Page 4

The transformation rippled through me, my battle rage subsiding as bones and muscles shifted beneath my skin.

I exhaled, a low growl escaping as my claws retracted and my height diminished by those crucial two feet that separated my daily form from the killing machine I’d just unleashed on the forest predator that dared approach what was mine.

Standing over the shredded remains of the jungle cat, my eyes found her—the human female who’d appeared from nowhere and changed everything with a single scent.

The shift came swiftly, muscles realigning, my body shrinking slightly as my claws and fangs retracted. I exhaled sharply, shaking out my limbs, the last remnants of my battle form fading as my instincts calmed.

It had been a close call. Too close.

The universal truth rang through my blood, as absolute and unyielding as the stars themselves: Never get between a Rodinian and his mate.

If I’d had any doubt about what the dream had meant, it was destroyed the moment I tore that creature apart and gathered her into my arms.

She was real.

She was here.

And she was mine.

I watched her now, standing a few paces away, her back pressed against the rough bark of a massive tree.

Her chest rose and fell rapidly, eyes wide with shock, fear, and something else—something that made my fur stand on end with anticipation.

She wore only the tattered remains of what must have been sleeping attire—small, thin straps of cloth that left little to the imagination.

The beast within me growled with approval.

“What—what are you?” she whispered, her voice cracking slightly.

I tilted my head, considering her question. “I am Zehn Varrek Tol’Vekkar,” I said, my voice still rough from the transformation. “I am Rodinian. Legion Reaper.”

“Rodinian,” she repeated, testing the word on her tongue. “And what’s a Legion Reaper?”

I allowed my lips to curl into the barest hint of a smile. “We are the elite hunters. The finest warriors. The shadows that strike when diplomacy fails.”

“You’re a soldier,” she translated, some of the tension easing from her shoulders.

“I am much more than that, little one,” I rumbled, my tail flicking behind me. “But yes, that is close enough.”

She swallowed hard, her gaze flicking to the mangled corpse of the predator I’d dispatched.

The creature had been stalking her for half a mile—a six-legged feline native to this miserable rock, with poisonous barbs along its spine and jaws that could crush bone.

I’d picked up its scent long before it made its move.

The moment it had lunged, I’d been between it and my mate, my transformation triggered by instinct and rage.

I took in every inch of her, marveling at how the universe had gifted me.

Soft bronzed skin, smooth and rich like polished copper.

Long, dark hair, thick as silk, curling slightly at the ends.

Deep brown eyes—dark with fire, with spirit, with challenge.

My tail flicked, my nostrils flaring as I inhaled her scent, warm and utterly intoxicating.

Beautiful.

Fierce.

My mate.

And she was here.

Against all logic, against all the probabilities, she had appeared on this world, alone, unprotected, and completely unaware of her fate.

A miracle.

A temptation.

A dangerous distraction.

She shifted slightly, crossing her arms, her bare skin catching the light in a way that tested every ounce of control I possessed.

I wanted to cover her.

With my body.

With my scent, my mark, my claim.

Instead, I focused on the mystery at hand.

“How did you come to be here, kitten?” I asked, watching as her eyes flicked up to mine.

She hesitated, frowning slightly. “I …I don’t know,” she admitted. “I was on Earth. One moment, I was at a resort, and then—” she gestured vaguely at the jungle. “This.”

Earth.

Terra Prime.

A world on the opposite side of the galaxy.

I hissed, the sound low and contemplative.

Damned smugglers.

The Solarian Corridor—or, as the Legion called it, the Savage Lands Sector—was a haven for criminals, a black market hub where laws meant nothing.

The slums of space.

The perfect place for disappearances.

Had she been taken?

Sold?

No. She was too confused. If she had been captured and trafficked, she would have expected danger, not wandered lost and barefoot through an alien jungle.

Still, I did not like it.

“You’re not from here,” she said suddenly, her gaze sharp as she studied me. “You crashed. I saw your ship.”

The memory of my Prowler spiraling through the atmosphere flashed through my mind—systems failing, engines screaming, the planet’s surface rushing up to meet me. I’d barely managed to maintain enough control to avoid being spread across half the continent.

“Yes,” I confirmed. “A Reaper class Prowler. I was on a reconnaissance mission when I picked up an anomalous signal.”

Her brows furrowed. “A signal? From what?”

“I am not sure. This planet was not on any of my star charts,” I gestured to the jungle around us.

“There were bogies on my tail, strafed my ship, and despite the anti-grav lock, my Prowler still went down.” As if there were a trap laid for it specifically, but I kept my speculations to myself. No need to worry my mate unnecessarily.

Mate.

Finding one’s fate-mate was the closest thing to religion that Rodinia had. A fated mate was so uncommon that many of my kind had given up hope. Many Rodinians have chosen heart mates, if they choose to be mated at all.

Yet here she was.

“Despite the mystery, I cannot help but be grateful. I would never expect to have found my fate-mate in such a place.”

