Brogan had wanted to be a Royal Guard since he was a child, just like two of his fathers before him. The moment he’d been old enough to compete for a slot in their training program, he’d applied. What came after was years of hard work, discipline, and training. He’d worked his ass off to become one of the best, and now he was. His rank of Lieutenant, and sole command of a team—the best team, in his opinion—was a testament to his dedication.
He moved around a bit, careful to not draw attention to himself, and focused on a group of older males whose conversation was rising in volume—not unusual for this crowd, who were in charge of making all of the high-level decisions for their planet.
Everyone in attendance was either a member of the Arathian High Council, or their immediate family. Having the responsibilities of an entire planet was difficult, so it wasn’t unusual for emotions to run high.
Brogan turned his head so that his enhanced hearing could pick up what was being said.
“I don’t understand how you can dismiss the impact another farm of solar sails is going to have on the surrounding forest,” the Representative for the Interior argued.
Tehrani, the Representative of Energy threw up his hands in exasperation. “It’s only one-hundred acres. I think the wildlife can manage without it.”
“That’s not the point…”
Brogan tuned out the rest of their conversation. Neither male had a history of violent tendencies. They may bluster and argue, but eventually they’d go their separate ways. There were very few in attendance who needed to be watched, since most were considered trustworthy. Nonetheless, Brogan and his comrades-in-arms were going to be diligent. Now more than ever.
There had been threats made to the royals the past few months, especially against Lukas. The Earther soon-to-be High King was ruffling a lot of feathers of people who didn’t think an otherworlder should be leading their planet… Nevermind that both of his mates were Arathian, or that he’d (nearly) single-handedly saved their planet from the Lazool attack. Funny how the people who were opposed to him seemed to forget that fact.
Sometimes people’s logic was a riddle too complicated to unravel.
So far none of the threats made against Lukas had been substantiated, but the Guards were still on a heightened state of alert. Nothing would happen to any of the three if Brogan had anything to do with it. He didn’t give a flying fuck that one of them was an Earther. Brogan genuinely liked and respected the male.
At the time the Lazools had arrived in the Arathian system nearly two years ago, Brogan had been assigned to protect the Queen, Kings, and twin Princesses. The Guards had quickly ensconced the royals in an underground bunker for their safety, but it was little comfort when the rest of the planet was in danger. Hunkering underground had been hard on them all; it had left Brogan feeling helpless—an emotion that he was completely unfamiliar with.
He shook off the despairing memory, and concentrated on the task at hand. He was now assigned to the royal trio, and would do his damnedest to make sure they remained safe.
His artificially-enhanced eyes scanned the crowd, looking for anything amiss, but there was nothing to warrant concern. So far everyone was behaving themselves. The kids were playing in the lake on the massive structure Deian had procured for the day. Although… calling them kids was a misnomer.
There were no Arathians under the age of fifteen, except for three-year old Lilly Dan Menes, the daughter of Captain Kor’ijak, and his mates, Tyrelian, and Lacy Woods of Earth. She’d been the first Arathian born in twelve years, and was the reason their entire race was fighting to save Earthers. Mating with them was currently the only way they’d avoid extinction. So far the Arathians had been unable to find a treatment for their condition, but it wasn’t for lack of trying.
And there’s the male leading the charge, Brogan added to himself.
Across the field, he saw Forkan Cormikan emerge from the gardens with a female on his arm—a beautiful female.
Brogan felt his breath rush out of his lungs as his entire being focused on the pair across the lawn. Was she Forkan’s mate? No, she couldn’t be. Brogan knew that the male wasn’t mated, and that he rarely brought dates out in public. Was this his sister? Please let her be his sister.
Her long hair was held back from her face by braids, and fell down her back in a black waterfall. She was slight in stature, and thin—as if she hadn’t eaten a decent meal in months. Her head turned, taking in the scene, and Brogan wondered what shade of green her eyes were.
He casually moved towards them—not because he felt a pull to do so. Nope. Not at all. It was his duty to keep tabs on all of the guests, including the beautiful females.
He was halfway to the pair, when Forkan broke away from her and headed towards a group of council members. The female was left alone, standing at the edge of the lawn, holding her small purse with both hands in front of herself.
Brogan stopped and pretended to be admiring the nearby foliage. He sipped his glass of water and watched the female. She didn’t seem upset that she’d just been abandoned.
Her gaze wandered over the lawn, while his eyes stayed glued to her. She was absolutely beautiful. Her skin was a light shade of tan, decorated with golden oriaglyphs that ran the length of her arms.
Oriaglyphs were extremely expensive, and few women had that level of decoration on their bodies. The golden tattoos shone in the sunlight, and seemed to make her glimmer. Brogan focused on the symbol high on her shoulder that signified her family, and was unsurprised to see the Cormikan family crest.
This was definitely Onalee, Forkan’s reclusive sister.
Brogan had long ago learned all of the Council members and their families by name and appearance, but even after the dozens of events he’d attended as a Guard for the royal family, he’d never seen Onalee in person. He remembered that she’d been home-schooled after the loss of her parents when she was practically a child. Still a young male himself, Forkan had become her guardian. She’d never gone to vocational training, like most young people, and instead had had private tutors. Now a grown woman, she didn’t have a profession, and had never mated.
