Page 9 of Claimed By the Alien Prince
“I will not fall,” I repeat softly as shadows flicker around me—a vow made amidst uncertainty—and somehow believing it may hold true against all odds still stacked high above like treetops reaching towards some unseen light hidden among distant stars…
CHAPTER 7
CARYS
Ipace the lavish room like a caged animal, searching for weak points in the walls. The soft mossy floor cushions my steps, muffling my restlessness. My fingers graze the glass of the floor-to-ceiling window, the view dizzying—endless green treetops stretch out beneath me, sprawling like an ocean of leaves. One misstep, one moment of weakness, and I could plunge into that vibrant abyss. But it beats being trapped here.
The door swings open, interrupting my thoughts. Expecting another guard to march in, I freeze instead at the sight of him—Prince Zevran.
He stands tall and imposing, his bronze-toned skin glowing softly in the ambient light filtering through intricate bio-glass windows. The deep green geometric markings etched across his chest and arms ripple with an almost hypnotic energy as he moves. His long dark hair is pulled back into a high knot, revealing sharp cheekbones and an intensity in those rainforest jade eyes that catches me off guard.
I swallow hard as an unexpected heat floods through me, a familiar sensation—a reminder of his touch on my wrist earlier in the forest. There’s something magnetic about him; even now,standing before me with an air of authority that practically radiates off his skin. He’s attractive…for an alien.
“Careful,” he says dryly, leaning against the doorframe with a casual grace that belies his power. “If you’re thinking of jumping, I prefer to do the throwing myself.”
His words hang between us like a challenge wrapped in dark humor. I straighten my back, refusing to let any trace of fear show on my face.
“I want to see your king,” I demand, crossing my arms defiantly. “This is outrageous! You can’t just kidnap me?—”
He scoffs, cutting off my protest with a flicker of amusement dancing in those jade depths. “There is no king,” he replies smoothly. “Only me.”
I take a breath to steady myself as anger surges through my veins like wildfire. This arrogant prince thinks he can dismiss me?
“Your people need to understand that humans are not some plague to be quarantined,” I retort sharply. “You have no right to keep me here.”
Zevran pushes away from the doorframe and strides closer, each step echoing authority wrapped in predatory elegance. The room around us glimmers with opulence—soft moss carpeting underfoot gives way to gleaming walls woven seamlessly into the surrounding trees outside, their bark sparkling like precious gems under the dim light.
“The council doesn’t share your sentiment.” He steps closer still until I feel the warmth radiating off him—an unsettling combination of danger and allure.
“Then change their minds!” My voice rings louder than intended as frustration spikes within me; how can he be so calm?
He smirks slightly but quickly suppresses it under a mask of stoicism again. “You misunderstand.” His voice drops lower now—a growl wrapped around each word as if inviting confrontation rather than shying away from it. “My people do not see humans as allies but intruders.”
I take a step forward despite myself; anger pushes at my boundaries like water against fragile dam walls threatening to burst open.
“Maybe you should look past their ignorance,” I shoot back fiercely, matching his intensity with equal defiance that sends tingles racing down my spine—the remnants of our last encounter still electrifying between us.
His eyes narrow slightly; he studies me for what feels like ages before speaking again—a predatory focus resting heavily upon me amidst lush greenery framing our surroundings.
“Perhaps you’d make a convincing case…if you didn’t seem so eager to leap before thinking.” His gaze softens for just a heartbeat before solidifying again into something harder—a blend of admiration and irritation battling within him.
“What’s your game here?” I ask quietly now as doubt begins swirling within alongside fierce determination—I refuse to let him manipulate me or this situation any longer.
Zevran tilts his head ever so slightly; something about that small movement suggests curiosity beneath layers of control veiling deeper truths hidden just out of reach—like tendrils weaving through vines far above our heads shimmering under moonlight.
“I could ask you the same thing.”
Glaring, I plant my hands firmly on my hips, feeling the heat of frustration radiating from my core. "I've already told you why I'm here," I assert with a sharp edge to my voice. "The Colonial Research Corps sent me to study the flora and fauna of your planet, not to engage in combat. I’m a biologist, not a soldier—and I amdefinitelynot a prisoner!"
He lets out a harsh bark of laughter that echoes off the walls before turning on his heel, striding purposefully towards the door as if my words are little more than a whisper lost in the wind. "You humans only take," he declares over his shoulder, his voice dripping with disdain. "Never listen. Never give. You're just another parasite on the forest floor, leeching off the life around you."
With that cutting remark hanging in the air, he swings the door shut with a force that reverberates throughout the room. The heavy lock engages with a resounding click, sealing me inside this stifling space.
The menace embedded in his voice lingers like a bitter aftertaste, the hatred evident in his tone stinging sharply in my chest, even after he has vanished from my sight. I can still feel the weight of his disdain pressing against me, a heavy cloak of animosity that clings to the atmosphere, making it hard to breathe.
CHAPTER 8
ZEVRAN
