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there was some hesitation in his manner that stopped her
from agreeing to that course. She was a merely a visitor here, on some measure
of sufferance, and there would be no benefit from creating enemies among the
powerful Alphans who forced Earth’s leaders to
shelter her here rather than toss her back into a lawless camp. She was well
aware that human women were a strategic asset to the disproportionately male
Alphan population, both for population growth and the more mystical concept of
bonding. All she knew was that many of her fellow refugees had formed
attachments to Alphan men and had left the residence to start new lives on
Alpha or even more far-flung worlds. Nothing forced, but the sense that she was
a commodity remained every time she ventured out among them. Golden eyes
assessing, tactical brains plotting what she power might bring to a bonded pair
of warriors. It was exhausting to be evaluated and found wanting compared to
vivacious blondes and outgoing redheads. She rarely put herself in those
situations, but the flowers had beckoned too strongly to resist yesterday.
    “No.
I will see them and conclude whatever business they think we have in common.”
    Mak smiled at her agreement, and she
walked by his side down the corridor and into the reception hall. It was a high
ceilinged room with pale grey and tan tiled walls and floors. Formerly a large
lecture hall, it now held groups of sofas and chairs and low tables scattered
about. Mak approached his desk, and two large men
turned at their approach, their handsome features schooled into blandness.
Despite their outward calm, a sudden wave of excitement rolled over her. Not
hers, for she was anxious and looking for an escape. No, she was picking up on
the restrained anticipation of Mikel and Felix Tauride ,
and it was unnerving.
    The
two tall men bowed their heads in synchrony as she stopped a meter away from
them, suddenly regretting her decision to see them. Both Felix and Mikel
towered over her, and their impressive physiques were apparent under the closely
tailored uniforms they wore. Wide shoulders, thick arms, massive legs, the two Alphans looked like they could toss a sofa back and forth
between them without strain. She felt puny and helpless in comparison, which
was an unusual sensation since she was solidly built by any standard. They
wouldn’t hurt her. Mak would never have brought her
to them if he’d sensed any harm might come to her.
    “A
pleasure to see you again, Alisa Sorrel,” the bold one, Felix said with a
slight smile, his gaze never leaving her face. She suddenly wished she was
wearing a long robe rather than the trim trousers and tunic she preferred for
gardening.
    “How
did you learn my name?”
    “Through
diligent inquiry, lady,” Mikel informed her as he gestured for her to take a
seat at a nearby chair. After a quick glance at Mak ,
who situated himself at his centrally located desk so he could observe, she
sank down into the soft leather chair to find an Alphan soon crouched at either
side, hemming her in with their muscles and heat. “We spoke with everyone we
knew who’d been in attendance yesterday and managed to piece together who you
were. As soon as duty permitted, we came to retrieve you—”
    “To
see you,” Felix cut in with a glance at his bondmate.
    Retrieve
her? She wasn’t anyone’s property. She cut a hard glance at Mikel, and he
blinked.
    “No.”
Her denial was automatic. Why would she venture away from the quiet refuge of
the women’s quarters with these two big, muscular men she didn’t know? She
wanted to go to her garden and work. These Alphans were making her nerves jangle and her lungs contract.
    Felix
blinked, and his black eyebrows swooped down. “No?”
    Alisa
shook her head. “No, thank you.”
    “But
you are ours—” Mikel nearly stood, but a loud crack from Mak’s desk soon had him settling back down. Alisa glanced at the older man to find
him scowling at the two bondmates as he tapped a