The Commander's Fated Mate

by Lily Anton

  The Commander's Fated Mate

  The Warriors of Debiraan Book One

  Lily Anton

  Copyright © 2020 Lily Anton

  All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise), with the prior written permission of the publisher of this book.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author's imagination or are used ficticiously. Any resemblence to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locals is entirely coincidental.

  Contents

  Title Page

  Copyright

  CHAPTER ONE

  CHAPTER TWO

  CHAPTER THREE

  CHAPTER FOUR

  CHAPTER FIVE

  CHAPTER SIX

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  CHAPTER NINE

  CHAPTER TEN

  CHAPTER ELEVEN

  CHAPTER TWELVE

  Q & A WITH LEILA AND EZON

  EPILOGUE: PART I

  EPILOGUE: PART II

  NEXT IN SERIES: SNEAK PEEK

  About The Author

  Contact the Author

  CHAPTER ONE

  ezon

  Sitting in his chair listening to the human at the other end of the table was excruciating.

  With a headache quickly having formed and only increasing with each passing moment, Ezon almost missed the battlefields…

  “And so...you can, um, obviously, see here that..errr...well, I mean…”

  The human was tapping on his tablet screen, beads of sweat (honestly...how did humans survive when their bodies so easily relinquished water?) readying themselves to trail down the male’s round face and into the white collar of his shirt.

  Ezon wasn’t even sure why he needed to be here for this frivolous meeting, especially as he sat there among six of his counterparts; fellow Debirs that were responsible for reviewing and agreeing to any business dealings with these humans.

  It was their job to sit here day after day, listening to the ridiculous prattle these humans spewed, not his.

  You look like you’ve bit into an unripened vatta.

  While Ezon’s large frame sat tall and straight in his seat, Atens, the Debir beside him, was slouched lazily to one side, elbow resting on the chair’s armrest with his hand supporting his head.

  In the meantime, the idiot human prattled on; something about exporting some sort of citrus fruit.

  When he had agreed to sit in on this meeting, he’d at least assumed it was because there was a possible security threat with this meeting taking place.

  He was almost insulted that there wasn’t.

  This inept male had a shiny head with silver hair barely ringed around it and a portly stomach.

  He looked ill-suited for such a position.

  Thankfully the round male was not aware of the conversation taking place all around him in a frequency no human up until now had been able to ascertain.

  Still, Atens kept his voice low, not wanting the more senior members of their group sitting closer to the front to overhear.

  I would prefer it. I see no reason why I must be here while this human stumbles over his words.

  As if to prove his point, the male’s tablet blinked unexpectedly, the human looking near panicked as his presentation began rapidly changing through slides of its own accord.

  He heard Atens’ cough, if only to quickly cover up the laugh that escaped him.

  Ezon bit back a growl.

  This whole situation was beneath him. These humans were beneath him.

  Being on Earth had quickly presented itself as a punishment rather than a supposed promotion.

  A backwards planet, with no previous knowledge of other habitable galaxies or people, and one that he very much would have left to the Baza to do with as they saw fit.

  We should have let the Baza have this wretched planet.

  Though Ezon kept his eyes forward, he sensed Atens stiffen beside him even if for all outward appearances he remained lounging without a care in the world. He immediately regretted his words.

  Atens, I did not mean--

  You would leave this planet to the Baza? Atens’ voice lost its easy going nature. You’ve seen what they’ve done to planets...to m-- to people, he corrected swiftly. You’ve killed more Baza than almost any other Debir. You would leave these humans to such a fate?

  Ezon could not hold back the low growl that escaped him now, one that the human definitely heard.

  They all watched as the male almost dropped his tablet at the sound of it.

  The other Debir in the room glanced his way; some in amusement, and some with a faint warning to behave.

  Taking a deep breath, he calmed himself.

  These humans had called their arrival to this planet an ‘invasion’.

  Panic had been rampant, and attempts to speak with the planet’s council members only revealed a fractured leadership among what humans called ‘countries’. Some were more hostile than others, but almost all were quick to blame the Debir for all sorts of problems in their world, even ones that were all ready deep-rooted in their society.

  I would not, Ezon eventually responded. But I do not like how we choose to allow them to believe we came here to colonize. This embassy has only made things worse.

  The Debir Embassy had been open for a few months now; a vast network of buildings and parks that essentially operated as its own city center.

