My stubborn, beautiful mate sat beside me, her body inches from mine. And covered, head to toe, in Aleran armor. Guard’s armor. Complete with a weapon at her side and a dagger on her opposite hip.

The sight made me both angry that she would defy me and continue to risk her life, and proud that this beautiful female was mine. Every stubborn inch of her.

Swirling inside me was the need to dominate and control, but mostly to protect. Which she refused to allow me to do. Oh, she surrendered to me beautifully in the bedroom, with my cock buried deep, my body feeding hers heat and strength and energy. The drain was orgasmic for me, knowing I was the one sustaining her, that it was my essence soaking into her very cells, my seed filling her pussy. But the moment we were out of bed, she defied me at every turn. Argued with me. Refused to back away from the search for her mother. Refused to admit she was mine.

Infuriating.

Aggravating.

So fucking frustrating.

And it made me want to drag her back to bed, tie her down, and fuck her until she came to her senses.

But she was a fucking princess, so I couldn’t do that either. Unless she begged.

“Stop scowling. You’ll scare my sisters.” Destiny’s eyes sparkled with mischief as she wrapped her hand around mine where it rested on my thigh. Instantly the flow of energy connected us, my body heat rising to meet the demands of hers. And for someone so small, her Ardor was incredibly strong. A lesser male would have collapsed by now. A lesser female would have had her Ardor soothed. But no, even subconsciously, she was so stubborn. Her mind, her body. And her heart.

“They should be frightened,” I replied, my voice tipped low so only she would hear. “As should you.”

She laughed, the sound carefree and happy. The look on her face was one I’d not seen the last two days. Content. At peace. At least for the moment. And I took some small pride in knowing I was the cause. For two solid days, I had cared for her, soothed her Ardor, given her what she needed. She was mine. There was no question. No doubt. It was so fucking obvious that someone should have made a large sign. But why couldn’t she see it? Feel it? Why did she still fight my claim? Deny me? Resist?

She even refused to eat what I ordered for her, nutritious, healthy Aleran foods, insisting on using the S-Gen machine to order things that were made on Earth. Ice cream. Chocolate cake. They were delicious, especially when licked off her creamy skin, but not meant to sustain an Ardor.

“Glad to see you are feeling better, twin.”

Faith reached across the table and Destiny took her hand, squeezing it. They shared a look I couldn’t begin to fathom and broke the connection, staring at Trinity as if nothing had passed between them.

Princess Trinity seemed distracted, staring off into the distance, a piece of paper in one hand as she tapped the top of the table with it. The table itself was round, and large enough to hold ten. The seats were solid wood and plain, except for hers. The reigning ruler’s chair had a tall back and arms, a throne of sorts. A reminder to anyone who sat at this table exactly who the ruler was.

As if a reminder was needed. Trinity carried herself like a queen already.

I sat to Destiny’s right, Leo on her other side. Trinity was next to him. Then Thor and Faith, so that each princess sat next to her mate. Captain Turaya sat on my right, across from his son, the look on his face much more grave than the look on mine could have been. The table had three empty chairs, but it didn’t seem as if Trinity was awaiting more people, but just thinking.

“Trin? Can I see the message now?” Destiny leaned forward and put out her free hand. Trust my mate to be the one to get the meeting going. In my mind, starting it meant it would end sooner. We could either go hunt down the mastermind behind all this mess or I could get Destiny beneath me once again. Either option worked.

Trinity handed her the envelope and Destiny released her hold on me to open it and take out the folded message it contained. The envelope was no longer sealed, and I had no doubt Trinity and Leo had already read the handwritten note.

Destiny scanned it, and I read it over her shoulder, but I was not sure what the message referenced. It was short. Two lines.

I had a damn good idea, based on what we’d overheard in Elder Amandine’s office, but I’d wait this one out, hear what everyone else had to say, then make my move. Destiny was not going to risk her life again. I’d do whatever was necessary to see to that.

