His Rebellious Mate (Primarian Mates Book 3)

by Maddie Taylor

  “I don’t spar with females,” he retorted, shaking his head that she would dare ask.

  “Afraid I might best you in front of you friends?” Eryn taunted. She routinely sparred with men, although the last time had been months ago, and he’d been a normal-sized Earth man.

  “It wouldn’t be a fair fight,” one of the others called. “Aside from being a small female, your mate would break him in two if he hurt you. It would be his disadvantage.”

  She rolled her eyes then twisted from side to side and leaned forward and back, making an exaggerated point of looking around. “Ram isn’t here, and he won’t find out unless someone tattles to him. Or perhaps, you’d like to clear the mat for us women to do some serious training.”

  “I suppose I can take time to teach a small lesson.”

  Planting one end of her staff on the ground by her instep, she held an arm out and curled her fingers, daring the warrior to come forth. The others around him saw the overt challenge and backed off. Lana tossed him her staff and headgear, the latter he tossed aside.

  “You are toast,” she murmured and left the mat.

  “See,” the warrior countered, “your friend also finds your challenge foolish.”

  “I was speaking to you warrior,” Lana informed him with a laugh. “She was only toying with me.”

  Not waiting any longer, Eryn kicked up her staff and took the offensive, rushing forward with a jab toward his groin he barely had time to block.

  “You’ll not find a mate if she unmans you, Rollin,” one of his cohorts called out, while the others laughed.

  Before he could react, Eryn spun around and caught him in the flank with a solid blow.

  “Gonna stand there and take it, big guy? Or are you going to fight this small female who plans to beat your ass.”

  She thought she heard a rumble, low in his chest—a signal for her to retreat. She did and avoided his return swing with a foot to spare.

  “You’ll have to be faster than that, warrior. You may have size and brute strength, but I’m quick on my feet and agile.”

  He broadcast his next move, swinging for her head. With exceptional reflexes, Eryn ducked, and the staff whooshed by, close enough for the wind to ruffle her hair. A murmur rushed through the crowd, the observers knowing if the blow had connected, it would have been over, with her on the way to medical. Although a near miss, she wasn’t worried, having faced more skilled opponents before—though never one as big and strong.

  Without skipping a beat, Eryn rolled and, with him still in the middle of his backswing, came up under his outstretched arms. She aimed for his groin and didn’t hold back, connecting soundly between his spread thighs with the length of her staff.

  Rollin grunted then doubled over. A sympathetic groan rose from the men.

  Retreating again, Eryn was well out of the way, up in a defensive stance again, ready for his response. He didn’t have one. The fight ended with the big guy falling to his knees, both hands cupping his injury.

  “The first rule of martial arts, warrior. Never underestimate a smaller opponent.” Feeling cocky, and raring to go, she grinned at the male spectators and asked, “Who’s next? I’m just getting my second wind.”

  No one answered, their focus on whatever they stared at behind her.

  “Mate. I remember a similar situation with a dagger.”

  The breath left her chest with a whoosh. Because Ram had witnessed her little challenge, yes, but mainly because she thought the incident he referred to with Gailen and the dagger only a dream. She glanced over her shoulder, finding his golden gaze boring into her.

  “Ram.” She turned toward him.

  “Do you remember what I told you after that?”

  He’d demanded she respect his men and not embarrass them, no matter how young and foolish they may be. Rollin fell into the second category. Respect evidently extended to not kicking their asses, as well.

  “He insulted my skills,” she explained. “Further, he accepted my challenge, fair and square.” With her arms spread wide, she eyed the large gymnasium. “This is the training facility, is it not?”

  Ignoring her remarks, Ram looked over at the warrior who had staggered to his feet when his superior entered, although not able to stand fully erect yet. Eryn smothered a smirk when she thought what else wouldn’t be erect, at least not until he iced his boys down for a good long while.

  He crossed to his man and, gripping his throat, pulled him up to his toes then proceeded to ream him out about swinging a staff at his mate.

