Page 15 of Taken By the Alien Merking
He turned back to face her, his eyes drinking in the sight of her standing tall and defiant despite the hurt that shadowed her gaze.
Brooke’s eyes met his, a flicker of something—was it hope?— passing between them.
Chapter 10
Brooke
Thejungle’ssoundsoflife filled the silence between them, a stark contrast to the turmoil brewing in Brooke’s mind. Each snap of a twig underfoot, each rustle of leaves in the breezeseemed to echo her heartbeat. Zetron’s revelation hung in the air like a dense fog, obscuring the path ahead and muddling her focus.
“I am still the same being who swam beside you, who sought to protect you from harm,” he had said. His words, meant to be a balm, only stoked the fire of her confusion. How could he be the same? He was a king, for heaven’s sake.
Brooke’s thoughts churned like the ocean’s tide. She muttered under her breath, a habit born of solitude and stress, “Timing… it’s all about the timing.” The irony wasn’t lost on her—a romantic entanglement was the last thing she needed, yet here she was, tangled indeed.
The lush foliage thinned as they neared the beach, and the salty tang of the sea grew stronger. Brooke’s gaze drifted to Zetron’s broad back, the scales along his shoulders shimmering in the dappled sunlight. He moved with a regal grace, his every step exuding confidence and command. She couldn’t deny the pull she felt towards him, a force as inevitable as the moon’s effect on the tides.
She remembered the warmth of his body against hers, the way his bright green eyes seemed to pierce through her defenses. “Respect and admiration,” she whispered to herself, the words tasting like a promise and a curse all at once. Her heart ached with the heaviness of her responsibilities, to her sisters, to Earth. How could she reconcile her feelings with her duty?
As they stood on the edge between the lush jungle and the sun-drenched beach, Zetron stopped, turning to face her. His gaze was steady, his expression unreadable. “Brooke,” he began, the sound of her name on his lips sending a shiver down her spine, “I understand the complexity of your position. I do not wish to add to your burden.”
She looked up at him, her resolve wavering under the intensity of his gaze. “It’s not about adding to my burden, King Zetron,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper. “It’s about my heart not being mine to give, not when so much is at stake.”
He nodded, a gesture so human, it made her heart clench. “I know,” he replied.
As they emerged onto the sun-drenched beach, the vast expanse of the ocean stretched out before them—a reminder of the distance between her world and Zetron’s. The sand, warm beneath her bare feet, seemed to mock her with its softness, a gentle rebuke for the hardness she needed to maintain.
Brooke’s breath caught in her throat, not from the view, but from the sight of countless Quxoni lining the sands, their heads bowed in deference to the man—no, the king—walking beside her. Their scales glistened under the sun’s caress, a vibrant mosaic of blues and greens that mirrored the hues of their ruler.
Zetron’s voice, a deep rumble that seemed to resonate with the very earth beneath their feet, broke the brief silence. “The negotiations will proceed as planned, Brooke. Humans will find a home here on Sanos. When we reach the palace, we will send word to the other leaders. The Quxoni have made their decision to welcome your people. After last night…I have made the decision to welcome your people. We will also encourage our allies to open their lands.”
Brooke’s world tilted on its axis. His words washed over her, a tsunami of hope and trepidation. Her mind raced, thoughts tripping over one another in their haste to be heard. This was what she had come for, what Earth had sent her to achieve. Yet, the cost of this victory seemed to weigh heavily on her conscience. She had not anticipated the price of success to include her heart.
The Quxoni king, oblivious to her inner turmoil, continued, “It will take time for all to accept this change. But I assure you, we will work tirelessly to ensure that your people are treated with the respect and dignity they deserve.”
Brooke’s lips parted, but no sound came out. She was a captain, a negotiator, a sister fiercely devoted to her kin. She was not a woman whose heart fluttered traitorously at the mere sight of a man—especially not one who was so fundamentally different from her.
As they walked, the Quxoni parted before them like a sea of scales, their reverent silence punctuated only by the rhythmic lappingof the waves. Brooke’s gaze flicked to Zetron, his profile etched against the backdrop of the ocean. He was majestic, a king in every sense of the word, and yet, he had chosen to share his world with hers.
Her voice, when she finally found it, was a whisper against the wind. “You’re giving us a chance at a new beginning, King Zetron. I… I don’t know what to say.”
He turned to her, his green eyes reflecting the sea’s depths.
Brooke’s heart swelled with a mixture of relief and disbelief as she took in what just transpired in a manner of minutes. The weight of her blunder, the gravity of her mistake, threatened to pull her under. Yet, here was Zetron, unfazed by the night’s transgressions, his gaze steady and unwavering as he promised a future for her people.
“Why are you doing this?” Brooke’s voice trembled, betraying her emotions.
Zetron’s eyes held hers, a quiet intensity flickering within their emerald depths. “Because I must. Because you’re mine.”
A shiver ran down her spine at his words. The possessive tone in his voice was both thrilling and alarming. Mine? What did that mean in the grand scheme of things? She hadn’t missed the way his people lined the beach, their respect for him apparent andabsolute. She was treading on unfamiliar ground, and the rules of this game were as elusive as the morning mist.
Brooke’s mind raced, her thoughts a whirlwind of hope and apprehension.
She glanced at the Quxoni lining the shore, their scales catching the sunlight and casting prismatic reflections on the sand. Their presence was a tangible reminder of the responsibility that now rested on her shoulders. She was the bridge between two worlds, and the weight of that realization settled heavily upon her.
Turning back to Zetron, she attempted to gather her thoughts, to find the words that would convey her gratitude without revealing the tumultuous emotions that threatened to overwhelm her. “I don’t know how to thank you, King Zetron. Your generosity… it’s more than we could have ever hoped for.”
He inclined his head, a gesture of humility that seemed at odds with his commanding presence. “You need not thank me, Brooke. The Quxoni value strength, courage, and the willingness to protect one’s own above all else. You have shown us that humans possess these qualities in abundance.”
Brooke’s cheeks warmed at his praise. She had come here as a negotiator, armed with facts and figures, prepared to fight for her people’s future. She hadn’t expected to find a kindred spirit in a king from another world.
