Fighting For Their Mate

by Grace Goodwin

  Collared.

  I felt the weight of it along the back of my neck, pressing onto my collarbones. It wasn’t heavy, it was just…there. So were the ever-present feelings of Seth and Dorian. As soon as the collar went on, I felt connected to them in a way no one on Earth could ever explain. Psychically, perhaps. It was as if our brains were part of the same network. While I couldn’t read their thoughts—which was a good thing based on the really pissed off looks on their faces—I sensed their anger, their frustration at being called to the commander’s office.

  Probably because they’d been completely and totally cock-blocked.

  “You’re the one who wanted me to hurry back to the ship to claim my mate, Commander. Seems a little ridiculous to pull us away from her after only a few hours,” Seth said. While his tone was deferential, the words were anything but.

  Commander Karter stood from his chair, came around his desk, leaned against it. “That was before I knew who your mate was. And why the hell are you here, Captain?” He asked Dorian.

  “I’m Captain Mills’ second, sir. We’ve claimed Chloe together.”

  “Yes, I can see that by the collars.” Commander Karter looked to me. “You were matched by the testing program to one mate. Seth Mills. Yet in a very short time, you are here with two of my fighters. You accepted this arrangement?” His gaze landed squarely on the collar about my neck as he waved his finger between Seth and Dorian.

  “Yes, sir,” I replied. The testing dream had shown me two men and I’d liked it. Yet, I’d been matched to one. Or, had I always been matched to both Seth and Dorian without even them knowing it at the time? Had Seth’s subconscious always considered Dorian to be his second? I had to assume yes since having those two fuck me had been even better than the dream. For once, reality outdid any fantasy I could imagine. I couldn’t go back to only one guy after that. And Seth and Dorian? They’d ruined me for all other men. My pussy clenched in agreement.

  Commander Karter nodded once.

  Seth frowned. “May I speak freely, sir?”

  “Haven’t you already?”

  Oh, I liked this guy. I could tell he was stern, but not an asshole. This ship seemed to be in the thick of battle with the Hive and he didn’t have time to go hard-core by the rules. If he did that, nothing would get done. Bending and flexing, adjusting to the shit that hit the fan made a good leader. Unlike Bruvan. God, that was an asshole leader of epic proportions. He made decisions based on his ego, not the intelligence I provided. He was wrong. People died. Our ship got hit and I not only got injured, I was medical’d out and blamed for the whole disaster. Eight dead. A lost ship. Lost tech. And I got sent home while Bruvan got a new team and sympathetic pats on the back.

  Typical bureaucratic bullshit.

  No, Commander Karter seemed to have his shit together and could keep very alpha guys in their place. Although, he’d yet to push their possessive mate button yet. But it was coming. He knew who I was. As a Battlegroup Commander, he’d have full access to my file. I had a feeling I already knew what he wanted, and my overly protective mates weren’t going to like it.

  Seth shifted his stance, settled. Let out a deep breath. Dorian quietly loomed over us. Not the commander, for he, too, was Prillon and was enormous.

  “We didn’t expect to have to protect our mate from the commanding officer,” Seth said. And there was the possessive mate I’d just been thinking about.

  Commander Karter looked between the three of us, took in the black collars about our necks and the severe expressions on both of my mates’ faces. He looked at me, his eyebrows raised in question. All I could to was shrug…and grin. If my new mates wanted to give me a little extra attention, I was game. To my shock, the huge Prillon commander threw his head back and laughed. “She doesn’t need you to protect her.”

  Both of my mates bristled. Yup, protective. Possessive.

  “What is that supposed to mean?” Seth asked.

  Commander Karter lifted his hand. “Stand down, Mills.”

  Just two words and he expected two dominant, alpha males to chill out. I could feel the anger through the collars and the commander didn’t seem to need a collar to sense it either. I wasn’t sure where this was going, so I remained quiet. I learned long ago that sometimes it was best to just listen.

  “Your mate isn’t just a bride from Earth. She used to be a Coalition fighter. She’s skilled enough to handle herself on the battleship.” He cleared his throat and gave me a rather pointed look. “And elsewhere in space.”

