Page 32 of Ravenous Alien Mate

His answer confirmed her suspicions. It also reminded her just how fierce the Martians could be, as well as how fierce her own mate was. Sometimes, given how gently he treated her, it was easy for her to forget that Jav came from a race of aliens who’d conquered her own. “I suspected that would be the case.” She straightened. “I-I wasn’t planning to beg you for his life, I just wanted to know. It’s strange. It feels as though a lifetime has passed since I last saw him.”

She had mourned Steven’s loss, ten years ago when she’d thought he’d been put to death. Hearing that he was still alive, and apparently wreaking havoc within Zone 12 with a group of resistance fighters, left her a bit shaken.

He’d somehow managed to escape prison. How, she had no idea, but she couldn’t help but feel bitter toward him, knowing that he’d been alive and well while she’d been losing her mind in prison. Had he known about her twenty-five-year sentence? Had he ever thought about breaking her out? Knowing his character, she doubted it.

But Jav… he would never allow her to go to prison. He’d fought his own friend in order to keep her out of captivity.

His wrist comm beeped and buzzed. He looked down at it with a frown. “It’s a message from the Vash’arr. One of the human males in the dungeons just confessed that some of the prisons on Earth, including the women’s prison in Zone 12, have been supplying brides to the mail order bride program.”

“Is that illegal?”

“No, however, some of them, including the prison you were held in, have conspired with humans who work for Martian Affairs to steal the galactic credit payments that are supposed to be given to the human females upon being accepted into the mail order bride program.”

“Wow. I’d wondered why the parole board never mentioned the money when they offered me a chance to leave Earth. Now it all makes sense.” She sighed and wondered how many other women had been released from prison under similar circumstances.

“Arrest warrants have been issued for many humans who work inside the prisons, as well as those from Martian Affairs who joined their scheme.” He paused and his gaze turned thoughtful. “A few days after you arrived, I contacted Martian Affairs in Zone 12 to ask them for a copy of your mail order bride application, but I was told that they were having technical difficulties and could not help me at the time. Now I know they were likely stalling.”

“Why did you want to see a copy of my application?”

“I sensed you were hiding something, and I was worried about you.”

She couldn’t blame him for trying to check up on her. Shehadbeen hiding something from him. But now the entire truth was out in the open, staring them both in the face. Her chest tightened with emotion. Despite her mistakes, he still wanted her.

A long silence fell between them, during which he continued running his hands through her hair and over her face, all the while staring at her with an intensity that stole her breath. It was as though he were trying to memorize her features.

Feeling a bit shy under his attentions, she tore her gaze from his and looked at the mess in the sitting room. “Should we start cleaning up?”

“Not now.” He swept her off her feet and carried her into their bedroom.

“What are you doing?”

He stood her beside the bed and started stripping off her clothing, his movements slow and gentle, and every few seconds he paused to kiss her shoulder or her stomach or even her elbow.

Finally, once he had her completely naked, he rose to his full height and stared down at her, his eyes shining with affection. When he finally spoke, his reply to her question made her heart dance.

“I am preparing to claim the female I love.”

Chapter 27

He loved her.

Leah stared up at Jav, her spirits soaring. Not only did he still want her, despite the many lies she’d told him, he loved her.

His forgiveness, so easily offered, as well as his affection for her, caused a lump to form in her throat. Her eyes burned with tears and she didn’t try to hide them. He was her mate and they were to spend the rest of their lives together. It was time to stop hiding from him and finally share all of herself.

No more walls. No more holding back.

“Jav, I love you, too. With all my heart.”

He gathered her close. “My sweet mate,” he murmured into her ear. “My sweet Leah. I have known I loved you for some time and I only wish I’d told you sooner. I am sorry you feared I might send you away if I learned about your past. We will never be parted. Do you hear me?Never.”

He tightened his hold on her, and she buried her face in his chest, intense waves of relief causing her to shudder in his arms. She had been so nervous about what might happen should he learn her secrets that she’d been in a state of constant anxiety since her arrival on Mars. As the worry drained from her, she continued quaking in his arms. Though her legs felt weakened, she trusted he wouldn’t let her fall.

He pulled back and gazed into her eyes, then leaned down to kiss her. As his lips pressed to hers, he backed her against the bed and set her upon the mattress, bringing his body atop hers. He proceeded to kiss her all over, trailing his lips down her neck and over her bosom, then kissing the length of each arm and leg. When he kissed the soles of her feet, she giggled and thrashed around.

“Please, no! I’m ticklish!”

He shot her a wicked grin and commenced running his tongue along her stomach, only to work his way lower, and lower still, with each passing moment. His mouth came to hover at her aching entrance and he breathed against her lips, the hot puffs of air making her whimper with longing.

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