Page 42 of Rebel Fates

“Yeah, frex that!” I add.

Gemma’s face lights up in a smile. It isn’t a big one, but it’s filled with genuine appreciation for our understanding.

I gesture for her to come with me, carrying the box of supplies. Once we are out of Rok’s range to overhear, I ask, “Did Rok take care of you?”

Her cheeks flush pink. “What?”

“Was he gentle when he healed you?”

“Uh, yes. He was actually more pleasant than I was expecting.”

I smile knowingly. “He isn’t all that bad. When he isn’t stressed about… things.” I hesitate. “He’s more compassionate than Serrat and myself combined.”

“Because of his rough childhood?” she asks.

I freeze in my tracks, and wonder again if she is a spy, because I can’t believe Rok told her that. “How do you know about his childhood?”

Her eyes are wide. “Fuck. I shouldn’t have betrayed his confidence. I just thought that you would know.” She’s talking quickly now. Nervously. “Well… he saw my old scars and then he mentioned his pack was… intense.”

“Yes. I know about his past.” I drop the crate and hold her shoulders to calm her. “I just wasn’t expecting he would confess anything to you. He never opens up. It took him years to tell me that.”

“Oh.” Gemma bites her lip. “Then don’t tell him I betrayed his confidence. He’s only starting not to hate me… I hope.”

“None of us hate you. Quite the opposite, actually.”

Her face flushes pink again. I realize I’m still holding her and then let go, giving her some space to think about what I’ve just implied. I pick up the crate again to occupy my hands.

Serrat’s bedroom door is still open. The heavy scents of our arousal at seeing Gemma tied to the bed flood my nose. Knowing that the others find her appealing makes me want her more.

With my animal so close to the surface, I have to calm myself before I let go of the crate. Otherwise, I will pull Gemma into my arms, and I can’t be certain what would happen after that.

“Can I trust you to stay here until I return with more supplies?” I ask as I set the crate down. “Or do I need to lock the door?”

“I’ll be good.” She frowns and sags into a chair, as if all the trauma she’s endured caught up to her.

I fall to her feet, kneeling and catching her chin to make her look into my eyes. Gemma doesn’t flinch, as she might have when she first arrived. “I was only teasing about locking the door, my treasure.”

“I think it just hit me,” she whispers.

“What?” I glance around, trying to understand.

“Reality. Everything.” She shrugs. “That I was abducted and now I’m on a sentient spaceship with three Egyptian deity guys who say I’m not safe to be aboard their ship. Rok says that you need to getridof me. I understand you probably do, but it still hurts to hear that for some dumb reason.” Her eyes well with tears. “I think my emotions are all scrambled. I don’t normally feel like this.”

I allow myself to believe in this moment that she feels the same pull as I do—to be mates.

She continues, “And I might never see stupid Earth again. I might not even survive the week.”

I stroke her cheek, careful for it to remain innocent. She needs comfort, not sex. “For the record, I don’t want to get rid of you. Besides, Serrat and Rok only want to keep you safe. They believe that means not being around us these coming days.”

“You seem like fearless warriors. It makes me scared for what you are all facing.”

I want to tell her the truth, but I’m forbidden to speak of it. However, I can ease her worry. “You will be all right. In a week, I will ensure that you are returned home safely, if that’s what you want.”

“Okay.” She sniffs. “Thank you.”

“Better?” I ask.

When she nods, I head out to get more supplies for her, leaving the door open. I need to know if she has taken the warnings to heart, andthisis a test.

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