Kragen had not known it was possible to be this happy. He was, in truth, not prepared for it. But he was a Leonid warrior, above all else, and Leonid warriors could handle anything.

Even a love so powerful it eclipsed everything else he had ever known.

The hunger fever had abated almost as soon as he’d entered Andromeda, as soon as his cock was buried inside her, where it belonged. He was no longer a danger to the world around him, unless he wanted to be. But it had been replaced with something else, something stronger: a fully realized mating bond.

His love for her was unending, his need to protect her, to bring her happiness, and to mate her, unyielding. It had begun immediately. He had watched the bond come alive in her eyes as he’d fucked her to oblivion and back, and then he’d wrapped her, carefully, in a dulca-skin blanket from a planet on the other side of the galaxy, and carried her to the nearest available sleeping chamber. He had drawn her a bath as she clung to him, half conscious while the bond matured within her and her body continued the change, then submerged her in the soothing hot waters as he massaged her tired muscles.

And then, as she came awake, he hadn’t been able to help himself, and he’d taken her up against the slick, steamy walls of the bath.

It had been like that for the last twelve hours. Kragen had not slept. He had watched over Andromeda as she slept, instead, not wanting to miss a moment with his mate, knowing this must come to an end, at least temporarily.

He would have preferred to have kept Andromeda naked and freshly fucked for at least another month, by Earth’s time, or until he finally collapsed from exhaustion—although he suspected, with the kuma he drank in every time he entered her, that that would never happen—but there were other responsibilities to attend to.

Even if the sight of her, sleeping peacefully with her face nuzzled against his shoulder, made his heart feel so full it almost frightened him. Even if all he could think about was mating her until she carried their child. The gift of a child was something Kragen had never dreamed of for himself. Now it was all he could think about.

But before they could begin their life together, Kragen had to finish what he’d started.

“Lubcha,” he said, his voice rough, even in a whisper.

Andromeda woke easily, her big, beautiful eyes opening to meet his. She smiled at him, and the world brightened.

“We have much to do,” he said.

“You mean like save the planet?” she said.

Kragen smiled back. “Rune will one day be proud to hear you considered him such a threat.”

“Well then you can’t follow me into the shower,” she said, still smiling as she sat up, covering herself with the silken Earth sheets that one of the royal attendants had known to provide. “Or we won’t go anywhere.”

Kragen grabbed the silken sheet with a growl and flicked his wrist, stripping her once more.

“I want you bare,” he said. “Unless otherwise ordered.”

The look on her face—eyes big, lips parted, cheeks flushing—told him that his mate was correct. If they wanted to get anything done, he could not follow her into the shower.

“Go,” he ordered. “Now.”

Andromeda was not gone long, and needed only minimal assistance with the unfamiliar Leonid controls, so Kragen had ample time to prepare for the mission to collect Rune. He even had enough time to arrange to take care of one more matter, which he knew the Alliance did not care about, but which was of utmost importance to him—and to his mate.

He smiled, remembering once more that she was his claimed mate. Andromeda had already surprised him in innumerable ways, not least of which was the way she had negotiated with the queen. His mate was formidable, even if she did not know it. Kragen would make sure everyone else treated her as such.

Which was why, as he escorted her with an attachment of Royal Guards to the transport ship, he was pleased to see that the majority of Leonids looked at her with awe as she passed by.

He was less pleased to sense that Andromeda was uncomfortable.

“What is it, lubcha?”

“You’re absolutely, one hundred percent sure that this was the only human clothing available on this entire ship?”

Kragen looked down. The soft gray cotton material looked comfortable, if several sizes too large for his mate. It hung around her body in a shapeless bunch and had “US ARMY” printed on the front of the top piece. He did not care about the provenance, but as they passed many curious Leonid warriors in the corridors of the queenship, he liked the fact that it hid Andromeda’s luscious curves. Those belonged to him.

“Quite sure,” he said.

“So I have to have my big moment, helping to save Rune, which will definitely be on camera, in sweatpants? Just so we’re clear. I’m in sweatpants.”

Kragen grinned.

