Page 9 of Stripe for the Picking
The corner of his mouth twitched upward—almost a smile. Her eagerness to jump headfirst into saving Nova Aurora's systems sent satisfaction coursing through him. Even though she was human and from Earth, completely unfamiliar with their technology, she radiated the fearlessness and adaptability he desperately needed. Her poise suggested she thrived under pressure, and the confident way she'd handled the overwhelming alien environment hinted at someone who could complement his precision while anticipating threats he might miss.
Fate picked perfectly,he thought grudgingly.Even if I'm not ready to accept what that means yet.
Because accepting meant acknowledging that love—that Wren—could be something other than a dangerous weakness. And with thirty-eight hours until critical system failure, he couldn't afford any blind spots.
"Your workstation is here." He gestured to the sleek console directly adjacent to his own.
Wren raised an eyebrow, amusement dancing across her features. "Wow, we're practically sitting in each other's laps. Don't you trust me? Afraid I might accidentally burn down your precious Defense Nexus?"
Heat crept up his neck. Her quick wit left him fumbling for responses that felt clumsy compared to her effortless humor.
"It's not about trust," he said, the words coming out more formal than intended. "I thought you'd be more comfortable closer to me—easier to answer questions and collaborate effectively."
Smooth, Kaedor. Real smooth.
Internally, he was already regretting the proximity. Having his fated mate this close every day, breathing in her intoxicating scent of lavender and something uniquely her, and watching the graceful way she moved—it would test every ounce of his legendary self-control. His tiger purred approval at having her near, while his rational mind screamed warnings about maintaining professional boundaries.
Focus on the task at hand. Not on how her hair catches the holographic light. Not on the way her lips curve when she smiles.
Wren settled into her chair with fluid grace, her fingers already exploring the advanced interface. The technology here was decades beyond Earth's capabilities, yet she adapted with the same confident curiosity she'd shown since arriving. As she adjusted settings and familiarized herself with the holographic displays, Rylan found himself studying her profile—the determined set of her jaw and the way she unconsciously tucked a strand of dark hair behind her ear.
His tiger rumbled contentment beneath his skin, recognizing home in her presence. The urge to claim, to protect, and to announce to every male in the building that she belonged to him, clawed at his discipline.
Professional. Keep it professional.
Logic warred with instinct as he watched her work. Fated mate? Yes, his tiger insisted with absolute certainty. Human?Obviously. Distraction? Potentially catastrophic. Duty? Non-negotiable.
But how long can I maintain this facade when every cell in my body recognizes her as mine?
Wren paused in her exploration of the console and turned to face him fully. Those perceptive green eyes seemed to see straight through his carefully maintained composure.
"Do I make you nervous, Commander?"
The question hit him like a physical jab.If only you knew,he thought desperately. If only she understood that she made him feel like a new recruit on his first day rather than a seasoned commander. That her presence turned his ordered world into beautiful chaos.
"No," he lied smoothly. "I'm just tense because we have thirty-eight hours until the hackers compromise our critical systems."
"Well then, we better stop wasting time and get to work."
Her no-nonsense attitude sent a spike of admiration through him. Direct, efficient, and focused—she matched his work ethic perfectly. No dramatics or demands for special treatment, just pure determination to solve the problem.
God, she's perfect.
The thought concerned him as much as it thrilled him. He was beginning to understand that Wren wasn't just what he needed to stop the cyber threats—she was everything he'd never known he wanted on a level that went far beyond professional.
"The cyber threats have been escalating for weeks," he explained, pulling up the latest breach reports on his console. "We're dealing with an organized syndicate—highly sophisticated and adaptive. Every countermeasure I deploy gets neutralized within hours. They're always one step ahead."
"Let me see the latest breach report."
Rylan transferred the data to her station, watching as she absorbed the complex information with laser focus. Within minutes, she was navigating the holographic interface like she'd worked here for years, her fingers dancing across controls with intuitive precision.
"They're using a variation of recursive encryption loops," she murmured, more to herself than to him. "Clever, but not unbreakable. Try this."
Her fingers flew across the interface, creating a countermeasure patch that was elegant in its simplicity—and completely beyond anything he'd considered. The solution addressed vulnerabilities from an angle he'd never thought to explore.
"Let's see if that holds them off for a while."
Rylan stared at the screen, then at her, genuine awe replacing his professional mask. In minutes, she'd accomplished what his team had struggled with for days. Her intellect, coupled with that fearless adaptability, might be the only thing capable of matching these attacks.
