Page 7 of Claimed By the Drakarn Warrior Lord

And then, he spoke the first word I understood—not from language, but from the resonance in my very bones.

“Luvae.”

Mine.

THREE

TERRA

Vega cursed every step of the way for the first mile or so. If she had slightly less discipline, she might have made a run for it. But we had six women hiding in a hidden cave not far from the crash site.

We might have been captured, but they were still free. I wasn't sure that would actually be any help. Most of them were civilians, and they'd rip through supplies fast.

Figuring out what this planet was, who these aliens were, had to be the top priority.

Was there even the slightest chance of sending out a distress signal? How far were we from Earth? I had so many questions and no hope for answers. Not now.

The aliens marched us through the hot sand to a barely seen cave entrance and led us down beneath the surface, past twisting tunnels and rushing rivers that carved their way through walls of volcanic rock.

I breathed in thankful gulps of the underground air. It wasn't cool, not really, but the moisture and the shade made it feel like paradise.

The scale of it was overwhelming at first—colossal stone archways leading to cavernous halls that thrummed with life. The sharp, rhythmic clang of weapons echoed in the background, accompanied by commanding voices in the alien tongue. Even beneath their guarded stares, I found myself wanting to look at it all, to memorize every detail.

For survival, I told myself. But part of me couldn’t help but feel a connection to the raw power of this place.

And now, we were there. Trapped. Hard, uneven stone underfoot, cool despite the heat of the planet. A single, heavy metal door secured us within. No windows. No clear way out. Alone with my team and too many unanswered questions.

Hawk paced a short distance near the far wall, keeping her eyes sharp on the door. Kira was crouched next to her pack, which she’d tuckedbehind what little cover the room provided, her fingers deft as she rummaged through it. Vega sat with her back to a wall, legs folded under her, her expression sharp and calculating.

She was studying everything, cataloging it like she always did. And me? I stood quietly near the door, rubbing at the faint ache on my arm where that alien had grabbed me. No bruising. No break in the skin. Yet I could still feel the heat of his claws there, like a brand.

Or maybe it was his presence that left that mark.

I was ashamed of how vivid the memory was. His golden eyes had burned through me with an intensity I couldn’t shake. That deep voice, unfamiliar but alive with meaning, haunted me. And worst of all was the word he said—or more accurately, the way it felt.

That single syllable reverberated in my chest long after he’d pulled away.

Luvae.

I clenched my fists against the thought, forcing my feet to brace wide as if that would steady me entirely. My tongue connected briefly with the roof of my mouth, and I immediately regretted the action when that now-familiar tingling sensationkicked in again, traveling the length of my jaw like a warning. Or a threat.

God, I hated this.

Hawk’s voice broke through the tense silence, sharp and practical, “What’s the plan, Captain?”

She always said “Captain” like that, as if I needed the reminder. Like she knew my mind was racing, that I needed the weight of authority to stop me from spiraling into personal doubts. And damn if she wasn’t right. Again.

There was no need to remind her that we'd left our ranks behind back on Earth before climbing onto the generation ship. We'd all signed on to be security forces at the new colony when we woke up.

This place? Definitely not part of the plan.

I inhaled deeply, forcing myself to meet her gaze. “We need to take stock,” I said, my voice steadier than I felt. “Assess resources. What do we have? What do we know?”

“Kira?” Vega prompted.

“Still got my pack,” Kira confirmed, her voice low but colored with quiet triumph as she pulled out something small and black. “They didn’t stop me from bringing it. Either they underestimated us, or they don’t fully understand human tech.”

There were aliens back on Earth, but none like this. The travelers who had made it to us had never hinted at a place like this. These aliens, these monsters reminded me of dragons in a way I couldn't quite explain, and I was worried we were about to become their hoard.

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