27. Maar

CHAPTER 27

MAAR

I should tell Alyssa about the IHC. That we're in danger.

That's all I can think of as I sit at dinner with Alyssa.

"Would you like some wine?" I ask.

"No thank you," she says a little too quickly.

I watch Alyssa push her food around the plate, barely taking a bite. The tension radiates off her in waves, making the air between us thick and heavy.

"The Kiphian scallops here are excellent," I say, trying to break the silence. "Want to try one?"

Alyssa shakes her head, her eyes fixed on her untouched meal. "I'm not very hungry."

I lean back, studying her face. There's something off, something she's not telling me. "Everything alright?"

She nods, a little too quickly. "Fine. Just tired."

I don't buy it for a second, but I know better than to push. Instead, I try a different tack. "Did you hear about the new act they're bringing in next week? Supposed to be some kind of mind-reading duo from Centauri Prime."

"Mmm," Alyssa mumbles, clearly not listening.

I sigh, setting down my fork. "Alyssa, what's going on? You've barely said two words all night."

She looks up, her eyes meeting mine for the first time this evening. There's a flash of... something. Fear? Guilt? Before I can place it, she winces, her hand going to her stomach.

"I don't feel well," she says, pushing back from the table. "Can we go back to the room?"

I'm on my feet in an instant, concern overriding my frustration. "Of course. Here, let me help you."

As we make our way through the casino, I can't shake the feeling that there's more to this than a simple stomach ache. Alyssa leans heavily on me, her face pale and drawn.

We step into the elevator, and I punch the button for our floor. The silence stretches between us, broken only by the soft ding of passing levels.

"You sure you're okay?" I ask, unable to keep the worry from my voice.

Alyssa nods weakly. "Just need to lie down."

The elevator doors slide open, and we make our way down the hall to our condo. I fumble with the keycard, hyper-aware of Alyssa's labored breathing beside me.

Once inside, she heads straight for the bedroom, not even bothering to turn on the lights. I follow, hovering in the doorway as she collapses onto the bed.

"Can I get you anything? Water? Medicine?"

She shakes her head, curling up on her side. "No, just... I just need to sleep."

I stand there for a moment, torn between the desire to help and the knowledge that she probably wants to be left alone. Finally, I nod, even though she can't see me in the darkness.

"Okay. I'll be in the other room if you need anything."

There's no response, just the sound of her uneven breathing. I close the door quietly behind me, my mind racing. Something's not right, and I'm determined to figure out what it is.

I hate doing this. But I have to. To protect her.

I settle into the plush chair in our condo's living room, my fingers hovering over my padd. The guilt gnaws at me, but I push it aside with practiced ease. This is for Alyssa's safety, I remind myself, a mantra I've repeated countless times since taking on this role. It doesn't make it any easier, but it's necessary. I've come too far, sacrificed too much, to let my conscience derail me now.

With a deep breath that does little to calm my nerves, I open the tracking app. My fingers move with muscle memory, tapping through the familiar interface as it blinks to life. The screen illuminates my face in the dim room, casting eerie shadows. I lean in closer, my eyes scanning the display that shows Alyssa's movements over the past 36 hours. Each blinking dot represents a moment, a decision, a potential threat. I tell myself I'm protecting her, but a part of me wonders if I'm just feeding my own paranoia.

"What were you doing there?" I mutter, tapping the screen to zoom in.

I hesitate for a moment, then use my security clearance to access Dr. Zhen's mainframe. It's a breach of privacy, but I need to know if Alyssa's in danger. The patient records load, and I scroll quickly until I find her name.

My heart stops.

Pregnant.

The word glares at me from the screen, accusing and terrifying all at once. I slump back in the chair, my mind reeling.

"Shit," I whisper, running a hand over my face. "Shit, shit, shit."

A baby. Our baby. The reality of it crashes over me like a tidal wave. It's not just Alyssa I need to protect now - it's our child. The stakes have never been higher.

I stand up, pacing the room as I try to process this new information. How long has she known? Why didn't she tell me? And more importantly, how the hell am I going to keep them both safe?

The sound of retching from the bedroom snaps me back to the present. I rush to the door, my hand on the knob before I stop myself. She doesn't know that I know. And if I burst in there now, she'll realize I've been spying on her.

I lean my forehead against the cool wood, listening to her muffled sobs. Every instinct screams at me to go to her, to hold her and tell her everything will be okay. But I can't. Not yet.

Not until I figure out the plan to protect not just my mate.

But our child as well.

An hour later, with Alyssa asleep, I sit down at the bar on the casino level next to Laar.

"Your message said you had a plan?" he asks.

"Yes," I say to him. "The IHC is coming. Whether we like it or not. So lets give them what they want."

"You want to turn yourself in?" Laar asks.

"Not me," I say. "Just Alyssa. Lets let them find and rescue her. They'll take her back to the Sol System. It's the safest place in the galaxy for her. "

"Are you going to tell her?" Laar asks.

"No," I say. "She'll never leave and if she doesn't leave she just stays in danger."

"And you?" Laar asks. "What will you do?"

"Knowing she's safe will be all I need to keep going," I say. "It'll have to be."