Page 19 of The Alien's Pet

Korrev was about to tease her back when he realized she was fast asleep. He kissed her forehead. He wasn't usually a sentimental person, but there was something about Karin which made him softer and less tense. Just a little bit.

Korrev was a loner by nature. As king, he had to be. He could never fully trust someone without worrying about betrayal. With the exception of Kyvan.

But when he was with Karin, he felt different, even when she was acting like a brat. He felt almost content. Something which he had not felt for quite some time.

Korrev wondered how he had lived so many years without her.

Nine

Karin was snuggled up against Korrev. It was one of the rare instances when he had allowed her to sleep in his bed with him instead of sleeping in her pet bed.

She wanted to hate it. She should hate it, but she secretly loved it. Karin liked being wrapped in his strong arms. When he thought she was asleep, he would sometimes pet her head or stroke her cheeks which, if she was being honest with herself, would make her shiver with glee inside.

It was in moments like these, she could almost pretend they were a real couple. She could fantasize he was another hot shot lawyer at the same company she used to work for who had somehow whisked her away to her fancy New York City penthouse.

For a few hours while she was asleep, Karin could pretend they were equals instead of being a powerful king and his pet.

Despite the unhappiness she felt because she was still trapped in Krotev months later, her bouts of depression and frustration had been less. Her punishments had lessened and Karin hadn't tried anything stupid like running away, since the last time she had failed.

Korrev had also softened towards her in his own way. He had stopped being cruel to her and his punishments weren't as harsh. Dare she say, they had become almost like an erotic game instead of an actual punishment. Karin couldn't even say she hated when he punished her anymore because she would always get wet when he did.

Perhaps one of the reasons why she had also come to accept her new life was because she had found a new friend in Alice. Despite the age difference, the two women got along well and she was a spitfire.

Back in New York, she had never been very sociable due to her work schedule, but now she had all the time in the world. It truly felt nice to have friends. It was also one of the few times when the king actually gave her privacy and wasn't hovering over her.

But even though Karin had come to accept her new way of life, a part of her still longed for the old life she had led. A life where she was independent and could make choices pertaining to her life. Where she didn't have to listen to a king who knew how to make her body scream with pleasure.

Unlike Alice, who seemed to be content staying with her mate, a part of Karin still dreamed of returning to New York. She knew she needed to return fast.

Karin had been injected with fertility treatments and Korrev never bothered using protection. It was a miracle she wasn't pregnant yet, but she couldn't take any chances. Once she became pregnant, there was no way she could return to Earth, even if she did manage to escape.

Even if Korrev didn't bother to try to get her back, there was no way Karin would be able to raise a half-alien child on Earth. Her baby would be used as a lab experiment, perhaps something worse. She wouldn't feel comfortable terminating the pregnancy, either.

No, she had to escape. Soon. Before she ended up carrying a baby she wasn't even sure she wanted.

The problem? How was Karin going to escape?

Korrev was still watching her closely, not as much as he used to, since he thought he had domesticated her, but still pretty closely.

Karin couldn't escape and fail again. She shuddered, thinking of her punishment if she was caught again. She didn't want to think about it. No, it had to be the perfect plan. She just needed to wait and pray she didn't get pregnant in the meantime.

Karin was still sleeping soundly in the king's arms when a huge blast shook her awake, along with the whole bed.

Korrev immediately went into warrior mode as he jumped out of bed. There was anger in his eyes, but this time, it was not directed at her.

"Get up!" he barked as he threw the red cape over her shoulders and wrapped it tightly around her shivering frame.

She didn't even have time to blush at his protective gesture because she was frightened. Instead, she watched as Korrev put on his heavy suit of armor and tied his blond hair in a ponytail while he told her to hurry up.

"What's going on?" she managed to ask as he dragged her down the long corridors while he barked orders at his men.

The whole palace was in a frenzy. There were guards everywhere, much more than she had ever seen before. Everyone was running in different directions. She saw mates being taken away somewhere safe, while warriors grabbed weapons which were the size of her head.

"Korrev, are we at war?"

"We are," Korrev answered tightly. "We expected it, of course, but never in the dead of night. This is a cowardly attack." He pulled her in the direction of the basement, and she had to walk down several steps.

"When will it be over? Will it take years?" She gulped, thinking of both World Wars. Aliens were much more violent than humans. What if they enjoyed war and this lasted for decades? She might be an old lady before she managed to escape.

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