Page 5

RAEKON

I lead Willow down the sterile, glowing corridors of Veritas Base Alpha, her green eyes darting in every direction like a startled rabbit.

She’s trying to take it all in—the sleek metallic walls embedded with pulsating veins of alien tech, the floating holographic displays buzzing with data, the occasional Vakutan or human walking past in jumpsuits.

She stumbles over her own feet more than once, and I have to tighten my grip on her wrist to keep her upright.

“You have Earthlings working for you too?” she asks, her voice pitching higher as she points at a human technician carrying a tablet. “I mean… us. Humans.”

“Of course we do.” I don’t slow my pace. “It’s your planet. It’s your future. Doesn’t make much sense to save it without involving a few of you, does it?”

She nods, though her expression suggests she’s still processing the idea. “But… why me? I’m just… I’m just a girl who’s good at math.”

“Because you’re more than just a girl who’s good at math,” I say, glancing down at her.

“You’re a girl who figured out an embezzlement scheme that had been running for years.

You stood up to your boss, even when you thought it might get you killed.

That’s potential, Willow. And potential is what Veritas needs. ”

She doesn’t answer, but I can feel her pulse fluttering under my fingers. Good. She’s beginning to understand.

We reach Pyke’s office, and the door slides open with a soft whoosh . Captain Pyke is at his desk, surrounded by floating holograms that cast a faint blue light on his red scales. He looks up, his brow ridges furrowing as he takes in the sight of Willow clinging to me like a lifeline.

“Who’s the prisoner?” he asks, leaning back in his chair.

“P-prisoner?” Willow squeaks, her face paling.

“Relax,” I tell her, giving her hand a reassuring squeeze before realizing I’m still holding it. I let go quickly. “You’re not my prisoner. Captain Pyke, this is Willow Christian. She’s a potential recruit.”

Pyke studies her, his golden eyes narrowing. “Potential recruit? She looks like she’s two seconds from fainting.”

“She’s had a… busy day,” I say, crossing my arms. “But she’s got a sharp mind and a strong will. I think she could be an asset to Veritas.”

Pyke tilts his head, considering her. “And you brought her here because…?”

“Because she’s already seen too much,” I say, my voice firm. “She saw my true form when my image inducer malfunctioned. She knows about the embezzlement scheme at Keong Industries. And now she’s seen Base Alpha. It’s either recruit her or… well, you know the alternative.”

Willow’s eyes widen, and she takes a step back. “Wait, what’s the alternative?”

“We keep you as our pleasure slave, forever,” I say, my voice low and deliberate, watching her face turn the color of a ripe Earth tomato. Willow’s mouth falls open, and for a moment, she looks like she’s about to either scream or pass out. Probably both.

Pyke lets out a deep, rumbling sigh and pinches the bridge of his nose. “Raekon, for the love of the Sacred Timeline, stop scaring the poor girl. We would never do such a thing.”

Willow exhales sharply, her shoulders sagging in relief. “Oh, that’s a relief.”

“We’d just wipe your memory of Veritas instead,” Pyke adds cheerfully, leaning back in his chair and gesturing toward her as if this is the most logical solution in the universe.

Her eyes widen again, and she looks between us like she’s trying to figure out if this is some kind of joke. “I—is there a third option?”

“No need for a third option,” I interject before Pyke can speak. “She IS valuable, Captain. She fought off a much larger male of her species in an attempt to bring me proof of his treachery. Tell me those aren’t qualities we need for Veritas.”

Pyke stares at her for a long moment, his golden eyes narrowing as he weighs my words. Finally, he presses a button on his desk, and a female Vakutan steps into the room. Minerva, one of our most trusted operatives, stands tall and composed in her sleek black uniform.

“Yes, Captain?” she says, her voice calm and professional.

“Minerva, would you please take Ms. Christian here to the commissary and get her something to eat?” Pyke requests, gesturing toward Willow.

