Page 37 of Alien Prince's Fated Mate

“Maybe.” I stared at the unresponsive displays. “Or maybe the protocols are just too different. The Temple modified itself over generations, evolving to accept human interfaces. This is pure ship technology.”

Something crashed behind me. I spun to find Tharon braced against the wall, breathing heavily.

“I’m fine.” He straightened with visible effort. “Just having a little trouble.”

His words didn’t match his condition. His muscles trembled with barely contained power.

“It’s more than a little trouble.” I stepped closer, drawn by an instinct I couldn’t explain. “Let me help.”

“Stay back.” His voice dropped lower, rougher. The double rings in his irises flared bright - the inner blue nearly electric, the outer green darkening to emerald.

I took another step forward anyway. “No.”

His nostrils flared as he scented the air. “Niam...”

“I’m not afraid of you.” The truth of it surprised me. After everything the Temple had done, fear should have been my constant companion. But watching Tharon fight against his nature only made my heart ache.

“You should be.” His hands clenched into fists at his sides. “I can’t... the beast...”

I closed the distance between us, reaching for his face. My fingers brushed the sensitive spots along his jaw, drawing a sharp inhale from him.

“Then let it come.”

His eyes widened, pupils expanding until only thin rings of color remained. “You don’t know what you’re asking.”

“I know exactly what I’m asking.” I brushed my fingers over his lips. “Mahra told me what it means. A Valti must have its mate, or die.”

A growl rumbled in his chest. His hand shot up to capture my wrist, but he didn’t pull away. “This isn’t a game.”

“No.” I pressed closer, until I could feel the heat radiating from his skin. “It’s not.”

The beast looked back at me through his eyes, raw and hungry. But still he held himself rigid, fighting against what nature demanded.

“I won’t hurt you.” The words ground out between clenched teeth.

“I know.” I lifted my other hand to his chest, feeling his heart thunder beneath my palm. “That’s why I trust you.”

His control snapped.

His skin burned hot, the beast prowling just beneath the surface. I traced each mark deliberately, mapping the changes overtaking him.

“Last chance.” The words rumbled from deep in his chest. “I won’t be able to stop.”

“Then don’t.” I stepped closer, eliminating the last space between us. The heat of his body seeped through my clothes.

“I can smell your desire.” His nostrils flared. “But there’s no fear.”

“Why should I fear what you are?” I pressed my palm flat against his chest, feeling his thundering heartbeat. “The Valti wants to protect me as much as the man does.”

A sound tore from his throat - not quite human, not quite animal. His arms came around me, careful despite the tremors wracking his powerful frame. One hand splayed across my lower back while the other cupped my nape.

I tilted my head, baring my throat in deliberate invitation. His breath hitched. Then he buried his face in my neck, inhaling deeply. The rumble in his chest deepened to a purr that vibrated through my entire body.

“You smell like starlight.” His tongue, longer now, traced the line of my pulse. “Like lightning and ozone and something I’ve needed my whole life.”

My fingers wound into his hair, finding it thicker, wilder. When I scratched lightly at his scalp, his purr turned to a growl of pleasure. His fangs grazed my throat - not breaking skin, but marking me as his.

“That’s it.” I ran my hands over his shoulders, feeling the way his muscles bunched and shifted. “Let me see you. All of you.”

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