Alexa's Warrior Mate (Guardian Warrior Mates, Prophecy of Salvation Book 1)

by Bernard, Lynnette

  Sebastian nodded. “I was aware of your pain since I have been experiencing my own. It is why I came back to you as we walked to offer my touch to ease your pain until we could have this talk.”

  “You’re in pain?” she asked, suddenly concerned that she had only been thinking of herself.

  He nodded in silence, waiting as he watched the emotions that crossed his life mate’s face. “It is not as severe when I touch you.”

  Lexi’s eyes searched his and knew that he was telling her the truth. She could see the pain that lingered in the back of his eyes. Slowly, her gaze traveled to his pants and saw for herself the proof of his arousal. When she looked up at him, she couldn’t help but be embarrassed. He smiled slowly but made no move toward her.

  “Can’t you take care of that yourself so you won’t be in pain?” she asked him hopefully.

  He laughed softly as he reached out to touch her cheek gently. “No, Lexi,” he told her calmly. “Only your touch will make the pain go away. If I try to ease the pain myself, it will increase tenfold and become unbearable.”

  Lexi’s eyes narrowed in suspicion. “Every man can pleasure himself with no problem,” she said finally.

  Sebastian smiled at her statement. “Ordinarily, that is true,” he admitted. “Until a man has touched his life mate. Then, only her touch can be tolerated.”

  “No way!”

  “I am uncertain of your words, but I assure you, I am telling you the truth.”

  Lexi was silent for a moment, looking at him intently. “And you expect me to believe you?”

  Sebastian sighed softly, understanding her reluctance to accept his words. He stood slowly, looking down at her calmly.

  “I did not expect you to believe me, but I had hoped that you would. Come with me, Lexi,” he told her, reaching out to offer her his hand.

  Lexi refused his hand, standing on her own and keeping her distance from him. When he saw that she would not take his hand, he turned and walked toward the back of the tent that was partitioned off from the main meeting area. He walked through the hanging curtain, allowing her to follow him before releasing the heavy drapery behind her so that it cascaded to the floor, successfully shrouding them in privacy.

  She saw that they were within his sleeping area. There was a large mattress covered with multiple blankets and soft pillows of deep maroon and gold, a small table with a lamp that glowed with a unique light that sparkled with soft colors, and a chest she was sure held clothing since some of them hung out from beneath the closed lid.

  She turned back to face him and saw that he had removed his boots. His gaze never left hers as he unfastened the vest he wore and pulled it from his body. She watched him silently as he unlaced the closure of his pants. She froze in fear at the thought of what he was about to reveal to her.

  “Do not be afraid, Lexi,” he told her gently. “I will not touch you or force you to do anything. Our life together and what we share will always be your choice. I need to show you that what I have told you is the truth.”

  With that he lowered his breeches and stepped out of them to stand before her gloriously naked and painfully erect. His fully engorged shaft bobbed slightly with his movements as he took one step forward.

  She had never seen a man naked in her life, but she knew without a doubt that the man before her was an outstanding specimen. His shaft was long and thick, and his sac hung heavily between his legs. Though she should feel fear, she didn’t. All she felt was desire. Desire to touch him. What was wrong with her?

  He took a cleansing breath and closed his eyes as his large hand moved to clutch his throbbing erection. At his touch he gasped and groaned deeply.

  Lexi watched him warily. He could be gasping from pleasure. How was she to know? She watched in fascination as he stroked himself from root to tip. He was unable to stand after doing it just twice. He sat down heavily on the bed and looked up at her with obvious pain in his eyes. His brow glistened with sweat, and Lexi knew without a doubt that he was suffering.

  “Stop!” she told him worriedly. She moved to take a step toward him then stopped in confusion.

  “Please touch me,” he whispered in agony, reaching out his hand to her.

  She reached for him without hesitation, entwining her fingers with his and finally relaxing when she heard the moan that escaped him as he slumped backward onto the bed. She was pulled to his side as he fell. She let go of his hand quickly to reach out to brace herself.

