She was never supposed to matter. He was never supposed to care.
Elaina wanted to study the Morrak, not mate one.
An intelligence analyst, she dreamed of new languages and hidden messages, not an alien bond she didn’t ask for, but when Drazien singles her out at the Selection Gala, her quiet world is shattered.
Drazien’s loyalty was to the mission. He didn’t want emotional complications, He wanted bait.
With rebels threatening the alliance, he volunteered to choose the next Human as a lure to draw out the enemy. He planned to use her. He didn’t plan to fall.
When Elaina overhears a rebel plot and saves them both, the deception between them is cracked open. She offers to risk herself again, but if she’s going to be used, it’ll be on her terms.
Together, they set a trap that could crush the threat to the alliance… If it doesn’t destroy them first.
They began as a lie, but something real awakens. The line between duty and instincts blur. And the alien warrior who meant to sacrifice her, May burn everything down to keep her.
