The Chosen One Read online

  When Dane still hasn’t materialized after we’ve finished eating breakfast, I fix a tray with some toast, coffee, and orange juice and speed up to his bedroom door. I tap hesitantly, hating to wake him if he is still sleeping, but we’re expecting a call from the director at any moment.

  “I’m on the phone with the director. Come in.”

  I enter the room, trying not to ogle Dane as I walk across the space toward him. He’s sitting up in the bed, bare-chested with his tats on full display, and his black hair is all messy and tousled on top of his head.

  It’s rare for me to see him like this.

  Before he’s fixed his hair into his usual faux hawk, dressed, and put his game face on. He looks more vulnerable and younger like this, and it only fuels my protective, nurturing instincts. He yawns as he listens to whatever the director is saying, watching me place the tray down on his bedside table.

  “I’m putting you on speaker.” Dane props his cell on the pillow beside him as I perch on the corner of the bed. “Alinthia is here.”

  “Good morning,” the director says. “I was just telling Dane the president has approved the release of the prisoners, but it will take a few days to process the paperwork.”

  “We don’t have a few days,” I say.

  “We’ll be collecting the prisoners from the compound where Alinthia was held this morning,” Dane asserts, giving him no choice. “Have the prisoners ready for collection from the remaining two facilities tomorrow. We’ll make the arrangements with Glennev when we return to base.”

  “You can’t make such demands,” he splutters. “There are protocols and—”

  “Did you or did you not approach us for our help?” I cut in.

  “I know, but—”

  “But, nothing,” Dane says, flipping the covers back and swinging his legs over the side of the bed. He’s wearing tight black boxers that do nothing to shield his morning wood from sight. His muscular legs dwarf my much slimmer ones, and I press my thighs together, purposely avoiding looking at him. The last thing I want to do is make him feel like some glorified sexual object, but, damn it, Dane is fucking beautiful, and my fingers twitch with intense longing.

  “I’m tired of repeating myself. Wake the fuck up, man.” Dane stands, stretching his arms up over his head. The muscles in his back are like a work of art, and I feast on him greedily while he can’t see. “The allies we have guarding the airspace around Earth will not hold General Arantu off for long. We must get more ships up there asap or you can kiss your little planet goodbye.”

  “Surely, there are protocols for emergencies that enable you to make this happen,” I suggest, trying a more diplomatic route. “Or maybe we should speak to the president directly.”

  “That won’t be necessary. I’ll get it done.”

  “What about mobilizing your troops on the ground?” Dane asks.

  “That’s in hand. We’ve recalled all troops on leave, and we’re coordinating efforts between the various entities. Armed troops will be ready to move into all major cities.”

  “I know you don’t want to worry people, but I suggest you find some plausible excuse and move those troops in now. If Arantu attacks, you won’t have much time to mobilize.” I understand the government’s desire to avoid mass panic, and it’s why nothing has been said to the populace at large yet.

  Astronomers, operatives working in aeronautics, and key personnel within NASA are the only people privy to the fact enemy alien ships line the skies above our planet. They are sworn to secrecy, but it’s only a matter of time before someone breaches the NDA and lets the cat out of the bag. All hell will break loose if that happens, which is why we need to divert the threat or at least be well prepared.

  “Alinthia is right,” Dane agrees, walking to his closet. “Get those guards on the ground in all major cities today.”

  “Fine. But let’s hope it won’t come to that.”

  We end the call, and I watch as Dane rifles through his closet, his back rigid with tension. I clasp my clammy hands in my lap, fighting a mad case of nerves. “You should eat before it goes cold.”

  “I’m not hungry,” he says without even looking at me.

  “You didn’t eat much last night either. You need to—”

  “I said I’m not hungry!” he snaps, pulling a black shirt off the hanger and draping it over his arm.

  I stand, ignoring the knots tightening in my stomach. “I can make you something different if that would be more appealing.

  “Tori, just drop it.” He glares at me, yanking his crumpled pants off the ground with a frown.

