Page 9 of Made For The Alien Warrior

“The procedure went well, Tiegan,” Lans said. “They have cured her illness and rebuilt her lost limb. You do not have to be so aggravated.”

Tiegan glanced over at his comrade. The jagged scar over Lans’s eyebrow nub was paler than the rest of him. Like the other warriors, Lans kept his hair tied back. He had a rough jaw and wore a stormy expression at all times, though that scowl had loosened since he mated with Eema.

“Would you be this calm if it were anyone else?” Tiegan hissed.

“You mean Eema?” Lans frowned. “Neh, I would not be this calm.”

Pin arched an eyebrow nub at him. His intelligent eyes seemed to peel back Tiegan’s skin and look within. “You worry for her as if she is your mate.”

“I noticed that,” the Healer said with a small smile.

“This is not about mates,” Tiegan mumbled, feeling oddly exposed. Just because his lips had touched the females while he saved her did not mean they were mated.

She had to agree to be his mate first.

Not that he planned on asking her…

His thoughts rushed and he struggled to remain focused. “You misunderstand me.”

“Look, he’s getting purple,” Clavas teased. The brother of the terros and the best strategist in their tribas, Clavas was known for his optimistic presence. Despite being kidnapped by their enemies not long ago, he had maintained his wits and demeanor. “You must be dying to connect your neural implant to hers.”

Tiegan glowered at him. The neural implants allowed humans to communicate with them, but it also allowed the females to bond with a Plutonian’s zapten and sense her mate’s emotions. Tiegan had only heard of the neural bond from the others. He had no interest in experiencing it for himself.

“He does seem to be getting flustered.”

“You would break Leel’s heras,” Clavas teased.

“Indeed,” Lans scrubbed his chin. “You will have to make a choice between two human females…”

Tiegan raised his voice. “Enough.”

Everyone went quiet.

“Now is not the time for jest.” Tiegan pierced them all with his stare. “The female’s life may still be at risk. The nano-tech may have rebuilt her limb, but we do not know its full effects.”

The Healer studied him with calm eyes. “She has Plutonian blood. The technology has already proven it can graft to her body and become one. She would have exuded a negative reaction immediately had it been harmful for her.”

“Even so…”

“I tested the nano-tech in every way I could imagine.” Rune cut in. “It was meant as a medicine for my brood. To keep Kenzi alive even when I could not be there to help her.”

The room went quiet.

Rune and Ga Eun’s brood was evidence that Plutonians could mate with humans. This was very important to their kind. Since the Red Death killed their females, the Plutonian species had not seen a new birth in eons.

Korben put an arm on Rune’s shoulder.

Tiegan glanced down.

“Kenzi is my everything,” Rune whispered, his fingers digging into fists. “I can tell you that I would give this technology to my own child. Your female will be safe.”

The pressure in Tiegan’s chest finally loosened and he grumbled, “She is not my female.”

“Is that confirmation that your female is Leel?” Clavas joked.

“Leave him be,” Korben scolded.

Clavas shot him a mischievous smile but withheld further comments.