  “I have safety gear on, Ram,” she called out, coming to the big, obnoxious guy’s defense. The mottled redness of his face made her feel kind of sorry for him.

  Ram didn’t release him, not until after he leaned in and spoke quietly in the warrior’s ear. Rollin nodded, refraining from clutching his throat and didn’t so much as cough as he met the Master Warrior’s gaze straight on.

  “Staff.” The abrupt order sounded sharp in the room. Someone tossed Ram the weapon Rollin had dropped when he went down. Then he stepped onto the mat and faced her. “Let’s see how you fare against me, little rebel.”

  The tense moment having passed, Eryn grinned. She couldn’t help it. He might wipe the floor with her, but, even so, this would be fun.

  Like with Rollin, she moved in fast and hard with a series of cross strikes. Ram deflected them easily. She followed up the initial flurry with a combination spin move, ending in a downward smash and an upward punch to the belly—two of her most effective moves—both blocked, as well. Although he didn’t take the part of the aggressor, she could sense the constrained strength in his defense.

  Eryn retreated, to reassess her options. This should have put him immediately on offense, yet it didn’t. As they resumed ready positions, circling slowly while eyeing one another, it dawned on her, like she had with Lana, he was toying with her.

  “What other moves do you have, little one? I’m curious. However, I can’t stay all day. I have things to do.”

  She recognized the ploy, having used it on Rollin. But she wouldn’t allow him to provoke her, determined to keep her cool. Continuing with her plan to strike first and fast, she rushed forward in a series of side-to-side strikes, ending with the same hook which had effectively disarmed Lana. Again, she had to retreat when Ram met every action with a defensive reaction.

  “You’re quicker than I expected for someone your size,” she noted, breathing fast, and wiping the sweat from her brow.

  “Never underestimate a larger opponent.” For the first time, he pressed forward, trading blows as he moved in close enough to whisper in her ear. “Or one who very soon is going to have your bottom bared and over his knee.”

  Alarmed, she glanced around to see who might have heard.

  “I wouldn’t humiliate you in front of the others and would appreciate the same consideration for my men.”

  And there was the lesson behind this exercise. She should have known. She scowled up into his face, still very near. Did he have to be so good at everything, and right all the time? It really was irritating.

  “Give up?” he murmured.

  “I suppose,” she replied.

  Groans of disappointment from the women filled the training room as she moved back, lowering her weapon, as if in surrender. He relaxed his stance and his hold on his staff, in response just as she’d planned.

  She preferred fighting clean but didn’t mind going dirty when the situation warranted. In a roundhouse kick that took him by surprise, she knocked the staff clear out of his hands.

  He growled. “You little cheat!”

  She spun again, on the opposite foot, and caught him at the back of his knees.

  And as the saying goes, the bigger they are, the harder they fall. Ram, one of the biggest of them all, fell with a jarring thud louder than Rollin’s, onto his knees. Eryn didn’t stop there, however, and came up behind him, bracing the staff at his throat, firmly but without force enough to injure, of course. She
had to live with the man, who had no trouble bending her over his knee when he wanted.

  “Now who gives up?” she asked sweetly in his ear.

  “You seem recovered from your injuries and Cierra’s birth, mate.”

  “Certainly. I’m fit and hearty, and I bested you, Master Warrior. Admit it.”

  “Just checking to be sure,” he murmured.

  The next instant, he flipped her ass over end and, with a dip of his shoulder, took them both to the mat. Ram took the top spot, naturally, caging her body with his own. She blinked up at him, taken aback by her big mate’s fluid, acrobatic move.

  “I like you in this position, galita. It gives me ideas.”

  After two weeks of seeing Ram in a near-constant state of arousal, she recognized the glint in his eye. “I thought the hunger phase had passed.”

  “It has, but it doesn’t mean I stop wanting you. Mussed, flushed, and glistening with a sheen of sweat as you are, I find myself ravenous again.”

