Page 25 of Charmed by the Alien Warrior (Spirit Mates of the Laediriian Exiles #2)
Sorrin
I watch the two new human females settle around the fire, their movements cautious, like skittish prey unsure if a predator is nearby. Their eyes dart between us, filled with a wary suspicion that makes the scent of their nervous energy sharp and distinct. It’s impossible to ignore—it prickles at my instincts, stirring both a protective urge and a simmering anger at what brought them here.
Leah and Cassandra are their names, and somehow, they seem even more fragile than Mara and her friends were when I first saw them, as if they might break at the slightest move from me or one of the other warriors.
Yet, there’s a spark of stubborn defiance in their eyes that reminds me of my mate. That glimmer is what sets these humans apart. For all their smaller frames and vulnerability, they possess a resilience that rivals the most battle-hardened warriors of my tribe. It’s a quiet strength that refuses to fall to the horrors they’ve endured.
Still, the anger roiling inside me is impossible to suppress. My mate, Mara. Isabella and the others. Leah and Cassandra. None of them should have ever been taken from their world and forced into survival on this unforgiving planet. The thought of my mate—my spirited Mara—trapped in that same terror before I found her tightens something deep within my chest.
I clench my fists, my nails biting into my palms as I struggle to rein in the protective instincts flaring inside me. If I could track down every Zyfelik who had a part in my mate’s abduction, I would, and I would make them beg for her mercy. But I know that that is an impossible task. So, I will concentrate on the things I can control now like ensuring my mate is safe and protected, that she never has reason to fear again.
The new females sit stiffly, leaning toward the warmth of the fire but keeping their distance from us. Cassandra’s hands tremble slightly as she rubs them together for warmth while staring into the fire. Leah glances warily at Vrenner when he shifts to add another log to the flames.
I watch as Mara’s gaze moves over them, her expression softening as she notices the humans’ unease, and I know she’s remembering the first days after she met the members of my tribe. She wore her own wariness like a shield then, her every move cautious and every glance filled with suspicion.
She shifts closer to me now and leans against my side. Her hand slips into mine, her fingers threading through mine with a familiarity that still feels like a gift. I squeeze her hand gently, silently promising her the comfort she seeks—something I will always be ready to provide.
For a long moment, we sit like that, and I let myself savor her warmth against me, her presence a steady reassurance against the chaos and uncertainty of our world.
Then, Mara chuckles at something Isabella says, and that sound—light and unguarded—wraps itself around me, steadying the chaos in my chest. It’s a sound I’ve come to rely on, a balm against the harshness of my world.
I glance at her as her laughter fades, her full lips still tilted up at the corners in a slight smile. She catches me watching her and raises a brow, curiosity flickering in her eyes, and I know, as surely as the twin moons rise each night, that I will spend every breath I have ensuring she smiles like that for the rest of our lives.
Mara turns to me suddenly. “Leah says there are six others with them.”
Six more humans. Hope unfurls cautiously in my chest, and I can’t help but wonder if any of these humans are spirit mates meant for my people—if the bonds my tribe treasures so deeply could extend to those we’ve yet to meet.
Leah, the taller of the two, clears her throat, her shoulders stiff with tension. “There was one more, but we lost her.” Her voice is steady, yet I can hear the unmistakable thread of sadness in her words.
The smaller human, Cassandra, speaks for the first time, her voice soft but steady. “The pterodactyls got her.”
Mara and Isabella curse in their human language, their eyes wide in shock at the other human’s words. Her hand clenches tightly around my hand as if she’s holding on for dear life.
“What are terry-ducktills ?” Enosir asks, his youthful curiosity cutting through the heavy silence like a blade. He leans forward, his head tilted in confusion, as though trying to imagine such a creature, and I can’t fault him.
There are many human words that simply do not translate even though we have all been implanted with translator chips. Their language is more complicated than my own Laedirich.
Mara glances at him. “They’re the big birds you guys call anurois.”
Enosir’s eyes widen in shock. “A human was taken by an anuroi?”
