The Alien Commander's Surrogate

Episode Forty-Nine

Salex

In all honesty, I had pictured Adra would be in far, far worse shape. And as my second in command stared down Oren, I prayed to all things holy that the slightly feral lieutant would hod it together.

At least until I could convince Oren that we were safe enough to have our mates with us full time.

Adra shifted, the woman in his arms looking between them. While Hillary had confirmed what I had thought I heard earlier - that the surrogate, Kait, already had a mate, she did look rather comfortable in Adra's arms.

He was dangerously close to falling into a rut and all of us knew this. Unlike Hillary and my experience, Adra had been resisting from being close to Kait. His fear of damaging her relationship with her existing mate enough to drive him to the brink of madness. And after the scuffle in the mess hall, things were tense.

But surprisingly not explosive. I was guessing he wouldn't dare do anything stupid with Kait so close by. Maybe that was the key.

"Are you safe in there, Kait?" my voice echoed in the harsh interior of the brig.

Adra was still as a statue. But Kait shifted a little, making sure our eyes met before her next words fell. "I'm more safe with him than I have been any other time in my life."

Oren was nodding. "That's all I needed to know."

Relief poured though me. Oren kept talking, "How long do you think it will last? This reaction?"

I shrugged, "There are physical ways to speed up the feral reaction or the desire to fall into a rut, but it seems like her presence is enough to keep him happy for now." I looked at Kait once more. "Are you ready to go back to your rooms?"

"With Adra?"

My chest was tight, "Not yet. We need to be sure he's thinking rationally before he goes back."

"Then I'm staying too."

Hillary moved to stand beside Oren at the bars, "You can't be comfortable in there. Let's get you home."

"No thank you, I'm happy right where I am." There was an edge to her voice now and I found myself smiling. All things considered, Kait had the makings of exactly who I would picture as Adra's mate.

Hillary opened her mouth again, but I pressed my hand against her back. "Easy, mate, let her stay here. She is quite safe." I glanced down at her wrist, "Since you are going to be with me, why don't you allow Kait to wear your communicator? Then she would like to leave, she only has to call. We can inform the guards when we leave."

Hillary looked at me for a long time, then carefully took off the communicator. Hanging it on the horizontal bar of the cell she returned to my side. The warmth of her there, the peace it offered flooded myself. Enough that even as Oren turned to me, with one more request on his tongue, I knew we would be alright.

"There's just one more thing," Oren said, crossing his arms, "A test, one that is meant to protect your mates."

My brow furrowed. "What?"

Oren appeared to brace himself, "I want to turn off your side of the bond. Just for a short time. To make sure that what Hillary feels is real, and that your bond isn't making her act or feel this way?"

I snarled, Adra echoed me from inside the cell. "Fuck no."

The Prime looked sheepish for a moment, "My father drugs his most trusted with a drug, it's meant to dull the effects of a bond. It's to re sure that he's the only thing they are thinking about."

Hillary wrapped her arms around my waist, belly against my side. "How long does it last?" I asked.

"Only a few hours."

Hours? Fuck. I was hoping it would only have been a moment or two. I looked down into my mates eyes. I would do anything to make sure that we can be together, permanently and without a single additional inquiry from the Trenzian royals.

"Salex?" Hillary's voice trembled.

But I'm already nodding to the Prime. "I'll do it."

***