Page 27 of Bought and Shared

“And how was he punished, Lieutenant?” I inquire, curious how the men are being handled in the field.

Crom, although new to his position, has a reputation for excellence in discipline and control of his charges. It won’t be long before the soldier climbs the ranks in this new government the Voltan have formed with the humans.

“The human draftee was forced to do physical exercise and labor until he could barely walk, Sir. I figured if the man had enough time and energy to run his mouth to our females, he wasn’t working hard enough. It was my duty to give him more to do to tire him out.”

Crom’s quick smile told me he had a sense of humor, alongside his admirable ability to keep the soldiers in line.

“I see,” I tell him, steepling my hands together as I think about my next line of questioning. “It seems like you’ve handled this situation quite well, Lieutenant, considering the circumstances.”

“Thank you, Colonel. I believe the human men now know that we don’t tolerate disrespect to our women.”

“Let’s hope you’re right. You seem to have your finger on the pulse of what Fort Kent needs to thrive, Lieutenant.”

Crom knows I’m hinting at something, though he isn’t sure what yet. “I do my best, Sir.”

“Since you are so dialed into the needs of this community, tell me, how is the morale of the men?” I perceive a hint of discomfort at this question and patiently await his response.

“May I speak freely, Colonel Rayaz?” Crom poses.

I smile to encourage the man to do exactly that. “I really hope you will. Your feedback is important to both me and to Fort Kent.”

Leaning back in his Chair, Crom tilts his head to the side as he chooses his words carefully. “As I’m sure you’ve heard, Colonel, the men are feeling deprived of female companionship since coming to Earth.”

I appreciate his honesty. “So, what I hear you saying, Lieutenant, is the soldiers are lonely and horny.”

No need to beat around the bush with these issues. Best to get the truth on the table so that we can directly deal with the problem.

“Yes, Sir. That’s accurate. We keep hoping the government will increase the number of draftees, but they haven’t yet. As you can imagine, it’s demoralizing for a lot of the men who can’t qualify for the auction, let alone afford to bid at one.”

This isn’t the first time I’ve heard this argument, nor do I think it will be the last. “I’ve been petitioning General Lichwiss to increase the number of female participants in the quarterly draft, but every time it’s brought to the proper committees, they deny the motion because they’re afraid of further upsetting the humans. ”

“I know that the government is doing their best, Sir. But, if I may be frank, it’s not good enough.

The men are fighting over the simplest disagreements.

They’re on edge and moody. They feel hopeless, lonely, and despondent.

I can’t say I haven’t felt that way myself since being stationed here.

As you well know, the Voltan need females to protect, honor, and care for.

Without them, we’re only a shell of the men we are meant to be. ”

It is true. The Voltan don’t just have a strong sex drive.

We also need female companionship in our day-to-day lives because we deeply appreciate feminine energy.

We understand that women are the glue that holds our society together.

They balance out our war-like nature and aggression so that we don’t destroy ourselves.

Without them, we’re in danger of doing just that.

But politics isn’t just about meeting the needs of one group of people; it is about meeting the needs of all.

I know the General and his committee are struggling to balance the needs of the humans whose lives have been irreparably changed and the soldiers’ need for companionship.

It is a difficult balance to strike, but neither community can be ignored if we expect this union to have long-term success.

“This matter is my number one priority, Lieutenant. I’m going to do everything in my power to rectify this shortfall as best I can by the next auction. You have my word on that.”

Crom’s troubled expression softens some. “Thank you, Sir.”

Picking up my tablet, I pull up the calendar for the next auction and note the date. “Besides this issue, is there anything else I should be made aware of?”

“Not at this time, Sir,” Crom answers, angling his body like he’s ready to get back to work.

“Well, if something does arise in the future, I want you to come directly to me. I’ll always do my best for the men of this fort. Understood?”

The Lieutenant nods and smiles. “Yes, Sir. Thank you, Sir.”

“You are dismissed, Lieutenant,” I say, as the man thanks me once again and exits my office.

Checking my watch, I see that I’m late for dinner with Aurora. Heading out of my office, I tell Bryan not to stay too late as I make my way to the elevator.

When I reach our suite, I use my badge to key inside.

Aurora isn’t in the common room, so I go looking for her.

