Page 79 of The Alien Warrior's Heart

All of it.

For so many sun cycles, he had chased down the Heronas. He had sought nothing but vengeance. And now that Zar had finally gotten a taste of a better life, of something sweet, of a future that he could build with Si-Moon, the Heronas swept back in and stole it from him.

His glare darkened and he saw Si-Moon staring at him. Saw the fear flicker in her eyes as his countenance devolved into a fierce, furious mask. He saw her hands tremble and the little step back that she took.

Zar, you are scaring her.

The rational voice sounded farther and farther away.

This was the Heronas’s fault.

“Z-Zar…” Si-Moon inched back some more.

Every last one of those blasted beasts would die.

“Look, just calm down and—”

He would tear them apart if it was the last thing he did.

Turning, Zar strode from the room. He heard Si-Moon’s footsteps hurtling behind him, but he did not turn to her.

His mate was angry with him.

She did not trust him.

He could lose her.

The thought spurred him on. Made him stride faster. Made him leave Si-Moon behind.

He had to fix this. If she left, if she really meant those words, he would be alone. All he would have was his hatred. The loss would break him and so, Zar would break every Heronas he could get his hands on before that happened.

Korben strode toward him. “Zar, we—”

He marched right past the terros, his eyes on the exits. His mind travelled to that moment right after he’d tasted Si-Moon’s sweet places for the first time. Right after he’d allowed himself to consider that his future might not be as dismal as he’d always thought.

That was the moment Chozo popped his head out of the bush.

If they had not met the Heronas in that foliage, this never would have happened.

Since the beginning, the Heronas had made his life miserable. They had stolen, pillaged, and kidnapped. They turned everything they touched into pain and torment.

They killed his father.

And he would never let it go.

Never.

“Zar, stop!” A hand clamped on his shoulder.

He wrenched it free, shifting his weight forward and pulling the attacker over his shoulder. Korben landed hard on his back, the wind knocked out of him. His eyes were wide, and he stared at Zar as if he didn’t recognize him.

Without stopping, Zar headed outside, climbed on his zapten and flew away.

Thirty

Simone

Footsteps pattered towards her.The scent of flowery shampoo and soft touches on her back told her that the women had gathered around her. Simone’s senses were flooded with their concern, but her eyes didn’t see anything. They lingered on the doorway where Zar had disappeared.