Page 59 of The Alien Warrior's Mate

Korben helped her dress in the tunic. They busted through the hallway and stopped short when they saw Ga Eun walking up and down in the spaceship’s hallway. Her brown eyes were strained as she looked at them, but that wasn’t what made Sara’s jaw drop. In her slender arms, Ga Eun carried a big and healthy blue-skinned baby.

Twenty-Four

Korben

His gaze lockedon the brood and refused to let go. She had thin black hair that fell to her chin, a small, pudgy face, and Ga Eun’s bright, almond-shaped eyes—although right now, those eyes were filled with tears.

The brood’s skin was blue. The blue of his ancestors.

The blue of his father and his mother.

The blue of all the Plutonians who had come before them.

She had a tiny stub of a tail. When she grew older, that stub would become a proud extension with the unique Plutonian muscle at the end. Built for battle. Built for war. The length of her was only a few kigos. If she was made to stand by his side, she would not even reach his ankles.

The brood caught sight of them and rubbed her hands against dark eyes brimming with curiosity. Understandable. If she’d been sequestered by Rune and Ga Eun, this would be the first time she’d actuallyseenother beings.

Ga Eun shot them a guilty look. “I can explain.”

There was no need.

The brood in her arms made things very clear. Plutonians had the ability to reproduce with humans. They had a future. And Rune had kept it a secret from all of them.

Korben heard a door slam shut and the thud of footsteps.

“Ga Eun, can you wake Korben and his mate? Enthara wants to…” Rune saw the four of them standing in the middle of the hallway. With a growl, he hurried in front of his mate and his young.

Standing tall, Rune unleashed his spine dagger. Korben felt his own dagger itching to emerge. He wanted to grab Rune by the neck and smash his face in for daring to hide such a huge secret.

Korben held himself back. He didn’t want to beat the brood’s father to a pulp in front of her. Ga Eun curved her hand over the young one as if to hide her from them.

“Korben.” Sah-ah wrapped her fingers around his arm. “Yuh nedz reeelex.”

“Do you know what they have done?” Korben said firmly. “Our species has long been without hope. We despaired. We saw no future.” His heras banged in his chest. “And yet they hid…”

Sara and Ga Eun both started talking at the same time.

Korben's jaw flexed.

Denizi.

Wariness in his eyes, Rune went quiet and lifted a small neural connector. “This first and then we talk.”

“Why should I accept anything from you?”

Sah-ah tugged on his arm. Her brown eyes were wide and pleading. She pinned her lips together and shook her head slightly. Korben gritted his teeth. His chest burned with white-hot flames, but his mate had made a request. Even if it killed him, he would do everything in his power to accommodate her.

“Very well.” Korben bit out. “My mate trusts you.” He caught Rune’s eye. “But if I sense any foul play, I will tear you apart.”

“I have a family to protect, Korben.” Rune replied, his voice as hard as rocks. “If it comes down to a fight, you will fail. I have much more to lose and more to protect.”

Korben bared his teeth and the brood squealed in fear at the sight of it. Sah-ah tugged on his arm again and shot him a scolding look. Korben struggled to rein his anger in. He did not usually have a temper. He was voted terros because of his level head. But when the things he cared about were threatened, he lost control.

Most dear to Korben were his family and his tribas. In that order.

Sah-ah was his family.

And so was Clavas.