Page 5 of Alien Warlord's Fury

I tracked her energy signature through the settlement, following the distinctive silver pulse of her markings. Unlike the steady, controlled glow of Nyxari lifelines, her human markings fluctuated wildly—a reflection of her unstable condition. The council had been right about one thing: her control was tenuous at best.

The mate-bond pulled me forward, urging protection, closeness. I resisted the impulse to run. Stealth would serve better than speed.

If I confronted her directly, tried to physically restrain her...

A phantom pain rippled across my lifelines at the mere thought. The bond would not permit such action—it would hurtus both, possibly triggering one of her episodes. I had seen what happened when her markings destabilized completely.

No, I could not stop her by force. But I could not let her go alone.

I moved through the shadows between dwellings, his tail held low and steady, balancing his silent steps, tracking her distinctive energy signature as it approached the western perimeter. The least guarded section, bordered by dense forest growth. A logical choice for someone seeking to leave undetected.

The ground trembled slightly beneath my boots—another planetary instability. The tremors had been increasing in frequency lately, a concern the council had set aside in favor of more immediate threats. I steadied myself against a tree trunk, feeling the vibrations through my palm.

When I looked up, I caught sight of her silhouette just beyond the settlement boundary.

Claire knelt in a small clearing, stuffing supplies into a pack with frantic movements. Even from this distance, I could see she had brought too little—inadequate protection against the night predators, insufficient supplies for the journey to Hammond's compound. Her silver markings pulsed erratically in the darkness, betraying her emotional state.

I remained still, watching her preparations. The mate-bond thrummed between us, a physical sensation like a tether pulling taut. Every instinct demanded I reveal myself, stop her foolishness before it began.

But the proper approach required patience. Timing.

I would not let her face Hammond alone. But neither could I force her to abandon her path. The only way forward lay in guiding her, protecting her—even if it meant bending my own rigid adherence to Aerie discipline.

The council would not approve. But they had not felt the mate-bond singing in their blood, demanding action.

Claire stood, shouldering her meager pack. Her markings flared briefly as she oriented herself toward the distant mountains where Hammond's compound lay hidden. She took a deep breath, squaring her shoulders with determination that, despite everything, stirred something like admiration in my chest.

I moved silently through the underbrush, closing the distance between us. The confrontation was inevitable now. But how she would receive me—as ally or obstacle—remained to be seen.

The mate-bond offered no answers, only certainty: wherever she went, I would follow.

CLAIRE

The night air chilled my skin as I knelt at the perimeter, stuffing my few supplies into a threadbare pack. Moonlight spilled across the clearing, casting everything in silvery shadows. It wasn't much—a water skin, a few protein bars, a makeshift blade fashioned from scrap metal.

It wouldn't be enough. I knew that. But the children's screams from my vision echoed in my head, drowning out reason.

My hands trembled as I fastened the pack. Not from fear—though there was plenty to be afraid of—but from rage. The council, sitting on their hands while Hammond tortured innocent children.

While he experimented on them like he'd experimented on me. My markings pulsed beneath my skin, sending ripples of silver light across my arms. Still unstable.

Still unpredictable. But they were mine, and I'd use them to save those kids or die trying.

"Going somewhere?"

I jumped to my feet, knife in hand before I'd even processed the voice. Nirako stood ten feet away, his massive frameblocking the path into the forest. How had he gotten so close without me hearing?

His voice rolled over me like velvet thunder, and for one treacherous heartbeat I wanted to lean into its warmth. I steadied my breath, pretending that low rumble hadn’t unraveled me.

His eyes caught the moonlight, reflecting it back like a predator's. His tail held straight but relaxed, projecting calm authority.

"What are you doing here? Spying on me?" I kept the knife raised between us, though I knew it would do little good against an Aerie warrior of his caliber.

"Preventing a path to certain death," he replied, his voice infuriatingly calm. He wore light armor, the kind Aerie scouts used for long-range missions, and carried a pack twice the size of mine.

My eyes narrowed. "You changed your mind? Decided those kids are worth saving after all?"

"The council's decision stands."

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