  She lay beside him, leaning up on her forearm to stare down at him and grew concerned as his chest rose and fell with his labored breathing. She reached out and touched his chest lightly, somehow feeling it was the right thing to do. His hand covered hers tenderly. He looked up into her eyes and smiled.

  “Thank you,” he whispered.

  “For what?”

  “For offering your hand to help ease my pain.”

  “Sebastian, this can’t be good for you.”

  She stared down at his still engorged shaft. The sheer size of it amazed her. Its length and girth were far beyond any she had ever imagined a man’s body could behold. She realized suddenly that she wanted to take him within her hand and stroke him. She wanted to feel the hardness, explore its textures, and experience its flavors. She wanted to take him into her mouth and love on him. She wanted him to bury himself deep inside of her body and feel the connection that she had never wanted to experience with any man before.

  “It is endurable,” he told her quietly.

  “How long will this pain last?” she asked him suddenly.

  “I will require contact with you often,” he explained slowly as the pain lessened somewhat. “But the pain will never be completely eliminated. It will be the same for you.”

  “For the rest of our lives?” she nearly squeaked.

  Sebastian nodded as he smiled up at her. “Until we have bonded.”

  Chapter 5

  “So, you’re telling me that you’ll suffer with a constant erection until we’ve bonded,” she said with an outward calm that she wasn’t really feeling.

  “Yes, my lady,” he answered honestly.

  “And you won’t be able to ease yourself?”

  “No, Lexi.”

  “And I will be in pain as the time we’re apart increases unless I touch you?”

  “Yes.”

  “And what makes this pain stop?”

  “My seed.”

  Lexi jumped off the bed, pulling away from his touch. She couldn’t think if he touched her.

  “You mean a man’s sperm has the power to stop the pain?”

  Sebastian sat up slowly, his eyes hot and needy. “No,” he told her almost savagely. “My. Mate. My. Seed.”

  “The pain stops in both of us because you fill me with your seed?” Lexi asked, unable to keep the skepticism from her voice.

  “Yes. The pain will ease for you immediately,” Sebastian said without hesitation. “My pain will end once our bonding is solidified because of the joining.”

  “And this mating bond begins with a touch?” she asked, fear suddenly clenching at her heart.

  “Yes, my lady,” he answered honestly.

  “Holy shit!”

  Lexi felt real fear, knowing she had to go to her sisters immediately to prevent them from touching any man. The warriors who already seemed to have made a connection with her sisters flashed through her mind. If what Sebastian told her was true, these men were already drawn to their possible life mates. Her sisters may already be in the path of being chosen. Panic filled her. She didn’t want her sisters to be put in a position where pain made them make a decision that they weren’t ready for.

  She turned and rushed through the tent, bursting out into the campground. She was thankful to see that her sisters were seated to the right of the campfire, talking to each other quietly. There were warriors surrounding all of them.

  Her heart pounded with fear as she watched the men who neared Daria and Evie, and she knew that she had to stop them. She
heard Sebastian stepping up behind her and did what she had been trained to do. She protected her sisters.

  “Elizabeth!” she yelled out the code word that they had been taught by their father during endless training sessions, evoking the necessary reaction from all of them.

  The sisters jumped to their feet, drawing their weapons, and forming a circle facing outward, keeping their backs toward each other and their weapons trained on the stunned warriors. The only sound heard throughout the camp was the powering up of their pulse weapons as they were readied for battle.

  “Put my daughter down and allow her come to me,” Bree told Torin, keeping her pulse weapon aimed at his head as she spoke.

  Torin looked to Sebastian in confusion. He gently lowered Hanna to the ground, giving her bottom a gentle pat to push her toward Bree.

  “Go to your mother, little one,” he told her calmly.

  As Hanna walked toward her mother, Gaiya reached out and scooped her up to deposit her in the center of the circle of protection. Each sister was tense with anticipation, unaware of what the threat was, but not doubting that there was one. Lexi had used their mother’s name in warning. That meant there was no time to question or hesitate. All of their lives were in jeopardy.

