubbing her shoulders and staring down with a distracted smile.

Nearby, Lieutenant Jeffrey Brunt sat with his mate’s feet in his hands, rubbing away. Kat’Chinna Yarr, the Zantharian lieutenant, had a blissful smile on her face, her hands cradling the small bump in her middle.

Two Zantharian-human pairings that were about to bear fruit. It should have been an idyllic scene, but in his current mindset, it only set Drake on edge. He pushed into the room, taking a seat at the table.

There was a buzz when the human scientist and his robot entered the room, followed by the Hareema rebel agent who’d kept his lizard-man form. Then came his mate and her sister, hands linked, twin smiles on their faces.

Drake was too distracted to hear much of the conversation and was willing to let others do the talking. He couldn’t help wondering what it would be like if there was a chance for him and Jamie.

He could be the one rubbing her back, rubbing her adorable feet. His seed could be swelling in her belly. Every night they would lie down together and he would greet every morning with a soft kiss on her beautiful face.

He had to force the thoughts away. It wasn’t likely to end that way, not with Jamie. Too much had happened, and they’d had no time to even talk about whether a relationship was something she wanted.

She’d never been to space before, and now she was on an alien world, ignorant of the position she was in. Drake wished he could keep it from her. Let her go home, he thought. Let her live her life. Let her be happy.

Don’t let her be saddled with me. Don’t let me be the cause of her future misery when she discovers what being mated to a Zantharian male would mean.

Suddenly he realized that she had locked eyes with him across the conference table. Drake wanted to pull his gaze away but he couldn’t. He was lost in her beautiful green eyes, so like the swirling waves outside.

His brother put a hand on his shoulder, pulling his attention back to the conversation. “Good work, Minister,” Xivthar said, giving him a small smile. “You accomplished your mission, and in your usual fashion, went above and beyond. With the prizes you’ve brought us, we’ll be able to stop the Hareema cold and even push them back. Well done.”

“Now,” he continued, “It’s time to take a break. You’ve earned it.”

Drake cocked an eyebrow at his brother. “A break?”

“Yes. Take my sister-in-law, which I believe is the appropriate human term,” he shot a look at Sylvie who nodded, “and show her to her quarters. Take some time to relax, and we’ll talk later.”

He could see through his brother’s ploy easily, but he couldn’t argue even if he was inclined to. Drake stood. “Jamie, would you care to accompany me?”

She glanced at her sister, disappointment on her features.

“Go,” Sylvie said, giving her a little push. “You need to rest. I’ll be here, don’t worry.”

Jamie strolled over, putting her arm through his. “Okay, Minister. Lead the way.”