Her Commanders - M.K. Eidem Page 0,111

then, so there was nothing to tell you. Since then, we've bonded."

"What?!"

"Now, Paul," Dakota put a calming hand on her mate as she looked to her daughter. "I'm sure Cali was going to tell us."

"I was," Cali immediately agreed, understanding her mother's look. "I just wanted Jamis and Taarig to have time becoming used to becoming Zagreus before throwing anything else at them."

"And we're anything else?" Paul questioned.

"As my mom and dad? No. As you being the Supreme Chairman? Yes."

Paul found he couldn't argue with that. He hadn't missed the Commanders’ shocked expressions when he'd entered the room, which told him Cali was telling him the truth. "I suppose I can understand that."

"It seems a male blamed the Commanders for the death of his mate. He attacked them, and Cali got caught in the crossfire," Dakota explained.

"Where is this male," Paul growled.

"Ended," Jamis told him. "He blew his head off but not before he shot Taarig and ejected Cali out an airlock."

"I'm fine, Dad," Cali quickly reassured.

"Our daughter can heal, Paul."

"Mom!"

"What?!"

"She had to heal her mate to keep him with her," Dakota continued as if neither of them had interrupted. "The way we were."

"She forced a melding?!"

"No!" Everyone in the room immediately denied.

"I'd never do that, Dad," Cali whispered, hurt that he'd think she would. "Taarig was shot after we'd already committed to one another."

"Cali…" Paul couldn't stand the look in his daughter's eyes or how she sank deeper into her mates' arms.

A blinding light suddenly filled the room, and Jamis and Taarig pulled Cali deeper into their arms, their bodies wrapping protectively around her.

"Where's my daughter!" the demand rattled the walls of the base and set off its destabilization alarms.

"Caradoc, stop!"

Jamis looked behind him to see Cali's mom rushing toward a floating ball of light, which quickly transformed into a glowing male that enfolded her in his arms. As it did, the trembling ceased, and the alarms quieted.

"Ruk, Caradoc!" Paul swore. "How many times have I told you, you can't teleport into a Star Base that way? It destabilizes the structure."

"Do you think I rukking care?" the still brightly-glowing male replied.

"Please, Caradoc," Dakota pleaded. "Calm. Cali's fine."

"Then, where is she?" he demanded but did as Dakota requested his glow dimming.

"I'm right here, Father." Cali pressed a hand to each of her mates' chests, and they finally allowed her space to be seen but didn't release her.

Jamis and Taarig watched the eyes of Cali's father turn to them, glowing even brighter while his body solidified. Neither of them had ever met a pure Zagreus before and what they had heard was insufficient. This being was tall, head-and-shoulders taller than them with thickly muscled arms and legs. His face was angular with pale skin similar to Cali's, but his eyes glowed crystal clear, not Cali's warm topaz. His shoulder-length hair was also transparent and pulsed with energy.

There was supposed to be only one Zagreus with hair that color.

"Cali?" Taarig asked.

"Yes, my Father is the Paramount," she answered his unspoken question.

"Who are these males that dare touch my daughter?"

"Father, these are my mates."

"You dare meld without my permission?!"

"Caradoc!" Paul and Dakota exclaimed.

"I didn't need your permission," Cali growled as she pushed her way from between her mates to confront her father. "Only Jamis’s and Taarig's. Unlike you, I asked before melding with them!"

Jamis watched the Zagreus Paramount's head jerk back as if struck before he steadied himself and his hands began to glow. "What have they done to you that you speak to me that way?"

"They've loved me!"

"Caradoc, calm down," Dakota pleaded, but when she reached out, he shrugged off her hand.

"No! Don't you see they've taken advantage of our daughter?!"

"They haven't."

"They have, and I won't have it." With that, he threw two energy balls, one at each male.

Cali reacted instantly, throwing up an energy shield that sent the energy balls back at her father, hitting him in the chest. Caradoc's eyes widened in shock as he stumbled back several steps.

"Caradoc!" Dakota rushed to her mate's side. "Stop!" she ordered as her hands ran over him, checking for injuries.

"You shielded. How is that possible?" Caradoc demanded.

"What?" Cali questioned sarcastically. "The Great and all-powerful Paramount doesn't know something?"

"Cali!" her dad reprimanded sharply. "Now is not the time."

"Really, Dad?" Cali continued to shield her mates as she looked at him. "After he attacked my mates? I think it’s a perfect time."

Paul was shocked at the amount of power glowing in his daughter's eyes. It'd never been there before, or was it something else she'd