“That’s …that can’t be right,” she said, shaking her head. “I’m human. You’re …not.”

I chuckled, the sound rumbling deep in my chest. “The universe cares little for such distinctions when it decides to knit souls together, kitten.”

“My name is Everly,” she said with unexpected steel in her voice. “Not kitten.”

“Everly,” I repeated, savoring the taste of her name. “Everly Flores.”

Her eyes widened. “How did you?—”

“I know many things about you, now” I said, tapping my temple. “The unity dream unlocks our soul’s bond.”

The look of confusion over her face made her even more adorable. All I wanted to do was hold her close and nuzzle her neck until I was drunk with her scent.

First things first.

I needed to secure proper shelter for my mate.

Then, find a way off this rock.

A Reaper’s work was never done.

I glanced in the direction of my crashed Prowler, calculating the chances of getting the communicator working.

It was reparable—but it would take time.

Time we might not have.

“I saw something while I was crashing,” I said, my ears flicking in thought. “A location that did not ping on my systems.”

Her brows furrowed. “Meaning?”

“A black site.” My tail flicked. “If it was undetectable, it may have been abandoned.”

I hoped it was abandoned. If not...

I would deal with it.

She bit her lip, shifting slightly. “I can help?—”

“No.”

Her head snapped up, fire in her gaze. “Excuse me?”

I narrowed my eyes, stepping closer. “First, you are barely covered,” I rumbled, my voice dipping lower as her skin flushed. “It is taking all my control not to cover you myself.”

Her lips parted, and for a brief second, her breath hitched—as if she wasn’t entirely opposed to the idea.

I inhaled slowly, savoring the shift in her scent before continuing.

“Second, you are soft,” I said, reaching out and brushing my knuckles lightly down her arm. Her flesh dimpled at my touch, and a pleased rumble escaped my chest.

Her eyes widened, her breath quickening.

Good.

She felt the pull, too.

She just didn’t know it yet.

I leaned down, my voice a rough whisper. “And third, it is my role to protect my mate.”

Her expression flickered between shock and indignation, and then?—

An insect buzzed too close.

She screamed and swatted wildly, stumbling backward.

I barely contained my chuckle as she railed at the air, cursing in her native tongue.

Spirits, she is adorable.

I caught her before she could trip over her own feet, drawing her flush against my chest.

She stiffened, her heart thudding against my ribs.

I rumbled deep in my throat, the sound low and steady, meant to soothe, to calm.

Her body relaxed immediately, melting against mine.

Her breath slowed.

My purr deepened.

Perfect.

“I am not your mate,” she mumbled against my chest. “I don’t even know what that means.”

“You will,” I promised, breathing in her scent. “For now, you need rest. Food. Safety.”

“I need to go home,” she countered, though there was little force behind the words.

“And I will help you discover how you came to be here,” I assured her. “But first—shelter.”

The jungle was growing darker, the twin suns of this forsaken planet sinking below the horizon. Night brings dangers in every wilderness, and this one was no exception. I could feel the fatigue in her body, the way she leaned against me despite her protests.

“You’re exhausted,” I said, not a question but a statement.

“I’ve been walking for hours,” she admitted. “Before you found me. Before that …thing attacked.”

I nodded. “The predators will be more active soon. We need to find safety.”

She pulled back slightly, looking up at me with those impossibly deep eyes. “Why are you helping me?”

The question surprised me. “You are mine to protect,” I said simply.

“I am not yours,” she insisted, though her voice lacked conviction.

“The universe disagrees,” I said with finality.

When her lashes fluttered closed, I lifted her gently, carrying her through the trees until I found a suitable copse—tall, wide-barked sentinels, their thick branches woven like a cradle.

She didn’t protest, her head nestled against my shoulder, her breathing already evening out. The stress and fear of her ordeal were catching up to her.

I set her down carefully, constructing an easy shelter, weaving broad leaves together to form an insulated roof.

A temporary den.

Once satisfied, I activated a small force shield—a protective barrier meant to keep unwanted creatures out while allowing air to pass through.

Only then did I leave, moving swiftly and silently through the jungle, my ears twitching at every sound.

I hunted. Gathered.

Brought back provisions, stowing them high where scavengers could not reach.

The smaller creatures of the forest posed little challenge. I returned with meat, fruit, and clean water from a nearby stream. I arranged them near our shelter, saving the bulk for morning.

Everly had not moved from where I’d placed her, her body curled on the soft ground covering I’d fashioned from fallen leaves and moss. Her breathing was deep and even, her face peaceful in sleep.

I stood guard for a time, my senses alert for any danger. But the forest seemed to understand that this territory was now claimed—marked by my scent, by my presence.

When I was certain all was secure, I settled beside her, my body curved protectively around her smaller form.

And then—I curled my body around her, sheltering her with my warmth.

She sighed in her sleep, shifting closer to my chest, her scent twining around me.

I exhaled slowly, eager for sleep.

For the dreams that would surely come.

I would chase her again.

And this time—I would catch her.

Because in this reality, I already had.