Page 73 of Treasured By the Alien Rogue

The sad feelings I’d had when my parents died rushed through me. Was I going to suffer loss again?

I tightened my grip on Amanda’s hand, and she squeezed back. I hadn’t asked her what she’d want to do if the gods said she must be with someone else, and it was too late now.

“There you are,” Digaray said. “Come.” She took both our hands and led us through the large group. They moved back, creating a space in the center.

Tribon waited there already, and I didn’t like his sneer. Was he that confident in his position with the gods?

“What do the island gods say?” He strode over to stand next to Digaray, his proprietary gaze sliding down Amanda’s frame. She wasn’t an object to be claimed. She was an individual and more than capable of making her own decision about who she wanted to be with.

But I’d agreed to Digaray traveling to speak with the gods. I’d told myself that they’d already given me the sign, that there was no way they’d say anything but that Amanda and I belonged together.

“Yes, what did they say?” I asked.

Amanda’s face remained stoic. I couldn’t read her thoughts.

“The gods spoke to me,” my mother said. I didn’t like the way sympathy filled her eyes. And I didn’t like the way she sighed. And I hated how she took both Amanda and Tribon’s hands and tried to link them.

“The gods have said that Tribon should be Amanda’s mate,” she said firmly.

Chapter 34

Amanda

Hell, no.

I backed away. I’d run. There was no way I was going to take that leering male’s hand and allow him to . . .

“No,” I growled. “No! I don’t care what your gods think. I have the final say in this.”

“You don’t.” Tribon held out his hand. “The gods have spoken, and you cannot refuse them.”

“Fuck your gods,” I shouted. “Alexa!” I glared at the sky. “I’m not doing this. There’s no way I’ll ever be happy with anyone but Xax.” My eyes stung with tears. How could this happen? “You spoke already. You sent Xax a sign. I love him.”

“She will not mate with anyone,” Xax said firmly. “I’ll back away, release her. I’ll help her grow her own shroom. It isn’t fair to force her to be with someone she doesn’t care for.”

“She’ll care for me eventually.” Tribon rushed around Digaray, his arms outstretched.

Absolutely not.

I grabbed his arm and flipped him over my hip. He slammed onto his back on the ground beside me. “You need to know that I’d fight you all the time. That I’d never give in.”

“This is wrong,” Gerain said. “She doesn’t want to be with him. Mating should never be forced.”

She and Floosar wove through the group and stood behind me, each holding vine spears in their hands.

“Amanda gets to pick who she mates with, not island gods who mean nothing to us.” Floosar’s hand landed on my other shoulder.

Maverick watched everyone crowded around us and kept releasing soft peeps. He was scared, and I couldn’t comfort him, not if I was going to keep Tribon from laying his hands on me.

Tribon got to his feet, the anger in his gaze scorching across my skin. This wasn’t a male who’d treat me kindly after I’d not only embarrassed him but laid him flat on the ground.

“I agree with Amanda,” Bork said. He and Cresar joined us, standing with the two females. “She doesn’t belong to Tribon. The island gods are wrong.”

“He has no more right to her than anyone else,” Julop said. He, Efendest, and Vessak came over to stand with us as well. “Tribon cannot have her unless she agrees, and she has said she does not.”

My heart surged up into my throat. I knew Xax would stand with me, but it crushed me to see that my new friends would support me as well.

“I’m traedor,” Tribon said. “The gods have said she’s my mate, and I’m going to take her.”

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