  “What’s wrong?”

  “Nothing. I just need to iron these.”

  I snatch them from him. “I’ll do it.”

  He snatches them back. “I’m well able to iron my own pants.”

  “You need to shower, and we’re short on time.” I grab them back. “It’s no biggie.”

  A muscle clenches in his jaw, and I know he wants to protest further, but he can’t deny my logic, so he says nothing, stalking into his en suite bathroom and violently slamming the door without uttering a word.

  I invoke superspeed, and I have his combat pants ironed and back on his bed before he’s even stepped out of the shower.

  “The convoy has arrived at the compound,” Donovan confirms as we ride in the first SUV toward the facility where I was detained. Donovan phoned Glennev the instant we informed him of the conversation with the director and our plans, and he sent a team ahead of us to scout out the lay of the land and escort the prisoners onto trucks.

  “How long until our ETA?” Dane asks. He’s riding shotgun again, and Maddox is with us in the back. Coop and Beck are in the second SUV today with Denzil and Daniel.

  “Twenty minutes, sir,” the driver replies without taking his eyes off the road.

  “Ask whoever you’re talking to, to let us know what the mood is like on the ground.”

  “Already asked, Your Highness,” Donovan teases, and I flip him the bird. He grins at me, nudging my shoulder, and I roll my eyes.

  “Can I ask you a personal question?” I say after a few beats of silence, figuring we might as well shoot the shit.

  “You can ask. Can’t guarantee I’ll answer.” His shoulders visibly stiffen, and I decide it’s a question best left for when we’re alone.

  “Never mind,” I say, glancing out the window as I place my hand on Maddox’s thigh.

  “You can ask me,” Donovan says, emitting a small sigh. “If we’ll be working together, there might as well be no secrets.”

  I swivel around, facing him. He knows what I’m going to say, and that pretty much answers it for me. “What is the nature of your relationship with Glennev?”

  Maddox sits up straighter, suddenly invested in the conversation.

  “Nothing gets past you, does it?” Donovan says, offering me a tight smile.

  “Maybe I’m just nosy, and you should tell me to mind my business.” I smile, attempting to lighten the mood.

  “It’s not well known outside the senior ranked officers, but Glennev and I are a couple. We’ve been together two years.”

  “I had a feeling,” I admit, my smile widening. “Although you’re both professional, so I don’t think most people would notice.”

  “I’m not ashamed,” he adds. “But we don’t want our personal relationship coming in the way of what we are here to do. Protecting and supporting you so you fulfill your destiny is our sole priority.”

  “I’m glad to have you on my side.” I squeeze his hand.

  “That doesn’t mean I’ll go easy on you.”

  I snort. “When have you ever gone easy on me?” I’m thinking back to my time in the government compound and the period when we were training at the society’s base.

  He smirks. “We need to add your training to the agenda for today’s discussion. Denzil and I are keen to pick up where we left off.”

  “Maddox trains Alinthia,” Dane cuts in, his voice cold as ste
el.

  “I can work with Denzil and Donovan if it’s deemed best,” Maddox affably supplies.

  Dane turns around, narrowing his eyes at his brother. “Are you doubting your abilities, Mad Dog?”

  “Don’t do that. You know how much Maddox hates you calling him that.”

  “If I want your opinion, I’ll ask for it.” The urge to punch Dane returns with full force, and it’s almost comforting to settle back into our familiar roles.

  “Never. I’m doing what’s best for Alinthia. There is less than two months until she turns eighteen and awakens, and we still have so much to do. The extra help can’t hurt,” Maddox says.

  “Have you forgotten who calls the shots around here? I’ll be the one to decide.” Dane drills him with a look, and I can tell words are being silently exchanged between them. I know Dane likes to throw his weight around, but it’s like he needs to ram it down our throats any chance he gets, and it concerns me. I suspect Dane is focusing on his role to avoid thinking or talking about his trauma, and that can’t be healthy.

