Page 1 of Ravenous Alien Mate

Chapter 1

Leah shuffled down the narrow hallway, the shackles around her ankles making her steps slow and awkward. Her wrists also ached and rubbed against the tight restraints she wore, but she knew better than to complain.

The guard holding her arm jerked her around a corner and toward a closed door. His fingers dug into her arms, more firmly than necessary.

She swallowed hard and tried to summon her bravery. He opened the door and ushered her through it so rapidly that she stumbled and would’ve fallen to her knees if not for his unyielding grip. His hold on her tightened, and he paused and gave her a harsh jerk, obviously frustrated that she couldn’t keep pace with him.

She wished he’d let go of her. They’d already reached their destination. She glanced around the room and took in her surroundings.

Five human men sat at a long table. This surprised her. She’d expected to see at least one huge Martian male among the group who would decide her fate today. After all, Martians ran the prisons. They ran the whole freaking world. Would these human men who worked for the Martians be more apt to show her mercy? God, she could only hope.

Her stomach flipped as she studied the men. All were eyeing her critically. The guard finally released her and went to stand along the wall, leaving her alone in the center of the large room while she stared at the five men who apparently made up the parole board.

Please God, let them grant me freedom.

She couldn’t take another night in the prison. She’d been here for ten years and each day that passed was worse than the last. If she didn’t get out of here soon, she would lose her mind.

The dull concrete walls of her cell threatened to close in on her each day, and whenever she was allowed outside for an hour of recreation, which usually only happened once a week, it didn’t quite feel real.

Often, whatever was happening to her felt like a dream. It was in these instances that she worried she was starting to lose her grip on reality.

At least if she had her freedom, maybe she would manage to recover her senses and find herself again. Once upon a time, she’d been happy. Once upon a time, she hadn’t known fear and pain and loneliness.

“Prisoner 794-B,” the man seated in the center called out as he glanced at a tablet in his hands. He had shoulder-length hair that was the purest white she’d ever seen. “Leah Hartman from Zone 12, convicted of arson and theft. You’re serving a twenty-five-year sentence, however, based upon your good behavior, you are being called up for early parole. Have you anything to say on your behalf?”

She drew in a deep breath. She had tried her best to prepare a statement, but now everything she’d so carefully planned to say fled her mind. In a panic, she stared at the parole board and fumbled.

“If you have nothing to say on your own behalf,” the white-haired man said, “you will be returned to your cell and you won’t be eligible for another parole hearing until next year.”

“I made a terrible mistake,” she blurted out. God, she couldn’t fathom spending another year in the overcrowded windowless concrete room that was her cell. “And I-I am truly sorry for the crimes I committed. I should have known better, and not a day passes that I’m not sorry for what I did.” It was the truth. She regretted her part in the arson and robbery for which she’d been sentenced to twenty-five long years in prison. It didn’t matter that she hadn’t planned the crime, started the fire, or actually retrieved the stolen items, but she’d been there that night. While she’d only served as a lookout, it hadn’t mattered when the time for her trial arrived.

“Do you think you are reformed?” the white-haired man asked.

“Absolutely. If I am released, I plan to get a job, obey the law, and work hard to be a good citizen.” Finding a job with her kind of record would be next to impossible, but she decided to focus on one problem at a time, the first being her incarceration.

“You originally were not scheduled for a parole hearing until five years from now, but, due to your good behavior and your statement that you are reformed, we are prepared to make you an offer that will result in your immediate release from prison.”

Her breath caught in her chest. She felt her eyes widen as disbelief swirled through her.

Freedom. Could it be true? Or was this a dream? Given her tenuous grip on reality as of late, she really hoped she wasn’t imagining this entire interaction.

“However,” the man continued, “there are conditions.”

“I assure you that I am prepared to meet the conditions, whatever they are, that you require of me,” she replied in a polite tone.

“I am glad to hear it.” He sat back in his chair and stared at her so intently that a shiver rushed down her spine. His eyes were cold and calculating. “We are offering early release to certain female prisoners who meet our criteria. You see, we’ve developed a new early release program, one that will help decrease the population in our overcrowded prison system, which I am certain you will appreciate.”

She nodded, hoping he would continue, even as a ball of dread formed in her stomach. What kind of early release program was he talking about? Suddenly, the freedom she had hoped for seemed further from her reach.

“It’s simple really—you will be released from prison if you agree to become a Martian’s bride. If you agree to these terms, you will travel to Mars immediately, along with a regular shipment of mail order brides, and you will be given to a Martian male. You will be expected to become his bride and mate with him.”

“I…” Her voice trailed off. Become a Martian’s mate? She hadn’t known what to expect when she’d entered this room to face the parole board, but it certainly hadn’t been this.

Oh God. Could she do it? Become the mate of a stranger—an alien from a race whose people had conquered her own, no less—and spend the rest of her life on Mars?

“Before you give us your answer, Prisoner794-B,” he said, putting an emphasis on her prisoner number that made her face heat with a mix of anger and humiliation, “keep in mind that Martians mate for life. The mating union you enter will be a permanent one. Many female prisoners who are offered this option prefer to remain incarcerated, though many have also agreed to the terms of this early release program. You have one minute to decide.” As if for dramatic effect, he glanced down at his watch.

What should she do? Her heart raced. She felt shaky and restless. The sudden urge to pace back and forth overcame her, but she couldn’t move around due to the shackles on her ankles, so she stood before the parole board, her mind racing as she tried to make one of the most important decisions of her life in just one minute.

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