Minerva nods and steps forward, gently placing a hand on Willow’s shoulder. Willow flinches slightly but allows herself to be guided toward the door. She hesitates in the doorway, glancing back at me with wide, fearful eyes—eyes I can’t help but find mesmerizing.

“It will be all right,” I assure her, my voice softer than I intended. “You are safe here.”

She gives a small nod, her red hair catching the light as she turns and follows Minerva out of the room. The door slides shut behind them, and I turn back to Pyke, who’s giving me a look that could melt steel.

“What?” I say, crossing my arms over my chest.

“You know damn well what ,” Pyke replies, leaning forward and resting his elbows on the desk. “What in the name of the Trident Alliance was that, Raekon? Scaring her like that? Talking about pleasure slaves? Do you want her to bolt the first chance she gets?”

I roll my eyes irritably. “She needed to understand the stakes. And she handled it better than you’re giving her credit for.”

Pyke raises a brow ridge, his lips curling into a skeptical smirk. “She looked like she was about to faint.”

“She’s stronger than she looks,” I counter, leaning against the edge of his desk. “She’s got fire underneath all that fear. I saw it in the garage, and I saw it when she stood up to her boss. We need people like her.”

Pyke sighs again, rubbing a hand over his face. “Fine. But next time, try not to terrify her into compliance. She’s not one of your soldiers, Raekon. She’s a human, and a scared one at that.”

I nod, though I can’t help the slight smirk tugging at the corner of my mouth. “I’ll keep that in mind, Captain.”

Pyke shifts in his seat, his crimson scales catching the light from the holograms floating above his desk. He folds his arms across his chest, his golden eyes locking onto mine with that knowing look that always makes me feel like he’s reading my thoughts. It’s infuriating.

“You’re responsible for mentoring Willow,” he says, his voice firm but not unkind.

“Bring her up to speed. Turn her into a Veritas asset. But Raekon…” He leans forward, his tone dropping into something more serious.

“Don’t push her too far. She’s not a Vakutan warrior. She’s fragile. Remember that.”

“I’m not going to break her,” I say. The last thing I want is to drive her away. She’s too… fascinating for that.

Pyke arches a brow ridge, clearly unconvinced. “Can’t believe you never noticed her before. She’s been at Keong Industries for what, six months?”

“No one notices her,” I mutter, though that’s not entirely true. I didn’t notice her until today, and now I can’t stop. Her hair, that fiery red, is burned into my mind. Her green eyes, wide and nervous, yet sharp with intelligence. How did I miss her? “She’s extraordinary.”

Pyke’s expression shifts, and I don’t like the look in his eyes. It’s that same knowing smirk he gets whenever he thinks he’s caught me in a lie. “Are you sure you’re thinking with your head and not another body part?”

My scales bristle, and I straighten up, my voice coming out sharper than I intend. “I have not slept with Ms. Christian, and I never announced any intention to do so.”

Pyke chuckles. “I meant your heart , brain trust. But now I’m really concerned.”

I glare at him, my jaw tightening. “I’m fine. I can handle this.”

“Can you?” Pyke’s tone is light, but there’s an edge to it. “Raekon, I trust you to take out an enemy encampment. I trust you to generate a windfall off the sale of a tech startup. But trust you not to break one of your toys? I’m not sure I’m comfortable with that idea.”

I clench my fists, my scales rippling with irritation. “I’m not going to break her. I’ll take the very best care of her.”

Pyke studies me for a long moment, his gaze piercing. Finally, he lets out a sigh and waves a hand dismissively. “That’ll have to be good enough for now. Go collect your charge.”

I nod sharply and turn on my heel, striding out of the office before Pyke can say anything else to rile me up.

The door slides shut behind me, and I take a moment to compose myself.

My thoughts keep circling back to Willow, her scent, her fear, her quiet strength.

Pyke’s not wrong—she’s fragile. But she’s also stronger than she looks, stronger than she knows. And I’ll make sure she realizes it.

I head toward the commissary, my footsteps echoing in the corridor. This is going to be interesting.