“You are beautiful no matter what you wear, lubcha,” he said. “Now stop complaining, or I will consider what modes of discipline I can employ in the transport to Earth.”

Andromeda opened her mouth then closed it again. Then she blushed.

Kragen smiled. He would enjoy the look on her face when she saw what surprise he had planned on the way to the warehouse. He would enjoy it very, very much.

* * *

Andie felt like she was in a movie, or a dream, or something else definitely not real. Possibly a weird version of one of those dreams where you showed up to school wearing the exact wrong thing, except that it was impossible to feel anxious while holding Kragen’s hand. And instead of wearing pajamas to school, she was wearing sweatpants to an intergalactic incident.

Oh, and instead of a bunch of high-school kids staring at her because she was in her pajamas, there were a bunch of Leonids staring at her because she was now, officially, the first Leonid mate in over a hundred years.

No biggie.

They had another group of guards with them, though Kragen had assured her that after what happened with the assassination attempt, the ship was practically on lockdown. Even so, young Leonid warriors would stop what they were doing when they passed by. Most of them stared. One of them even dropped a clipboard.

Andie smiled as she felt a surge of Kragen’s protectiveness through their bond. She could literally feel his love, and the snarl he kept back any time another Leonid looked at her too long. She wanted to tell him he was leaking feelings again, but she was enjoying it too much. And besides, pretty soon that wouldn’t happen as much—Kragen had explained that they’d both get better at managing the mating bond, accessing it when they needed to, pulling back when they needed to. But it would always be there to return to, like a beacon, so that her heart would never get lost.

As if that were ever a possibility.

Andie snuck another look up at him as they rounded a well-lit corridor, entering a large, comfortable room with one of those big airlocks for a wall. God, she loved him. It was insane, except that it wasn’t. She didn’t know what else the claiming would do, but so far she felt stronger, happier, with more energy and overall just freaking awesome.

She felt sexier, too. In fact, for the first time in her life, Andromeda Knowles felt truly, truly wanted.

It didn’t hurt that with every orgasm she could feel her body changing, her heart expanding, and the bond growing.

Yeah, I could get used to this.

Kragen looked down at her as the airlock opened to reveal another cargo bay, smaller than the one they’d entered through the previous night, and also much, much nicer. A private royal cargo bay.

“What is it, lubcha?” he said.

“Nothing,” Andie said. “I just realized you’re mine forever, again.”

Kragen said nothing, but he smiled. The airlock behind them closed, and the red light on the second airlock clicked on. Their guards stayed behind as they moved forward—apparently it would be a more elect group on the ship.

Andie hesitated, and then realized what she was feeling through the bond. That smile is hiding something.

“What?” she asked him.

“Nothing,” he said, and held out his arm so they could board the transport.

“You know we’re bonded, right?” Andie said, crossing her arms. “I can totally tell it’s not nothing.”

Kragen’s smile was positively evil.

“You are too smart for your own good, lubcha,” he said. “Now get on the transport, or there will be consequences. We will not keep Prince Rhazian waiting any longer than we already have.”

Andie hurried forward, not without some hesitation, because she really, really wanted to find out what those “consequences” were. Almost as much as she wanted to find out what her mate was planning. Because he was totally planning something.

She crossed the threshold of the airlock and went through the little tube-tunnel thing that connected it to the transport. She hadn’t realized how similar this was to getting on a plane back on Earth—heck, “on Earth” was a phrase she was still getting used to—but she found the familiarity comforting. Then she stepped into the transport proper, and there was nothing familiar about it.

“Whoa,” she said out loud.

“This is a private royal transport,” Kragen explained behind her. “Very different from the military transport we took last night.”

“I’ll say,” Andie whispered. The walls danced with that fancy lighting scheme from the royal chambers, and just the association was enough to make Andie remember her claiming, and she had to steady herself. She would remember that for the rest of her life.

And she could get used to traveling like this, too. It was like the fanciest private jet she’d ever seen in the movies, but from the future.

“You will never again travel in anything less. I will see to it.”

Andie had to laugh. Two days earlier, she’d been a lonely phlebotomist. Now she and her mate were taking the Leonid equivalent of a private jet to go avoid an intergalactic incident.

