Page 89 of The Alien Warrior's Vow

It had been there through the stroking of her heat.

Through their kisses.

Even through her pleasing of him.

The guilt had never gone away.

But what had his mate done to wear this burden on her shoulders? What did she feel so sorry about?

“Is that really the best option?” Korben leaned his elbow on the table. “If we tell them of the humans, they may revolt.”

“We only did what our ancestors did as well.” Zar growled.

“Your ancestors?” Sah-ah plucked at the tumari.

“How do you think we have strains of Plutonian blood, Sara?” Kia teased. “We weren’t the first women to fall for this sexiness.” She gestured to Pin’s entire body and gave him a wink.

The warrior fought back a smile, clearly proud to be complimented by his mate.

“What are our options?” Si-Moon asked. “Can’t we be like… ghost mates?”

“I’m sorry.What?” Sah-ah blinked rapidly.

As the table erupted in chatter, Eema remained subdued, only participating when she was called upon.

Lans would not have found this out of the ordinary before. The female had always been the quietest of the humans, always observing thoughtfully and only speaking when it was to argue with him. He always seemed to bring out the temper in her and it had amused him when they fought.

But now their circumstances had changed.

He had no desire to fight with Eema, at least not about anything as serious as what they had done in the private quarters.

And now, he could read her emotions.

She wrapped an arm around her elbow, nibbling at her food. Though he had loosened her body with his kisses, she seemed to have tightened right back up again.

Another round of mating would not open her heart to him.

He had to investigate her true feelings.

Now.

Lans was about to get up from the table and cart Eema—over his shoulder if he had to—back to their room, when footsteps thundered in the distance.

Silence swept over the table.

Tension split the air.

Lans’s eyes widened and he placed a hand in front of Eema. Every warrior in the room did the same, moving in front of their mates and fixing their eyes on the door.

Clavas strode to the front of the table. “Healer, are you expecting company?”

“Neh.” The Healer tapped his interface and widened a holo.

“What is it?” Tiegan asked quietly, his muscles tense.

The Healer gasped. “My security fields have been breached.”

“By the Ungazi?” Lans asked, his voice low.