Chapter 6

Rane

This wasn’t supposed to happen.

He should be insulting her. He should be lashing out at her. Forcing her to keep away from him for her own good. Anything else was foolish. Everything else was dangerous. He couldn’t stand the thought of such a pretty, innocent thing being trapped by his mother as he was.

But the way she stared at him, those big, bright green eyes watching him so closely, hurt . It was like she was looking past all the lies and illusions and deceptions and seeing him . A person no one had seen, no one had cared to see, in too many years to count.

But she saw him. Just that easily. His derision, his anger, nothing touched her because she could see past all that.

And it was too painful to be seen. It was an unfamiliar agony. He couldn’t handle it, because if she could see him , but she rejected him, then that meant that she wasn’t seeing the stories in the media or the false reports, or even the true reports. She was rejecting him , and he didn’t think he would be able to tolerate something that personal and painful.

But she reached for him…

And her skin, her hand, was so soft and warm. So completely different from the velvety feathers of his mother’s strikes. She touched him like he was delicate. Like he might be the fragile creature between them.

Then, she spoke so sweetly. Whispered a consoling word to that broken person he struggled to keep hidden, and that was all it took.

Now, he grabbed onto her, soaking in her care and tender touches, having completely forgotten how nice it was to bear the touch of another without pain. Without disgust.

It just made him all the more desperate to get her away from here.

A sweet, compassionate creature like this would be destroyed by his mother.

They weren’t mated yet. She still had a chance to escape this place. Return to her home planet. She was only a citizen of his people, subjected to their laws, if she was mated. He could save her. He could protect her.

And maybe once she was gone, when this final, beautiful spark of light left his life, he’d finally have the courage to climb to the roof and jump.

Lifting his head, he looked up at her. She kept her hands on him, one on his head, the other on his back, her smile was soft, her eyes warm. She was the most beautiful creature he’d ever seen.

“You have to get out of here,” he whispered, voice broken, face tight with drying tears.

“Why?” She asked, finally speaking to him.

“My mother… You’re only here because she orchestrated it.”

“Yeah, I kind of figured that.”

“You’re human, right? You’re a protected species. Right? W-We just have to find which embassy is your protector, and they can take care of you. They’ll get you back home. They’ll save you from her. She can’t touch you if you’re there.”

Her head tilted curiously. “You want me gone that bad?”

“My mother will destroy you,” he gasped, hands clenching on her hips. “She’ll break you down. She’ll control you.”

“Like she does you”?

He flinched at the soft question. But he couldn’t deny its truth.

“I can’t get away.” He bowed his head, resting his forehead on her belly. Craving this unfamiliar warmth and comfort with a fierceness that choked him. “But you still can. Get away before you become trapped. Like me.”

“Ah…”

There was her hand again. Stroking over his crest. Soothing him in ways he didn’t deserve, but couldn’t force himself to give up.

“Oh, dear. That does complicate things, doesn’t it?”

Rane tilted his head back. Looked up at her.

She was stunning.

Her smile was blinding. Her bright eyes so kind and understanding. Her soft little fingers a brand against his skin as she stroked his cheeks so sweetly.

“I knew it was bad, but I didn’t think it was this bad,” she sighed softly.

“What?”

“How can I possibly turn my back after that?” She chuckled. “I do expect an apology, though. I know you didn’t mean those rude things you were saying, but it was still quite inappropriate. However, I can’t very well turn my back on you just like that.”

“Wha… No!” He sat straight, still clinging to her. “You definitely need to turn your back on me! Get away from here!”

“And how should I do that? The windows are locked, the door is unbreakable, and I’m never allowed out of here.”

Her words struck something in him and, for the first time in a long time, he felt anger rising in his throat. Combating the despair that normally drowned him so completely.

“You’ve been locked in my room this entire time?”

“This is your room?”

Anger provided him strength, and he pushed himself up. He began pacing. Uneasy. Trying to think of a plan. Things were going to be much more difficult if his mother truly had her imprisoned, but that didn’t make it impossible.

She was standing, straightening her skirt with calm, elegant moves. Her body had so many luscious, beautiful curves to it. He understood why the females of his species considered humans to be so obscene and uncouth. She looked so unapologetically, beautifully sensual. Just the way her loose blouse hung on her frame and her skirt was tight around her thighs before flaring out slightly around her calves was mouthwatering.

No. He would not let his mother break this creature like she had him.

“I’m Sandy, by the way,” she said as he paced. “Nice to meet you.”

“Nice to… What are you saying?” He snapped, his pacing only getting faster. More agitated.

“It’s the polite thing to say.” She shrugged her shoulders. “And it is true. Meeting you is a nice thing amongst these bad things. I’m guessing this whole dynamic isn’t normal for your people,” she said, watching him as he moved up and down the room, his crest rising in time with his irritation. Not at her. At this situation.

“No. It’s not. And I refuse to let you be part of it.”

“Well, I certainly didn’t sign up for it, but I can’t deny being curious.”

“She has to let you out sometime. She can’t keep you locked up forever. The moment she lets you go, we need a way to get you to the embassy. The… sereei , which embassy am I supposed to take you to? Are the embassies even around here?”

He groaned, frustrated. He needed more information. He needed to figure out a lot of things if he was going to save her.

Oh.

Rane came up short as he realized what he was thinking. How foolish it was. Did he really think he could save her? He couldn’t even save himself. What could he possibly do for her?

A soft hand on his arm turned him. She was there. Sandy the human. So sweet and calm. Smiling up at him with a shocking amount of calm considering everything.

“Deep breaths,” she said easily. “You’re working yourself up for no reason.”

“No reason?” He recoiled, surprised. “How come you’re not angry?”

“About what?” She shrugged again, this time bringing up her hands. “I’m not happy about it, of course, but being angry isn’t going to solve any problem.”

Rane just stared at her, flabbergasted.

No point being angry.

That was something he’d told himself in the past. Something he’d come to believe deep in his bones and lived each day.

But where he took it to mean that he should give up, Sandy meant it in a much calmer, calculating manner. There was no point in being angry when she could instead be planning or plotting or waiting for something to happen.

But that’s because she didn’t know better. She didn’t realize what danger awaited her.

It didn’t matter if he wasn’t worthy of saving her. He had to find a way to do it.

Loud footsteps approaching from outside hardened his decision. Turning, he grabbed her by the arms and gave her a firm look.

“I’m sorry. The things I said were lies. That was just me trying to make you want to leave. I didn’t mean any of it.”

She smiled. “Thank you. Apology accepted.”

“They’re right. I still react like a child. Treating you that way was immature. I should have just spoken to you directly.”

“Trying to protect me isn’t childish at all. Thank you, Rane.”

“I’ll find a way to get you out. I promise.”

“Okay.”

Her easy agreement settled something in him. A certainty that, finally, he was going to win something over his mother. He wouldn’t let her have this innocent female as well.

“You’re beautiful,” he whispered, lowering his hands. Fantasizing, for just a moment, about taking hold of her and bringing her into an embrace.

How wonderful would it be to hold her? To have that sweetness and warmth around him on all sides? To feel the comfort and kindness of another person?

All the more reason to help her escape before he realized that dream and became addicted to it.

The footsteps finally reached the door, and he stepped back as it opened. He didn’t need to look to know it was Orza and Kirs come to fetch him. He had been in here for some time. No doubt, his mother would want an update on progress.

Sandy looked confused, then concerned, when they grabbed him by the arms and dragged him out, but he didn’t fight them. He kept his gaze on her, smiling with this new sense of peace and determination that filled him.

If nothing else, he swore, he would save Sandy.