Your Protector ✓

|17|

Elik

I wake up the next morning to a warm nest, and a naked female smooshed to my side. I waste no time, I flick on the light beside me, dimming it so it won't wake her. I stare down at my precious Penelope, remembering all we went through last night. I can't believe it was real. The mating, the marking. It was all real.

There's a fresh bite mark on her neck to prove it. I can't stop looking at her.

Her brown hair is tossed over the pillow in a mess. I pet the side of her face with the back of my hand, and she doesn't budge. Her breathing is even and slow. I wore her out completely. After one round of mating she passed out from exhaustion.

I chuckle under my breath, amused by that. She may be weak, but she has me trapped in her grasp, and I would do anything for her. The amount of power she holds over me is immense. I will make sure she is safe and happy no matter what the cost. I love Penelope more than anything else in the Universe.

Satisfaction is the next emotion to bubble up inside of me. She bears my mark, she bears my scent between her legs. Everyone will know who she belongs to. Everyone will know we are mates. They have to respect that. Penelope is taken.

A ring echoes through the room, a new message being received, I turn quickly to my slumbering mate. Her lips twitch, but she doesn't move. She's so cozy and warm under her covers, she doesn't care a thing about what's happening in the outside world.

I press a soft kiss to her cheek, silently thanking her for the gifts she's disposed on me. I say a silent prayer that my kit already grows in her womb.

Shifting the blanket off of myself, and then settling it back down, I cross the room naked as the day I was born. The electronic pad by the door lights up under my fingers, a message flashing across the screen. I swipe down, reading the alert that was so important to disturb me. It better be worth dragging me out of bed with my mate.

I love that word. Mate. I could say it all day long and never tire of it.

The message is from Umner. He wants to talk about what happened yesterday, and discuss what we need to do to diffuse the situation with Rashin. I moan in annoyance. Obviously this was coming, but I wanted to delay it as long as possible.

The desire to just stay in my nest with my mate is great, but I have to face this so it can be over and done with. I'll have nothing to regret or fear, we can simply head forward into the future together.

I dress quickly in my uniform, not too thrilled to be putting clothing back on after all that transpired last night.

I take a glance back at Penelope, savoring the view of her with a smile before slipping out the door, hoping to return before she wakes. I travel down the hallways quickly, the coordinates for where we will meet already memorized from the years I've spent in the Emperor's palace.

Not many people are out this time of morning, it's too early for there to be much action in the corridor. I walk as fast as my legs will take me without running. I don't know why Umner summoned me so soon after waking. It seems an odd thing, but I do not question it.

Umner is my friend, and he wants to help me.

I enter the room he told me to come to, and I look around. It's dark and dusty in the room. I've never been to this room before, so I'm shocked that even Umner knows where it is.

I get a bad sensation in my stomach, a sinking feeling. I back away, ready to bolt, when someone grabs me from behind. I yell out to anyone that will hear me, praying for help as I'm pushed to the ground mercilessly.

There is no hope as a knee presses into my back, the bone digging into my spine. It's uncomfortable, and I wriggle. I cannot escape, the weight is too heavy.

A light flickers on, and it reveals several males.

"So, you fell for that, did you?" Rashin steps into the beam, and I snarl. I should have known he was behind this. He smiles smugly.

"You tricked me!" I'm outraged. He used my own friend's name against me, coaxing me out of the safe haven I've built for myself and Penelope.

"And so what? You think you deserve a mate? A female? After what your Pa did?" He shakes his head as he mocks me. The few other males in the room stand around at Rashin's sides, and it's clear that they agree with what he has to say. They glare at me with hatred, with suspicion. I hate those looks, I've been dealing with them my whole life.

Rashin gets closer, going onto one knee and taking a whiff of me. An expression of clear disgust crosses his young face.

"It would seem like you took care of making her your mate. I only encouraged you after all. Well, it's too bad, because you won't be seeing her again." He tells me, spitting the words out one at a time. I glare at him in reply.

I won't be taken from my mate, I can't allow that. I'll do anything to get free and get back to her side.

Rashin looks up, addressing the male on my back.

"Take him to the dungeons. No one ever goes down there, they won't suspect a thing." I'm being hoisted up in the air, dragged away as the foolish young male yells out on more command.

"And go grab the human female. We need to bring her to the Emporor. He will decide what is to be done to her." I yell out, ripping myself away from the strong grip of the male behind me and running for Rashin.

I can't let this happen. My mate, my sweet little female, she will be terrified without me. She won't be able to handle unfamiliar males taking her from her nest.

Right before I can reach him and his shocked face, I'm thrown to the ground, my head bouncing on the hard floor. My vision swims, and right before I fall into the dark, I hear more haunting words to chase me into my nightmares.

"Who knows? Maybe our Emperor will reward me with giving her to me as a mate. After all, I did take down a dangerous criminal. She will be begging for me to mate her. Just you wait and see."

Sorry for the cliff hanger... I will try to get a chapter up on Saturday or Sunday, if not, I will update on Wednesday like usual.

Any thoughts? Predictions? Let me know!

See y'all soon! Stay safe, and stay home