24. Sloane

Chapter 24

Sloane

I stare at Dexari, waiting for the punchline. When it doesn't come, I burst into nervous laughter, the sound echoing unnaturally in the quiet clearing.

"Okay, good one, Dex. You really had me going there for a second." I shake my head, my voice dripping with sarcasm. "You are playing games with me."

Dexari's face remains serious, his dark eyes so intense I squirm under his gaze. "This is no game, Sloane."

"Right," I drawl, rolling my eyes. "Because it makes total sense that I'm your fated mate. What's next, are you going to tell me we're intergalactic soulmates?"

Dexari's muscles are tense, his jaw slightly clenched. He's taking this seriously, which makes me wonder if there's more to this than I'm ready to admit.

"I understand your disbelief," he says, his voice low and earnest. "I struggled with doubt at first, too. That is why I left the guest suite so abruptly. Yet I assure you, this is very real."

I narrow my eyes at him, ignoring the flutter of nerves in my stomach. "Okay, let's say for a second I believe you. How does this whole fated mates thing even work? Did some magical orc fairy wave her wand and decide we're perfect for each other?"

Dexari sighs, clearly frustrated by my flippant attitude. "It is not magic, Sloane. It is biology. Our ancestors' genetic modifications—"

"Yeah, yeah, I got that part," I interrupt, waving my hand dismissively. "But fated mates sounds like something out of a cheesy romance novel, something make-believe."

As Dexari launches into a more detailed explanation, I find my skepticism wavering. He describes complex genetic markers, hormonal responses, and evolutionary adaptations. It's clear he's not making this up on the spot.

I watch his face as he speaks, noting the earnestness in his eyes, the tension in his jaw. My fingers twitch, and I realize with a start that I want to reach out and touch him. I clench my fists, fighting the urge.

As if he somehow knows this, Dexari's eyes lock onto mine, a storm of emotions swirling in their depths. "Perhaps words are not enough for you to comprehend what I am saying." His voice is low and throaty, which does things to my insides. "Let me show you."

Before I can react, he takes my hand and presses my palm firmly against the hard length of his cock. I gasp, feeling the unmistakable protrusion of spikes even through the thick leather that covers them. Although they feel firm, they are also pliable.

The contact sets my body on fire, and need pulses between my legs as I imagine how those spikes would feel inside me. The feeling is intense and leaves me hot and bothered, my mind reeling.

"This...is..." I stammer, unable to form coherent thoughts. The physical evidence of Dexari's claim is literally at my fingertips, impossible to deny. Yet my mind still rebels against the implications.

I'm caught in a whirlwind of conflicting emotions. Shock at Dexari's bold move, confusion at my body's intense reaction, a deep-seated fear of what this all means. Feeling those spikes forms a tangible connection between my body and mind.

As the reality of what he's saying fights to sink in, thoughts of the last five years flash through my mind. Years of being alone, fighting for survival, of having no one to trust or rely on but myself. The very idea of having a fated mate promises the end of my lonely struggle…and the beginning of a life that's actually worth living. A life with Dexari.

I pull my hand away from his groin. "You're serious about this, aren't you?"

Dexari nods solemnly. "I am, Sloane. You are my perfect genetic match. The emergence of my cockspikes is undeniable proof of that. As you felt with your own hand, my cock is impossibly hard for you, my spikes engorged with seed. The urge to consummate our bond, to claim you as mine forever, is nearly irresistible, even in my wounded state."

"Look, I'm hot for you, too, okay?" I wave my hand over his muscled physique. "I mean, what woman wouldn't want to take that body for a test drive? But sexual attraction alone isn't enough to make a lifelong commitment or start popping out babies. We barely know each other, Dex."

"My cockspikes know what you do not. You are mine, Sloane."

"Stop saying things like that. The idea of your cockspikes deciding we belong together feels like my choices are being stripped away, like some cosmic force has decided my future without my consent."

Dexari's expression softens. "I understand this is hard for you to accept."

"I don't know that you do understand." I run a hand through my hair, trying to find the right words to tell him how I feel. "Since my abduction, I've been passed around from one alien owner to another, always looking for an escape route. Now you're telling me that my future has been decided by your dick ? You grew up with the idea of cockspikes, but I didn't. I need time to think about what this means."

He nods. "I would never force you to be with me, Sloane. Yet I hope you will choose to become my mate, my queen."

What?! "Wait a second. Accepting this whole perfect genetic match thing means I'll become the orc queen ?"

"Of course. We will be partners in every way, and I would want you to rule by my side."

"And your family would be okay with that? The orcs, too." An unhinged laugh bubbles up from my throat, so I take a deep breath, trying to calm my growing hysteria. "Even Gorlag?"

He waves away my concerns. "Like you, my people may need some time to accept this unprecedented development. Yet they will come to accept you as their queen. Even Gorlag."

Just as I open my mouth to argue that point, a twig snaps in the distance. My survival instincts kick in, and I'm on my feet in an instant. I whip out my pocket knife and quickly activate the stun tool, whipping around toward the sound.

Dexari's guards are back, led by my giant, green nemesis. Their sudden appearance is like a bucket of cold water splashed in my face, and alarm bells ring in my head, warning of potential danger.

"Stay back," I call out, pointing my stun gun in their direction.

Gorlag's eyes narrow, taking in the scene before him and probably wondering what in the hell is going on between his king and the prisoner.

One thought crystallizes in my mind: there's a very real possibility that Gorlag will never accept me as his queen. If that happens, will he see me as a threat, an opportunity, or an obstacle to be eliminated?