Chapter 16: King

Humans rarely trigger my curiosity. Today is the exception, and I've had an internal war all afternoon with Beast. He doesn't like Marinah, while my human side is intrigued. Being away from her has given me a chance to think about these strange, for lack of a better word, feelings. From Marinah's scent to her tall, lithe body, she draws my focus while inciting Beast's ire. I'm aware of her in a way no other woman holds my attention. She ignites something inside me and when near, I feel her on a different level than others. My biggest concern is the reason. The entire situation makes no sense.

The plan was to have an unobtrusive woman who would pontificate on behalf of the U.S. Federation while we grumbled and delayed. What we received is the daughter of a man I respect, and as soon as she fell at my feet outside the airplane, I knew nothing would go according to plan. And it hasn't.

Beck and I arrive back at the Citadel, thus named by one of the men while we prepared for