by Olivia Black
One of the male’s steps faltered. He turned his head toward the leader and said, “Ambassador, sir?”
“He’s mine!” the ambassador shouted. “Take him.” He pointed at Georgie. “Now.”
Panicking, Georgie looked around frantically, trying to find a way out of the room, but it was useless. The two males came toward him. They grabbed hold of him, wrapping their large hands around his biceps. Georgie started kicking and screaming, fighting to pull away. He twisted and turned his body, desperately trying to break their hold, but it was impossible.
“Let me go!” Georgie demanded.
“Be careful. I don’t want him hurt,” The ambassador’s voice was calm. He walked over and stood in front of Georgie. He lifted some sort of alien device and pressed the cool barrel against the side of Georgie’s neck. “I’m sorry,” he murmured. “This wasn’t supposed to happen.”
There was a sharp pinprick. Georgie opened his mouth to object, but whatever the male injected him with coursed through his system rapidly. Georgie’s body went limp, his muscles relaxing. His vision turned blurry, and everything went black.
* * * *
Ambassador Rett T’Rul watched as George’s eyes rolled back inside his head and his body drooped, going limp in between the warriors. The males handled him carefully. Even when George had been fighting and screaming, the two males had never tried to silence him. They merely stood by George’s side, holding him, their large hands wrapped firmly around the human’s biceps.
“Take him to the ship and lock him inside the smaller suite next to my quarters.”
“Yes, sir,” Thrudr Urak, the weapons commander, said without question.
Second Officer B’hann Kurak sent Rett a disgruntled look. “I hate to be the voice of reason, sir. But we can’t take him aboard the ship without special authorization from the High King. He’s already marked. He has a mate.”
Rett clenched his fists and tightened his jaw. He knew the rules, and he planned to meet with the High King before returning to the planet of Sweshan. He just needed to make sure George was safely aboard the starship before Lund made an appearance. The tattoos. The markings on Georgie’s skin told Rett everything he needed to know. Rett’s brother, his own flesh and blood, had stolen his mate. But that would soon change. He would not relinquish his rights.
“I’m planning to speak with the High King,” he told them. “I’ll join you on the ship in a little while.”
He marched out of the dormitory, never once looking over his shoulder. He knew the other males would follow his orders.
Rett strode through the market place, heading toward the royal palace. He ignored all the activity around him, focusing instead on his upcoming meeting with the High King. He hoped the male was in a good mood since he was the only one who had the power to void a mating. In all his years, which were plentiful, Rett had never heard of an instance where the High King had done such a thing. But this was different. Rett had already purchased George’s documents. The human belonged to him.
Rett stopped in front of two royal guards. He tilted his head in acknowledgement before announcing himself. “Ambassador Rett T’Rul. I need to speak with the High King about an urgent matter.”
One of the guards pulled out a communicator. He pressed a button and lifted the device to his ear. “Ambassador Rett T’Rul is here to speak with you, Your Majesty. He says it’s urgent.” The male nodded once before ending the conversation. He placed the communicator in a pouch on his leather belt before saying, “I will escort you to the High King’s office.”
“Thank you.”
Rett followed the royal guard down a long corridor. When they reached their destination, the guard placed his hand against the wall. The glass door slid open, revealing the High King’s personal office. Rett stepped over the threshold, and the door closed behind him. He took a seat, but the energy racing through his system forced Rett back up to his feet.
He paced back and forth. His hearts pounded frantically as his blood rushed through his veins. Rett couldn’t remember ever being this anxious, but he knew he needed to keep a calm head when speaking to the High King.
When High King Rett Q’Tal entered, Rett stopped in his tracks. He turned toward the king and bowed at the waist, showing the male the respect his station deserved. “Your Majesty,” he said.
“Ambassador,” the male responded. He strode toward his desk and took a seat. “What news do you have from Sweshan?”
Rett rose to his full height. He stood in front of the male’s desk and placed his hands behind his back, relaxing his stance.
