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Shewas all that was good in the world—and he was supposed to protect her.Thatwas allCadeknew.Thatwas all heneededto know.Hepressed himself against her legs, rubbing enthusiastically.
“Cade?” she said again and he felt her fingers in his hair.Hertouch was so soft and gentle—everything about her was soft and good.Herubbed his head against her knees, making a low rumbling sound in his throat that spoke of his approval.Good—she wasgood—she was all that was good in the world.
Thiswashisfemale and he would love and protect her always.
8
ANDI
“Cade?Whathappenedto you?”
Andilooked down at her hugeHybridProtectorin dismay.Whatwas he doing?
Hismouth was covered in orange crumbs from theCheetoshe’d been eating when she found him and he was currently down on all fours, rubbing his head against her knees and making a low rumbling sound in his throat.Hereminded her of a huge dog or cat.Whywas he acting like this?
Shefound a napkin and wiped his mouth, getting rid of the orange crumbs.
“Didyou bump your head?” she asked, lifting his chin to look him in the eyes. “Doyou understand me?Hello?”
Cadesimply made that rumbling sound again and bumped his head against her hand, like a cat or a dog asking to be stroked.
Suddenlya memory popped into her head—Cadetelling her aboutZo’rathThreeand its inhabitants and why they wouldn’t want to end up there.
“…they’re no more than animals and that’s how the females treat them—like pets.Imean, not like they have a fucking choice but it’s still not a great situation,”he had said, when explaining what had happened to all the males on the planet.
“OhmyGod,”Andiwhispered as the full impact sank in.SheandCadehadn’t crash landed on the uninhabited world ofZo’rathTwo—they were onZo’rathThree—the place where a chemical in the atmosphere had simplified all the men’s minds, leaving the women in charge.
NowonderCadewas acting like he was a big dog or cat—his mind had been, well…downgraded, for lack of a better word.Hewasn’t going to be able to think rationally or help her solve this problem and figure out how to get them out of here.
Theenormity of the situation came over her all at once.Shewas completely on her own, lost on a strange planet that was all the way across the galaxy—millions of light years from home.
Puttingher face in her hands, she wept.
9
CADE
Cadecouldn’t understand why his female was making sad sounds.Shewas sitting on the floor beside him with her hands over her face and her shoulders were shaking while noises like,
“huh-huh-huh”came from her.
Thesounds upset him—they stirred the deep instinct inside to protect and care for her.Ifshe was making those sounds, it meant that something was wrong and he was failing in his duties.
Anxiously, he nudged at her hands covering her face.Heneeded to be close to her—to comfort her.Shewas everything to him.
Hewiggled his way into her lap—which wasn’t easy since he was much larger than she was—but somehow he got his top half across her legs and nudged her hands again.
Shepulled them away and looked at him and her cheeks were shiny with moisture.Thiswas bad,Cadeknew—it meant sadness.Hereyes were wet too, and the corners of her mouth were turned down.
Anxiousto make her feel better, he leaned forward and nuzzled his cheek against hers.Herskin was so soft and smooth and her scent called to him.Soonshe would be ripe for breeding, but for now her sorrow drew him, making him want to comfort her.
Henuzzled her again and licked her cheek, tasting the salt of her sadness.Itmade him want to howl mournfully to see how upset she was.Thiswashisfemale—she should not be hurt in any way but the wetness meant she was hurting.Helicked her cheek again and then saw the blood on her temple—she was wounded!Hemust heal her.
Cadelapped gently at the wound, healing his female with his tongue.Shewas his to protect and to heal—he would never leave her in pain.
“Allright,” she said, pushing at him gently. “Enoughof that.I’mokay—Ijust needed to cry a minute.Giveme a second to get myself together andI’llfigure out what we’re going to do.”
Cadedidn’t understand any of these words, but it made him happy that she was speaking.Thetones of her voice sounded more hopeful than the”huh-huh-huh”sound she had been making a moment ago.
