Page 63 of Alien Protector's Mate

A tear slipped down her cheek. He brushed it away with his thumb and then reluctantly pulled back. “Much as I’d love to stay here all day, we should probably eat. And then… time to tell the others at LMP. And we need to tell my cousin, and Sadie.”

She nodded, a mix of excitement and nervousness flitting across her face. “What’ll they say? About us?”

“They’ll be thrilled.” He grinned. “This is what the program’s for, after all. Finding true mates.”

As Jade moved to sit up, she winced slightly. His protective instincts flared and he held her back. “You sure you’re alright? We can wait if you need more rest…”

She shook her head. “I’m fine, honestly. Just… new sensations.” She offered him a shy smile. “Good ones, mostly.”

He chuckled, the sound rumbling deep in his chest. “Well then. Let’s get you fed. But first…” He paused, a mischievous glint in his eye. Before she could question him, he was out of the bed, her in his arms.

“S’aad!” she yelped, laughing as he strode naked across the room with her cradled against his chest. “What are you doing?”

He grinned down at her, his heart swelling at her happy laughter. “Carrying my mate to the shower, of course. It’s my duty to ensure you’re properly cared for, after all.”

As he carried her into the bathroom, his mind raced. He needed to contact people, let them know he’d found his mate, and arrange a celebration. It was customary to mark such an occasion. But first, he’d savor this moment with his new mate…

Her hand felt sosmall and delicate in S’aad’s as they walked through the corridors toward the LMP offices. Jade glanced up, her breath catching as she drank in the sight of his chiseled profile. The soft lighting from the walls played across his angular features, highlighting the green of his eyes. Those eyes, so alien yet so captivating, were fixed ahead, but a small smile played at the corners of his mouth. Her stomach fluttered. He knew she was watching him.

“See something you like, my little mate?” He leaned in to murmur by her ear, his voice lower and rougher than normal.He only used that voice with her, in the bedroom, and it sent a shiver down her spine.

Biting her lip, she nodded and slid him a sideways glance, hoping he wouldn’t make her say it out loud. Even now, she couldn’t believe he belonged to her. Thathewantedher.

The Morgans had ground her down for years, their nasty words and cruelty leaving invisible scars. She’d always preferred them to hit her. Bruises and breaks healed. Feelings didn’t.

Useless. Good for nothing. Unwanted. Ugly.The insults whispered in the back of her mind all the time, but with S’aad’s hand in hers, with the way he looked at her, they were quieter. Less vicious. She felt like a fairytale princess… apart from the fact that S’aad was way more handsome than any old prince from a story.

But she couldn’t help biting her lip. She had never been this happy before. Surely it couldn’t last? It never did for her. Whenever she’d had something, anything, good in her life, it had always been snatched away from her.

“Jade?” S’aad looked down at her, a frown between his brows. “Are you okay?”

She forced a smile. “I’m fine, just a little nervous about this… about telling everyone.”

He traced soothing circles on the back of her hand with his thumb. A reassuring gesture. “There’s no need to worry. You are safe with me.”

“But… what if they’re mad at me for lying to them?” she whispered.

He stopped to pull her in his arms, pressing a kiss to her lips gently. “They won’t be. They’ll love you just as much as I do.”

She nodded, wishing she could believe him. But the niggling doubt remained as they turned and continued walking down the corridor. It wasn’t far to the offices now, and as they approached the main entrance, her anxiety spiked. The polished doorsloomed before them, reflecting their images like a distorted mirror. She saw herself, small and uncertain, dwarfed by S’aad’s imposing figure. For a moment, she couldn’t breathe, a vise around her chest.

S’aad must have sensed her distress because he stopped and turned to face her. His large hands cupped her face gently, tilting her chin up until their eyes met.

“Jade,” he said softly, his voice a caress that sent shivers down her spine, “I love you. No matter what lies beyond these doors, that will not change. You are my mate, my heart, my future. If anyone has a problem with you, they have a problem with me. And then they willnothave a problem anymore. Do you understand?”

Tears pricked at her eyes. She nodded, unable to speak past the lump in her throat. No one had ever cared enough to take care of her like that, to take her side. He leaned down, pressing a tender kiss to her forehead.

When he straightened, that small smile from earlier had grown into a full grin. She frowned, but before she could ask, he waved his hand over the sensor panel, and the doors slid open with a soft hiss.

“Surprise!” a chorus of voices rang out.

She froze in place as confetti rained down, tickling her skin. The once-sterile reception hall had been transformed into a shimmering wonderland with banners on the walls and huge floral displays. The doors to the individual meeting rooms had been thrown open, the decorations extending into cozy places to chat. Tables laden with an array of foods—both familiar Earth dishes and exotic alien delicacies—lined the walls. In the center of the room stood a group of women, the LMP staff and some of the women she remembered from the orientation classes, all with wide smiles as they gestured for her to join them.

“What… what is this?” she managed to stammer, her eyes wide. S’aad chuckled as he placed a reassuring hand on the small of her back. The warmth of his touch seeped through the thin fabric of her dress, grounding her. “It’s a betrothal party, my love. For us.”

Her mouth opened and closed soundlessly, like a goldfish.

“When did you manage to arrange this?” she asked, looking up at him.

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