Page 49 of Nansar
The Elder's voice sliced through the tension, sharp as a blade. "This is Kragath and Vorn, two of our finest warriors." She gestured to the scarred one and the bone-draped one in turn, her tone matter-of-fact, as if she were discussing the weather. "Theyhave expressed interest in claiming the human female as mate. Since you have not yet completed the mating bond—"
"No."
The word ripped from my throat, instinctive and absolute. I surged to my feet, my chair scraping violently against the floor as I placed myself between Chloe and the warriors. A growl built in my chest—deep, resonant, reverberating through the small room like thunder.
"She is mine."
Every muscle in my body coiled tight, ready to spring, ready to tear apart anyone who dared take another step toward her. Something ancient and instinctual roared to life inside me, drowning out reason, drowning out everything except the singular, overwhelming need to protect what belonged to me.
Behind me, I heard Chloe's sharp intake of breath, felt the heat of her presence at my back.
Kragath—the scarred one—stepped forward with a sneer that twisted his ruined face into something uglier. He inhaled deeply, deliberately, his nostrils flaring. "I smell no mating bond." His eyes raked over me with open contempt. "Perhaps the Aljani's blade has grown dull. Unable to claim a female properly."
Vorn's chuckle was dark, cruel, the bones at his throat clicking in rhythm with his amusement. "The human female deserves a warrior who can actually claim her. Not one who keeps her untouched like a child hoarding a toy he doesn't know how to use."
My vision went red. The growl that erupted from me was barely recognizable as my own voice—feral, murderous, shaking the very walls. I lunged forward, claws extending, ready to paint the floor with their blood.
But the Elder raised her hand, her command cracking through the air like a whip. "Enough!"
Before anyone could speak further, Chloe's voice rang out from behind me—sharp, furious, and utterly fearless.
"Are you fucking kidding me right now?"
I felt her push past me, her small body practically vibrating with rage. Every instinct I possessed screamed to pull her back, to shield her from these males, but something in her posture—in the fire blazing in those gray eyes—made me hold back, transfixed.
"What exactly did you expect?" she demanded, her voice rising with each word. "You people abducted us! You nearly bashed Nansar's skull in—he was unconscious for hours! And now you have the audacity to stand here and judge us for not having sex on your timeline?"
Kragath's sneer faltered. Vorn's amusement dimmed like a candle in the wind.
But Chloe wasn't finished. She took another step forward, her finger raised and pointing like a weapon. I watched, stunned, as both warriors—seasoned killers by the looks of them—actually stepped back.
"Nansar is my mate," she said, her voice dropping to something low and dangerous, more threatening than any growl. "And we'll fuck when we're good and ready, thank you very much. So thanks for your interest in my sex life, but both of you can get the fuck away from me because I'm not interested. The only one I want is Nansar."
Pride swelled in my chest, powerful and hot.
Then she turned that blazing gaze on the Elder, and I half-expected the old woman to burst into flames. "And if you have a problem with that, you can take it up with me. Not him."
The silence that followed was deafening.
The Elder's eyes widened fractionally, and then—impossibly—her lips curved into what might have been approval. Perhaps even respect.
"Enough," she said, straightening to her full height. "The human female has spirit. This is good." She turned her sharp gaze on Kragath and Vorn, who both had the grace to look somewhat chastened. "You two—out. It is not yet time to consider other claims for the female."
Kragath opened his mouth as if to protest, but one look from the Elder—one withering, ancient look—silenced him. He and Vorn exchanged glances before backing toward the entrance, their earlier bravado evaporated.
"This isn't over," Kragath muttered, though his voice had lost its edge.
"It is for now," the Elder replied coolly, her tone daring him to argue. He wisely didn’t. She watched them leave, waited until their footsteps faded, before turning back to us. Her gaze lingered on Chloe with something that might have been admiration. "Your mate speaks well for you. Perhaps there is hope for this bond yet."
With that cryptic statement, she followed the two warriors out, leaving Chloe and me alone in the sudden, ringing silence.
The moment the Elder disappeared through the entrance, Chloe's trembling intensified. I felt the aftershocks of adrenaline coursing through her small frame, caught the rapid flutter of her pulse at her throat. I turned to her, my movements slow and deliberate, not wanting to startle her.
"Chloe," I murmured, my voice as gentle as I could make it. "You're safe now. They won't—"
The words died on my lips as she fisted her hands in my vest and yanked me down to her level. Her mouth crashed against mine with a desperation that stole my breath, all heat and hunger and need.
For one stunned heartbeat, I froze. Then instinct roared to life, innate and possessive. I hauled her against me, one armbanding around her waist while my other hand cradled the back of her head. I kissed her back with everything I had, pouring days of longing and restraint into the press of my lips against hers.
