Page 6 of Argen Mate
“I used to think I was strong, but the things they did to me caused so much pain and humiliation, I felt totally broken,” I told her in barely a whisper. “Because, damn it, I was nobody’s slave! Torture didn’t work, and prison just made me so angry, and I took that anger to the fight pit, but no matter how many fights I had, it didn’t stop the raging.”
I hated to admit my weakness, but Zoey had a right to know before she consented to become my mate. Telling her was hard, but she was sympathetic and compassionate.
“You were mistreated badly, it’s not an unexpected reaction. For a long time after we were rescued, I would wake up and forget where I was. I thought I was still on the slave ship.” Zoe said gently. “I think it’s especially hard for an alpha male to be made helpless.”
“Exactly,” I said. “I could have pounded those puny little bastards into the ground, but they strung me up so I couldn’t move to torture me.”
“Was it bad on Julconi, too?”
“At least I could defend myself when I fought in the pits,” I said, “I actually won enough, so the thug gangs mostly left me alone. That’s how Zorem Pegitu found me. He saw me fighting in the pit.
“I had gotten beat up pretty bad once or twice, but it helped give me back my self-esteem after being tortured as a slave.”
“Nora’s mate was mistreated on the mining colony. He was a warrior with the Alliance before he was taken from Earth,” she said.
Zoey was the best therapy I could have had. We talked for a couple hours until it was time for third meal. We got our food and talked some more, almost like we had always known each other.
I didn’t want to leave her at her quarters when the evening was over.
“Come in for just a minute?” Zoey asked. “I want to give you something.”
When the door slid closed behind me, she turned to me and put her arms up around my neck, looking up at me expectantly.
“I wanted to give you a good night kiss,” she said hopefully. “And I know your people generally share affection in private.”
“Yes, that’s true.”
I slid my arms around her, and she pressed her luscious body against mine. Our lips met, and I got lost in the feel of her. I didn’t want to stop there; my cock was so hard. I wanted to claim her then and there. Instead, I kissed her long and deep so that we were both trembling and breathless with desire when our lips parted.
“I know,” she whispered as our lips parted. “But not yet.”
I didn’t understand why she was pushing me away, however gently. She wanted me as much as I wanted her, yet she was resisting her own desire as well.
“Zoey Addison, I wish to bond with you and become your mate,solmatu.”
“I would like that, Argen Trametu---bonding first.” She smiled so sweetly, I decided I could wait. She was happy to have my kisses, and I could smell her arousal. But she resisted even though her need seemed as intense as mine. I guessed she really did want more bonding and was not just stringing me along.
As I left her reluctantly, I knew I would pleasure myself to the memory of her body in my arms before I slept or I would not sleep at all.