“Would you like a tour?” Kragen asked.

“Of course,” she said. “But what about Prince Rhazian?”

Kragen didn’t seem fazed. “The prince is comfortable in the stateroom,” he said. “And he understands that I want to keep you to myself for a time. All Leonids do.”

Kragen slid that molten gaze over her body, and Andie blushed—somehow the idea that literally all Leonids knew that she’d been claimed last night both embarrassed her and turned her the hell on.

Kragen inhaled slowly. She’d forgotten about the bond. He totally knew.

“Follow me,” he said eventually.

He led her through a narrow, dimly lit hall to a nondescript door that slid open when he uttered a phrase in Leonid. Beyond the door was an extremely comfortable, extremely large room, complete with flattering lighting, plush leather chairs, a couch and lounging sort of area, and what looked like private sleeping compartments in the back.

But that wasn’t the highlight of the room. The highlight was what Andie guessed was a video feed from the front of the ship, made to look like a wall-to-wall window. The view, at that particular moment, was of Earth’s horizon, glittering blue and beautiful as it curved away in a never-ending arc beneath them.

It took Andie’s breath away.

“This is what you wanted to show me?” she said.

Kragen’s eyes never failed to undo her. One look, and she was weak in the knees all over again.

“One of the things,” he said.

They were interrupted by a polite knock on the wall behind them, since they’d left the door open. They turned at the same time to find a somewhat awestruck Leonid captain in a pilot’s jumpsuit.

“I’ve brought the coordinates for your review, Commander,” the pilot said.

He handed Kragen a tablet that projected a map Andie couldn’t read in the air above it, and Kragen frowned.

“Update your file, Captain,” Kragen said. “The warehouse is the second stop.”

“Yes sir.” The pilot nodded.

“What do you mean, the second stop?” Andie said. She had been low-key stressing about Rune and Kat all morning, even after she’d told Kragen that she’d asked Kat to give Rune his injections. She’d expected Kragen to freak out a little, since that was obviously a dangerous plan, but he hadn’t seemed too worried. Still, Andie felt responsible, and she’d feel a whole lot better when she knew Kat and Rune were both safe.

“There is something more important we must attend to first,” Kragen said.

Andie shook her head. “What could be more important than literally the fate of the world? And possibly my friend Kat?”

Kragen smoldered.

The Leonid pilot standing between them took a step back.

And Andie…Andie couldn’t help herself. She kept wondering what those “consequences” might be. She smiled up at Kragen, and cocked her head, knowing exactly what game she was playing.

Kragen knew, too.

“Captain, you will leave us so that I might discipline my mate,” Kragen said.

A thrill zinged through her body, right to her core.

“And you, mate,” he said, his eyes burning into hers, “will follow him, and close the door behind him.”

Andie bit her lip. That thrill became a full-body shiver. The bond in her heart pulsed, and she knew Kragen could tell how much being embarrassed like that turned her on. His Dom senses had known it before she did. There was something protective, too. He’d sensed her apprehensiveness about leaving her friend with Rune.

Andie turned to follow the bewildered pilot to the door, suddenly very aware of how she wasn’t wearing any underwear, or even a bra, under the sweatpants. Already she could feel pleasure building inside her. As soon as Kragen touched her, there would be no more room in her mind left for worrying about anything at all. She so needed that.

Had he known that?

She started, slightly, and looked back over her shoulder. Kragen stood tall, his muscles gleaming even in the low light. With no one to fight or protect her from, Kragen’s glow was more subdued, more of a shine. She thought of how his eyes bored into her whenever he fucked her, and shuddered a little smile. Andie turned back and pressed the button next to the doorframe—how had she known to do that?—and the door slid closed with an audible hiss.

Now what?

Andie turned back around, her body uncomfortably aware of all the places the bulky cotton sweats rubbed against her naked skin. Kragen held her gaze for a moment, then sat expansively in one of the giant leather seats facing the window on Earth. He spread his leather-clad legs wide and leaned back, his massive cock making a clear impression, and draped himself over the chair like he was a conquering warlord.