“This isn’t about Sweshan, Your Majesty. It’s a personal matter.”
“Well, I hope this is important. You pulled me out of bed, away from my mate, Ambassador.”
“Congratulations on your mating, sir.”
“Thank you.”
“I apologize for interrupting, but I do feel this is an important matter.” Rett cleared his throat. “As you know, I purchased George Larson as my mate before the auction went public.” The High King nodded, and Rett continued. “I went to collect him at the singles dormitory. I was hoping to introduce myself and take him up to the treatment center. When I got there, I saw that another had claimed my mate. His skin is marked.”
“Another male claimed your mate?”
Rett nodded. “Yes, sir.”
King Q’Tal shook his head. He leaned back in his chair, silent. The king rubbed his chin thoughtfully. He left Rett to stew, wondering how the male would respond.
“Which male claimed George Larson?”
Rett growled. When the king raised a brow, Rett took control of his instincts. He needed to handle this situation carefully.
“My brother, Lund.”
“Did George Larson choose Lund of his own free will?”
Rett clearly remembered George’s response. The human proudly showed off his markings, claiming Lund as his mate.
“Yes, sir.”
“This is a unique situation.”
There was another long moment of silence, but this time, Rett couldn’t maintain his composure and be patient.
“I was hoping that you would consider voiding their mating.”
“I’m sorry, Ambassador,” King Q’Tal said. “I would need to speak with George Larson and Lund T’Rul before making that decision. George’s skin has already been marked, and if they consummated their mating, the human might already be pregnant. I can’t simply void their mating. They chose one another.”
Consummated their mating. Rett had been so focused on the marks on George’s skin that he hadn’t even considered that the human might already be pregnant with his brother’s son. The pain in his chest doubled. Just thinking of his brother making love to Georgie drove Rett to the brink of insanity.
“The human, he’s mine. I purchased his documents.”
“I understand.” King Q’Tal nodded. “But the only thing I can do at this time is reimburse the agorot you spent to purchase George’s documents. Lund owes you the money.”
“I don’t care about the agorot. I only want my mate.”
“Your mate chose another.”
“This is my fault,” Rett confessed. “I wasn’t here to claim George. I trusted that my mate would be taken to the singles dormitory and kept safe. I assumed he would be waiting for me when I returned from Sweshan. I didn’t allow any of the other males to tell George that his documents had been purchased because I wanted to be the one to do it. Please…” His voice faltered. “Please, don’t take him away from me.”
Before the High King could respond, his communicator beeped. The shrill sound echoed around the space repeatedly until the king put the device up to his ear. Rett turned away, giving him some privacy.
“I have to go,” the king announced suddenly, rising to his feet. “Something is wrong with my mate. We’ll have to finish this conversation at a later date.”
Rett was left alone once again. If he returned to his ship now, he might be able to lea
ve Glecerus without anyone knowing that he’d taken George. Although, truthfully, Rett knew he wouldn’t be able to get away with it. And in the end, he would probably lose both his position as ambassador and the human.
When the door slid open, Prince Tyak Q’Tal, the High King’s eldest son, walked into the office. He smiled in greeting. “Hello, my friend.”
“Tyak.” Rett strode toward the other male and shook his hand. “How are you, my Prince?”
“I’m good.” He nodded. “I heard you had an urgent matter that you needed to discuss with my sire. Is everything okay in Sweshan?”
Rett blew out an agitated breath. “Yes. This is a personal matter. I was hoping your sire would be able to help me, but I don’t think he can.”
“What’s the problem?”
Rett went over all the details he’d shared with the High King. He spoke of George and Lund, sharing the personal information with his friend.
“My sire is right. He cannot simply void a mating.”
“Lund stole my mate.”
Rett shouldn’t be surprised, but he was. He had a turbulent relationship with his younger brother. The two of them had never gotten along. They didn’t see eye to eye on any matter.
