Page 4 of Guardian’s Destiny (Space Guardian’s Mate #3)

VRAAX

I would have beaten Zaarek too, if it hadn't been for Raasla showing up that fateful day. They took me prisoner and aboard another ship where I met more traitors and their mates.

Noodar and his mate Luph, Zaarek and Raasla's mates, Nova and Zoe, respectively as well as Tharaax and his mate Hannah. Oh, and a holostreamer, Nock. They tried to convince me that the Ohrurs were betraying us that some sinister force was at work that had given them mating marks. I wouldn't have believed a word that came out of their traitorous mouths, if it hadn't been for the dreams.

It was impossible for them to have known about my dreams, and that they claimed to have too. The similarities of those dreams were enough to give me pause.

As time passed by, the dreams came more frequently. That coupled with what the others were discovering made me reconsider my position on the Ohrurs. The longer I listened to my new friends , the more I became convinced that they were right and that we were about to discover something evil.

Despite what Moddekdum had tried to convince me of, I no longer believed they were traitors. That much was certain. But whether the Ohrurs were truly as sinister as the others claimed… I wasn’t sure. Yet. The cracks in my belief were widening, and every conversation, every memory—or lack thereof—pushed me farther toward uncertainty.

The common room was filled with tense energy as we gathered. This was becoming a habit, though I wasn’t sure I liked it yet. My instincts still told me to be cautious, but something about their relentless questioning, their refusal to back down, was beginning to wear at the certainty I had once held. So did their easy camaraderie, something I had never experienced before or had even known I missed.

Zaarek leaned back against the wall, arms crossed, watching me like he was waiting for me to trip over my own words. Tharaax and Raasla were standing near the table where Nova and Nock were seated, with Luph and Zoe exchanging glances nearby. Hannah sat off to the side, quietly observing.

“So let’s go over this again,” Raasla said sharply. “The Ohrurs claim we are the traitors, that we betrayed them, but every mission we ever ran was for their benefit. What do they gain by turning on us?”

"The mating marks," Zoe said quietly.

"They're afraid others will get them." Zaarek agreed.

“The better question,” Tharaax added, “is why do we remember so little about our pasts? Have you never wondered about that, Vraax?”

I hesitated. “I have,” I admitted, but didn't like it.

Zaarek snorted. “Tell me, what’s your earliest memory before training with the Ohrurs?”

I opened my mouth, but nothing came out. A flash of sterile walls, endless drills, competition. But before that? I searched my mind, and an ache flared behind my eyes.

“What about your family?” Zoe asked softly. “Do you remember them?”

I clenched my jaw. “The Ohrurs are my family.” The words came out stiff and rehearsed. For the first time, I wasn’t sure if I believed them.

"What about your dreams?" Zaarek asked. "Did you ever see what's chasing you?"

I shook my head. "No, but I'm not dreaming about being chased that much anymore. I dream of a small city, others… like us. Most of all, it’s a feeling of peacefulness and belonging."

"Yes, I've had that too," Raasla surprisingly admitted.

"This is good. Really good, keep going." Nock encouraged.

We all turned on him, "You better not be streaming this."

Nock turned to Zaarek. "You said I can make a stream."

Zaarek wiped his hand over his forehead. "Not live. You'll have to wait until this is all cleared."

"Absolutely," Nock nodded eagerly. Too eagerly. I didn't trust the Kred. Suddenly, he leaned forward toward me and whispered, "Don't worry, big guy, you'll get there too. We're here for you. Always."

I stared at the Kred, his hand on my arm. Strangely, it didn't feel as bad as I would have thought.

“Oh, don’t look at me like that. This is growth for you. I’m proud.” He patted me on the back like I was some pet who had just learned to sit on command.

I shoved his hand off me, resisting the urge to pick him up and remove him from the room.

"How can someone so small be so annoying?"

“I try,” Nock said with a wink, clearly pleased with himself. “It’s a gift, really.”

The tension in the room cracked slightly, and a few of the others shook their heads. I looked around at them—Zaarek, Raasla, Tharaax, Nova, Zoe, Hannah, Luph, and even Nock. They had every reason to hate me, to distrust me, but they didn’t. They kept pushing, not just to convince me, but because they actually cared. The realization hit me like a slow burn, seeping under my skin. For so long, I had been a soldier, a weapon for the Ohrurs. I had never belonged, not really. Not until now.

I exhaled heavily. "Alright," I said, the word feeling heavier than I expected. "Let’s say you're right about all of this. About the Ohrurs, about why they turned on us. If they see us as a threat because of these mating marks, if they’re afraid of what it means… then what’s our next move?"

Zaarek’s eyes flickered with something—approval, maybe. "We fight. We protect what’s ours. We find others like us, and we make sure they don’t go through what we did."

I nodded slowly. The hesitation was still there, but it was dimming, replaced by a sense of purpose. A cause that, for once, made me feel like my own person. And there was something else. Something I hadn't considered until now. I had never given a thought to having or finding a mate. The notion had never entered my mind. Working as a Space Guardian, it would have been impossible. I enjoyed sex as much as the next male, but seeing the others with their mates, watching them day in and day out? It made me think—a lot. There was so much more to their bond than love or sex. It showed in the way they looked at each other. Even when angry words flew, there was never a doubt about the depths of their relationship. It made me curious and a little envious. I wouldn't have minded finding something like that.

"Then I’m in," I said, surprising even myself.

Nock let out a loud cheer, throwing his arms up. "Oh, this is great! Someone write this down. Vraax has officially defected. I mean, unofficially, but still, I say we celebrate. We could get some drinks? No? Just me?"

I rolled my eyes, but this time, I didn’t shove him away.

Maybe, just maybe, I had found where I was meant to be. But beneath the humor, the truth still sat as heavy as the questions burning inside me. Who were we? Where did we come from? Why had we been working for the Ohrurs? What had they done to us? To Darlam?