Page 2 of Alien Protector's Mate

He bit back his anger and nodded. The anger wasn’t at her but at the number of females he saw coming through here with the signs of malnutrition. Earth and her colonies had more than enough females that they put huge numbers of them in those gods-damned factory cities, forcing them to work on nutri-blocks he wouldn’t feed to the lowliest of animals.

“I must admit I’m rather partial to chocolate cake as well,” he admitted but didn’t add that was because what the human females referred to as chocolate cake was, in fact, Latharian field rations. Every warrior knew how to make it. “And your match will have his own recipe for it. I’m sure he’ll be delighted to make you some.”

“Yeah?” She perked up a little. “I like them when they’re like cake, but then all mousse-y inside.”

He quickly added that to the info packet for her match. If all he could do today was make sure her warrior knew how she preferred her cake, that was a win in his book.

“Okay,” he said, setting the scanner aside, “let’s talk about what to expect when your match arrives. Ashaan is?—”

The door chimed again, cutting off his explanation. He frowned as he glanced at the time display. This was his only appointment until later, which meant Eliza’s match was early. Which was not… unusual for a Latharian warrior who’d just been matched.

“One moment, please. Let me deal with this,” he said as he stood and headed over to the door.

As he suspected, when it slid open, he found himself face to face with Eliza’s match. Ashaan was on the big side for a warrior, his huge frame filling the doorway. His posture was tense as his gaze darted past S’aad to catch a glimpse of the little human sitting in the room.

“Ashaan,” S’aad greeted him with a nod, biting back his amusement at the warrior’s obvious need to meet his match. “You’re early. Is everything alright?”

The big warrior’s jaw tightened, and he cast a pleading look at S’aad. “I… couldn’t wait any longer,” he admitted, his voice low. “The anticipation was unbearable.”

S’aad nodded in understanding. Even though he hadn’t been matched himself, he’d seen numerous other warriors in Ashaan’s shoes. They were all nervous. Plus, he knew Ashaan. Not well but enough to know that he was a worthy and honorable male who would treat his mate well.

“Take a deep breath,” he ordered in a low voice. “Remember your orientation training for meeting human females. Eliza is just as nervous as you are.”

Ashaan nodded and closed his eyes briefly. When he opened them again, a new determination lay in his gaze. “Thank you. I’m ready,” he said firmly.

S’aad turned and looked over his shoulder. Eliza sat in her chair, her eyes wide, but not in fear. Her gaze was locked on to the big warrior standing in the corridor.

“Eliza?” S’aad drew her attention back to him. “Are you happy to go ahead and meet Ashaan?”

She blinked, managing to look at him for a moment before her attention was drawn back to Ashaan. “Yes… please.”

S’aad smiled as he stepped aside, allowing Ashaan to enter the room. He watched as the Latharian warrior’s eyes locked with Eliza’s… something passing between them.

“Lady Eliza,” S’aad said softly, breaking the spell, “I’d like you to meet Ashaan. Ashaan, this is Lady Eliza. She has been matched with you but has not yet accepted your claim. If she finds you acceptable, you may begin the courting period.”

Ashaan inclined his head in a respectful bow as he took a step closer. “It is an honor to meet you, Lady Eliza.”

The little human stood, her nerves seemingly forgotten as she gazed up at the big warrior.

“Hi,” she breathed, a hint of wonder in her voice as her gaze searched his face.

S’aad felt a familiar warmth spread through his chest. He loved it when a meeting went like this, like the couple was so utterly transfixed by each other that a herd of wild kervasi could charge through the station, and they wouldn’t notice. He only hoped his own matching would be the same.

“Let’s all have a seat,” he suggested, gesturing to the arrangement of chairs. “And I’ll go through what’s expected during the courtship period.”

S’aad leanedback in his chair, the faint hum of the computer in front of him filling the otherwise silent lab. He’d just finished inputting the last of the data for Eliza and Ashaan’s match, and a smile quirked the corners of his mouth as he recalled the way Eliza had shyly slid her hand into the big warrior’s as they’d left the lab. The spark between them had been scorching, a promising start to what his gut said would be a successful mating.

His stomach growled, reminding him he’d missed lunch. Sighing, he shoved back from the desk and unfolded his lean frame from the chair. With a grunt, he stretched to his full height, easing the kinks out of his back click by click, and then headed out to find some lunch.

The corridor bustled with activity, a mix of Latharian and human staff going about their daily routines. He nodded politely to those he passed, his long strides eating up the distance quickly. Warriors acknowledged him with curt nods. Not all of them recognized him personally, but his scars commanded respect automatically. Despite not actively practicing, he’d completed his training at the healer’s hall, and no warrior in the empire wanted to get on a healer’s bad side. Or, even worse, get blacklisted by the healer’s hall and cut off from any kind of treatment.

He headed straight for the civilian area of the station. The multi-level promenade and shopping center were open to all on board. It didn’t take him long to get to his favorite cafeteria, where the smell of food greeted him, making his stomach rumble loudly again. Earth cuisine. It always intrigued him, even if he didn’t know what half of it was.

He entered the bustling area, filled with the din of voices and clatter of cutlery. A few women from the LMP offices noticed him and called out.

“Hey, S’aad, over here!”

“Come sit with us!”

---