Page 2

Horek

The sound of voices travels down the hall of the barracks. This is my domain. My kingdom. The one and only place I wish to rule. At my approach, the three young guards in the galley go silent.

“Why aren’t you out on patrol?” I come to a stop directly in their personal space. All three flinch.

“Sorry, Commander. We were just leaving,” the nearest to me says and they scatter.

“More like distracted,” I mutter to the empty room.

Ever since Alik negotiated an agreement with the President of a land on Earth called America, all anyone talks about are the arriving brides. The guards are losing focus, and with tensions mounting between the rebel forces outside of Preska, that is the last thing we need.

I make one more round outside the barracks before heading toward the palace for a debriefing with Alik. I walk the streets keeping my focus on my surroundings. Nothing appears to be amiss, but there’s been a heaviness in the air lately that tells me something is coming soon. Something that isn’t just the arrival of the humans. Guards and citizens alike stride through Preska. My heart aches at the few females, all of them elders. Like the Queen and my mother.

“Greetings, Commander,” one of the tavern owners says as I pass.

I nod in return. A moment later, I reach the lift at the base of the mountain and take it up to the landing outside the palace entrance The guards at the door straighten at my arrival.I make my way toward the Prince’s wing. As commander of his armed forces, it’s my responsibility to make sure all the residents of Preska, as well as the palace, are safe.New security measures are being put in place with the imminent arrival of the twenty human females.

I stride down the wide corridor lined with windows and can’t help but glance out over our city. From this high up I can see across the entire length of it and beyond into the rainforest.The lush teal leaves of the trees never fail to take my breath away. Their beauty is unsurpassed anywhere. But that beauty hides danger. Between the rebels who call it home and the creatures who wander the land, there are few places within that are safe.

Several hallways and stairs later, I enter the throne room.Despite being born to the King and Queen of Bohna, my cousin doesn’t stand on formality. This is his least favorite place to be in the entire palace,but it’s where his father conducted all his business so it’s where Alik conducts his. Including receivingmy dear aunt, who frequently reminds him of his duties. Duties like finding a mate and helping repopulate our people with his progeny.

Poor bastard .

“Theguards are distracted.” I do without any unnecessary pleasantries.

My cousin turns from the window and keeps his hands clasped behind his back. At his feet is his Phinnek pup, Beck.

“Clearly you are too lenient with them that they would dare take a single moment’s musings from their duty.” He raises one imperious brow.

“Their duty is to keep the city safe. Especially with the arrival of the humans.” I glare. “The rebels have been far too quiet lately. The silence doesn’t bode well.Under normal circumstances, my guards do well enough. But you and I both know these are anything but ordinary circumstances.”

“Well enough is high praise coming from you,” Alik says with a sly grin that slowly falls. “You are right though. These circumstances are anything but ordinary. Any day now, the females are scheduled to arrive from Earth. They will need time to acclimate. Extra patrols will need to be set up around the dwelling where they’ll live until they find their mates.”

“I’ve already arranged for that to be taken care of, Sire.”

Alik’s lips quirk. He knows I’m annoyed with him when I use his title. “Of course you have. My mistake.”

“Have you picked one out for yourself, yet?” I already know his answer, but can’t help needling him further.

He glares. “You know I have no desire to find a mate.”

“So you will just let the fever take you and condemn me to a life of misery as your heir?” There is nothing worse I can think of than becoming the crown prince. The thought alone is enough to cause me to lose sleep.

“I’m managing it,” Alik says.

This time it is me who raises my brow. “Don’t think I haven’t noticed how much kanet powder you’ve been inhaling lately. Your mating fever is getting worse. How long do you think you’ll last before it consumes you?”

“The humans should arrive in the next day or two. The last communication we had from their ship stated they were just entering the galaxy. It won’t be much longer now,” he says, completely disregarding my question.

I internally sigh and let him change the subject. “I’ll make sure everything is ready for their arrival and let the guards know to be prepared.”

He nods a dismissal and I turn on my heel and exit the room. Once again, I make my way through the palace, passing multiple patrolling guards. Staff move about, preparing for the evening meal. Alik’s mother invites a new group of citizens to the palace every week for a meal and entertainment. It saddens her though to see how few females remain, all of them well beyond the age of child-bearing. It’s the reason the human females are coming.

I still haven’t figured out why Alik is so against having a mate. Every visit we’ve made to Tavikh since their warriors discovered their human fated mates, my cousin hasn’t been able to hide his envy. At least, not from me. I hope he realizes his mistake before it’s too late.

As for me, I truly have no interest in a female. Human or otherwise. I do not have the countenance that females enjoy anyway. My work as commander takes up all of my time leaving none left over to give to any bride. My mother made it clear that females will demand too much of me. I don’t have the patience for games females play. I am devoted to my career, and that is how it will stay.

I walk through the gated entrance of the palace grounds and take one of the lifts down to the city center. A large building was converted into a dormitory of sorts for the arriving females. Each will have their own private quarters with a bedroom and small seating area, along with their own personal bathing facility. A cook has been assigned to the kitchen and will prep all of the females’ meals. A main dining area has been set up for them to eat together and socialize if they choose.

I nod at the guard stationed at the front entrance and step into the open entryway. Stairs climb up one wall with a landing on each floor. The sun shines in through the windows that comprise one entire side of the building. There’s the perfect view of the palace from where I stand. I make my way through the entire facility; checking locks and windows, as well as running a test on the security system. Not that any problems should arise, but I won’t take any chances on the safety of the humans. They are our only hope our people have for not going extinct.

Despite all the advancements our race has, our scientists are no closer to finding a cure for the disease that rendered us unable to give birth to females. Nor have they been able to synthesize the properties of the kanet plant that keeps our mating fever at bay. It’s why we still trade and barter with the Tavikhi people. They are a primitive race with nothing to offer us except the very thing that keeps us alive.

Once I’ve gone through every floor and every suite, securing it all, I head back to the barracks. Muted conversation has me pausing to listen.

“I heard the females all come from the poor house.” A young guards’ voice carries from the communal gathering room.

“Someone else said they’ve never eaten real food,” another adds. “They feed them protein bars for rations.”

I step beyond the doorway and into the room. Immediate silence greets me as several pairs of eyes land on me.

“These females are leaving their homes for you. For your future children. For our people. Yet you speak of them this way? As though they are beneath you or don’t have feelings? You should be thanking them. If it weren’t for the human females coming here to bind themselves to some of you, we will die out. Don’t ever let me hear another disparaging word pass your lips or you’ll answer to not only the prince, but to me.”

None of the guards will meet my gaze and shame burns through each of them. I sense the emotion they can’t hide. For several beats I stare and make my displeasure further known. While I have no interest in a mate for myself, I won’t have any of the females disrespected. Between Vornak’s mate Johnna and the ones I have met on Tavikh who are mated to the Tavikhi warriors, it is clear they are a soft and tender species. Although even with the softness they possess a core of steel.

Every human female I have met has a fierceness that is unmatched when defending their mate. They have the kind of strength the Bohnari need to prosper and flourish. Finally I release the visual hold I have on the guards and return to patrolling. We need to make sure nothing will go wrong when the females arrive.