  Maddox glares at Dane, but he seals his lips because he’d never disrespect his brother with an audience.

  Dane turns back around, lifting his booted feet to the dash and staring out the window, like he hasn’t single-handedly killed the mood in the car.

  “Is he always this much of an asshole?” Donovan whispers in my ear.

  “The asshole can hear you,” Dane deadpans. “And the answer is yes.”

  “You don’t seem to care.”

  Dane twists his head around, eyeballing Donovan. “I’ve zero fucks to give. I’m not here to win any popularity contests or make new friends. I have a job to do. We have a job to do. That’s protecting Alinthia and restoring peace to the galaxy. I couldn’t care less what anyone thinks of me. It’s irrelevant.”

  A spike of pain darts though my chest.

  I know Dane believes every word he’s just said, but he couldn’t be more wrong, because it’s relevant in so many ways. What people think of him matters to our mission, to our family, and he should take pride in putting his best self forward, because there’s a bigger picture at stake. I know he doesn’t care about public perception, but he should care because it is important, and I need to figure out a way of showing him that.

  CHAPTER 4

  Cooper

  “Are we nearly there yet?” I ask the driver, for the umpteenth time, because I’m bored, and I like to be a brat sometimes.

  Daniel turns around in the passenger seat to glare at me. “You are getting on my every last nerve, buddy. Just shut up. You’re not funny. Not even close to it.”

  “How’s your sister?” I ask because I’m just that immature too.

  “Leave Kylie out of this.”

  “Her betrayal set all this in motion, so that’d be a no.”

  He swivels around in his seat, steam practically billowing out of his ears. “If you think any of this has been easy on her, you’re mistaken. She hates herself for what she did to Tori. She was misguided, but she thought she was doing the right thing.”

  “Save it for someone who buys into that bullshit.” I purse my lips and narrow my eyes.

  “To think Tori used to have such good taste in men,” he scoffs, casting a derogatory glance in my direction.

  “I think you mean boys.” Because Boy Wonder Jensen was never man enough for our woman.

  “Knock it off, Coop.” Beck finally lifts his head from his iPad. Glennev sent the documentation containing the real prophecy to him last night, and he’s been on a boner ever since. Beck flips me the bird, having heard my thought, and I bust out laughing.

  “Sorry, dude. But it’s true.”

  “What’s your problem?” he asks, giving me his undivided attention. “You’re acting like a jackass all morning. And you know it will piss Alinthia off if she finds out you’re deliberately winding Daniel up.”

  I sigh, scrubbing a hand across my jaw. I know what’s crawled up my ass, but I’ll sound like an even bigger douche canoe if I share it.

  “Is this about Alinthia having sex with Maddox?”

  My eyes widen in shock. The three of us never discuss sex or women with Beck because it always makes him uncomfortable.

  Always.

  But he’s eyeballing me now with a brazenness that’s new. “How did you know?”

  His cheeks flush red, and that’s more like the brother I know. “I think everyone within a twenty-mile radius heard her screaming last night.”

  I bury my head in my hands. “Ugh. Don’t remind me.”

  “So, I’m right. You’re jealous.”

  “I’m an ass. I know.” I pick my head up, sighing again.

  “Don’t be ashamed of how you feel. None of us has done this before, and we all love her, so it’s only natural.”

  “Are you jealous?”

  He thinks about it for a minute, but that’s not unusual. Beck never does or says anything without thinking it through. “I am, a little.”

  “But you aren’t resenting Maddox like I am.” I feel shitty admitting that, but it’s how I’ve been feeling since I heard their vocal fucking session last night.

  “I don’t. I just…” He chews on the inside of his mouth.

  “You can tell me. Whatever you want to say is just between us.” I probably should’ve made sure of that before I admitted I was harboring resentment toward my other brother.

  Shame washes over me, and I hate I’m feeling like this.

  I know we share her.

  And that she has plenty of love to go around.

  And I honestly thought I was okay with it.

  Until last night.

  Hearing her with him wound me up.