  He released the chin strap and removed her headgear then hopped up to his feet. As his men whistled and cheered, the women jeered and booed, lamenting her loss on behalf of all womankind. Ram paid them no heed and, without a mind to her dignity, slung her over his shoulder, as he had numerous times in the past two weeks. Then, he clapped a splayed hand onto her butt with a good deal more zing than she thought necessary.

  She jerked at the warmth spreading across her backside. “Ram! Put me down.”

  “To the victor goes the spoils. Isn’t that how your Earth saying goes? Lana,” he called while heading for the door, “you’ll see to Cierra?”

  “Certainly.”

  “We all will,” an amused Marion call.

  “Traitors!” she cried. More laughter followed them into the hall where, instead of turning right toward their quarters, he went left.

  “You’re going the wrong way.”

  He didn’t say a word, stopping in front of a door several yards down the hall. After he entered, he reached up and pressed his palm to the sensor, locking them in. Next, he let her slide down his front. Once on her feet, she looked around and saw he’d brought her to a supply closet.

  “You’re joking.”

  His answer, spinning her around until she faced away from him.

  “Arms up, hands flat against the wall,” he ordered then stripped her snug, clingy workout pants down to her ankles. The cool air on her behind told her he’d snagged her panties along with them. “I should redden your backside for taunting one of my men, but I want you, now.”

  Using his boot, he separated her feet as far as they would go with her pants hobbling her ankles. The next instant, he surged up inside her, filling and stretching her so she quivered at the delicious sensation.

  With his cock planted deep so she could feel him low in her belly, he caught the hem of her top and stripped it off, too.

  His hands slid up, cupping and molding her breasts, his thumbs sweeping over her nipples, flicking them with the edge of his nail. Her head fell back on a groan; it felt so damn good.

  “Please move,” she said in a husky plea.

  He did, driving into her, dragging his mouth along the side of her throat.

  “Sweet mercy,” she murmured. With only a few quick strokes, he’d brought her to the edge of climax. “Ram…”

  “Hold out for a bit, mate. I want to feel you gripping me tight as we come together.”

  “I don’t know if I can.”

  “Try real hard, Eryn.” He plunged deep and stayed embedded again. One hand left her breast and slid down her belly, delving between her already-slick pussy lips to find her clit.

  “That’s not helping, Ram.”

  He lapped and sucked at her throat while he circled and stroked the center point of her pleasure. Not forgetting, the hand at her breast pinched and rolled her nipple.

  “And neither is that,” she cried out.

  “Seeing you sparring made me rock-hard. How can one woman be beautiful, soft, nurturing, and maternal, and, at the same time, as you earthlings say, a badass?”

  “Ram, please, I can’t stand it. Fuck me hard and let me come.”

  “With pleasure,” he growled. “First, give me your mouth.”

  She angled her head around, and he claimed her lips, his tongue plunging inside at the same time his cock started driving deep. The small room echoed with the sounds of slapping skin and the wetness of their ardent kisses. After several intense minutes, with a pinch of her clit and a firm tug on her nipple, he thrust hard, sending them both hurtling over the brink, their combined cry of release echoing loud in the small room.

  “I’ve changed my mind,” she told him when she could speak again. “There’s a lot to be said for slow and easy.”

  “Complaints already? After a few short weeks?”

  “Not at all,” she panted, leaning heavily against the wall. “Will it always be this…”

  “Turbulent?” he suggested against her ear.

  “Mm…” That summed it up perfectly.

  “Unrestrained?”

  “Yes.” Even better.

  “Passionate?”

  “God yes, all of those!”

  He chuckled. “The mating bond ensures it will stay this way until we are both old, gray, and too feeble to do it hard and fast. I mean to get as much turbulent, unrestrained, and passionate in before we get there.”

  She laughed, nuzzling her cheek against his hair where his head had fallen forward against her shoulder.

