Alien Shield - Fated Mates of the Sea Sand Wardlords, #8

"I have always been a patient warrior. But now that I have her in my sights, I cannot wait to claim her..."

SERENA

To say I've been busy is an understatement. Between trying not to die on this hostile alien world and helping my newly-pregnant friends (I am a biologist, after all) I've had a lot going on. But when I stumble into the alien forge and find the huge, quiet weapons master Xyan there, I have a whole new task at hand. Xyan - the biggest, strongest, most serious alien I've ever met - offers to help me study the Sea Sand biology. I may be busy, but not too busy for that. I mean, who could refuse the opportunity to study the anatomy of a gorgeous alien man up close and personal? But the more time I spend with Xyan, the less academic my interest in him becomes.

I'm falling for this stoic alien warrior. But he's totally unreadable, and he hasn't said anything about having a mate.
Even so, I can't help but feel there's something between us.
Maybe I can still love him even if he isn't meant to be my mate.
I just have to figure out how to keep my heart in one piece in the process...

XYAN

Even before the Lavrika came to me to show me my fated mate, I knew Zerena was mine. I've watched her, hungering, from afar for too long. I want to claim her. But at the same time, I do not want her to feel a sense of obligation towards me. The last thing I want is for her to feel pressured by the mate bond. So I try to coax her to me without telling her she is meant to be my mate. I try to win her on my own merit.
But this proves more challenging than I'd anticipated, and miscommunication abounds.
Perhaps I have gone astray. Perhaps I should simply tell her she is mine...

I do not want her to feel trapped.
Even though her beauty has already trapped me. Forever...