Page 31 of Alien Prince

I fight to close the distance, driven by a mix of admiration and determination.

Gemma, I need you to fight harder! You can do this!

I feel another surge from Gemma, stronger this time. The Queen stumbles, losing her balance as Gemma's internal struggle intensifies.

“You cannot win, Kyron!” the Queen snarls, her voice shaky. “This will not end. She’s mine!”

“No, she’s not!” I shout back, my voice filled with unwavering resolve.

With one final, desperate push, Gemma manages to eject herself from the Queen’s control of her body, taking back what is rightfully hers. The Queen's presence dissipates with a scream of fury, her celestial form shimmering and flickering like a dying star in the space between us. I watch as her translucent, ethereal figure retreats into galactic matter, her glowing blue-white eyes burning with rage and betrayal like abhorrent moons

“You've betrayed me! You've betrayed your crown!” the Queen shrieks, her voice echoing through the grand hall. “I will come for all of you! And when I do, mark my words, I will kill you. Even my heir, if I have to, to protect my crown and this dying planet!”

Gemma collapses into my arms, her body trembling, injured from the internal battle. My form has shifted almost completely to human, still a deep shade of purple with galaxies swirling beneath my translucent skin, but solid and tangible. Holding her for the first time in my corporeal form, a surge of emotions overwhelms me.

My heart races as I cradle her fragile body, the warmth of her skin sending a shiver down my spine. Her breath, ragged and pained, fans across my neck, filling me with a mix of relief, fear, and protectiveness. Tears sting my eyes, but I blink them away, focusing on the rhythm of her breathing.

“I've got you, Mia. You're safe now,” I whisper, my voice trembling with emotion. “I'm here, and I'm not letting go.”

As I hold her closer, feeling every tremor and gasp, I know this moment has changed me. For the first time, I am simply Kyron, a man holding the woman who means everything to him.

“Gemma!” Raif rushes to her side, his face filled with concern. “We need to get her out of here, now!”

I tighten my grip on Gemma protectively, a fierce possessiveness surging through me. “I'm not letting her out of my sight,” I declare, my voice leaving no room for argument. I position myself between Raif and Gemma, not allowing him to get close.

As the guards begin to stir, confusion and fear evident in their eyes, one of the Dragonians, a towering centurion with scales glimmering like molten gold, snaps an order.

“Stand down! Do not engage the Prince!” His voice booms, echoing through the grand hall with authority.

The remaining guards, now few in number, lay down their arms and retreat. Whether out of fear, respect, or a combination of both, I couldn't care less.

Raif and I only have a fleeting moment before more guards arrive, ones with less honor or fear. Raif nods, understanding the urgency.

“We need to get underground.”

With Gemma still in my arms, we move quickly, the sound of distant footsteps growing louder as reinforcements approach. The urgency fuels us, and we know that this brief respite granted by the Dragonian centurion's command may be our only chance.

Chapter Thirteen

Gemma

I’ve never felt so drained before, even being Ky’s skin. Growing up under the rule of my father, I was pushed. For better or for worse, I learned how to push past my body’s alarms and exhaustion to keep going, because the threat was always there.

The threat that one day I would find myself in a situation which would warrant all my control and concentration; a situation in which my ability to push past those things would be the difference between life and death.

I just hadn’t expected that moment to come so soon.

“I’ve got you, Mia,” a voice says. It’s familiar, but it’s somehow louder, yet it carries a resonance that tugs at the strings of my soul, louder and more profound than I remember.

Warmth envelops me as strong hands grip me, their touch both comforting and possessive. Fingernails almost dig into my skin, but instead of pain, I feel a sense of belonging and an unspoken promise of protection.

I groan, my muscles burning and my throat tight. Each word is a struggle, my head pounding, my breath shallow from the pain radiating through my body.

“What the hell did she do to her?” Raif’s voice echoes above me.

Raif…

What the—

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