Page 6 of Her Alien Guardian

“I don’t believe you,” I said finally, trying to make my voice sound defiant.

I opened my eyes, finding Alpha’s intense gaze still fixed upon me. His words echoed in my mind, tantalizing whispers of a world so different from everything I’d known. A part of me longed to believe him, to embrace the hope he offered. But years of conditioning and fear weren’t so easily overcome.

“I don’t believe you,” I repeated, my voice stronger this time. “No matter what you say or do, I’ll never trust you.”

Alpha’s expression softened, a flicker of sadness passing across his otherworldly features. “I understand,” he said gently. “Trust takes time to build, especially after what you’ve endured.”

To my surprise, he picked up one of the whips Lieutenant Jorg had favored. His large blue fingers traced the braided leather almost tenderly, a look of distaste evident on his face. “Such crude implements,” he murmured. “Designed for pain without finesse.”

I couldn’t help but snort at that. “As opposed to what? Refined torture devices?”

Alpha frowned. “There are ways to bring pleasure through pain, little one. Ways that celebrate the body rather than destroying it.” He set the whip aside with a shake of his head. “But that’s a conversation for another time, if you choose to have it.”

His words sent an unexpected sensation through me, a mix of fear and that same helpless thrill of arousal. I pushed the feelingdown, angry at myself for even considering his words might hold truth.

“You’re trying to confuse me,” I accused. “To make me doubt everything I know.”

“Is that such a bad thing?” Alpha countered. “To question what you’ve been told? To consider that there might be other truths beyond what your masters fed you?”

I bit my lip, unable to formulate a response. His logic was infuriatingly sound, chipping away at the walls of certainty I’d built around myself. But I couldn’t let myself be swayed. I couldn’t risk believing him, only to have those hopes dashed when the brutal reality I’d always expected came crashing down.

“It doesn’t matter,” I said finally. “I’ll never believe you. Never.”

Alpha sighed once more, a sound that seemed to carry the weight of centuries. “I won’t force you to trust me, honey. But I hope, in time, you’ll give yourself the chance to see the truth with your own eyes.”

As he spoke, he moved closer to the bench, his massive frame looming over me. I tensed, expecting… something. Violence, perhaps. Or maybe the mask to finally slip, revealing the monster I knew was there.

His massive blue hands moved toward the restraints, fingers deftly working at the clasps. As each cuff fell away, I felt a surge of conflicting emotions—relief at being freed from the cruel bonds, but also a growing panic that threatened to overwhelm me.

The cuffs clattered to the floor, the sound echoing in the small room. I flexed my wrists and ankles, wincing at the stiffness inmy joints. For a moment, I simply lay there, my body trembling slightly as I tried to process the sudden freedom.

Then, without warning, panic seized me. My heart began to race, my breath coming in short, sharp gasps. The rational part of my mind knew I had nowhere to go, no escape route that made any sense. But fear and instinct overrode logic, sending me scrambling off the bench in a desperate bid for… what? Safety? Freedom? I wasn’t even sure anymore.

My legs, weak from disuse, barely supported me as I stumbled toward the door. The room seemed to spin around me, the stark metal walls closing in. I heard Alpha’s voice behind me, calm but tinged with concern, but the words were lost in the roaring of blood in my ears.

I made it as far as the ward room before my knees gave out. I caught myself against the wall, my palm slapping against the cool metal. Tears blurred my vision as I tried to force my uncooperative body to move, to run, to do anything but stand there helplessly.

Suddenly, I felt strong arms encircle me. Before I could even think to struggle, Alpha had scooped me up as if I weighed nothing at all. The world tilted as he effortlessly tossed me over his broad shoulder, one massive hand coming to rest on the small of my back to steady me.

The position was achingly familiar—how many times had Lieutenant Jorg carried me like this, usually on the way to some new torment? But Alpha’s touch was different. Firm, yes, but not cruel. His hand splayed across my back radiated warmth, a welcome difference from the chill of fear that had gripped me.

From my new vantage point, I could see the destruction wrought upon the ward room. Scorch marks marred the walls, and the acrid smell of smoke still lingered in the air. Fragments of shattered screens and twisted metal littered the floor, crunching under Alpha’s boots as he strode purposefully toward the bridge.

As we passed through the doorway, I caught a glimpse of Captain Voss and Lieutenant Bavo, their bodies crumpled on the floor. Their unseeing eyes stared blankly at the ceiling, a testament to the sudden, violent end of theConqueror of Bresla’s reign.

Alpha’s steady gait barely faltered as he navigated the debris-strewn bridge. My panic began to subside, replaced by a growing sense of mortification. What had I been thinking, trying to run? Where could I possibly have gone? The absurdity of my actions hit me full force, and I felt my cheeks burn with shame.

But along with the embarrassment came a surge of defiance. I couldn’t just give in, couldn’t let this Magisterian captain think he had broken me so easily. With a burst of desperate energy, I began to struggle against his grip, my hands beating ineffectually against his broad back.

“Let me go!” I cried, my voice hoarse and strained. “I won’t be your prisoner!”

Alpha’s stride didn’t falter, but I heard him sigh deeply. “Honey,” he said, his tone patient but firm, “or whatever your name is, I understand you’re frightened, but this behavior isn’t helping anyone, least of all yourself.”

CHAPTER 4

Alpha

I knew I shouldn’t be spending so much time trying to persuade one Vionian naval concubine to trust me. High Command wouldn’t take me to task, of course: they had long since acknowledged that what generally went by the name of ‘Alpha’s eccentricities’ didn’t impede the efficient operation of thePrince Hend.

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