Page 48 of Dragon Me Through Space

“You’ve proven that you’re capable and that you care about my brothers’ safety. You tried to push us away to face those dog things. It’s clear that you’re not a threat to us.”

“Still, I⁠—”

He bent down and kissed me. “Starlight, you’re fighting our connection. Stop fighting it. Just enjoy yourself and get to know us. I understand that it’s frightening to trust after what you’ve dealt with. I understand even if you haven’t told us your full story yet because it’s hard for me as well. However, I’m a great judge of character, it’s literally part of my job, and you fit with us. You’re not a burden or some extra mouth to feed. Your family had an alliance with us and we will honor it by taking care of you.”

“Did you talk to Gage?” I asked, feeling my cheeks heat. Every time he called me, “Starlight,” I got a thrill through my chest.

“No, but I’m assuming you’re asking that because he said something similar.”

“Not really similar, but⁠—”

“All we ask of you is that you get to know us, that you open up to us, and don’t fight the bond. If we really are fated mates, it’s a miracle by itself, but even more so that we were able to find each other in the vastness of space. Don’t push us away out of fear or uncertainty. We won’t abandon you, even if you don’t turn out to be our mate.”

“I think you’re really bad at security,” I muttered, not knowing how to accept everything that he’d just said.

He smiled and said, “There’s nothing that I’m bad at.”

I rolled my eyes and we walked deeper onto the ship.

He left to go let Gage know he could take off and that I was safe, and I headed to the jungle room.

“I don’t think you guys should be getting so emotionally close to her,” Preston said sternly.

“Says the man who’s been playing chess every chance he can get with her,” Wayne grumbled.

“It’s a game⁠—”

“That you only ever played with your father,” Wayne interrupted.

Preston sighed. “I get it, you care for her and she’s in desperate need of protection, but we don’t know her that well and⁠—”

“She’s an ally. You heard what Gage said, and⁠—”

“We have to find out where she’s from and if she’s really who she says she is. There’s too much we don’t know about her,” Preston snapped.

“You recognize her scent, all of us do. We all agreed that she’s …”

“It’s time to eat,” Gage announced over the intercom, interrupting Wayne from what he was saying. “After dinner, we’ll leave.”

What did he mean that they recognized my scent? How would they know my scent if this was the first time we met? Or did it have to do with the bond?

I pressed my hand to my chest, but the only thing I felt at the moment was sadness and an uncertainty if it was better for me to stay or go.

“Come on, let’s get food ready,” Wayne said. “I don’t want to argue any longer.”

Backing out as quietly as I could, I hurried away from the jungle room and back to my room.

I was causing a rift between them, but part of that was due to my secretiveness. Should I tell them everything? Or was it better to keep them in the dark, to leave and keep them safe?

My bag was still packed with my meager belongings, but the gifts Gage and Wayne had purchased for me on a couple of our stops sat on the side table. I picked them up and felt an even stronger pang in my chest as I put them inside the bag and slung it over my shoulder.

If I didn’t leave now, I wasn’t certain I could. The sooner I left, the better for everyone. If I left now, they could continue on their way to find their mate without the hazards and danger I brought.

After writing a quick goodbye note with a thank you for taking care of me up to that point, I snuck out of my room and ran down the hallway to the nearest exit. Since I didn’t want them to know I was leaving, I couldn’t use the ramp, so the emergency hatch was my best bet. I made sure to secure it after exiting for their safety.

My bag felt like a lead weight around my shoulders as I walked away from the ship. My feet grew heavy and I stopped, turned, and looked back at the ship. My hands clutched the strap of my bag tighter and I felt tears building in my eyes.

Why was it so hard to leave? I hardly knew them! I was a burden to them! I was a danger!