  “We’re aware she’s a veteran,” Seth said. “But we’ve…um, been a little too busy since she arrived to learn much about each other.”

  Was that a blush I saw creeping up Seth’s neck? Adorable. Seriously. I wanted to go up on tippy toes and kiss him.

  The commander cleared his throat, catching Seth’s meaning.

  “While she was holding your interest, her record held mine.”

  And here we go… Now I was the one blushing.

  “I wasn’t aware you paid personal attention to brides arriving on the battleship,” Dorian added. He shifted to lean against the wall. While he looked relaxed, he wasn’t. All he had to do was lift his arm and his hand would be back on my shoulder. With one quick tug of his left hand, I could be in his hold, with his right hand free to grab his ion pistol from his thigh.

  “I don’t. I let the Brides Program do their job. But when the doctor checked her out in the transport room when she first arrived, her profile pinged the ship’s defense system. The doctor thought it prudent to bring her presence onboard my ship to my immediate attention.”

  Dorian reached out then, gently spinning me to face him. I had to tilt my head back…way back, to meet his pale gaze. “Why would your name ping the defense system?”

  The darker tone he used with the commander was gone when he questioned me. He was softening his emotions for me; I could feel it through the collar as well.

  I cleared my throat. “I’m sorry, Dorian, but I can’t say.”

  So much for softened emotions. I felt a blast of frustration hit me and I stepped back. Dorian cupped my upper arm and held me in front of him, his touch amplifying the confusion and tension he, too, was feeling. And not in a good way. Wow, the collars were intense.

  I rubbed at my neck. “Is there a way to turn these things down?”

  “No.” Seth was even more annoyed by my question, but he did a better job of calming his emotions so I didn’t feel like I was in the middle of a volcanic blast of man-rage.

  A V formed in Dorian’s brow. “Why can’t you tell us? Don’t fear we’ll judge you, Chloe. We’re your mates. We are yours. Totally and completely. You can tell us anything.”

  “She can’t tell you because she’s not authorized to do so,” the commander said from over my shoulder.

  “If she can’t tell us, then why the hell did you bring it up?” Dorian asked.

  “Captains, I didn’t request your presence in my office, I requested Commander Phan’s. I have a mission brief for her. And a new assignment as a member of my command crew.”

  “What?” I asked, my interest instantly piqued. Yes! God. I’d been going crazy the last few months on Earth. The last couple of days with Dorian and Seth had been amazing. Hot. Sexy. Wonderful. But I couldn’t have sex all day, every day.

  Well, I could, but I needed more than that. Just like my mates did.

  Doing nothing the last few months on Earth? Knowing the Hive was out here winning? Killing us. Destroying everything in their path. I couldn’t sleep at night, staring up at the stars, knowing what was happening out here in space. I looked at the commander. “I am not allowed to return to active duty in my previous“—I searched for the right word—“capacity.”

  The Prillon commander nodded, not surprised. “I read your file. I am well aware of the—” He, too, looked up from his desk for a moment, searching for what he could say to me, without saying anything. “I have read your file. You will not be required to return
to the field.”

  I slumped in relief. He knew about my past. My previous injuries. This weird thing in my head. And he was going to find a way to make it work to his advantage. And mine. I wanted to pump my fist in the air and whoop. But by the shocked dismay on my mates’ faces, now was not the time. “I accept the position. Thank you, Commander Karter.”

  “Excellent, Commander Phan.” He stood and walked around the desk, holding his arm out to me, warrior to warrior. “You’ll be fourth in the chain of command for Battlegroup Karter. I’ll expect you to report directly to me first shift tomorrow to meet the rest of the command crew and our operational team leaders.”

  “Commander Phan? Seriously?” Seth yelled like he’d just been struck by a whip. “You’re a commander?”

  Commander Karter crossed his arms. “Did you not hear me address your mate as such? I can repeat it a third time if you wish. And outside of your private quarters, Captains, I suggest you address the commander with the proper respect due a superior officer.”