Tyak gave him a pointed look. “I believe Lund said something similar to me not too long ago.” When Rett didn’t respond, the prince continued, “Where is George Larson?”
“I had him escorted to my ship with the other humans.”
“How long will you be gone?”
“This is a short trip. Two days travel to Sweshan and two days back. I’m delivering the humans, and then I plan to return to Glecerus. I need a break from all the traveling.”
Tyak paused for a moment. He stared at Rett, studying him closely before saying, “You have my permission to keep George with you for the next four days. When you return, George will decide which male he wants. And if he chooses your brother, you will give them your blessing and drop the matter entirely.”
“But, your sire…”
“I’ll speak with him.”
Rett wanted to object. Four days wasn’t nearly enough. And he wasn’t sure he was strong enough to turn George over to his brother, but it didn’t seem as though he had any other choice.
“Are the terms agreeable?”
“Yes, sir,” Rett said.
Chapter Four
Georgie came back to consciousness inside a dimly lit room. He groaned as he rolled onto his back. Georgie grimaced as he sat up. Brows furrowed, Georgie looked around the room. The space held a bed, a wall unit, and an empty desk. Pushing a hand through his hair, Georgie rubbed the top of his head, massaging his skull as he tried to clear out the thick fog of confusion.
Where am I? What the hell happened?
It took a moment, but soon, the memories came flooding back.
The Glecerian males…
The ambassador…
The alien device…
The pinprick on the side of his neck…
“Oh no,” Georgie murmured.
He was on the starship. Georgie climbed off the bed and jumped to his feet. He ran to the door and slammed his fists against the opaque glass, banging as hard as he could.
“Let me out of here!”
He slapped the palm of his hand against the sensor on the wall, over and over again, but the door wouldn’t open. It seemed that he really was locked inside.
“Help me! Someone help me!”
There was no response. It took a little while, but reality finally set it. Nobody was coming to his rescue. Nobody was going to help him. He was stuck on the starship.
“Damn it,” Georgie groaned.
He stepped away from the door and started pacing the length of the room. He was pissed, but more than that, Georgie was frustrated. Tears burned the backs of his eyes, threatening to spill down his cheeks. He rubbed his eyes angrily, refusing to give up. Georgie knew he had to find a way out of the room and off the starship. Otherwise, he would most likely end up in Sweshan.
He strode back toward the door and starting banging on the glass, hoping and praying someone would hear him. “Let me out!”
When the door slid open, Georgie jumped back in surprise.
“George,” the male said. “I’m sorry that you are upset. This wasn’t how I wanted our first meeting to go.” He stepped into the room. “My name is Rett T’Rul, and I’m a Glecerian Ambassador.”
Georgie didn’t bother to introduce himself. He saw an opening and took it. Acting without thought, Georgie rushed past the male, sliding around his larger frame. He stepped over the threshold, took a quick glance around, and sprinted down the corridor. Georgie panted, gasping for air as he ran as fast as he could. Determined to escape, he ignored the male behind him calling his name.
Bile rose to his throat, fear grasping hold of him, but he swallowed it down, refusing to waver. He turned, moving down the maze of hallways, each one looking the same as the last.
There was a large window at the end of the corridor, giving him a perfect view of space. Georgie’s heart slammed against his chest, the organ pumping frantically. He skidded to a stop at the porthole and looked out. The starship was miles above Glecerus. From this distance, Georgie couldn’t make out the icy-mountain scape below. It was merely a round planet with a rough texture. His jaw slack, Georgie stared down in horror.
“Lund,” he whispered, placing his hands on the glass.
When the tears came, Georgie didn’t banish them. He let the tears flow freely down his cheeks and let out a sob. His legs shaking, Georgie sank to the floor. His knees dug into the metal grate, but he ignored the discomfort.
