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A ping from the console drew his attention.

“We’ve been detected and are being hailed,” he reported.

Everyone looked at each other then back at the console.

“The combat shell disguise is good, but what if they recognize we’re not the Jurou Biljana assigned to this vessel?” Faktil asked.

“We can’t ignore the request.” Scala glared at the strobing light.

He’d hoped whoever was manning the hangar bay would simply open the doors once they were in range, but that wasn’t the case. Payim grit his teeth.

“We’ll have to take that risk.” He reached for the controls.

“Wait!” Elena grabbed his hand before he could swipe the comm.

He paused and glanced at her.

“What if there’s something to distract them, so they don’t focus on who’s piloting the ship?” she asked.

His gaze narrowed on her, sensing he wouldn’t like where this was going.

“Like me.” Elena pressed her wrist and the cleverly disguised combat shell receded, revealing his gorgeous mate.

“No. Out of the question. I won’t have you vulnerable like that.” He adamantly shook his head.

It was bad enough she was here at all.

“The shell could be reset to mimic her,” Faktil suggested.

Payim pinned his gaze on the male and glared, not bothering to repress the growl burbling in his chest.

“I didn’t come just for the fun of it. Being myself might be the quickest way to get them to lead us to the others,” Elena added.

His jaw clenched, hating that she made sense. The annoying comm pinged again, reminding him they didn’t have a lot of time to make up their minds.

“Fine.” He gave her a curt nod. “My mate wants to walk right into a flesh merchant’s outpost and give herself up. I’m either mated to the bravest or craziest little warrior in the universe,” he grumbled before flicking on the comm.

“You were supposed to…” the Jurou Biljana began.

“We found something,” Payim brusquely interrupted, making sure the feed was focused on Elena, pretending to be unconscious.

“Another human?!” the reptile huffed.

“Aye,” he replied, attempting to sound equally annoyed.

Masquerading as the enemy was new, but reflecting the reptile’s emotion seemed the best strategy.

Just open the doors,he resisted barking as the reptile considered Elena. The Jurou Biljana were pushy and crass but he hesitated to press his luck.

“I’m starving,” he said instead of ‘are we clear to land?’

“That will have to wait until you deal with the chattel.” The reptile smirked then cut the transmission.

The hangar bay started opening and he glanced at the others to find they were equally surprised their stunt worked.

Swiftly he maneuvered toward the hangar, then engaged the auto-docking system. Everyone was quiet as the cruiser passed through the doors. He couldn’t blame them. The adrenaline coursing through him set him on edge.

Thirteen cruisers, he noted, surveying the hangar.