i 0e57392105b539eb by Unknown Read Free Book Online

confused, but Kai pressed on, trying his best to put it
    into relatable terms. “Soulmates are cherished above all else in our
    world. Entire wars have been fought to protect a single mate. We feel
    that missing piece of ourselves every day, and we long for the chance to
    be whole.”
    “And when you find your mates, you’ll do anything to protect them.”
    Relieved by her response, Kai reached across the table and took her
    hand again. “The males of our race undergo a transformation when we
    find our mates. We become bigger, faster, and stronger, so that we are

    better able to defend our beloveds.” He stroked the pad of his thumb
    over her knuckles, reveling in the simple contact. “I’m sure this is all very
    disconcerting, but I will never lie to you. You are my soulmate, Ivy
    Dalton, as I am yours.”
    “I believe you, and I’m honored, Kai. Really, I am.” A quiet sadness
    filled her eyes as she pulled her hand away and rose to her feet. “It’s not
    that simple, though. This is your world, not mine. I have a life on Earth,
    on my ship, and I barely know you.”
    “It’s fate. You can’t fight it.” Standing, he stepped to the side,
    blocking her way when she made for the exit. “You can’t run from it.”
    “I never said otherwise.” With a quiet huff of breath, she held his
    upper arms and pushed up on her toes to kiss his cheek. “I just need
    some time to think.”
    “Take all the time you need, my lady. I won’t interfere, but do know
    this.” Brushing her silky locks back from her face, he tilted her head up
    to claim her lips in a soft kiss. “If you run, I will chase you.”

CHAPTER FIVE
    “Well, what did you say?” Cami demanded, bouncing a little on the edge
    of her bed.
    As the king’s mate—whether Ivy had accepted or not—she and her
    friends had been released from the holding rooms. Instead, they’d been
    given large, spacious suites, complete with the Xenons’ version of food
    consoles, and big windows that opened to stunning views of the rear
    gardens. The sentries still approached Tariq and Sion with some
    reservation, but the males had been invited to use the training facility on
    the ground floor, which they’d readily accepted.
    “What was I supposed to say?” Pacing the room, Ivy waved her
    hands around in wild, animated movements. “I told him I need some
    time to think.”
    “Well, I mean, it’s not like you can refuse.”
    “To be his mate? No, I suppose not, but that doesn’t mean I have to
    complete the bonding thing with him.”
    Cami covered her mouth to muffle a giggle. “He’s very handsome.
    You could do worse.”
    Ivy paused on her next pass through the room to glare at her friend.
    “You’re not helping. I don’t even know him! So, what? I’m supposed to
    just throw myself into his arms and say, ‘Yes, I’m yours! Take me now!’
    all because he says we’re mates?”

    “Nice. Not dramatic at all.” Cami rolled her eyes and snorted. “That’s
    not what it, and you’ve seen enough mated pairs to know it. You don’t
    have to decide right this minute, but I do think you should give him a
    chance.”
    “Apparently, I don’t have a choice.”
    “Of course you have a choice.” Grabbing one of the decorative
    pillows from the mattress, she sent it sailing across the room, missing Ivy
    by a foot and knocking over a lamp instead. “Oh, shoot. Do you think
    that was expensive?”
    Ivy shrugged. “Don’t change the subject. So, you really think I should
    consider this…this mating business?”
    “You make it sound like a trade contract or a prison sentence, which
    it’s neither, but yes, I think you should.” She leaned back on her elbows
    and crossed her slender legs at the ankles. “Do you feel it, even a little?”
    While she might not want to admit it, she definitely felt something
    for the king. It explained why he’d seemed so familiar to her during their
    first meeting, why she’d been so eager to see him during the