Page 44 of Alien's Eternal Mate

I sat up, flinging a blanket off my body. I looked around until I saw the ramilar walls of the hospital.

Floran entered the room, his face knit with concern.

“Gro?”

He cautiously approached. It dawned on me that the Physicker worried I had reverted to the old, violent Gro.

“I am awake, Doctor. I still have no memories before a year ago, you may approach safely.”

Floran stepped closer, using a device I had salvaged from the ship to diagnose me.

“I see no signs of internal bleeding or serious injury. How does your head feel? You had a crack in your skull, but the magic wand you gifted me helped knit the bones back together before my very eyes.”

“It’s a tissue regeneration unit, not a magic wand.” I touched the back of my head gingerly. I felt some pain, but nothing I could not handle. “What happened to the raiders? Are we still under attack? I need to find Arael?—”

I started to rise, but he came to my side and pushed me back into the bed.

“Gro, listen to me. The raid ended many hours ago. It is now well past nightfall.”

I should have felt some relief that the village still stood. Yet, a sickness gripped my core and left me shivering and weak.

“And Arael?” I dared ask.

Floran’s expression grew grave.

“She was seen among the confirmed captives taken away by Ghroma Jark and his raiders.”

“No!”

I pushed past him, erupting out of the bed and putting on my blood-stained clothing.

“I must go and get her back.”

“Jark’s raiders number in the hundreds. He can raise an army of thousands, perhaps larger if given the time. I’m sorry, but you should mourn for your lifemate, for she is surely lost to you?—”

I grabbed him by the collar and slammed him into the wall.

“No! Never!”

The fear in his eyes made me let him go. I stormed out of the hospital, past grievously injured warriors. There were so many, I wondered how much of the village remained.

When I stepped outside, my mouth fell open. Half the structures had been burned, and the bodies in the town square were piled waist deep. The raiders had not cared who they slew. Many of the shrouded bodies were much smaller than the others.

“Gro!”

I turned to see Lo rushing up to join me. He bent over and rested his hands on his knees, struggling to catch his breath.

“Lo. I’m glad you survived.”

Lo straightened up and met my gaze, panting heavily.

“I am glad you survived, as well. I heard about Arael. We’re going to get her back, right?”

I hardened my resolve and spoke through gritted teeth.

“Yes. And everyone else they stole from us.”

“But how? Jark has a huge force of warriors.”

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