  And it’s stupid, but I can’t help wondering if she’s comparing us, and the thought I might not have rocked her world like he did is making me ill.

  “I want that with her too, and I’m jealous you and Maddox have already experienced that when I don’t even know how to tell her I’m ready.”

  “If you can’t verbalize it, you can show her in other ways,” I suggest, waggling my brows.

  His cheeks flush a darker shade of red, and I take pity on him. “I know we don’t discuss our private time with her, and it’s right to keep those thoughts to ourselves, but if you ever need to talk about sex, come to me. I won’t judge. If there’s anything you need to know, I’ll help.”

  “Won’t you get jealous?”

  I shake my head. “I could never be jealous of you.”

  “Why? Because I’m the inexperienced one and you have nothing to fear from me?” There’s no malice in his expression. Only understanding.

  “I… Fuck it. How the hell do you do that? Know what I’m thinking before I even realize it myself?”

  He shrugs. “You’re my brother. I know you inside and out. I know you’re jealous because you’re comparing your night with Alinthia to his.” He clamps a hand down on my shoulder. “But it’s not a competition, and she loves us all for different reasons. She was virtually glowing after spending the night with you. You’ve nothing to worry about.”

  “Thanks, bruh.” I slap him on the back. “I needed to hear that.”

  “I think you should talk to Maddox. Don’t let things fester. There’s enough tension at home as there is.”

  Because of Dane. We all feel it. See it. But Dane will bounce back. He went through some shit on Xzanthar, but he’s the strongest of all of us, and he’ll be okay. “I’ll talk to him,” I promise, meaning it, because I don’t want to resent any of my brothers. Especially not for taking care of the girl we all love.

  “Now, will you stop acting like a jerk and cut Daniel some slack.”

  I shake my head, smirking. “Nah, it’s way too much fun yanking his chain. And I need something to occupy myself with until we get there.”

  “Woah,” I say, shielding my eyes from the glare of the sun with my hand as I climb out of the SUV and join the others.

  Fifteen gray vans line up before t
he entrance to the government facility. A couple of Glennev’s men pace in front of the closed gates, looking anxious. Alinthia’s two new friends are there too, and I scowl as I spot Tavroc smiling at her. I don’t need to see the glyphs on his body to know he’s got the hots for her because he does little to disguise it. I know she’d never betray us, and I trust her completely, but who the fuck does he think he is mooning over her like that? She’s the next queen of Verron. Future leader of the galaxy. And she deserves more respect.

  “What’s going on?” Maddox asks Donovan.

  “They won’t let the convoy in,” he confirms with a growl, stalking forward with us following hot on his heels.

  “If that bastard has double-crossed us, he can fucking rot along with the rest of this stinking planet,” Dane unhelpfully supplies.

  “I’m sure it’s just a misunderstanding,” Alinthia says, trying to cool the hothead down.

  “We’re doing him a fucking favor,” Dane continues as if she hasn’t spoken, and Maddox and I share a knowing look. Dane’s been on edge since we escaped Xzanthar, and I’m wondering if maybe the best way to help him is to find some outlet for him to let off steam. He kicks at loose dirt with his foot. “Fucking asshole.”

  “Jim, what’s the holdup?” Donovan asks the tall guard with the sneer on his face.

  “Fuck off, Smith. You lost the right to speak to me the day you sided with them.”

  “We have approval from Director Tanner,” Alinthia says, stepping alongside Donovan. We instantly go on high alert, inching closer to her side, the lines connecting us buzzing with energy.

  “I don’t give a fuck. You’re not getting in, and those freaks are not coming out. We’ll fireball the whole place if we have to.”

  “You really don’t want to do that,” Dane threatens, stepping right up into his face.

  “Yeah?” The guy slings his rifle off his shoulder, pressing the muzzle into Dane’s chest. “How about you keep your fucking mouth shut and your opinions to yourself?”

  “I’m done with this,” Alinthia says, wrapping her hand around the rifle and urging Dane to step back with a pointed look.