Georgie covered his face with is hands and cried. He had a mate. He had the chance to start a family, and now, it was gone. Lund was gone, forever. He was stuck on a Glecerian starship far above the planet he’d once called home. The tendrils of hope he’d been holding on to floated away.
“George.” The male spoke quietly. He approached slowly, his boots hitting the metal grate. He knelt down beside Georgie and placed a warm hand on his shoulder, giving a gentle squeeze. “It’s going to be okay.”
Georgie shook his head. “No,” he sniffled. “No.”
“Please, come back to the room. We need to talk.”
“I d-don’t want t-to,” he managed to say as he cried.
“George…” he started.
“It’s Georgie,” He dropped his hands and looked up, staring at the Glecerian male. “My name…people call me Georgie.”
“My apologies, Georgie.”
“I don’t want your apologies,” Georgie told him, his voice raised. “I want you to take me back to Glecerus right now.”
Rett shook his head. “I cannot.”
“Why not?”
“You are my mate,” Rett claimed.
“No.” Georgie rejected his words. “I have a mate. His name is Lund. Lund T’Rul. He’s the male I want.”
* * * *
Georgie’s words sliced Rett wide open. The pain in his two hearts was so great that he could barely breathe. His mate, the human he’d been waiting for, was rejecting him. Georgie’s eyes shone bright with tears and a few more trickled down his cheeks, falling onto his shirt.
Georgie stared at Rett. His brows drew together, and he murmured, “T’Rul.”
“Lund is my brother,” he confirmed.
Georgie’s eyes widened, and his mouth dropped open. From the look on his face, it was obvious he didn’t know. “You’re the ambassador,” he whispered. He wiped the tears off his cheeks with the backs of his hand. “You’re the one with special privileges.”
Rett tilted his head to the side. He studied Georgie’s face closely, wondering what the young man was thinking.
“We have a lot to talk about,” Rett told him. He rose to his feet and held out his hand in offering. “Please.”
Georgie stared at his hand. He pulled his lower lip into his mouth, biting down on the meaty flesh. In that moment, he appeared even more fragile and
vulnerable. Rett didn’t move. He simply stood before Georgie, waiting for the young man to decide. After a minute or two, Georgie reached out and took Rett’s outstretched hand.
Rett pulled the young man up to his feet. He kept their hands connected as he led Georgie back down the corridor, toward his quarters. Rett placed his hand on the wall outside of his quarters, and the door slid open with a hiss. He stepped over the threshold, and Georgie followed him. Georgie dropped his hand and took a seat on the edge of the bed. He put both of his hands in his lap, rubbing his fingers together anxiously as he looked up at Rett, waiting.
“I purchased your documents before the auction even opened.”
The tension in Georgie’s shoulders melted away. He slumped forward and shook his head. “I don’t understand any of this. Why would they send me to the singles dormitory? If what you’re saying is true, and you are my mate, why didn’t anyone tell me? Why didn’t they put your mark on my skin the day the auction closed?”
“After I purchased your documents, I went back to Sweshan. As an ambassador, I spend a lot of time traveling back and forth. I practically live on this ship.” Rett shook his head. He needed to stay on subject and answer all of Georgie’s questions. Maybe then, he’d have a chance at winning his mate’s heart. “I wanted to meet you. I wanted to take you to the treatment center myself. The males in charge were simply following my orders.”
“I didn’t think…” Georgie shoved a hand through his hair, messing up the short brown strands. “I can’t believe…” He shook his head, clearly confused. “Did Lund know? Did he know that you purchased my documents? Did he know that you were going to be my mate?”
“Yes, he knew.”
Georgie looked away, averting his eyes. He stared at the wall, a blank expression in his face. Rett stood before him in silence, giving the human some time to think. After several minutes, Rett sat on the bed beside Georgie. He wanted to reach out and touch the young man, offer him some comfort, but he kept his hands to himself. This situation was delicate, and he needed to be careful.
“What’s going to happen to me?” he asked, his voice a mere whisper.
