Page 39 of Alien Jeopardy

“I was drunk?” I offer up. “I don’t want an alien mate.”

She pinches the bridge of her nose, lowering her voice and motioning for me to get away from Rex.

I manage to do so, gingerly getting down and sucking in a breath at the pain in my feet.

Billie leans close before continuing in a low voice. “Listen, I get that we all make bad choices. But you’re too deep in it now. If you still want out of your bond when the show is done, I can figure out a way to make it happen. But if you fuck him?” She shakes her head, giving me a long perusal. “I can’t guarantee he’ll let you out of it.”

I blow out a breath, determined.

I’ve never been a weakling. Mind over matter and all that. I’ve always been strong-willed. I can do this.

“I won’t have sex with him,” I tell her. “I can handle the heat.”

She brightens, giving me a winning smile as she pushes me into what looks like a dentist’s chair. “That’s the spirit, girlie. Now sit down and let’s get this brain implant installed.”

Brain implant? Shit.

I struggle, but bands have latched over my entire body, holding me in place.

Billie holds up a syringe, depressing it until a bead of liquid comes out, and without warning, she jams it into my neck.

The last thing I hear before I lose consciousness is Rex screaming my name.

CHAPTER

EIGHTEEN

Ka-Rexsh

Ell lies limp on the chair.

Fragile. My mate is so fragile, her delicate eyelids practically translucent, blue veins peeking through. She’s so still, and were it not for the faint rise and fall of her chest, I would fear the worst.

Even so, my heart thunders in my chest, and four Roth have me pinned to the furthest wall from my mate. One, the host, who tells me his name is Ayro, keeps attempting to explain the process of what they’re doing to my Ell.

“The translator is inserted into her bloodstream, where it will start its journey to the brain?—”

Fury fuzzes his voice, the words sliding over me, unheard. All I can see is the gun-like syringe pressed to her neck. My gaze trips over to the monitor next to her displaying the progress of the translator.

Something presses against my own neck, and I swat my hand at the annoying twinge, only for it to disappear immediately.

The Roth grunt as I surge against them, but with the four of them holding me fast, there isn’t much I can do.

“She won’t be hurt. She’s in a medically induced twilight state simply to keep her nervous system from producing too much adrenaline,” a female voice chimes in, and I glance down at the human who is speaking, a petite, muscular brunette.

Ayro, the host, angles his body to put himself between us, and the way his gaze skirts over her makes me relax. He’s never been interested in my mate.

The human woman continues to speak in a low, soothing tone, then I notice the syringe gun device in her hand.

My eyes widen, and I clap my palm against my neck.

She cringes at the reaction, and Ayro pushes her gently backwards.

“You gave me the translator?”

“You already have a universal one.” She shrugs. “This is designed to update your current model. It’s not as invasive.”

“I can understand you. You’re speaking the same language as my mate?” I ask, all the fight leaving me. “I can understand my mate now?”