Page 42 of Alien Prince's Claim

“It feels good to be able to tell you,” he said. “I don’t want there to be secrets between us. Ever.”

“Why would a prince be here?” I asked. “You can have any female in the galaxy you want.”

“Because they’re fake. They’re not real. It’s only by being with someone who doesn’t know who I am that I can fully release my Steyatt. I never thought I would find someone like you, a female I care so much about. So I come to these places to find honesty, real emotions.”

I just shook my head, struggling to come to terms with what he was saying. “Then my child, with your seed. It would be…?”

“A prince or princess,” Yaltah said. “Yes. But not an official member of the family. That can only be achieved after a wedding ceremony. But that doesn’t matter. The royal family would give the child — and you, his mother — a stipend to ensure they get a good education and are raised right. They can be as much or as little involved with the family and the empire as they wish. There will be no interference and any decision you make as his mother is final.”

It was a lot of information to take in.

I didn’t have time to fully process it as Yaltah delivered his next bombshell:

“But it means I am a target. By kidnapping me, they will get a king’s ransom — or a prince’s ransom, in this case.”

He placed his hands on my shoulders. “Which is why you must be far from me. I could never forgive myself if something were to happen to you. We’ve only known each other a short time but I feel… I feel close to you and to see you hurt would break my heart.”

Under any other circumstances, I would have melted beneath his heartfelt words but I was too concerned about what had to happen next.

I kissed his fingers. “I don’t want to be apart from you.”

“Neither do I,” he said. “But I must do what is necessary to keep you safe. Please. You must do this. I need you to do this for me.”

I searched his eyes, his face, and saw only genuine concern in his features.

I hated it.

I hated the idea of being far from him, without him, unable to touch him.

But I would do it if it meant he would be safe — after all, I couldn’t be selfish and cling to him.

If they did find me, they would know how he felt about me right away and could use me to harm him.

As painful as it was for him to leave me now, I knew there was no other way.

“What are you going to do?” I asked. “How will you lose them?”

His expression turned cold and hard. “I won’t lose them. I will hand myself over to them.”

My heart was gripped by a cold hard hand. “No! You can’t!”

“I must,” he said. “It is the only way to ensure they will leave you alone, to leave this place so no one else gets hurt. So you don’t get hurt.”

I opened my mouth to argue but he placed his lips on mine.

My muscles turned to jelly and I might have melted in his arms.

He gently caressed my cheek as he pecked me gently a few more times on the lips.

I tasted salt and realized it was my tears, having rolled down my face.

“Will I ever see you again?” I cried pitifully.

He turned to look at me and smiled. “A thousand weregort couldn’t hold me back. After this is over, I will come find you.”

It was then that I realized just how much he didn’t wish to leave me.

He ground his teeth and the cords in his neck tightened.

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