  Francie moved slightly to allow Lexi to join their circle. Her brow furrowed in confusion as she saw that her sister did not draw her weapon as she stood beside them.

  “Lexi?” she questioned softly.

  “Do not allow any of these men to touch you,” Lexi explained stoically, her voice hard.

  Torin stepped forward, confusion evident on his face. Bree aimed her weapon and discharged, spewing dirt across Torin’s boots.

  “The next shot will be aimed at the center of your forehead,” Bree warned him calmly.

  The surprise on Torin’s face was quickly replaced with cold anger. “Make certain that shot is true and you kill me, Bree Gallagher, for you will not get another,” he warned her.

  “I won’t need another shot, warrior,” Bree told him with certainty.

  “Sebastian,” Torin nearly growled at his king, his eyes never leaving the steel determination and hatred that blazed at him from Bree’s violet eyes.

  “Lexi,” Sebastian called out to her from the entrance of his tent. “Have your sisters come inside my tent to discuss this matter. No one will touch them. You have my word.”

  Lexi turned to face him, silently searching his eyes for the truth. Satisfied that he was an honorable man and would keep his promise, she nodded and turned to face her sisters, relieved to see that they had not relaxed their defensive stances. She looked at each one of them with pride. They obeyed her command without question. She knew that they would always do so.

  “Stand down,” she told them firmly, watching as they slowly lowered their weapons, turned off the power on the pulse weapons, and holstered them. “We all need to talk. There’s a lot that you need to know. Come inside Sebastian’s tent.”

  The sisters filed silently into the tent, sitting on the cushions that were placed on the thick rug once again. Torin followed closely behind them, his anger still evident in his posture and his expression. He was not a man who took kindly to being threatened—no matter how beautiful the woman was who was doing the threatening.

  He looked at Bree Gallagher one last time, taking a calming breath as he fought to control both his anger and his intense need to wrap her within his embrace. He was not liking the way his thoughts were taking him down the forbidden road of hope. Bree was not meant for him. She deserved someone who would make certain that she was always safe. He knew better than to think that he could be that warrior.

  He took his position at Sebastian’s left side and stood silently while Sebastian sat and faced the women, Lexi seated to his right. He nodded at Sebastian once, acknowledging that his queen had naturally taken up her position beside him. It was a true miracle that Sebastian had found her. His friend deserved the happiness. He, on the other hand, did not.

  “Lexi?” Bree asked as she sat facing her sister and Sebastian, unsure what questions to ask.

  “It seems that this world has some unique customs,” Lexi began. “Sebastian has informed me that in this world, a man and a woman have what is called a life mate who is recognized by a calling of their souls. That beginning bond is furthered by a touch.”

  “What?” Francie asked in confusion.

  Lexi sighed. “I don’t really completely understand it myself, but from what I do understand, when two people are meant to be bonded, their souls call to each other when they are in close proximity. The connection begins and their souls align. When the two touch, a sense of warmth is realized by both parties. They must share a touch often or both will be in pain that will increase to extreme levels unless they touch again. This will continue until they have truly mated.”

  “Mated?” Evie asked, her voice held disbelief but humor tinged it, as well. “As in, have sex?”

  “Yes,” Lexi answered without hesitation. “Because of this, I don’t want any of you to touch any man, and they must not touch you.”

  “Lexi, do you believe this?” Gaiya asked, her voice skeptical.

  “Yes, I do,” Lexi admitted.

  “Why?” Francie questioned, the logical side of her having a difficult time accepting what her sister was trying to tell her.

  “Because I felt this bond when I touched Sebastian,” she said without hesitation. She looked at her sisters and saw the shock registering on their faces. “I have also felt the pain. It didn’t go away until Sebastian touched my hand or my arm. Once he did, the pain disappeared. It returned shortly afterward, and he had to touch my hand again.”

