Chapter Nine

 

Alice whistled as she walked. She waved at a couple of Joyadan women who sat watching children playing in the courtyard. They waved back, calling out to her cheerfully. The Joyadan’s were very friendly and welcoming, unlike the Zerconian females who tended to ignore the humans. The males were friendlier if a little intense.

Alice didn’t mind, though. She’d been here nearly three weeks now, and she loved it. The main reason for her happy mood was Jaxan. She still couldn’t believe she had a mate, and one as sexy and sweet as Jaxan. He was being surprisingly patient with her. Especially when she knew the mating fever had to be affecting him. It was certainly getting to her. Her need for him seemed to grow stronger every day. It was getting harder and harder to resist him. Her body ached, and her skin was growing increasingly sensitive.

And she could sense an underlying urgency in Jaxan. The way he looked at her with a deep, ferocious longing. And those kisses, oh sugar, those kisses were like drugs. The more she had, the more she wanted.

Tonight was the night. She was going to tell him she wanted to move forward.

To be his mate for real.

Her body heated at the thought, even as nerves threatened to derail her. She didn’t have any experience with sex. Her mother had given her the talk, but Alice knew she’d left a lot out. Alice knew the very basics, but beyond that, she was completely uncertain.

First things first. She was looking for some of those weeds that he’d brought her for their first date. She didn’t know if it was something she was supposed to reciprocate, but she figured it couldn’t hurt.

This was going to be the best night of her life, she just knew it.

Jaxan was going to be so happy.

***

He was terrified. He’d never felt fear like this before in his life.

He strode back and forth across Macon’s living area. “What do you mean she hasn’t been seen in hours? How could she just disappear?”

Annabel puffed out a breath, her hands on her hips. “She told me she was going for a walk this morning. She left around eight. I went to the training area to set up for our self-defense lessons. Everyone else turned up about an hour later. Alice didn’t. I figured she’d got caught up with her walk and lost track of time. Alice often loses track of time.”

He knew that. He also knew how easily she grew lost.  What if she’d wandered so far away that she’d become lost and couldn’t find her way back?

“I have warriors searching for her,” Macon told him. “She could not have gone far.”

“Some of the women said they saw her walk past the Joyadan compound just after eight, so we know what direction she went in.” Rich ran his hand over his head. “I don’t understand why the tracker isn’t working.”

“Her communicator isn’t working either,” Annabel added.

“How is it possible to lose one small female?” Jaxan turned away. “I am going to look for her.”

“Keep in contact,” Macon told him. “We will find her.”

Of course, they would. They had to.

***

Alice took a seat on a rock and stared around her in confusion. Oh, this had been a very bad idea. Very, very bad. She looked down at the weeds that had now wilted in her hand. Where was she? Why had she wandered so far away from the city?

Perhaps Jaxan was right. She wasn’t good with directions because she certainly had no idea which way to go right now. All she could see everywhere she looked was desert, desert, and more desert.

Not good.

“Why didn’t I bring some water with me?” She glanced down at her destroyed communicator. She’d tripped over and whacked her wrist against a rock, smashing the communicator. It was useless now. She just hoped that the tracking chip was still working.

Shouldn’t the Zerconians have warned them all not to go beyond the city limits when they’d first arrived?

Oh hey, see that desert? Stay away.

Like a Zerconian 101 course for stupid humans. Only, she was the only stupid human to go walking in the desert.

“You idiot, Alice.”

She leaned her forehead against her bent knees. The suns seemed to suck the strength right out of her. And her poor skin was suffering, she glanced down at the redness on her arms and legs. Lord knew what her face looked like.

“I am in such trouble.”

Maybe she should just rest here for a while. Weren’t you supposed to stay in one place if you grew lost? Of course, that only worked if someone was actually looking for you.

Please, someone, be looking for me.

***

“We’ve looked everywhere.” Jaxan slammed a fist down on the table in the large meeting room. Around him sat Rich, Macon, Dex, Koran, and their mates. “Where is she?”

“She cannot have just disappeared,” Macon added.

“Do you think someone has hurt her? Taken her?” Mila asked, rubbing her growing belly. Jaxan looked over at her mate, Koran, with a frown. This was not the place for a pregnant woman.

“Mila, you should be home resting,” Koran told her. “Stress is not good for you or the baby.”

“I know that, but I’m not going to feel any less stressed sitting at home, worrying about Alice. We’ve all grown to love her. She’s so sweet and kind.”

“There’s one place we haven’t searched,” Zoey told them.

Jaxan looked up at her. “Where?”

“The desert.”

***

“She would not have come into the desert,” Jaxan said to Macon. “There is no reason for her to come out here.”

Macon sighed. “Maybe she wandered out here without meaning to and grew lost.”

Unfortunately, that was a very likely scenario. “What if she is not here? What if someone has taken her? It would explain why she does not answer her communicator.”

“But the GPS tracker would still be working.”

