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I don’t even care if he sees the armband as I wave it in front of the sensor frantically. Calix follows close behind, but all I can think about is getting somewhere safe before I throw up all over the floor.
“Aria, wait!” he shouts behind me.
I can barely hear him over the ringing in my ears. He could catch me if he wanted, but he keeps a safe distance between himself and the crying female.
I run forever until I find Breccan near Galen’s labs. He immediately smiles, but it turns into a frown as he rushes to my side. “What’s wrong, my Aria?”
Calix hurries to us and Breccan growls. Calix immediately takes a cautious step backward. “I didn’t harm her, before you tear out my throat.”
“Then why does she look frightened?”
“I’m…not actually sure, Commander.”
“Explain,” Breccan orders me.
“I have your armband and went to see the women in cryo.” I say it all in one breath and don’t give him a chance to react before I continue. “Calix was there and he was touching one of the women!”
He gives me a look that says we’ll be talking about the armband later. To Calix, he says, “Is something wrong with one of the women?”
“No, Commander.”
“You have to do something about this,” I say.
“Mortania, I’ve known Calix my whole life. I trust him with it. I’m certain he didn’t mean her any harm. You’ve come to know him as well, I’d hope. We want nothing more than to protect you.”
I want to pull out my hair from the frustration. “We had a conversation about choices, Breccan! Doing anything to those women without their knowledge or consent is not okay.”
He waves Calix away. “We also had a conversation about our people, Aria. If we don’t impregnate them, and quickly, our men will soon die out.”
“I thought I was okay with that, but I can’t let you treat them like they aren’t people. They’re just like me.”
“You are my mate and will be the mother of my young. You will listen to reason.”
“I am your mate and the future mother of your child, but you don’t own me! My thoughts are my own and you promised I’d be safe here, free to speak my own mind.”
“You are in no danger. My men would die for you like they would for me. They’ve shown you again and again how they think of you as their own. Have I not proven my devotion to you?”
“Then listen to me. These women are people, just like me. They have feelings and hopes and dreams. Your men don’t get to treat them as less than human. If you can’t see that, then we have a problem here. I can’t be with someone who would allow such a thing to happen. Don’t you see?” A tear streaks down my cheek and I wipe it away. I hate crying. “Where do we draw the line? You may understand and respect me, but can you say the same for your men? What I saw Calix doing wasn’t clinical or any part of his duties. It was predatory. I won’t be a part of this cycle, not anymore.”
“The aliens are my concern, Aria, as I am the commander of this facility. My men are only doing their part and carrying out my orders.”
“But you’re the high and mighty commander. If you intend for me to be a part of the faction, if you intend for our child, who is half human, to be a part of the faction, then the way you treat these women must change.”
Breccan’s ears flatten against his head and I wonder if I’ve gone too far. How had we been so happy just a few short hours ago?
“Is that a threat?”
Another tear drops from my chin. I feel faint, but if this is the hill I choose to die on, I could choose worse. I remember how afraid I was when I woke up, alone, bleeding, and surrounded by strange aliens. As his mate, as a commander’s mate, I can’t help but feel like it’s my job, my duty, to protect these women. I may not be able to send them home, but I can protect them here. At least to the best of my abilities.
My heart breaks at the fierce look on Breccan’s face.
Even if it means losing the best thing that’s ever happened to me.
13
Breccan
My ears flatten against my nog. I want to rage and destroy. Not because of Calix. Not because of Aria. Just the situation. Why does everything have to be so rekking complicated?
“A threat?” she hisses, her tears steadily streaming down her cheeks. My mouth waters to lick them away because they’re so sweet but I know now’s not the time. “If you don’t care about my thoughts and feelings, then how can I care about you?”
