And yet, there had to have been a mistake. This female could not be mine. There was no possibility of our match being nearly perfect. She was small, too small. Fragile. Breakable. And too innocent as well, if the perfection of her face was to be believed. Not one line or scar marred the smooth beauty of her skin. And her eyes? Clear blue pools that had threatened to drop me to my knees. Her hair was like glimmering golden starlight. She was a delicate goddess, and I a monster.

I’d wanted to kill two honorable Prillons simply for being near her.

I never lost control like that.

Never.

This human was dangerous. My brother’s mate had calmed him, not enraged him. Since mating to Harper, both my brother and Blade were calmer, more content. They smiled more often. Even laughed once in a while.

So why did the presence of this female make me so agitated I wanted to pound my fist into a wall until I was bloody?

‘Hunt. Torture. Kill. I protect what is mine.’

I had spoken the truth and watched her eyes become round with shock. She had trembled with fear in my arms.

How was I going to touch her, fuck her, claim her, if I terrified her?

Gods be damned, she was so small she would break if I took her the way instinct demanded. The thought did nothing to calm my eager cock nor wipe the images of pounding into her pussy from my mind.

Fuck. She was trembling again. My mate was afraid, and all I had done was hold her.

I stood just inside the room, frozen in place as I contemplated what to do next. We would be staying in Styx and Blade’s private quarters, the furniture large and soft and covered with pillows. I knew the bedroom to be equally decadent, with a large bed and bathing area large enough for Styx, Blade and their mate, Harper.

Abigail looked around, her golden head peeking out from beneath the blanket I’d used to conceal her face from the many vid monitors on the station. “Is this where we’re staying?”

“Yes. These quarters belong to Styx legion. We will be safe here, Abigail.”

“Abby. My friends call me Abby.” She turned her head to look up at me and my gaze locked with hers. Everything faded. I swayed on my feet, suddenly unsteady.

“Abby.” I tried it out, found I liked the sound of her name on my tongue.

She smiled up at me and my cock jumped; the air froze in my throat.

Fuck, I was in trouble. I barely knew her, and already I could not control my body’s responses. Would I lose control completely once I fucked her? Or would this burning need subside?

It had to calm. I could not function like this. Would be unable to hunt.

And her face. Her eyes. She looked so…young.