Well…he kind of was.

“Come here,” he said.

Andie bit her lip as she obeyed. His eyes followed her as she came near, and the bond between them changed. Where before it felt like a bond, now it was more like a leash. He was in charge.

And she was wet.

Standing in front of her mated Dom—her Darkov.

About to get disciplined.

His eyes held her in place from where he sat. He didn’t even have to move.

“Did you question my orders in front of a subordinate?” he said.

Andie blinked.

“Yes,” she said. “I did.”

Without another word, Kragen grabbed her by the waist and pulled her onto his lap. His hard cock pressed into her backside for just a moment before she was moving again. Before she could get her bearings his strong hands flipped her around, on her stomach, her legs dangling off the side of his lap, her breasts pressed into his thigh, her ass up and in the air. She could feel his cock again, a hard heat pressed up against her belly, while her arms scrabbled for purchase on anything at all. Kragen laid his heavy arm on her back, keeping her in place.

She wasn’t going anywhere.

His other hand moved quickly, pulling the sweatpants down over the globes of her ass and her thighs until they were pooled around her knees. Kragen ran his hand up the inside of her thighs, forcing them apart as far as they would go while she still had the stupid freaking sweatpants around her knees—which turned out to be pretty far, since the sweatpants were so big.

Andie shivered in anticipation. She’d never experienced anything like this before, not the real thing, not with a real Dom. And not with her mate. She mewled as Kragen ran his fingers over the folds of her pussy, and gasped as he dipped briefly inside her, wetting his fingers. She was so lost in it, she forgot what was coming next.

Smack!

The hard, sharp sting of his palm against her bare ass jolted her forward, her head up and her eyes wide. She dipped her head again as the pain melted into pleasure, spicing it, the force from his hand vibrating the folds over her clit.

Smack!

She moaned, her fingernails digging into the leathers that covered his thigh.

Smack!

Smack!

Smack!

By now she was arching her back so her ass was offered up to him, her breasts pressed into his thigh, her belly into the bulge of his erection. Each blow sent vibrations reverberating through her core, bringing her closer and closer.

And then, suddenly, he stopped.

Kragen let his hand rest on her backside, his fingers teasing the now-dripping folds of her pussy.

“Do not do it again, lubcha,” he said. “Or I will find a way to truly punish you.”

Andie groaned, and squirmed again, her hips moving back into his hand, trying to get just a little more contact.

He touched her again, this time his fingers pushing a little deeper.

“You get so wet for me, lubcha,” he growled. “How can I resist?”

* * *

Kragen had not intended to take her again so soon, on a transport, with so many close by. And he was strong, strong enough to withstand the hunger for days on end for her sake.

But he could not resist the sight of his mate’s swollen, dripping sex.

With a growl, he pulled the rest of what she had called “sweatpants” off of her legs, and landed one more slap on her pretty, red ass.

“On your hands and knees,” he said. “Now.”

He watched as she scrambled to obey the order, her body shaking with arousal, with desire. The way she seemed to know instinctively what he wanted please him greatly. Their bond was strong, and getting stronger. This was only confirmed when she positioned herself directly in front of him, spread her legs, and arched her back.

Yes. Exactly what he wanted.

Kragen took his time unbelting his leathers, allowing himself the pleasure of looking at her, offering herself up to him again. He would never tire of that. And he would never tire of making her wait just long enough to make sure she knew who was in control.

His cock was hard as a rock, and still hungry. He would feed it.

Kragen knelt behind her and smoothed his hands over the outside of her quivering hips, gripping her there. He kicked her legs wider apart with his knee and then lifted her up to meet his cock, pulling her back onto him as he thrust into her all the way to the hilt.

He was rewarded with a cry of pleasure, and he answered with a roar. Fully seated inside her, the world narrowed to what he could smell, taste, touch. Kragen fell forward onto her back, pushing her down so her cheek rested on the soft, mossy carpet and her ass was completely available to him. She groaned as he pulled out, slowly, only to slam into her again.