I find her in her bedroom, standing in front of the mirror, braiding her lovely, long red hair into a simple plait.

Standing there, I watch the task with deep reverence.

While I never expected her in my life, I don’t know what I’d ever do without her now that she’s here.

She’s everything I could ever want in a mate and more.

“Are you ready for dinner, Kitten?” I ask affectionately from the doorway.

Aurora starts. She looks fearful for a split second, but when she sees me, her expression smooths out. “Yes, I’m ready.”

Taking her hand in mine, I notice that she’s shaking a bit, and my inner alarm bells go off. “What did you do today?”

She tells me about her time with Cadence, meeting up with Knox for lunch—which I’m sure has more erotic details than she alludes to judging by the bold color that tinges her cheeks—and her tutoring session. She doesn’t mention anything about the harassment.

Not wanting to force the discussion out of her, I try to give my mate plenty of opportunities to tell me the truth about what’s upsetting her throughout supper.

If this is to work between us, I need her to trust Knox and me completely.

As our mate, Aurora should be able to tell us about whatever she is thinking or feeling.

To not do so will only hurt the bond we’re forming and cause unnecessary distress.

She is mostly quiet throughout the evening meal, only speaking when I ask her direct questions. She barely touches her chicken. By the time we return to our suite, it seems like she’s even more nervous than when we left.

Badging into our suite, I loosen the top button of my uniform to get more comfortable. I’m going to need to teach my little kitten to trust me, and it might take all night.

“May I go to bed early tonight, Master?” She asks as she steps out of her dainty slippers. “It’s been a long day and I’m very tired.”

I need to get down to the bottom of her mood. “No. Come over here, Aurora. We need to talk.”

Biting her bottom lip, she slowly moves to my side. Reaching out, I stroke her arm. Once again, I revel in how silky smooth she is. A shiver of anticipation shoots down my spine and causes my cock to thicken when I imagine rubbing naked against that buttery soft skin of hers.

“What aren’t you telling me, Aurora?” I pose, wanting to catch her off guard enough to reveal her secrets. “I can see you’re upset.”

A look of sheer panic cuts across her beautiful face. “I…, nothing, Master. I’m just tired and it’s been a long day.”

I don’t miss the way she fumbles her words as she tries to configure a way to shut me out. Well, she can’t do that. Not my mate. She needs to be able to trust me, to let me in, and it all starts with letting go of the fear and anxiety she’s currently struggling with.

“Take off your dress,” I say in a no-nonsense tone, foreshadowing what’s to come.

Aurora looks like she wants to protest, but she doesn’t. Shrugging out of her uniform, she awaits my next command.

I allow my eyes to travel over her beautiful body, head to toe and back, and smile as she drops her gaze to the floor. Then I extend an olive branch. “Share with me what’s bothering you, Aurora. I want to know what it is so I can help.”

Sucking in a sharp breath, she stares down at her nervously wiggling toes. “Something happened today.”

“Go on,” I encourage, as I trace my rough finger down her collarbone and over the swell of her breast.

When I reach the nipple, I gently pinch and tease it with the faintest amount of pressure. The rose-hued bud puckers at my touch, making me marvel at how beautifully responsive my mate is.

“I received an unexpected package in the mail today,” she confesses, her expression turning grave.

Surprised by this new information, I let my hand drop and give her my full attention. “Who was it from?”

“My fiancé,” she reveals, her chest rising and falling in a huff with her words.

“Fiancé?” I say, my voice deceptively calm, though I’m raging like a wild stallion inside.

I had no idea my mate was engaged before the auction. There was no indication of that fact in her file. I should know; I’ve read it from front to back at least five times.

“My ex-fiancé,” she clarifies. “My parents arranged the union. I had no desire to wed Micah. It was their dream, not mine.”

Flames of fury instantly ignite in my chest. They threaten to consume me from the inside out at the thought of this human male taking what belongs to me.

“What was inside of the package?” I press, needing all of the details before I hunt this man down and strangle him with my bare hands.

Aurora pauses, knowing I’m not going to like the answer. “A cell phone.”

She’s right. My anger only burns hotter now. “Did he call you on it?”

Worrying her hands together, Aurora reluctantly nods. “Yes.”