Brogan couldn’t see why: she was lovely. There was no way males had stayed away from her, especially given her family’s status.
He heard a large splash come from the lake, and watched Onalee’s face light up in a bright smile. If he’d thought her beautiful standing there placid, it didn’t compare to when she genuinely smiled; it was like she was lit from within. Brogan stared, completely transfixed, as something inside of him shifted.
He reached out and grasped a nearby tree trunk to keep himself grounded. Inside, he had no clue what the hell was going on. His chest was tight, his heart hammered so hard that he was becoming lightheaded. Farther south, his groin tightened with each moment he watched the female.
Brogan closed his eyes tightly, and willed his body to gain control of itself. Nothing like this had ever happened, and he wasn’t sure if it was a positive thing or not.
Most assuredly not, he told himself. He’d gone through years of specialized training to be at the top of his profession. Nothing had ever thrown him off-kilter. Until one tiny slip of a female, he added.
Against his wishes, Brogan’s attention remained on Onalee. She spent another few moments watching the children play at the lake, before she shook herself and moved towards the food tents.
His enhanced eyes followed her movement across the lawn. When she entered the tent, she tucked her purse under an arm, took a plate, and begin placing small amounts of food onto it. When she was done, she moved to a seating area and engaged others in conversation. She listened intently, and laughed when the others did, but didn’t talk much. Actually, she only seemed to speak when asking questions.
Eventually Brogan forced himself to scan the rest of the crowd, but his eyes continually fell to the female. Not every minute (he was there to do a job after all) but more often than Brogan liked. Eventually, the royals joined the guests out
side.
Forkan intercepted them right away, and stayed by the trio’s side for longer than was socially acceptable. Even as other people came up to talk to the trio, he stayed at their side as if he belonged there—a fact that he knew was pissing off the royals.
They were good at hiding their displeasure with Forkan, but Brogan knew them well.
He watched as Lukas placed an arm around Jayda, bringing her against his side. His other hand grasped Deian’s, who also shifted closer to his alpha mate.
Their annoyance and displeasure with Forkan were clear, but Brogan didn’t move to intervene. If any of the three needed him, he’d know. He’d spent enough time in their company the last year to recognize their moods and anticipate when they needed him. This wasn’t one of those times. Lukas was annoyed, but not in trouble.
He scanned the surrounding guests, and once again his attention landed on Onalee. She was outside one of the tents talking to the CEO of the leading renewable energy manufacturer on Arath. They were engrossed in conversation, until she saw Cohen, the Representative of Education, walk towards the hosts. Onalee quickly excused herself, and moved to intercept him.
Brogan’s eyebrows creased in question. What would she need to talk to him about? Rumor had it that she wasn’t involved in her brother’s business.
Cohen exchanged pleasantries with her, but soon turned on his heel and headed for the royals. Forkan saw the exchange, and glared at his sister. A crease appeared in her brow, and Brogan scowled.
Why would Forkan be upset with her? Was he mad that she’d talked to Cohen? Was she interested in him romantically? Brogan hoped not. The male was thirty years her senior, and had three mates already.
When Cohen reached them, the royals politely extricated themselves from Forkan to talk to the Representative. Forkan bowed stiffly, clearly not pleased with the dismissal. His face was stern as he straightened, then walked straight towards Onalee. Even from where he stood, Brogan could see her spine stiffen, and her fingers clutch her little bag tighter.
Brogan tensed, very displeased with their silent exchange.
Without pausing his steps, Forkan grasped her upper arm, and led her towards the privacy of the garden.
Brogan stepped back into the cover of foliage, and followed their movements. He tracked them easily by the sound of their shoes on the gravel walkway, though his own movements were silent. Soon he was a few feet away from the siblings, easily concealed by the large, dense leaves.
“You had one job to do. One!” Brogan heard Forkan say sternly, yet quietly.
He obviously didn’t want anyone to overhear their conversation. Brogan couldn’t give a flying fuck what the male wanted. As far as he was concerned, it was his job to protect everyone there from threats; that included threats from one’s own family.
“I’m sorry, Forkan,” she apologized quietly. “I tried to engage him, but whatever he needed to discuss with the trio must have been of great importance.”
Forkan wasn’t placated. “Now I have to go clean up the mess you’ve made. He’s off talking to them about Gods-know-what, but whatever it is, it doesn’t bode well for Cormikan Industries. You know how he’s gunning to take part of our funding for his own benefit.”
There was a slight pause before she replied. “I’m so sorry, Forkan.”
Brogan heard Forkan’s departing footfalls, and before he’d consciously made the decision, he moved forward onto the path.
CHAPTER 4
Brogan purposefully shuffled his feet through the gravel so that Onalee would hear him approach. Right beyond a bend, he saw her standing with a forlorn expression.
He noticed immediately that her shoulders were slumped, and worry lines were evident on her face. He had the urge to simultaneously punch Forkan, and comfort her. Instead of doing either, he cleared his throat.
