Chapter Ten
Trunk
Istand in the corner of the med lab, covered in blood.
And I haven’t moved since the techs took her from my arms.
They’ve placed Ines behind a transparent barrier. I can see her, unconscious and almost colorless, smaller than ever on the treatment bed. The wound in her side is being repaired by technology I don’t understand and don’t care about, as long as it works.
This med lab is one of the best in the four sectors and constantly being updated. The kind usually reserved for heads of state, planetary governors and military admirals. The fantastically rich and powerful. But Illibrium miners are rare. The crystals choose who can harvest them, and there aren’t many beings in the galaxy who qualify. So miners and their families receive the absolute best care, free of charge.
Right now, I’m grateful for it.
I replay the terrible moment in my head when the blade stabbed into her side. The split second I was too slow. The sound she made when the Xylan cut her. I should have been faster and killed them all before any of them got close to her.
I can’t seem to move from this spot without knowing that she’s fully recovered. What if I’d lost her? That fucker could’ve caused her to bleed out and die before I could’ve reached the med lab.
Something sinks hard in my stomach at the thought.
Why am I taking this so hard? I’m behaving like a mate.
Not compatible, my brain reminds me.She’s not your Bride. Why does this feel like your hearts are being ripped out?
I don’t have an answer.
The door opens and Chief walks in. He takes in my appearance, the blood, the rigid posture, the way I haven’t taken my eyes off the human female.
“The others are handling cleanup at the processing station,” he reports. “Scar is documenting everything. Rook found identification on two of the attackers. They’re connected to Kryzon and used to be part of his security detail before he officially distanced himself from that kind of work.”
I grunt. I don’t care about Kryzon right now. I only care about the female behind the barrier.
“She’s going to be fine. The med techs said it’s not serious. Tissue damage, blood loss, but nothing that can’t be repaired.”
A growl rumbles in my chest. “She shouldn’t have been hurt at all.”
“No. But she made her choice. She knew the risk.”
My claws flex. “I should have been faster.”
“Trunk, you got there before anyone else. You killed one of them yourself. If you hadn’t been there?—”
“But I was there. And she still got hurt.”
He doesn’t argue. Instead he says, “Clean yourself up. You’re scaring the med techs.”
I don’t move.
Chief sighs and leaves.
Time passes.I don’t know how much.
I do leave briefly to use a cleaning unit and change my clothes. Then I return to sit next to her med pod. I watch the monitors and her face through the translucent cover for any sign of consciousness.
Finally, her hazel eyes flutter open.
The relief that floods through me is staggering. I grip the edges of the unit to steady myself.
A med tech approaches and soon the cover recedes. My female is awake and alert. She turns her head and looks at me, a smile widening across her beautiful features. “Texon. You’re here.”
