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“Ok.”

“One,Two,THREE!”Suddenly, my whole body is soaring freely through the air.IhearMeKand theCommanderasIpass bythem, rising upward.Justas gravity takes hold,Istart to fall again.Strongarms grab me out of the air, andIcry out in pain, welcoming the darkness that suddenly engulfs me.

Chapter Twenty-Five

MEK

FatherandKyTpull both of us back slowly as the dirt under my feet starts to give way.IholdLacieclose, refusing to look at her until we are safely inside the forest.ThemomentIknow we are on stable ground,Iam surrounded by everyone talking all at once.Pullingher away from me slowly, my heart practically stops.Sheis covered in blood and bruises.Herbody trembles in my arms as her breaths come out rattled and labored.Howdid this happen?Shewas in my arms safe earlier … is this my fault?SCOUTholds his arms out to take her, andIsnarl at him.

“MeK,Ican get her to the medical area here quicker.”

Fathergrabs me, physically holding me in place whileSCOUTgently pulls her out of my arms.Ina blink, he is gone, and a roar leaves my lips at finding my arms empty.Rippingmyself out of father’s hold,Irun through the forest as fast as my feet will carry me.Ibarely clear the pole sensors on the perimeter fence before they shock.

Armspumping,Imake my way toward the pavilion, tearing my way through the tables and chairs that are in my way.Slidingto a stop,IfindSCOUTstanding outside the curtained area,andIcan hearVedecetalking on the other side.SCOUTreaches out for me, butIjerk out of his reach before he can grab me, sliding inside the closed-off area whereLacieis.Thankfully, she is awake.Vedeceis running all around the bed asIstand there looking down atLacie.Tearmarks streak her dirty cheeks where she has been crying, and it rips me apart. “Lacie?”

Shelooks away from me for a moment, and it is likeIam watching her gather the last of her strength.

“MeK, thank you for coming back to help find me, but …Iwant you to leave.”

“Lacie,IknowIhave handled things wrong, but …”

“NoMeK, there is noBUT!”Sobbing, she turns her head from me, andIfeel like my heart is shattering. “Getout.Idon’t ever want to see you again.”

“Lacie?Please.”

“GETOUT!”

Thenext thingIknow, my father has grabbed me around the neck, his anger clearly pulsating all around him. “Sheasked the first time, then you made her get loud in her condition.Areyou going to leave here on your own two feet or on your back?Becauseafter speaking to your mother for the last few minutes, do not give me that option.Youhave dishonored not only this female but me, asIraised you to be a better male than this.”

Heshoves me back aggressively, and the last thingIsee before the curtain blocks my view isVedeceholdingLacieclose.Hedoes not stop pushing me until we are well away from the area. “Fatherplease,Ineed to speak to her.Ithink she is my mate.”

“Youthink? …Well, if you are not sure, then you really do not deserve her.IfIam this upset,Icannot imagine what that child is going through in there.IfIcould have reached through space and strangled your mother just now,Iwould have!Shecommed me because you were not answering.Doyou know why she was so adamant about getting ahold of you?Shewas worried you were soiling yourself with that human whore.SOILINGyourself,MeK!Didyou allow that female, no matter who she is, to talk toLacielike that?”

Closingmy eyes,Irecall every word mother spewed and the look onLacie’sface afterward. “Idid not say anything either way.Iallowed mother to do what she always does, andIalmost lostLaciein the process.”

“No,Ithink you are still in denial because from whatIjust heard, you have lost her.TurnthisFrackingshet around and tell me how you would have reacted if someone said that about yourpreciousmother?Iknow she has kept you under her control since you were a youngling, but still,Ihad a part in making you the male you are.Nevertheless,Inever thoughtIwould be ashamed to call you mine.Youare my son.Now,FRACKINact like it!”

Thesound of small footsteps heading our way has both of us turning.Vedececompletely ignores me as she addressesFather.

“Commander,Ihate to interrupt, but we need to moveLacieimmediately.Idon’t have the equipment nor the knowledge to treat her wounds.Sheis stable at the moment, if you don’t count the tears that won’t stop flowing down her cheeks.”Vedeceturns toward me, and if looks could kill, my chances would not be good.Fatheris even acting as ifIam not there.

“SCOUT, fire up my personal shuttle, then contactLeXonDestinyand see if he is available.KyT, check if there is a stretcher in any of the crates.Wewill take her toANDI, since his medical facility should be able to provide what she needs.”

Vedeceruns back toward the material, hidingLaciefrom me.Istart to follow father, only for him to turn on me, his large hand hitting me hard in the chest, stopping me dead in my tracks.Ihave never seen him look at any of his sons like he is me right now …Ihave suddenly become the enemy.

“Wherethe frack do you think you are going?”

“Father,Ineed to be with her.Imust be there, please.Icannot stay here and not know.”

“Areyou going to tell her what youTHINKshe might be to you?Areyou going to tell your mother?Howabout you answer this … is she worth giving up your status and everything you have ever worked for?Untilthat hesitation leaves your face, you will not be permitted to see her in the flesh.Ibelieve that child has been through enough, andIwill not allow you to hurt her any further.Irelease you from your duties here, so now you are free to leave so that you can pursue your mother’s wishes.Whatyou need to do is pop your mouth off her tit and become the maleItried to make you.”

Istumble back.NeverwouldIhave anticipated those words from my own father.Lookingdown at my arms, which are covered inLacie’sblood,Iam at a loss on how to proceed.Imay not have all the answers right at this moment, butIknow thatLaciemeans more to me than evenIunderstand, and no one is going to tell meIcannot be with her.So, whileFatherandKyTare distracted,Isneak into the back of his shuttle, my fingersworking frantically on disabling the proximity alert that would inform him that there is an intruder on board.

Ihave just gotten the system reset whenIhear their voices approaching.Hidingbehind a crate,Ituck myself back against the wall.Iknow that once we leave the atmosphere, the temperatures in here will become deadly, butIhave no other choice ifIwant to infiltrateANDI.Iam sureFatherwill instruct them to turn my ship away, ifIrequest permission to dock.

Ihear the thrusters fire up, and within a few moments, the ship starts to rise.Gatheringa tarp off the floor close by,Iwrap it around my body, trying to prepare myself for the numbing cold that will quickly be descending upon me.Havingmade this trip multiple times,Iam counting onFatherrushing toANDIfaster than usual because ofLacie.Ifnot, my body will fail from the intense cold.

Thesecond we enter open space,Ibrace for the temperature drop, only to find it has only cooled down slightly.QuickerthanIanticipated,Ihear the docking gear lowering, and the shuttle slows down right before landing gently.IfIhad not been hiding back here,Imight have been impressed withFather’spiloting skills.Resettingthe program but giving myself a few seconds to get out,Iopen the hatch.ClimbingoutIfindANDI’sholo form waiting for me on the other side.