She looked up, quickly masking her features and smiling politely.
Now that he was so close to her, he wasn’t sure what to say. Hi, I was just spying on you and your dick of a brother, and overheard him insulting you… or maybe, Has he always been such an ass? Neither sounded appropriate.
The silent moment stretched on, causing her to look at him expectantly.
“May I help you?” she asked politely. Even her voice had an effect on him.
Say something! His mind shouted. Anything!
“I just had to tell you that I love the dress you’re wearing. It brings out the lighter flecks of green in your eyes.”
He mentally slapped himself. That’s what I go with?! At least it was better than calling her brother a dick to her face.
Her features softened. “Thank you. I appreciate you saying that.”
They stood for a moment in silence until she gave a slight bow. “I’m Onalee Cormikan.”
Introductions, right. That’s what you do when meeting someone for the first time. Normal people didn’t watch others from afar with the intensity he’d been watching her all afternoon.
“My name’s Brogan.”
“Are you here with someone?” she asked, glancing behind him as if other people were blocked by his wide frame.
“Ahhh, no. I’m a Lieutenant in the Royal Guard. I’m working today.”
Her eyes went wide. “Oh! Forgive me for not knowing. I thought Guards always wore uniforms.”
He shrugged it off. “There’s nothing to forgive. Usually we do, but today I’m dressed to blend in.”
She slowly looked him up and down. Brogan had to fight the urge to fidget. What the hell’s wrong with me?
“Is it working?” he asked her. “Do I blend in?”
Her lips quirked. “You want my honest answer?”
“Of course.”
She shook her head slowly. “No, I’m sorry, you don’t.”
He looked down at the clothes he’d chosen carefully for the occasion. He wore gray lightweight pants, and a white top, similar to most of the people there.
“Really? I thought I’d chosen well.”
Her eyes fell to the ground, and she fingered her bag nervously. “I apologize, I didn’t mean to insult you,” she told him in a small voice. “You look very nice.”
“Don’t do that,” Brogan told her.
Her eyes widened in surprise, and came back up to his. Shit. He hadn’t meant to scare her. He softened his tone.
“I mean, don’t apologize. I asked for your honest opinion.”
She remained silent, so he encouraged her further. “Please continue. I’d like to hear why you think I don’t blend in so that I can do better next time.”
“Alright.” She cleared her throat. “Your clothes are fine. Actually, you look nice in them. It’s just that you’d never pass for a family member of someone on the High Council. You’re the wrong age, and frankly, many males aren’t…” she struggled to find the words, “Well, they’re not built like you.”
A flush crept over her cheeks, causing a ghost of a smile to quirk his lips. Built like me?
“Do you mean to say that they’re scrawny?” he teased.
Onalee’s eyes went wide, and she quickly looked up and down the path, as if fearing someone would overhear them. Brogan knew better. He could hear far better than other Arathians (thanks to more technological implants), and he knew that they were alone.
“No! Of course that’s not what I mean,” she exclaimed quietly.
“Are you saying that I’m too big?” he asked her playfully.
Her expression of surprise was far better than the one she’d had when he’d arrived.
“Too big?” she asked, before shaking her head. “No, you’re not too big.”
Her voice had lowered, and the sound caused his groin to take more notice. The air around them changed as something flared between them. He suspected—hoped—that she was flirting with him. He took a step forward towards her. She held her ground.
“Are you sure? I’m one of the largest males I know.” His voice had lowered, giving the impression of intimacy.
She abse
ntly nodded, replying softly, “I don’t doubt that.”
Her eyes traveled down his body again. He loved her eyes on him; it made him want to puff out his chest. Instead of preening like a bird, he took another step closer to her.
“You’re not afraid of me, are you?” he asked.
He didn’t like the idea of her being scared of him. Sometimes his size worked to his advantage: he was threatening with just his look alone. He didn’t want Onalee to be scared. More than anything, he felt the need to protect and shelter her.
“Perhaps,” she replied. “But you make me more nervous than afraid.”
“You have no reason to fear me,” he told her sincerely.
She gave his comment a moment of thought. “I think I do.”
His brows knit together. “Why?”
“You’re dangerous.”
She wasn’t wrong.
“Not to you,” he told her emphatically. “Never to you.”
She shook her head. “Especially to me.”
He took another step closer, but she didn’t move. She must not be too scared of me, he thought. Either that or she was an expert at masking her emotions.
“Why do you say that? I’d never hurt you.”
The corner of her mouth quirked up, and he realized that she was playing with him a little. “Danger takes many forms.”
Again, she wasn’t wrong.
“What form am I to you?”
He closed the remaining distance between them. It was as if she was a magnet pulling him closer. Brogan had never felt anything like it before in his life. For the very first time, he forgot that he had a duty to perform. He forgot that she was a guest, that her brother was on the Council, and that continuing their little game was dangerous. Consuming him was need: the need to be closer to her—to take her scent into his lungs, and feel her against him.
His gaze raked over her body, and she shivered.
Alien Revelation Page 3