  “Is this a joke, Commander Karter? I am not amused.” Dorian’s tone was deceptively soft compared to the riot of emotions bombarding me through the collar.

  “I was a commander,” I said, holding out my hands by my sides to calm down my mates. Sheesh. Testosterone was great in bed, and not so great right now when their aggression and protective instincts were drowning me through our new connection. “I was a commander.”

  Commander Karter cleared his throat, speaking loudly. “Comms on. This is Commander Karter. Let the official record show that as of now, Commander Chloe Phan is officially reinstated as an active member of the Coalition Fleet, and as commanding officer overseeing the Hive ReCon and Communication protocols team.” He was smiling at me the more my mates bristled. He was obviously enjoying this a bit too much. “You are a commander, Lady Phan.”

  “Lady Mills.”

  The commander waved his hand dismissively. “Not yet, she’s not. That collar is still black, gentlemen.”

  Seth’s voice was cold. Calm. “She can’t be a bride and a Coalition fighter. We mated her, claimed her.”

  “I am well aware of the rules, Captain,” the commander said. “However, that rule is in place specifically for active duty military personnel in combat positions. Serving me here, on the Karter, is not a forward combat position.”

  Seth strode across the room and stood beside Dorian so he could look at me too, study my face.

  I put my hand to my neck. “Guys, you need to dial down the emotions. I sense you want to toss me over your shoulder and lock me in our quarters.”

  “The collars are working then, because that’s exactly what I’m feeling,” Seth countered. A little vein pulsed at his temple.

  I looked at the commander. “I’ll be on the command deck first thing tomorrow, sir.”

  “Excellent. You are dismissed.”

  I moved closer to the door and it slid open. My men stepped into the space, blocking me in. Their gazes roved over me, then over my head at the commander. Without a word, Dorian bent at the waist and tossed me over his shoulder. He spun on his heel and walked down the hallway. With his long strides, we were making fast progress back to our quarters. They hadn’t said that was our destination, but they didn’t need to.

  “Be ready, mate,” Seth said. “As soon as we’re in private, you’ll submit. And you’ll tell us everything.”

  “I can’t.” It was the truth. Simple as that.

  Dorian swatted my upturned ass once, then cupped it with his big palm. “I hate this, mate. I hate everything about this. But if that’s the case, we’re going to fuck you until you forget everything but our names.”

  Okay then.

  Chapter 7

  Chloe, Mated Coalition Fighter Quarters

  * * *

  “You are insane,” I said, once Dorian put me down, and only so once the door to our quarters slid closed and Seth engaged the lock. That measure wasn’t really necessary since I didn’t plan on bolting, not that two huge mates would allow it.

  “Perhaps, but discovering your mate is a commander with the I.C., you can’t blame me,” Dorian said working his armored shirt over his head.

  “I wasn’t keeping it from you intentionally,” I replied, spinning on my heel and going over to the table in the small kitchen area and sliding my fingers over the smooth metal surface. I didn’t want to look at either of my mates while we had this conversation. I could feel them, which was plenty.

  “Strip, Commander,” Seth said. He stood, legs shoulder width, arms crossed over his broad chest.

  That made me look to him. Dorian took off his thigh holster, put it and his weapon on the table with a heavy thunk. His chest was so golden, the smattering of hair on it so fair. I remembered how silky it felt beneath my fingers, how warm his skin was, the play of hard muscle beneath.

  I bristled, but since I felt the pulse of lust through the collar, my muscles immediately went lax and a little moan escaped my lips. He wasn’t being demanding, like a Coalition fighter. He was being dominant as my mate behind a closed—no, locked—door.

  And my mate wanted me to strip.

  With fumbling fingers—not because I was nervous, but because their need coursing through my veins was distracting—I worked my shirt over my head as I toed off my boots.

  When I looked up, Dorian was naked. All golden skin, brawny muscle and big cock. I licked my lips, eager for it. I knew what it felt like in my hand, how my fingers could barely close around it. I knew how it felt inside me, that flared crown stroking over every single sweet spot. I wanted it.