Jaxan nodded. Where was Alice? Was she out here or were they wasting their time? He looked up into the sky. The suns were starting to set. Soon it would grow cooler. The desert was surprisingly cold at night. If Alice were out here, she would soon find herself cold and alone in the dark. He could not bear to think about her frightened, perhaps injured, scared.

Fear tightened in his stomach. Once he knew she was safe, he would implement some rules and boundaries. He had allowed her time to know him. Allowed her time to become accustomed to her new life. Enough was enough. He could not take the fear beating down on him. He had to bring her fully under his protection. To make her truly his mate.

“Do you see that?”

Jaxan turned to where Macon pointed. “The light is reflecting off something. It could be anything.”

“Or it could be someone trying to send out a signal,” Macon guessed.

Jaxan feared that wasn’t likely, but he set off at a fast pace towards the glint of light. Macon ran beside him. As they grew closer, he spotted something green. She’d been dressed in a green top this morning. Then a burst of red.

Alice.

Relief nearly took him to his knees, but he forced himself to push his emotions to one side. He raced towards her. He heard Macon speaking into his communicator but paid no attention to the words.

“Alice! Alice!”

She looked up from where she leaned against a large rock. Her head lolled back, as though she no longer had the strength to support it.

“Jaxan?” she croaked out.

He spotted her communicator where she held it on her lap. It must have been glinting off the sunlight. Thank the stars they had found her before the sun disappeared.

She blinked sleepily. “Am I hallucinating? I thought I saw water before, but it turned out to be a pile of sand. Sand, sand everywhere.”

“She’s dehydrated.” Macon knelt beside him and grabbed a hydration pouch from his back carrier. Jaxan took it from him, berating himself for not thinking of that himself. He held it up to her cracked lips, wincing as he saw how red her skin was. Her fair skin had taken a beating under the harsh sun.

“Drink, Alice.”

She took a sip from the pouch.

“No, the whole thing.”

“Don’t wanna. Tired.”

“Do not let her fall asleep,” Macon warned. “She must drink that and more. We need to get her back to medical.”

Jaxan nodded as he drew her onto his lap and supported her head with his arm while holding the straw to her mouth.

“You will drink, Alice. Now.” He made his voice firm. Almost harsh. But he was relieved to see it worked when she started to drink. “Keep going, little one. You will drink all of this and then the next one. Then we will start home.”

“So bossy.”

“Yes. And I have only just begun.”

She scrunched up her nose then groaned. “Think I got a bit sun-burned.”

A bit? She looked like a chiliberry. Bright red. But he didn’t say anything. As soon as she had finished one pouch, Macon handed him another.

“We would be best to move now before it grows dark.”

Jaxan nodded then stood, holding her against his chest. He immediately shifted his hold, tucking her against him like a babe, so as much as her skin as possible would be protected, her face tucked against his chest. She snuggled in, making a little whimpering noise.

“Stay awake, Alice.”

She yawned. “You came for me.”

“I will always come for you. Not that you will be getting out of my sight again.”

She snorted then wrapped her arms around his neck. “Take me home.”

***

Jaxan sat beside the masic, watching her sleep. Fear still coursed through him, even though she was fine. Dehydrated, burnt by the sun, exhausted.

But alive.

And she would stay that way.

He glanced up as the door to her room in medical opened, and Annabel walked in. Racar had wanted to keep Alice here for observation for the night.

“Is she okay? Has she woken up?” Annabel asked.

“No. Racar said the pain inhibitor had a sedative that would keep her asleep.”

Annabel nodded. “If you want to rest I will watch her.”

He shook his head.

“Nothing will happen to her, Jaxan. She’s drugged, and I won’t leave her.”

“Something always seems to happen to her. I get at least two reports a day of her near misses. She could have died.”

“But she didn’t. Alice is just adjusting to being free of her tyrant father.”

“I know, and I have allowed her freedom and time. I have been patient.” He glared at Annabel.

“You have. Far more patient than most of your kind. I wish Macon was more like you.”

“No, you do not.”

“You’re right, I love the big ogre, grouchy and impatient as he can be. Jaxan, I get that she scared you. Just don’t overreact, okay? She’s all right. The last thing Alice needs is to go from one tyrant to another.”

“Are you saying you believe I will treat her as her father did?” He was horrified she thought such of him. “She was worked to the point of exhaustion. He used to lock her in a small closet as punishment. She had to guard her every word. She still has calluses on her hands from the physical work he forced her to do. Do you believe I would ever risk her health that way? That I would ever want her to fear me?”

“I know you would die to protect Alice. That’s not what I’m talking about. Alice wants to please you. If you tell her that you don’t want her to do something she’ll try to do what you ask of her. Just be careful not to ask too much of her, that’s all I’m saying. If you’re staying, then I guess I’ll go get some rest. Macon’s outside, likely pacing up a storm and growling at everyone that comes into his sight. Rich is no better. She scared them both.” She squeezed Alice’s hand gently and then left.

Jaxan stared down at his mate. He only wished to keep Alice safe. If that meant giving her boundaries, then that was what he had to do.

It was necessary. For his peace of mind and her safety.