Page 43 of Alien Protector's Mate

“Stay behind me,” S’aad murmured, his voice carrying an edge of steel she hadn’t heard before as he stepped forward, putting himself between her and the gang.

“Reav.” S’aad’s voice was low and dangerous, a growl that sent shivers down her spine. “I thought we had an understanding.”

Reav’s lips curled into a sneer as he looked the older Latharian up and down. S’aad couldn’t have been much older than him, perhaps late twenties, but for some reason the way he moved and acted made him seem much older.

“Understanding? Oh, we understand perfectly. Don’t we, boys?”

A chorus of malicious chuckles rippled through the gang.

“We understand that you think you can tell us what to do, where we can go. And that’s not on, old man.”

“The market is neutral ground,” S’aad stated, his tone brooking no argument. “You and your… associates are welcome here, as long as you behave and don’t bother any of the marketgoers or vendors.”

Reav took another step forward, invading S’aad’s personal space.

Jade’s breath caught in her throat as she saw the gang leader’s hand twitch toward something concealed in his jacket.

“And if we don’t want to behave?” Reav sneered, his voice dripping with malice. “What’s anoldimperial warrior like you going to do about it?”

The standoff stretched for an eternity, S’aad and Reav locking eyes with each other in a battle of wills. She clenched her fists, her nails digging into her palms as she watched the rest of the gang in case they all decided to rush S’aad at once. She couldn’t do much if they did. They were all huge… much bigger than she was. But at least she could warn S’aad.

Just as the tension reached its breaking point, the sound of heavy boots and the crackle of comm units cut through the silence. Before Reav and his gang could scatter and disappear into the warren of corridors around the market, security officers flooded into the space en masse, a mix of Latharian warriors and the massive horned aliens that she’d glimpsed before but never seen up close.

Like most bullies, Reav’s bravado crumbled as he realized he and his gang were outnumbered. His eyes darted around, searching for an escape route, but there wasn’t one. The security team had them surrounded.

“Stand down,” commanded a huge Latharian warrior, his voice booming across the market. “You’re in violation of station regulations.”

Reav snarled, his hand inching toward his jacket again. “We ain’t done nothin’ wrong. You can’t touch us!”

The security officer’s eyes narrowed. “Last warning. Stand down or we’ll be forced to restrain you.”

For a tense moment, it seemed Reav might actually be stupid enough to fight. His muscles bunched as if he was ready to lunge. But then one of his lackeys grabbed his arm, muttering something too low for Jade to hear. Reav’s shoulders sagged in defeat.

“Fine,” he spat, raising his hands in mock surrender. “We’re done here anyway.”

As the security team escorted Reav and his gang away, Jade felt her knees go weak. She leaned against a nearby stall, trying to steady herself without drawing attention.

Saad turned to her, concern etched on his features. “Are you alright?” he asked, his voice little more than a soft rumble.

She nodded, forcing herself to stand upright even though she was still shaking.

“I’m fine,” she managed, her voice sounding strained even to her own ears.

S’aad’s gaze lingered on her for a moment longer before he turned to speak to the warrior who had ordered Reav to stand down.

“V’Renn,” the big Latharian greeted, his tone respectful but tinged with exasperation. “I see you’ve managed to find trouble again.”

S’aad sighed tiredly. “Trouble has a way of finding me recently, it seems. Jay, this is Z’yan, our chief of security. Z’yan, this is Jay, my new assistant.”

Z’yan’s eyes flicked toward her, his dark eyes seeming to see right through her. Her breath caught in her throat as he frowned, convinced that S’aad was the only person on this station who couldn’t see through her disguise. “Well met, Jay,” he said with a nod.

S’aad and Z’yan exchanged a few more words, discussing the incident with Reav’s gang. She tried to focus on their conversation, but the adrenaline crash left her feeling shaky and disconnected.

“We’ll increase patrols in this sector,” Z’yan was saying. “These gangs are becoming more brazen. We can’t let them think they can operate with impunity.”

S’aad nodded. “Agreed. Keep me informed of any developments.”

“Will do. Stay safe, V’Renn. You too, Jay.” Z’yan’s gaze flicked to her once more, causing her to tense, but then he turned to leave.

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