He fucked her with the full frenzy of his desire, pausing only when she began to contract so hard around him that it was like she would not let him go, and when he finally emptied himself inside her, it was like their bodies refused to separate. Kragen collapsed to the ground at her side, rolling her into his arms, his cock still buried deep inside her. His mind was empty, so empty that it could see certain truths.

Kragen’s life was no longer his to sacrifice. It belonged to her. Andromeda was his, and his heart belonged to her, and that was as it should be. He had a family now.

And soon, his family would get bigger.

* * *

Andie toweled off with the softest towel she’d ever encountered, and wondered, once again, about how much her life had changed.

For one, it turned out there was a full bath in every chamber on the royal transport ship. Which was good, because Kragen had decided to exercise some of his Dom privileges pretty much as soon as they were alone. And as shiny and new as Andie felt after every unbelievable orgasm, she didn’t want to go collect a hunger-mad Leonid in front of, like, a million Leonids and official Alliance people having just been very obviously fucked.

Of course, that meant she had to make it the rest of the short trip to Earth without being ravaged by her brand-new mate. Andie smiled. She gave it even money.

She was still smiling, and still very much on cloud nine, when she opened the door to the bath and saw what was on the giant “window” at the other end of the chamber.

Kragen had said they were making another stop.

Andie just didn’t…she didn’t know why she didn’t ask. She just assumed it wouldn’t be as important to the Leonids as collecting Rune. She’d felt like she got away with something, convincing the queen to pardon Kragen and try to save Rune, and then Kragen had claimed her. She felt too lucky, like something had to give. She’d meant to make Kragen live up to his promises about the medical treatments; she just hadn’t expected it to take precedence over the first intergalactic incident.

But the view through the window was undeniable. The royal transport was hovering over Gramzy’s house.

Kragen had diverted all these resources for Gramzy. And in fact, Andie could see several overly muscled Leonids all insisting they be the one to help Gramzy down the porch steps. They were bringing Gramzy on board.

Andie narrowed her eyes.

“She does not need that much help,” she said.

“This is the surprise, lubcha. I wanted Gramzy to join us as soon as possible. I thought you would be pleased,” Kragen said, coming up behind her. His voice was warm and heavy, and she could let it wash over her for days.

“I am pleased,” Andie said, smiling and sighing at the same time. Kragen wrapped his arms around her and she leaned back. He felt like home.

“I just also know my grandmother’s making excuses to get to touch a bunch of Leonids,” she finished.

“Why would she do that?” Kragen asked, puzzled.

Andie smiled even harder.

“You’ll find out eventually,” she said.

“I will find out now,” Kragen said, releasing her from his arms. Andie knew he needed to do that occasionally, so they could both, like, walk around and stuff, but she missed him every time.

He took her hand, smiling down at her, and with just a tilt of his head she found she began walking with him. His confidence and just…sheer, utter dominance never failed to make her swoon.

Then her brain caught up with the rest of her.

“Wait what?” she said. “What are you going to say to my grandmother? Just remember to go slow, like—”

“I will not go slow,” Kragen said. “If she is in pain, I will take it from her and bear it myself. And after we have collected Rune, then we will take her to the medical bay and see what can be done.”

Andie’s heart swelled. Of course that was what he meant. She didn’t even honestly care if Kragen asked Gramzy about why she liked to invent reasons to lean on young, hot, muscular Leonids. They reached a doorway with guards in front of it, and Andie squeezed Kragen’s hand.

“Thank you,” she whispered.

“She is my matriarch now, too,” he said as the guard keyed in a combination to the door. “She will be with us for a long time. I insist upon it.”

“Kragen?” Andie said.

“Yes, mate?”

She looked up at him, and the warmth of their bond washed over her all over again. The essential golden goodness of him, intermingled with the ferocity of his love for her, filled her to the brim and nearly took her breath away. Andromeda Knowles was officially the luckiest woman on the planet.

“I love you,” she said.

Kragen smiled. He dipped down so that his lips brushed her head, and he inhaled deeply, breathing in her scent.

“I did not know what love was until you, lubcha,” he said. “And I look forward to learning new ways to love you all the time.”

