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“Tasha – could you still bear me if I gave up weapons of destruction to those loathsome Toads?”

I stare into his hazel eyes. Eyes that changed because of me. He’s kept his honor, but he’s lost his burning need for meaningless battle and costly revenge.

“I can. Aelon. I can.”

Hope surges in me as the huge alien looks down at me with tender eyes. Then, Vinicus steps forward, his face stony.

“Rig ‘em.”

We all turn to him.

Vinicus, the brute beast. I’d thought him simple-minded at first – but as soon as his aura entered my mind, I realized I couldn’t have been more wrong.

“Rig ‘em,” he repeats. “Don’t just give them ten Orbs. The best way to beat a Toad is to blind him with his own greed. Give themallthe Orbs – but hide explosives inside of them.”

Our eyes widen as we listen to this scheme.

“When they take the cargo inside their shield perimeter – into the heart of their mothership – we detonate it. Then, we rush in and pick off the stragglers.”

Vinicus. The brute. The soldier. The base warrior who always does what his leader says.

Now, he’s the leader.

I turn to the Captain of The Instigator.

“Aelon, do we have time?”

He nods. “Aye – but this is a risky plot. If the Toads don’t fall for it, whoever brings the Orbs to them will be slain. It’s going to be dangerous – insanely dangerous.”

His face hardens.

“I won’t lie to you, Tasha. My gut tells me theywouldfall for it – and my gut is rarely wrong. But I can’t put that risk on any of my men. I’ll make the delivery.”

“Captain, I…”

Aelon holds up his had to silence any dissent.

“I’ll make the delivery,” he repeats. “We’ll have a second Reaver with the shipment in it trailing us, just out of range of the Toad weapons. I’ll make the offer to the Toads, and then tell those slimy bastards that if they try anything, the second Reaver will Orb-Shift out – taking the Orbs with them. The Toads won’t risk losing their entire payload to kill one or two Aurelians.”

“Then, I’m coming with you,” I insist.

Aelon draws back as if I’m on fire.

“No! I won’t allow it!”

“Allow it? You’re Captain of The Instigator – not ofme.”

“But you’re our Fated Mate!”

“Which is why Ihaveto be there with you. You’re not going to take any risks if I am on board with you, Aelon – so Ineedto be there.” I step up and take Aelon’s huge hand. “This isn’t the end, Aelon. This is just the start. I want to build something with you. That’s why I came back.”

I can tell myself over and over that it was the guilt of letting the Aurelians potentially die which had brought me back – but now I know the truth. Deep down, deep inside my being – right down at the core – Iwantto be with these men.

I always knew, even if I told myself it was impossible, that theycouldchange – and they did. Aelon lost the bloodlust and anger that drove him - the rage that made him so unsuitable as a father is gone.

The first day I met Captain Aelon, he would have already plunged headfirst into battle with the Toads. Now, he’s hesitating. He won’t let them get away, and he’ll do everything he can to make those slimy bastards pay, but he’ll only do itwithoutrisking us.

I was a fool to try to make Aelon sacrifice his honor. What kind of a man would let innocents die? I said I’d never let him be a father to my children because of his death wish, but likewise - I couldn’t have stayed with him if he’d made the choice I’d begged of him and run away – turning his back to the very people he’d dedicated his life to leading, serving and protecting.