  Dorian strode toward the bedroom and I stared at his perfect ass, the narrow hips and long, muscular thighs as he went. In the doorway, he turned, crooked a finger.

  He didn’t have to say a word. It was as if I were an Atlan bride and the collars were like mating cuffs, keeping us from being apart, even from the smallest of distances. Pulling me to him.

  I took a step, but Seth’s voice stopped me.

  “Not yet, sweetheart. I told you to strip.”

  I was in my bra and pants and Seth had yet to move. He was watching me, liked how I was slowly revealed to him. It wasn’t a strip tease. Far from it. The plain clothes and even plainer underwear were far from sexy. I told him this.

  “I don’t need to see you in lingerie to have you bring me to my knees,” he replied. He put his hand over his cock, rubbed it and I could see the thick outline of it through his uniform. “This, sweetheart, is all yours. Just do as I say and you can have it.”

  His words were accompanied by a sexy grin.

  All I had to do to have all of him was to get naked? Done.

  I tugged and pushed, unlatched and dropped the rest of my clothes until I stood before him, the cool air furling my nipples.

  Seth’s gaze roved hotly over my body. He angled his head. “Good girl. Now go to Dorian. He’s waiting for you.”

  I walked into the bedroom, felt Seth’s eyes on me, heard his heavy footfall following.

  Dorian was sitting on the side of the bed, knees splayed wide, cock curving long and thick so it touched his belly. I could see a glistening smear of pre-cum on the head and above his navel.

  “Gorgeous,” he said, his voice rough as he looked me over from head to toe.

  I felt the word, knew the truth of it. They liked what they saw. Wanted me.

  “You might be the one with the highest rank outside these quarters, sweetheart, but here, with us, we run the show,” Seth said from behind me.

  I shivered, thinking of having the two of them dominate me. Oh, they’d taken the lead every other time we’d fucked, but they hadn’t said it outright. I’d felt their control and let them have it. I’d wanted them to have it.

  Now, was different.

  “I didn’t become a bride to work for the Coalition again.”

  Dorian looked up at me—a first that I was taller—and slowly shook his head. “A stupid way to go about it if you did. Volunteering, you’re stuck wit
h a mate, even if it’s not the one you were matched to. There’s no getting around it.”

  “And you’re stuck with two,” Seth added.

  I spun about, put my hands on my hips. “You think I feel stuck with you?”

  “Nope.” Seth tucked a finger around his collar. “But there are more people impressed with you than just your mates.”

  Oh. I felt pride mixed with their frustration now.

  “You’re not mad?” I asked, biting my lip. I felt ridiculous standing around naked while talking about my military background, but it had to be said. It was an invisible, almost tangible…thing in the way.

  “Fuck, yes.”

  “Not at you, mate,” Dorian clarified. “Because we are your mates and should know everything there is about you. No secrets. Yet you have many.”

  “So do you,” I countered. Being in ReCon, there was much they’d seen and couldn’t mention.

  “Exactly. And that’s why we’re frustrated. I was not expecting a mate who had a past like ours. Experiences full of death, destruction. Evil. It is our role to shield you from that. And we can’t. Now, with Karter wanting you back, it isn’t just the past we want to ease.”

  I walked over to Dorian, stood between his parted thighs. His face was right in line with my breasts, but he wasn’t looking at them. Instead, his pale eyes held mine.

  “You’re protective,” I said.

  He nodded.

  “Possessive.”

  Seth stepped up behind me and I felt the coldness of the armor against my back. “Definitely,” he replied. “That’s our dried seed on your thighs.”

  Dorian cupped me between my thighs and I gasped. A finger slipped deep inside and I went up on my toes. “More here. Your pussy’s filled with our seed. We’ve taken you enough that you could be pregnant. So when we hear you’re wanted for dangerous Coalition missions? Yeah, we’re angry. No way we’d let our mate—and baby—be put in danger.”

  He said all this as his finger slid in and out of me. He was right, their mingled seed made his movement easy. When he curled his finger, found that sweet spot that made me cry out, beg, whimper, I was at their mercy.