Page 37 of Alien Jeopardy

I stiffen.

Is she hurt? Have I injured my mate in addition to bringing shame upon her with my early release?

My chest squeezes in fear, and my gaze traces over every inch of her skin. The Roth host is telling us both something, the drone cameras circling overhead, but I don’t care about him.

All I care about is making sure my female is safe.

CHAPTER

SEVENTEEN

Ellison

Rex is staring at me like I’m disgusting.

My chin wobbles, and I do my best to ignore his studious perusal of me and fight back the tears that threaten.

Maybe kissing is gross to Draegon aliens. Maybe I smell bad.

Furtively, I lift a hank of hair to my nose and sniff it as covertly as I can manage.

Rex is still staring at me with what now looks like pure fury.

Great.

Well, I don’t care what he thinks anyway! I stamp one foot and cross my arms over my chest. I didn’t ask for this; I didn’t ask for any of this!

I didn’t want to be mated.

So, I go back to ignoring him and tune in to the Roth’s speech.

It’s harder to ignore the pain deep in my chest.

“You have won the first challenge, and our judges at home have given you the maximum amount of style points, which means that you also receive a bonus reward in this round. In addition to translators, tonight you will stay in our intergalactic-class accommodations, have a relaxing dinner, a massage, and your choice of new clothes for the rest of your time onMated and Afraid,” the tinny mechanized voice repeats the Roth’s words.

A teensy bit of hope shoots through me.

A bed to sleep in?

Dinner? A massage?

Clothes and even shoes?

Hell. Yes.

I pick up one foot and inspect the sole of it, wincing at the damage. A cut runs under my big toe, blood crusting down the arch of it. The other foot’s cut too, but on the heel and not nearly as deeply.

Damn it. They’re going to be bruised and sore for a few days at least, there’s no way one night of sleep will fix them.

I sigh, then a murderous noise sounds from Rex’s direction.

A frown turns down my mouth.

“Why are you mad at me? I can’t help that I don’t have alien skin.” I huff, pushing a dirty lock of hair out of my face.

“Come with me, and we’ll get that translator fitted and inserted, okay?”

I blink, looking away from my so-called partner’s clenched fists.