“Well? What does it mean?” Trinity asked. Everyone looked at my mate in silence, waiting. While I’d overheard Elder Amandine speaking with Crayden when we’d been hiding in the dark corner of her office, that was the only time I’d been near her. Destiny was the only one who might know what the elder was trying to communicate.

“She said the meeting is at midnight tomorrow, and she gave me an address,” she said.

“What meeting?” Faith asked.

Destiny looked at her twin, her voice deep and stern, a voice I didn’t recognize. “Amandine told me that she suspected the traitors who planned the attack and tried to kill Mom were gathering in town for a meeting. This meeting.”

My mate tossed the note on the table and Captain Turaya leaned forward to pick it up, scanning the address. “This is less than a block from the Optimus unit’s prison blocks.”

“Is that where Cell Level C is?” Destiny asked. She was in full warrior mode, and I found it fascinating, and erotic. The stronger she was, the more I wanted to dominate her. Fuck her. Hear the sound of sweet surrender on her lips. Goddess, she was magnificent. And mine.

“Yes. It is,” the captain confirmed.

“Less than forty-eight hours. That doesn’t give us much time to plan,” Leo said.

“No, it doesn’t.” Destiny frowned. “Trinity, did Amandine contact you about setting a meeting with some clerics coming in from out of town? She called them the Triad.”

“Yes.” Trinity leaned into Leo and he draped his arm around her like it was the most natural thing in the world. She could be reigning ruler of an entire planet and still seek the reassurance and comfort of her mate. Envy. That was this acid-like feeling pouring through my body. “What about it?”

“When is the meeting scheduled?”

“Tomorrow. Midday.” Trinity frowned. “Why?”

“They’re going to try to kill you.” Destiny’s voice was monotone, not a hint of worry or excitement in the words.

“That’s not funny, Des.” Faith shifted in her seat, placed both of her hands on the table, palms down. Her spine was straight, her gaze direct on my mate. “Not even a little bit.”

“It’s not a joke,” Destiny countered. When her sister would have spoken, Destiny held up her hand. “When I was arrested, after Crayden’s murder—”

Captain Turaya interrupted and everyone turned to look at him. “Cleric Crayden is dead? Why was I not informed?”

I hadn’t realized it wasn’t common knowledge. I had thought during the two days of… alone time with Nix, Trinity would have updated the others. Obviously not.

Trinity asked, “Did you know him?”

Captain Turaya nodded. “Yes. Very well. He was one of my best informants and a skilled soldier.”

“Soldier? He wore a cleric’s uniform.”

“And you wear a queen’s guard uniform and yet you are not one.”

The captain’s words made Destiny blush fiercely, a dark pink that matched well with the purplish color of her hair that was becoming more pronounced by the day.

Princess Faith’s hand went to her mouth as if she were trying to stifle a smile. “Ouch,” she whispered, but everyone at the table heard. “That had to burn.”

I had to assume it was an Earth slang term, for Destiny didn’t look overheated.

He held up his hand. “I meant no disrespect, Princess, only that you are so much more. Crayden was a cleric, but he was also a skilled fighter against the Hive and, as I said, an informant. He kept the lines of communication open between myself and Elder Cleric Amandine. She is not a traitor. I trust her with my life.”

“But would you trust her with mine?” Trinity asked.

Captain Turaya didn’t hesitate. “Yes. On my honor, she is not a traitor. I have known her since I was a boy. She was one of my mother’s best friends. She would never betray the queen.”

Destiny pursed her lips and gave the older man a slight nod. Moving on, she said, “Back to Crayden.” Her fingers tapped on the table. “Not just a soldier. He was an assassin, wasn’t he?”

The captain looked at her, his brows raised in surprise. “Yes. How did you know?”

My mate glanced at me, then away, quickly, as if she didn’t want me to notice that she’d paid me any attention. “I can spot a trained killer, that’s all.”

So was that what she thought of me? That all I did was kill? She was not wrong. I had served the Coalition Fleet,...