A murmur ripples through the warriors, and I notice Yarik and Warrix both gripping the hilts of their blades as if they are ready to charge out of the hut to take on the anuroi by themselves.
“We had something similar a long time ago on Earth,” Isabella explains to him. “They were called pterodactyls, and the anurois remind us of them. They look sort of similar.”
Leah nods sharply, her face hardening as bitterness creeps into her tone. “Except these things seem faster. And smarter.” She pauses, her eyes narrowing. “They hunt in packs.”
“They’re bold to hunt near here,” Vrenner says, suspicion darkening his tone. “It’s not their usual range.”
He’s right. Anurois avoid the mountains and foothills—they always have. But lately, it feels as though the natural order of our planet is unraveling.
Leah’s hands tighten around the waterskin she holds, her knuckles turning white against the dark leather.
“Cassandra and I were out looking for food,” she says. Her voice is low but steady as she recounts the tale. “We left the others at our campsite. We weren’t far from camp when the big birds came.”
Her words hang in the air as she pauses, drawing a deep, shaky breath. “They took Lily.”
Cassandra shifts beside her, her gaze still on the fire. Her voice is almost a whisper, as if speaking too loudly might call the anurois back.
“We heard the screams and ran back as fast as we could, but it was too late.” She swallows hard, her next words trembling with grief. “There were too many.”
A heavy silence falls over the group, broken only by the pop and hiss of the fire.
Then, my mate leans forward, her brows knitting together and concern etched on her face. “The rest of your group? They’re safe, right?”
Leah nods, but the movement is stiff. “For now. They’re hiding in a cave not far from where we were attacked. We told them to stay put while we went out to look for Lily.”
Her words hit me like a stone, and I exchange a glance with Warrix. His jaw is tight, his expression mirroring the unease coiling in my gut. Neither of us says it aloud, but the thought lingers between us, heavy and unspoken. The missing female is gone. Anurois never leave any trace of their prey.
Leah’s voice wavers as she continues. “That was two days ago. Then, we heard voices and found you.”
Cassandra finally looks up from the fire, her gaze shadowed with worry. “It’s probably only a matter of time before the anurois find the cave where we left the others. We need to get back to our friends.”
Her words fall heavily, like stones dropped into a still lake, sending ripples through the tense air. Both females look to us with hesitant, wary hopefulness, as though they are afraid to let themselves believe we might help them, afraid to trust after everything they’ve been through.
My gaze sweeps around the other warriors. Their postures are stiff, shoulders drawn back, muscles taut with readiness. The firelight dances off their faces, sharpening their determined expressions. Every instinct in them—every instinct in me —screams to protect the vulnerable, to act before it’s too late.
“We can’t leave them out there,” Mara says firmly, her voice cutting through the rising tension. She looks at me, and I can see the unshed tears gathering in her eyes. And I know she is remembering her time in the crashed ship when she and her friends were being hunted and tormented by the anurois. “We have to go to them.”
I glance around the fire, meeting the gazes of my fellow warriors, and each one of them gives me a sharp nod. There is no need for words between us. We will protect these humans with everything we have in us. To do anything less would be a betrayal of every code our people live by.
“We’ll leave at first light. The anurois won’t wait, and neither will we.”
The two humans exhale at the same time, the tension draining from their shoulders as though they’d been holding their breaths for hours. Their frames somehow seem even smaller in the firelight.
I lean forward, my hand still in Mara’s. “We’ll need to ensure we have enough medical supplies for the humans.” I glance at Warrix, and he nods.
Vrenner rises, his hand already resting on the hilt of his weapon. “I’ll ensure we have enough food and other supplies. We’ll need everything we can carry.”
Mara’s hand brushes against my arm, her warmth steadying the storm inside me. When I look at her, her lips part slightly, gratitude shining in her eyes. “Thank you,” she whispers. “For doing this.”
“They’re your people,” I reply, my voice low. “That makes them mine too.”
By first light, we’ll be ready to face whatever the anurois have in store for us. Together.