Page 4 of Krin (The Protectorate Warriors Alien Fated Mates #3)
Riley
THINGS WEREN’T GOING as well as I’d hoped when I left Alara. I was hoping Krin would have visited by now to talk about my plans.
It bothered me he might make me leave once we arrived at the human colony.
Allowing someone else to make decisions about my future put me in a vulnerable position.
One I didn’t like. Especially since I really didn’t want to leave the ship.
It wasn’t as if being on the Chetok had been a blast so far, mind you. Actually, it was the complete opposite.
On my first day aboard, I looked forward to eating in the mess hall and meeting some of the crew. I’d hoped maybe to make a friend or two who might speak to Krin on my behalf about staying.
I couldn’t have been more wrong.
It could have been because I was the only female or maybe it was because I was human. I found the warriors weren’t overly eager to sit with me or chat.
Despite the strange atmosphere every time I entered the mess hall, I remained persistent and continued to sit at their tables.
In an effort to get a conversation flowing, I would ask about their jobs on the ship or the foods they enjoyed.
Some would respond to me with one-word answers, while others would swiftly find an excuse to abandon the table.
The warriors flat out ignored me.
I tried not to take it personally, but it hurt to be treated like a non-person.
The worst part was I didn’t understand why they were being this way.
The first time I was on the ship with the other abducted women, we had each other to chat with.
Our guards hardly ever talked, except to tell us what to do. But I guess I didn’t realize that nobody paid us any mind. Back at the palace, the guards were happy to chat and share a laugh with me.
Why was this crew of warriors so cold toward me?
There was no guard outside my room this time. With no one watching, I could freely explore undetected.
Since there wasn’t much else to do and no one who wanted to help me learn about the ship, I explored on my own.
For the past few rotations, I inspected every area I could on the ship.
The first place I visited was the observation lounge with its big couches and tables. It was a peaceful place to sit and think. Which was fine for five minutes or so.
I preferred to stay occupied and despised having nothing to do.
With no access to the bridge, and no one to ask, I went everywhere that I could gain access to.
Thankfully, I’d taken the translator upgrade back on Alara. It allowed me to read Alaran books and manuals. Which I learned a lot from, both on the tablet in my room, and those I managed to ‘borrow’ from various departments on the ship.
I’d already spent tons of time reading. Not to mention hacking into the ships computer system to gain a deeper understanding of the vessel’s operations.
When I wasn’t reading, I’d wandered around trying to sneak into places just to know I could.
I was itching to do something fun. It wasn’t like there were alien fiction books to keep me entertained. The Alarans didn’t seem to have time for reading fiction novels.
I giggled at the thought of the massive warriors reading romance novels.
All their literature was based on their history, or the history of other planets around them. Then there were the dry as hell ships manuals I’d read.
So far, I’d spent a ton of hours learning all I could about the ship, hoping to put my knowledge to use one day. Okay, it didn’t exactly look like that was going to happen, but a girl can try, right?
If only Krin had given me the opportunity to show what I was capable of. Besides the warrior Captain ignoring me, I was fed up with being left out by everyone else.
Though, at this point given my circumstances, I had no idea what would be the best thing for me to do.
My frustration escalated as I continued to pace in my quarters.
Not for the first time since boarding the ship, I considered heading to the bridge and requesting to talk to Krin. I responded to that thought by shaking my head. Not a good idea. It gave off a vibe of desperation.
What I wanted was to chat with the guy about what the heck was going to happen to me, without coming off as weak or needy.
Sighing loudly, I threw my arms out to the sides. “How do I make the crew take notice of me when no one will even speak to me?” I muttered. As I continued to pace, my inner voice softly prodded me to take action. Come on, Riley. You can do this.
Nodding, I shoved my shoulders back. “I’m gonna make them talk to me.”