Page 32 of Alien Prince Fake Fiancé

She opened her mouth to argue, to deny the truth of his words, but the thought died on her lips as Zade tucked a long strand of hair behind her ear, the same one she was constantly fighting. The damn thing had a mind of its own and refused to stay where she put it. The intimacy made her heart flutter and sent a pang of longing through her. Why did his tenderness have to disarm her, make her go weak in the knees when she needed to strengthen her resolve, not melt in his arms?

"This connection between us. We belong together. You can’t deny it,” he murmured, his voice rough with need.

Ashlyn’s resolve crumbled under the intensity of his gaze. She wanted to deny it, to push him away. But the truth was, she couldn’t. She craved him, needed him in a way that scared her.

Zade’s eyes softened slightly, his voice filled with a tenderness she hadn’t expected. "Ashlyn, I know you’re scared. But I promise you, I’ll protect you. We’ll get through this together."

She looked into his eyes, seeing the sincerity there. And for the first time, she allowed herself to hope. To believe that maybe, just maybe, they could find a way to make this work.

But before she could respond, C’Nar’s creepy attorney, Ocliver, approached, his eyes gleaming with malice. "Prince Zade, Miss Ashlyn. I hope I’m not interrupting."

Zade’s grip on her tightened protectively. "What do you want, Ocliver?"

Ocliver’s smile was cold. "Just to remind you that this isn’t over. The Council will have the final say, and not everyone has been fooled by your performance tonight. We’ll be watching closely, and when you slip up, it’s your neck that will be in a noose, Caldorian. This is your last chance to forfeit and return home alive."

As Ocliver walked away, Ashlyn felt a chill run down her spine. She looked up at Zade, her heart pounding. "That sounds ominous. What are we going to do? What was he talking about?"

Zade’s eyes hardened with determination. "Nothing important. Tomorrow, we’re going to fight. And we’re going to win. Together. The seat on the Council is as good as ours. Ocliver knows it as well as I do, or he wouldn’t have come over here to try one last time to scare us into forfeiting early.”

Cold, hard reality slapped her in the face. Of course, this whole time Zade had been acting. The kisses, the heated looks. This was the game, the ruse, and he was a master player. He’d almost fooled her into believing he wanted only her. How could she have been so blind?

Ashlyn blinked away the tears welling in her eyes. The alternative was almost as bad. She couldn’t stay with him. Not on Cappra. Not on the Council. Zade also wasn’t going to walk away from all that power just to be with her.

So where did that leave her?

Same. Damn. Place.

Fucked.

CHAPTER ELEVEN

The Next Day

“Areyou ready to face the Council?”

No. She was absolutely not ready. Not one bit. “Yes. I’m ready.”

“Come.” He turned and offered his elbow like a true gentleman. Shaking with a combination of anxiety and determination, she slipped her hand through the nook of his arm and allowed him to escort her to the adjoining grand chamber where they were to meet with five of the most influential members of the Intergalactic Trade Council.

Zade was dressed in his full uniform, weapons included. No one would dare mess with him looking like that. Maybe she should have worn something a little more intimidating, rather than the outfit she’d settled on, she mused. She’d debated for an hour on what to wear. She didn’t want to wear a dress in case one, or all, of the upcoming challenges included a need to run. Too casual wouldn’t be good, either. She wanted to feel like she belonged there, and she needed to present a confident facade. Eventually, the only outfit that made sense was a nice pair ofblack slacks and matching tailored jacket that looked good but was still easy to move around in, with comfortable black flats and a white blouse. Black and white. Fuck the pretty princess look. She needed a power suit.

Ashlyn took a deep breath as they stepped inside. The room was immense, the domed ceiling adorned with intricate mosaics depicting scenes of galactic commerce and diplomacy. Tall, arched windows allowed beams of multicolored light to filter through, casting an otherworldly glow across the polished marble floor. The air smelled faintly of exotic spices; a trace of the various planets represented there.

The Council members, a diverse array of beings, were seated in a semicircle on an elevated dais. Each wore the traditional robes of their homeworld, rich in colors and textures, which denoted their status and origin. Ashlyn's heart pounded in her chest, the full weight of the deception they were about to attempt bearing down on her. She shot a sideways glance at Zade, whose composed expression and confident stride contrasted sharply with the storm of emotions roiling within her.

As they approached the center of the room, a deep, resonant voice called out, "Ashlyn Faro and Prince Zade Miralos, Commander of Caldor’s Northern Sector, we have heard much about you. Come closer." The voice belonged to Councilor Thal'kor, a towering figure from the planet Zephyria, his emerald skin glinting under the chamber's light. His four, yellow, reptilian eyes blinked in unison, a gesture that Ashlyn interpreted as a sign of scrutiny.

"We are honored to be here," Zade replied smoothly, inclining his head slightly in respect. Ashlyn mimicked his gesture, her nerves straining to maintain a serene facade.

Councilor Jorax of Ventri Prime, a rotund being with a flowing crimson robe and a cluster of tentacles for a mouth,leaned forward. His voice was a gurgling hiss. "We understand congratulations are in order. You are newly engaged, correct?”

"Yes, that is correct," Ashlyn said, forcing a smile. Her voice sounded steadier than she felt, but she couldn't afford to let her unease show.

“We were under the impression you were to wed another." Jorax managed to make the words clipped around his cluster of tentacles.

“You were misinformed. The lady Ashlyn is my mate.”

Beside Jorax, Councilor Seraphina from the Lorian Alliance, a graceful figure with silver hair cascading down her back and iridescent wings folded elegantly, scrutinized them with her piercing blue eyes. "Love is a powerful bond," she said softly. "Tell us, how did you meet?"

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