Page 68 of Thexan

“And they’re going to judge everything you do.”

“Yes,” he said. “But they will also judge what you do because of me.”

That hit harder than I expected.

I looked up at him, and for once, he wasn’t looking past the problem to the most efficient solution. His attention was fixed fully on me.

“You stood between me and your people,” he said. “You told them I belonged here before they had reason to believe it. That will have consequences.”

“I know.”

“I do not want you harmed by my presence.”

“You keep saying things like that as if I didn’t know what I was doing.”

His expression shifted, subtle but real. “I know you understood the risk. That does not reduce my response to it.”

The quiet between us changed.

There it was again, that careful, controlled concern he carried like a weapon he had not been trained to use.

“They’re my people,” I said. “They needed to hear the truth from me.”

“Yes.”

“And you’re my mate,” I continued, the word still strange and steady all at once. “They needed to see that I wasn’t ashamed of it.”

Thexan went very still.

Not the dangerous kind of stillness.

The kind that meant something had reached him.

“I would not have asked that of you,” he said.

“I know.”

“You gave it anyway.”

“Yes.”

His gaze held mine, and when he spoke again, his voice was lower, more deliberate.

“Then I will make certain your choice is not one they regret.”

Something tightened in my chest.

“That’s not only on you.”

“No,” he said. “It is on us.”

I nodded once, feeling the truth of that settle between us.

“They’re going to watch you,” I said again, softer this time.

“Then they will see consistency.”

“They’re going to test you.”