  While there were satellite locations throughout Earth, a majority of discussions and transactions with humans were conducted here.

  It’s not so bad, Atens replied, picking up something from the table in front of him.

  Ezon caught the scent of something sweet, turning his head and seeing the pale blue Debir beside him lift a cup to his mouth.

  Atens caught his friend staring, smirking as he took a sip.

  It is called ‘hot chocolate’. I thought I’d try something new. It is sweeter than the coffee.

  Coffee. A human drink that had swept through the embassy by storm, quickly gaining popularity with other Earth-based Debir throughout the last several months. There were already plans in motion to begin the exportation of it back to Debiraan.

  He had refused to try any Earth foods or drinks unless absolutely necessary, despite Atens’ constant badgering.

  I must thank Venav again for introducing us to such pleasant Earth drinks.

  Thank him for nothing. He has insulted us with his choice of huerta. He should have bred with her and been done with it.

  Being reproductively compatible with humans had been an unexpected but astonishing revelation. One that had made the Debir as a people, rejoice. It had created hope, when hope was in short supply.

  The Baza had affected both present and future generations of Debir, something that had been of ever growing concern.

  Until Earth.

  Quickly, a Human/Debir initiative had been created, one that had gained both the popularity and the ire of humans.

  Human females could willingly participate in the reproductive exchange in return for monetary compensation, medical care, or other assistance.

  Ezon chose to ignore the fact that many human females had returned again simply for...the enjoyment of it and some of his fellow Debir had participated...more than once.

  You speak as if we have a choice in our huerta, Ezon.

  He remained silent, ignoring the slight tease in Atens’ tone, not wishing to admit that Atens was correct. To find one's huerta was to find a lost part of oneself.

  But for t
hat lost part to have been a human…?

  His headache now raging, all it took was for the tablet the human had been holding to fall to the ground, the resulting sound from the impact tearing through his patience.

  He rose quickly, all eyes turning to him as he looked at the

  annoying human.

  Even from across the table, the male had to look up at him.

  The Debir were a tall race, known for their size and prowess across multiple galaxies; among humans, the Debir’s over seven-foot height amplified this.

  Added to the fact that his own size was larger than most of his kind, he wondered if the little human would faint.

  Ezon would have taken some pleasure from it if the pain behind his eyes had relented.

  When was the last time you submerged?

  I am fine. Enjoy the rest of this ridiculous farce.

  Without caring to see what the others in the room thought of his sudden action, Ezon left the conference room, his heavy footfalls at odds with those around him who moved with a grace more notable among their kind.

  Those that were caught in his path as he marched across the large atrium startled on his approach, their skin and eyes flashing colors as a result, many hurrying out of his way.

  Ezon’s usually pearlescent gray skin and gold eyes darkened considerably, making him look like the angry storm cloud Atens always said he did when he was upset.

  Unfortunately, being upset appeared to be the new normal for him as he woke each and every day frustrated that he was still on this planet that was ungrateful and unknowing.

  Most of his life had been war and battle, a rarity among Debir that were known predominantly as peacekeepers. Yet peace always came at a cost; a price that Ezon and those among his ranks knew well. Even Atens could attest to that.

  Lost among his thoughts, he allowed his feet to lead him where they wished.

  His march down another corridor had him passing one of the newly installed food counters, one with a line of at least ten Debirs. He grumbled in annoyance as he saw it was manned by a very happy looking human female who was taking orders for coffee, two other human males behind her moving quickly to fulfill them.

  He growled loudly this time, the sound reverberating around him and causing the young female to flinch, eyes widening in fear as she watched him stomp by looking authoritative and dangerous in his navy blue collared tailcoat and silver epaulets denoting his position.

  The Debirs in line eyed him with disapproval but kept quiet, grateful when he carried on down the hall and into the main receiving room where humans were much more prevalent as they came through the building’s security checkpoint and made their way to various meetings and appointments.

  It gave him some amount of satisfaction as he walked by several humans who eyed him in alarm, his destination now in hand as he made his way over to the building’s security office for an afternoon report.

  If anything of notable concern had come up, he would have been alerted already, but he needed something to do to take his mind off the pounding in his head.

  “Wow! You’re so tall!” a high pitched voice exclaimed from somewhere behind him.

  He turned, not seeing anyone until he dropped his gaze, finding a small human child looking up at him.

