"You have absolutely been the most interesting candidate that has ever been through the mating process." Mexyn gave Tempest her signature tight smile.

Tempest blinked a few times. She was still trying to regulate her body. On the outside she seemed calm but just as before, on the inside, it felt like she was going insane.

That whole ordeal with Dron replayed over and over in her mind. She couldn’t make heads or tails of it.

"I’m happy that someone seems to be getting something out of this." Tempest sighed and squeezed her hands open and closed over and over again.

Her nerves were wound up tight.

"I would really like to get some information from you." Mexyn looked at Tempest, the excitement pouring from the alien’s eyes. Tempest didn’t understand what the big deal was. So Dron was going to fight for her. I’m sure the alien had gotten into scraps for less.

When Tempest didn’t reply right away, she watched Mexyn’s eyes furrow a little. "You do know what happened, do you not?"

"There was going to be a fight. I stopped it. I had to. I don’t want the people here to think any worse of Dron no matter how rude he can be at times."

Mexyn shook her head. "No, I’m not talking about that. Well, at least not about the fighting portion. I’m talking about the fact that you were able to stop him."

Tempest didn’t think that was anything special. She actually thought it was pretty stupid of her. She could’ve gotten hurt. If Dron had swung or pushed her a little harder, she really would’ve been.

"You want information about that? I just got in the way. If anything, you should be talking to Dron about that."

"Moon goddess. You really don’t know." Mexyn sighed and gestured for Tempest to come closer as if she were about to tell her some big secret. "What you did was impossible."

"What do you mean?" Tempest questioned.

"I mean, no one else here would’ve been able to stop Dron. It’s why Cynic continued fighting even when Dron was no longer a threat. Cynic was fully emerged in his alpha instincts."

"So you’re saying that Dron went full alpha?"

"Yes." Mexyn smiled again.

"And that means what? He shouldn’t have been able to stop? I did something to him?" Tempest tried her hardest to understand, but the whole concept was foreign to her.

"Yes!"

Tempest pondered a little longer. She didn’t want to admit it, but she knew something had happened. She could still feel the remnants of it in her body. It was as if every last nerve were tingling. And somehow it seemed as if she could still feel Dron. Like she was still connected to him.

"I didn’t mean to do anything to him. Is he okay?" Tempest finally asked.

"Is he okay?" Mexyn’s voice went up an octave. "He’s probably the happiest alpha in all the lands."

"Why? I don’t get it."

"Because he found his fated mate!"

Tempest had never seen Mexyn this excited before. It was a shame that she didn’t feel anything but dread. "What do you mean I’m his fated mate. Explain this to me like I’m a child."

"As you wish. What you did was impossible. Only fated mates share bonds with alphas so strong that they can break through to an alpha in their most primal state. Fated mates haven’t happened in years. Centuries, maybe. It means that you and Dron are meant to be together for all time. You won’t have to choose another husband. He’s what you would call a soulmate." Mexyn nodded.

Soulmate.

"Hold up." Tempest nearly vomited. "What the heck do you mean, soulmate? Dron can’t be my soulmate. We’re not even from the same planet."

Anger flared in Tempest’s gut. She wouldn’t be duped like this again. Sam had said they were soulmates. He told her that they were meant to be together and then proceeded to break her to pieces.

Mexyn was stunned. "Tempest, you don’t understand. It’s not something you or anyone else can control. It’s a blessing."

"I don’t want the blessing. More than that, I don’t think Dron wants it either. " Tempest shook her head hard, "No."

"No?" Mexyn questioned. "What exactly are you saying no to?"

"The entire premise. I don’t know what your culture believes, but where I’m from, the people decide their own fate, and I’m saying no to Dron being my soulmate."

Mexyn’s entire face fell. "Are you saying that you will reject the bond?"

"I’m saying there is no real soulmate bond, but if you guys call it rejecting, then so be it."

Mexyn sighed, and for a long moment she was absolutely silent. "That saddens me more than you’ll ever know, but if that is your decision, so be it."

Tempest felt bad that she was disappointing Mexyn, but all this talk about soul mates and fated pairs was just too much for her.

It was true that she was a sucker for love. She enjoyed the feeling of having someone to call her own. Someone she could depend on. The problem was it seemed more like this was completely out of her control. What if Dron turned out to be some sort of freaky serial killer or something like that?

Besides, both Tempest and Dron had already agreed that this was going to be a permanent thing. He was going to help her get back home. That was the deal.

She suddenly was worried that if he thought the same way that Mexyn did, he would try to get out of his promise.

Tempest shifted uneasily. The feeling of being connected to Dron was still there, but it had lessened. If this was truly a physical thing, she wondered what would happen to Dron.

"Mexyn, humans don’t believe soul mates are a physical thing. More of a belief. Is that the same for Thraqens?"

"Yes and no. It’s a very intense deep belief, but fated mates also are physical. It allows the alpha to be much stronger, especially when it comes to protecting or providing for their mate. It changes them mentally, physically, and sexually."

Sexually? Tempest didn’t even want to touch that.

"Mentally?" Tempest bit her lip. She almost didn’t want to know, but she had to find out, "What does that mean for Dron? If he believes this ridiculous notion that I’m his fated mate and I don’t, what will that do to him?"

"He can’t force you to remain his fated mate if that’s what you’re concerned about. If the pairing is rejected by either pair, there can be consequences."

"Such as?"

"Dron will become more irritable at first. Paranoid. Then his body will start to fail; not even the life nectar will help him. Lastly, he’ll lose his mind and die." Mexyn said it all matter-of-factly.

She was going to kill him? Tempest refused to believe that was true. It was all a hoax. After all, she wasn’t even supposed to be on this planet. There was no way that any of that would happen.

"Are you saying that if I don’t play along with this, I’m going to go crazy?" Tempest wasn’t convinced.

Mexyn tilted her head for a second; she was in deep thought. "I guess since you are not from this planet, it may not happen to you. Something like this has never happened before."

That’s exactly what Tempest thought. There was no proof of any of this happening. It was just another scare tactic.

Tempest nodded her head and turned away from Mexyn. She didn’t want to know anymore. She didn’t want any more information that would sway her into changing her mind.

Dron was a good man. No matter how ornery he was from time to time. Tempest truly believed that, but she didn’t want to give up her freedom for him. Not when she’d only just gotten it back.

She was tired of being stuck somewhere she didn’t want to be. She had a plan. It was only the start of a plan, but it was something.

She would get back to earth and put all of this behind her.

Thraqe. Aliens. Dron.

All of it would be behind her and she could get on with her life.

Whatever she thought she was feeling, any connection she thought they might have had would fade away with time. Tempest was sure of it.

Still, even the idea of putting Dron through the type of pain Mexyn made it seem like he would go through hurt Tempest’s heart. She didn’t want to do that.

The rage inside her continued to build. It seemed as if Tempest was always caught between what was right for herself and what was right for someone else.

She would choose herself this time. She’d never put herself first in anything but this time she would.

Fated mates or not, Tempest would find a way to get back home. Dron would just have to deal with the aftermath on his own.