  Sebastian watched as the sisters looked at each other then turned as a unit to look at him with intense anger in their eyes. He faced them without flinching. They were truly fierce warriors, and he was proud that they were now a part of his family.

  “It is the way of our world,” he explained calmly. “Lexi’s soul drew me to her. I felt the connection with her intensify the moment she touched me. I am sorry for the physical pain that it causes her, but I am not sorry to have finally found her. I have waited a long time for my life mate. I am thankful and happy that the heavens have brought her to me.”

  “I don’t believe it,” Callie said finally. “Lexi, you can’t believe this garbage!”

  Lexi faced her sister and smiled. Leave it to Callie to be the one to challenge this revelation. Although Callie held amazing healing abilities, she was the one who questioned what was unexplainable.

  “I didn’t believe it either at first, Callie,” Lexi told her honestly. “But the pain I felt was very real. It worsened with each minute.”

  “That could be from any number of reasons,” Callie argued.

  Lexi stood and walked across the tent to sit as far away from Sebastian as she could get. “I would not expect you to believe it without proof,” she said finally. “You’ll have to wait with me while the time passes. Sebastian, you are not to touch me in any way until I ask you to, is that clear?” She looked at him and saw the anger that flashed within his golden eyes.

  “My lady, you must not bring this pain upon yourself when there is no need,” he argued. “I will not see you suffer again.”

  “Ah, but that’s not your choice,” she told him calmly. “It’s mine, and you will honor it.” Her voice was firm, without the least bit of hesitance. “Torin, I expect you to hold him back from me if he is unable to control himself when the pain worsens for me. Is that clear?”

  She looked at the tall warrior who stood behind Sebastian, ever ready to offer his protection. She saw the hesitance in his eyes, but she also saw the moment he accepted her order.

  Torin nodded and knelt down behind Sebastian, sitting back on his haunches, his strong hands resting on his muscled thighs as he waited to do what he must in order to obey his new queen’s directive. Lexi Gallagher was Sebastian’s life mate. That made her his queen. He owed her the same respect and allegiance th
at he gave his best friend and king.

  Something fluttered inside Lexi’s chest. She felt a sense of rightness at the powerful warrior’s calm acceptance of her decree. When she nodded and smiled at him, he lowered his eyes with respect before lifting them to face her with absolute loyalty.

  “Lexi.” Sebastian’s voice was barely above a whisper. “Please do not do this, my lady.”

  Lexi met his gaze with determination. She would not be swayed by the emotions she saw there. The connection between them was certainly growing. She could feel his concern. She could also feel his pain that was increasing in severity, just as hers was.

  “Sebastian, please forgive me for causing you this pain,” she told him gently.

  “Alexa Gallagher, your stubbornness is going to be the death of me,” he said softly.

  “Get used to it, honey,” Lexi told him, smiling softly.

  Sebastian felt the warmth within his chest intensify at the endearment that Lexi used. To be called such a loving name was proof that his life mate was a sweet woman who freely offered her kindness and love.

  “I do not want you to hurt, my love,” he told her gently, loving the way her violet eyes softened as he spoke the words.

  “It must be done,” she told him calmly, sitting back and waiting for the intense pain that was already beginning with a dull ache. “I’m really sorry that you’ll have pain, as well.”

  She knew that this was the only way to convince her sisters that what she had said was true. She knew they would always have doubts even if they followed her orders. They had to see for themselves, and she was determined to hang in there as long as she could so the pain would be evident to all of them.

  She removed the belt that she wore around her waist that held her weapons and tech unit, setting it aside carefully. She was going to do everything she could to be as comfortable as possible. She knew it wasn’t going to last.

  The tent grew silent. Sebastian watched her, his frustration building. The anger that began in his heart soon gripped every cell within his body. It gave way to worry and concern as he saw the pain that crossed his life mate’s features. He knew Lexi’s pain grew with each passing moment because his did, as well, but he knew that hers was greater by far.