Andie shivered as his voice grew husky, and the warmth between them flared hot.

“That is a promise, Andromeda,” he growled.

She giggled, trying to let off some steam before they got into real trouble. “When are you going to start calling me Andie?” she said.

“I like Andromeda,” Kragen said. “In your language, it means ‘lady in chains’.”

Andie’s eyes flew wide open.

“Ok, then you have got to call me Andie in front of my grandmother,” she said.

The door in front of them slid open with a subtle hiss, and Andie saw that Gramzy was already on board. Not only was she on board, but she was sitting, quite comfortably, on a fancy-looking couch, being attended to by about three different young males. All of them, as per Leonid tradition, shirtless.

“Gramzy!” Andie said.

“You hush,” Gramzy said. “Let me enjoy myself.”

“Your matriarch is a formidable woman,” Prince Rhazian said, rising from his chair on the other side of the room. “Just like you, Andromeda.”

“Andie,” Kragen corrected.

The prince nodded, and Andie could have died.

“Perhaps we will find you a Leonid mate as well, Mrs. Knowles,” Prince Rhazian said, smiling at Gramzy.

“Don’t you try to flirt with me, Your Highness,” Gramzy said. “You’re only a baby.”

The prince shook his head. “I am one hundred and thirty Earth years old, Matriarch Knowles.”

“Well, in that case,” Gramzy said with a cat-like smile, “what are you doing Friday?”

Prince Rhazian looked stunned, and Andie flushed down to her toes.

“Gramzy,” she sighed.

“Matriarch, are you in pain?” Kragen asked.

“You call me Gramzy, young man,” Gramzy said. “As I assume you are my grandson now? Good. I knew my girl could handle it. Now that that’s settled, and if the prince is done flirting with me, I have something I’m quite worried about.”

Andie knew that tone. Gramzy wasn’t kidding around.

Just then an aide came to whisper something in the prince’s ear, and Gramzy nodded at him.

“I hope that’s not related,” she said. “Because what I’m worried about is that I haven’t seen Kat. Not since she left the hospital room. And she hasn’t answered her phone or been to work. You know that’s not like her, Andie.”

“No,” Andie said, her stomach tying itself in knots. “No, it’s not.”

“Rhazian,” Kragen said, looking at his prince. “What is it?”

The Prince looked up, his expression flat and impenetrable.

“The advance guard we sent to the coordinates you gave us saw an open door to the structure, and decided to investigate,” the prince said. “All they found were shattered Leonid chains and a handbag belonging to one ‘Katherine Gale’.”

“What?” Andie said. Desperately, she looked up at Kragen. “He won’t hurt her, will he? Please, Kragen. Please. Don’t lie to me.”

Kragen’s eyes went gentle, and he wrapped his arms around Andie, enveloping her in warmth. She felt his desire to care for her, to take away the worry. It was uncanny. And yet she knew he would not lie to her. Whatever he said next would be the truth.

“I do not know what he is anymore,” Kragen said. “But I do know the only time he was like himself was in her presence. And Rune himself would never allow any harm to come to any female.”

“Nevertheless,” Prince Rhazian said, his voice changed to that of a military commander. “Runevok has escaped. He is on the edge of kravok. And he has taken a human female with him. We must find them, before the worst can happen.”

“Kragen?” she whispered.

“Try not to worry, lubcha,” Kragen whispered back, his lips pressing against the top of her head. “There is no trail of destruction in Rune’s wake, and so your Katherine Gale must still have some influence on him. She will be safe. And we will find them.”

Andie took a deep breath and leaned her head into Kragen’s chest. She believed him, but this wasn’t good. Obviously it wasn’t good. She was worried, and she felt the beginnings of guilt gnawing at her, because Kat was only in this situation because Andie had pulled her into it. Of course, Kat would have killed Andie if Andie hadn’t called her, but that didn’t seem important at the moment.

What seemed important was that Kat Gale was the smartest and most resourceful woman that Andie knew. She was brave, she knew more about Leonids than anyone else, and she was a freaking badass nurse.

The only question was…could Kat Gale tame the Leonid beast?