  Where he expected to find fear he found only excitement, and begrudgingly his mood lightened...along with skin.

  “You can change color too! That’s so cool!”

  The human child, female by the looks of it, smiled up at him revealing several gaps where her teeth should have been.

  Ezon recalled something about human children losing their first set of teeth and tried not to let the horror of such a thing show on his face.

  Children it seemed, were fearless across all species.

  The tiny human dared come closer, her head barely coming up to his leg joints. He shifted in place, turning fully towards her as she pointed to the bottom of his leg.

  “You walk on your tippy toes!”

  Ezon did not understand how humans kept their balance with their ankles and had learned that some called his kind digitigrades. It appeared as though the humans were equally as intrigued by Debir anatomy, especially the young one in front of him.

  “I...suppose…” he said slowly, blinking down at her. He rarely saw children come into the embassy although it appeared to be happening more and more as of late.

  While his people were not willing to part with medical advances or the technology associated with them, applications for medical assistance were becoming a regular occurrence.

  “What’s your name?”

  Ezon blinked, shifting slightly on his feet before deciding to crouch down, allowing the human child to no longer have to crane her head up.

  “I am Ezon.”

  “I’m Rose! I’m named after the flower!” she added helpfully, giving him another toothy grin.

  “That is a nice name, Rose.”

  “Thanks! Your name is nice too! I’m here because I’m sick and my mom said you’ll make me feel better! She promised me ice cream too! It’s going to be great! Do you like--”

  Rose continued on in a stream of words that Ezon could barely follow despite knowing his translator was fully functional. But the child appeared excited, and if she was unwell, then he hoped that those in the embassy’s medical sector could indeed help her.

  “Rose, what are you doing?!”

  Ezon flinched at the high-pierced tone of an adult human female who was rushing over, fear in her eyes as she saw her child speaking with him.

  Slowly he stood up, the adult female looking up at him in terror even as she bravely came forward and grabbed her daughter’s hand, apologizing to him profusely while leading her child away from him.

  “Bye Ezon!”

  “Goodbye Rose.”

  He watched them walk away, ignoring the words of warning he could hear her tell her child; words that reminded the young one that Debirs were dangerous.

  ‘Selfish humans. Come to us for help with your sick children yet still we are the enemy.’

  Pressing two fingers against the center of his forehead did little to alleviate his headache no matter how much he wished it to, and as he began to feel stares directed his way, forced himself to continue on.

  “Report.”

  His order had those in the security office jerking in these seats, everyone suddenly attempting to look busy even though they all had been working.

  Someone appeared on his left, the only one calm among his comrades. “You make them nervous.”

  Ezon turned, happy for once that he barely had to lower his head, but unhappy for the same reason.

  “Nelo.”

  “Ezon.”

  The two men stood there with an air of tension between them, one that was not missed by those nearby.

  In contrast to Ezon’s gray coloring, Nelo’s skin was so dark that it nearly matched his all black uniform. Ezon’s serious set of gold colored eyes held the gaze of a more playful pair of emerald ones.

  What Ezon had in above average muscle, Nelo countered with a leaner physique made moreso by time in the water, although instead of keeping his hair short like Ezon, had chosen a more...elaborate style, keeping his hair long.

  Other than height, they were on opposite ends in terms of Debir physique...and personalities.

  The tension increased for a moment more before Ezon grumbled, Nelo’s face breaking into a smile, his sharp pointed teeth visible as he clapped the other man on the back.

  “I hate when you do that,” Ezon muttered, only making Nelo’s smile even broader.

  “You know you love me.”

  “I am not one of your female companions, Nelo.”

  This earned him a laugh as Nelo grabbed a tablet nearby and handed it over, knowing what he had come for.

  “I am your brother though.”

  If Ezon were one to roll his eyes, he would have. “Do not remind me.”

  Another laugh followed by a sigh. “Perhaps you
should find yourself a female companion, hmm? I hear these human females are appealing. And look at Venav, he--”

  Slamming the tablet to Nelo’s chest, Ezon cut off his younger brother with a scowl that would have made a platoon of Baza retreat. “Venav, Second of G’hazah chose one of these humans…” he spat the word as if he’d tasted something foul. “He has shamed his line with having her as his huerta…”

  Silence surrounded them now as Ezon’s voice had carried, everyone stopping what they were doing.