  Her body humming with endorphins produced by both the sparring and the incredible sex, she surprised herself when her uninhibited tongue whispered, “I love you, Ram.”

  His answer was a firm squeeze from his strong arms. Nothing else. The next moment he withdrew from her.

  “Lucky for me I chose a supply closet with towels.” His voice sounded husky, and he passed her one to clean herself up as if she hadn’t just laid her heart bare.

  She accepted the towel with shaky hands, not from the release he’d given her, but from the heartache.

  26

  It was morning, though considering the dark-gray, misty view from her fourth-floor window, she found it hard to tell. She was getting used to it, however. They arrived on New Earth six weeks ago, and, in all that time, Eryn swore she hadn’t seen more than an hour of sunshine. For a planet with two suns, she’d expected bright and cheery, or at the very least, an occasional dry day; it was a grim disappointment.

  The progress on construction of the yet-to-be-named capital city had surprised her. The second the ink dried on the treaty, a massive team of Primarian workers had been deployed. With blasters blazing and uladite laser saws slicing away, they cleared five hundred square miles of forest in a blink, which meant when the first construction crews arrived, they started laying the city’s foundation—quite literally.

  Basic infrastructure came first: water, sewer, and electric power, courtesy of the uladite their hosts provided, and last came shelter. She could still smell the wet paint on the walls of the residence building she, Ram, and Cierra called home. Of the two primary housing structures completed, one had been designed for families, which included surprisingly spacious two- and three-bedroom apartments, the other designated for singles like the workmen on the construction crews.

  Some of the original tent homes and prefabricated housing units still stood on the outskirts of town, but the moment the four-story durable and comfortable multi-unit residence halls had been finished, the men and few women workers from Earth had left those rustic conditions for the comforts of their new homes. She’d been relieved to see they hadn’t skimped or cut corners on the housing.

  Designed by humans with human occupants in mind, their three-bedroom, two-bath unit was much like her apartment back home, although far more spacious. It had nine-foot ceilings which made her tall mate feel at home, a huge living room, large office for Ram, which she had already dubbed the command center because of its holographic communications equipment. It also had
a state of the art kitchen, including a fully-automated food prep unit and self-cleaning appliances, thank goodness, because she was a trained soldier not a cook, or anyway domestically inclined. What surprised her most, the entire residence was already beautifully furnished and decorated when they arrived. It was a good thing, too. For if it hadn’t been up to Ram’s standards, she and Cierra would have been stuck on the Odyssey until suitable living quarters became available. This came by decree of the Master Warrior who stated quite plainly as he inspected the first day, his mate and daughter would not spend a single night in a hovel.

  Ram had to have had a say in it because she’d been to Lana’s two-bedroom unit on the floor below and it was nice, but not on the scale the Master Warrior rated.

  Eryn peered out the window. On the muddy streets below, people rushed around in the rain, likely running errands, because, in addition to housing, they had finished construction on a maintenance shop for the heavy equipment, a market which Eryn was pleased to find well stocked—thanks to the regular deliveries of more than just staples from neighboring Primaria—and a few other necessary services, including a medical clinic which would be expanded in the near future to a full-service hospital. The rest of the buildings were still in various stages of construction.

  She imagined the frontier looked something like this during the westward expansion in the US centuries ago. Apart from the uladite-powered machinery and the rechargeable hover vehicles zipping over the mud puddles, she wouldn’t have been surprised to see horses and carriages on the streets.

  “Will the rain ever let up, do you think?” She sighed while pressing her forehead against the glass. She’d already given up her hopeless search for a break in the pervasive blanket of dark clouds.

  “This settlement is in a tropical zone, Eryn, and it’s the rainy season, so expect a lot more.” Ram made his forecast when he came up behind her, his hands curling around her shoulders as he, too, looked out at the dreary view. Since she’d posed a similar question every day for the past two weeks, she was surprised he still answered with patience. “The rest of the year is warm and sunny, although humid.”