and see if this is the planet she’d focused on so many times?” He needed to get her mind off what happened to her. He knew she would never forget her ordeal but he needed to know that she would eventually be able to overcome most of her fears.
Hunter couldn’t shake the idea that what happened to her was all his fault. If he hadn’t sent Taliff out looking for more women, if he hadn’t ordered him to bring women home—especially Lionese women—the Black Rose wouldn’t have had a ship-full of females to steal. She would never have gotten a hold of Myra and subsequently the coordinates of Amy’s home planet and returned to steal even more women, either.
His greatest fear was that when his mate finally decided to probe his mind, his memories, she would see what part he’d played in her abduction—what part he’d had in the endless abuse she’d suffered while in the clutches of the beasts who called themselves , ‘The New Hope’.
Beside him, Amy tensed. Maybe she sensed his inner turmoil, or maybe the prospect of seeing her former friend made her edgy, either way, he wanted her at ease. “Yes, let’s take this to Chrissie, but I’d like to check on Maryann first.”
“The woman you helped rescue?”
“Yes, she’s human. Her mother was human, a widow when a male from our pack met Maryann’s mother and mated her. So, she couldn’t shift on the mountain even if she wanted to. She knows our ways, our customs, and I treat her as I would my own sister, but others in the pack tormented her as she grew and didn’t develop the same skills and abilities as her peers.”
Hunter ran his hand down his mate’s back in soothing strokes. “Then I can do no less than what you’ve done. She’ll be under my protection and that of my family until she decides what she wants to do with her life.”
Hunter hung his head as shame filled him. Since taking Amy to the medical bay upon arriving on the ship, all his thoughts, his entire focus, centered on her. And since she woke, he hadn’t even thought about the other women they’d rescued. What kind of man did that make him? What kind of leader?
As though she sensed his thoughts, and perhaps she did, Amy reached out and lightly ran her hand down his arm. Goose bumps rose atop his flesh and his body tightened once again in need. Goddess, he’d never get enough of her.
“Yes, Maryann first, then Chrissie.” She hesitated, then after quickly licking her lips spoke again. “Afterward, would you mind if we spent some time alone getting to know each other better?” Amy worried her bottom lip and his cock twitched. He had to focus him attention back on what his mate was saying before he completely lost control of his wayward body and jumped her here and now. “I’d like to learn about the man I’ve taken to mate.”
“Of course.” How could he refuse such a simple request of him when he wanted exactly the same thing?
You can’t, moyo .
His gaze snapped to her mouth where an impish smile tilted up the corners of her lips. His heart clenched as he realized she’d purposely used their new mate-bond to speak to him.
You honor me—honor us—by using our bond to speak your thoughts and to learn mine. I hope you feel you can trust me once you learn all that you do.
“What do you mean, Hunter?”
Hunter shook his head. “I will not influence you or what you’ll see when you look into my memories. All I will say was the decisions I made as High King of Chantrea were made to benefit Chantrea and our people. I only wish I could have foreseen the consequences my decisions would bring”—and he knew they hadn’t seen all of them…yet.
After slowly stroking Amy’s back one more time, he slowly stepped away, tucking the compu -pad inside the inner pocket of his uniform jacket. “Now how about we track down your friend Maryann and see how she’s faring?”
Amy nodded then cleared her throat. “Sounds good. I’m ready whenever you
Hunter couldn’t shake the idea that what happened to her was all his fault. If he hadn’t sent Taliff out looking for more women, if he hadn’t ordered him to bring women home—especially Lionese women—the Black Rose wouldn’t have had a ship-full of females to steal. She would never have gotten a hold of Myra and subsequently the coordinates of Amy’s home planet and returned to steal even more women, either.
His greatest fear was that when his mate finally decided to probe his mind, his memories, she would see what part he’d played in her abduction—what part he’d had in the endless abuse she’d suffered while in the clutches of the beasts who called themselves , ‘The New Hope’.
Beside him, Amy tensed. Maybe she sensed his inner turmoil, or maybe the prospect of seeing her former friend made her edgy, either way, he wanted her at ease. “Yes, let’s take this to Chrissie, but I’d like to check on Maryann first.”
“The woman you helped rescue?”
“Yes, she’s human. Her mother was human, a widow when a male from our pack met Maryann’s mother and mated her. So, she couldn’t shift on the mountain even if she wanted to. She knows our ways, our customs, and I treat her as I would my own sister, but others in the pack tormented her as she grew and didn’t develop the same skills and abilities as her peers.”
Hunter ran his hand down his mate’s back in soothing strokes. “Then I can do no less than what you’ve done. She’ll be under my protection and that of my family until she decides what she wants to do with her life.”
Hunter hung his head as shame filled him. Since taking Amy to the medical bay upon arriving on the ship, all his thoughts, his entire focus, centered on her. And since she woke, he hadn’t even thought about the other women they’d rescued. What kind of man did that make him? What kind of leader?
As though she sensed his thoughts, and perhaps she did, Amy reached out and lightly ran her hand down his arm. Goose bumps rose atop his flesh and his body tightened once again in need. Goddess, he’d never get enough of her.
“Yes, Maryann first, then Chrissie.” She hesitated, then after quickly licking her lips spoke again. “Afterward, would you mind if we spent some time alone getting to know each other better?” Amy worried her bottom lip and his cock twitched. He had to focus him attention back on what his mate was saying before he completely lost control of his wayward body and jumped her here and now. “I’d like to learn about the man I’ve taken to mate.”
“Of course.” How could he refuse such a simple request of him when he wanted exactly the same thing?
You can’t, moyo .
His gaze snapped to her mouth where an impish smile tilted up the corners of her lips. His heart clenched as he realized she’d purposely used their new mate-bond to speak to him.
You honor me—honor us—by using our bond to speak your thoughts and to learn mine. I hope you feel you can trust me once you learn all that you do.
“What do you mean, Hunter?”
Hunter shook his head. “I will not influence you or what you’ll see when you look into my memories. All I will say was the decisions I made as High King of Chantrea were made to benefit Chantrea and our people. I only wish I could have foreseen the consequences my decisions would bring”—and he knew they hadn’t seen all of them…yet.
After slowly stroking Amy’s back one more time, he slowly stepped away, tucking the compu -pad inside the inner pocket of his uniform jacket. “Now how about we track down your friend Maryann and see how she’s faring?”
Amy nodded then cleared her throat. “Sounds good. I’m ready whenever you
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