2. Tarek

"This is a real problem. It took weeks to return every one of those species back to their planets. I don"t think some of the species will ever recover. Those space pirates took species that can't even travel within their own planet, let alone space."

Why did I even bother calling an emergency meeting for the Galactic Federation when no one seemed to give a shit? Worthless. Most of them didn't even deserve a seat. So many different species and only a few humanoid enough to have perspectives that would even match that of the Pyrothians.

One of the council members seemed to be asleep. Great, this was wonderful. I"d just done the right fucking thing, and for what? For no one to give a shit about Pyroth. What was the point of these things anyway? I didn't need them.

They needed Pyrothians for their muscle.

I gripped the edge of the podium, hoping that the pain of the sharp edges would keep me in the moment instead of allowing myself to run back to my planet and take care of my female.

"Should I remind you that when war breaks out on some moon, it's call in the dragons? Some stupid ship is abandoned in the Sipstern belt? The dragons will go on board and check for any parasites. Why will you not heed the importance of stopping this threat?"

Not to mention the oh, look, that planet needs to learn how to build more sustainable housing? The dragons fucking have it, said my brother through our connection. I would have laughed if I wasn't so pissed off.

No one moved.

"Alright, let me rephrase the concerns. If I put this another way, these fucking scavengers don"t seem to have a planet. They are going about space, squatting on primitive places or setting up illegal fight rings on confiscated ships from defenseless species. What happens if they come to Pyroth and steal all our mates? Guess what? No more fucking dragons to fight your stupid causes. No. Those dragons will roam our planet like it"s their goddess-blessed destiny to protect whoever is still there. Good luck not becoming space barbecue."

The guy who was sleeping finally woke up. A female council member, picking some kind of odd food from her teeth, paused, her fifth arm stopping midair. It seemed that everyone was suddenly aware that I was speaking.

"Great. Now that I have your attention, help us figure out where they are from, who they are, and how to stop them. Until then? Well, I have to go woo my mate, so I'll serve your asses another helping of give-a-shit later."

I stood and tried to run through a list of things still being sorted out. Several of the species here had knowledge in spades, and if they wanted to solve the mystery, they could. I had bigger issues to worry about back home. Ciro was still working to find Aurora"s father as I was seeking to help her, and all the while, I had a mate to figure out.

Fuck. I didn"t like the idea of being an adult. I wasn't ready for our fathers to hand over the reins to Emberhaven. I understood that it was the natural order of things. As we found our mates, we gained the right to ascend our thrones. Others joined the elite ranks in the collective of all dragons. It took many of us to keep galaxies safe. I just wasn't ready.

I liked even less that I had females huddling in the embassy house as I tried to figure out what to do with them. Their DNA didn't match any of the families within our databases. They all truly seemed to have been abducted from Earth, and there was no returning them there. Not that I would if it weren't the worst idea in the universe.

"Yes. Thank you, Tarek of the Pyrothians. We will take your plight into consideration."

The translator not only helped me understand, but it made what the creature from another solar system said seem much less complicated. Most of us didn't speak the same language, and we had another species to thank for the technology that fit ever so well in nearly every species' hearing appendage. Of course, that also meant I couldn't play dumb at their next question.

"Will the Pyrothians continue to find their mates from the Milky Way galaxy? There are rumors that your colonies are not delivering. Isn't that what the original agreement was centuries ago? That no more abductions would be needed?"

Fucking hell.

"No abductions have taken place. A hoard of our kind was recently on Earth to fight against an enemy the Earthlings couldn't defeat without our help."

I thought the creature was looking at me, but I didn't see eyes, which creeped me out. His voice screeched as he talked.

"I promise you that no one was abducted. The six females that returned with the warriors were all willing. You are welcome to meet them as needed."

A hush settled over the great hall as every species shut up. Willing mates for any species would never be considered a break in the laws set forth; however, not all species were upstanding.

"If we are done, as I have completed the mission by reporting to you, I will be leaving."

I heard many of the creatures break into a cacophony of all sorts of sounds as I left the great hall. This was a nearly uninhabitable planet, making for a perfect intergalactic neutral zone. Nothing to fight over. It also made it difficult for a quick getaway when there was no damn air that was breathable by any of us.

"Wait, Pyrothian."

Fucking hell.

"Yes?" I turned to see one of the ice creatures from a galaxy I'd never had to defend nor cared much about.

"My own people have lost many to these space pirates."

I couldn't be certain the creature actually called them space pirates, but the translator got the point across.

"Are you coming to me for help?"

The creature shook the large block shape that I assumed was its head.

"No. No. The opposite. We don't have the technologies Pyroth has, but we would want to aid in any way possible. You have an invitation to our planet."

The translator actually seemed to be unable to translate the planet's name, but I understood.

"Thank you. We will be in touch."

I turned away down the leg of the compound that would lead to where my ship was. Elio was sitting there waiting for me because, no matter how many times we'd all signed treaties, no one really ever trusted anyone fully.

Would my mate ever trust me after what had happened to her? The fear of the unknown followed me through space. I needed to see her. Hold her.

I wanted to be the mate she needed and the one she knew could protect her. If I couldn't win her over, I would welcome my dragon taking me into the great darkness.

I couldn't think that way, though. I would win my female over. I would protect her and prove that I was the worthy male she deserved.