Chapter 3

Thinking back to how excited Finlay had gotten when he found out she was a pure human with mind essence, Analise could not help but suspect she was being treated like some kind of lab rat. She had wondered why he never questioned her, and now, it made a little too much sense. Nonetheless, since she did not belong to any alliance, and she had already learned from Finlay how rare and valuable females were in this world, she figured going with him to Stormclaw Alliance was better than wandering around alone. "Ms. Chamber, there's no need to be nervous. You're in Stormclaw Alliance's hospital," the man in the white coat said gently. "I'm a doctor—you're completely safe here. Major Knight brought you in." He continued, "According to him, you were found alone in the forest. He was worried you might have been hurt, so we're just checking to make sure you don't have any internal injuries. "Would you mind telling us which alliance you're from? I couldn't find any chip implant or ID records for you, Ms. Chamber." The male doctor, whose name tag read Kyle Davies, was holding something like a tablet. His long fingers swiped across the screen as if trying to locate something. Analise stayed silent and just stared at him without answering. Meanwhile, Kyle noticed she was not in the mood to talk, so he did not push. Instead, he walked to the door and called for another male, whispering something to him before sending him off. Once that was done, Kyle returned to the room and quietly resumed monitoring Analise's vitals, typing notes into his device as he observed the readouts. A little while later, Finlay burst into the room, practically dragging another male behind him. "Scott, this is the one I told you about—the pure-human girl who actually has mind essence," Finlay said excitedly. "It's just F-grade, the lowest level, but still... Can you believe it?" "Major Knight, Admiral Hopkins," Kyle greeted both of them with respectful nods. "How's Ms. Chamber doing?" Scott Hopkins asked casually, his sharp gaze scanning Analise lying on the bed. "Physically, she's stable. Nothing serious—just seems a little tense, likely from the stress," Kyle said as he handed over her readings. "And as Major Knight mentioned, there is indeed a faint trace of mind essence activity. She's the first pure-human female we've ever recorded with measurable mind essence." Analise listened from the bed, feeling her anxiety rise again. Scott definitely seemed way smarter than Finlay. Something about the way he observed her made her feel scrutinized. Right on cue, the monitor next to her let out a series of beeps. Kyle glanced at the numbers and realized her heart rate had spiked again. He figured maybe she was not used to being around unfamiliar males, and the presence of high-ranking strangers had triggered her discomfort. After all, some females were just naturally more introverted, and fear could easily kick in when they were placed in unfamiliar environments. "Ms. Chamber, you don't have to be afraid," Kyle said gently, trying to calm her. "He means you no harm. This is Admiral Scott Hopkins, the Commander of Stormclaw Alliance. He's also the only known SS-grade mind essence bearer we've ever had." Analise was shocked to hear that Scott was the only SS-grade mind essence bearer. She quietly studied him, saying nothing. Nonetheless, it dawned on her that Scott was the top dog around here. "Yeah, Ms. Chamber! Scott's totally cool—you really don't have to be scared!" Finlay chimed in with a big, goofy smile, his white teeth practically gleaming. Before they came in, Finlay had already talked to Scott about wanting to become Analise's guardian, and Scott had given the okay. But of course, it still depended on whether Analise agreed. Even so, Finlay felt pretty confident. After all, she had fallen asleep on his back and let him carry her the whole way here—surely that meant she trusted him and would agree to it. "Ms. Chamber, there's no need to be afraid," Scott said as he stepped forward slightly, offering a calm smile that barely reached his eyes. He added, "You're welcome to stay here in Stormclaw Alliance. Since you don't have a guardian, I'll arrange both housing and a suitable guardian for you shortly. "Here in Stormclaw, females receive the same benefits and privileges as any other citizen, including financial support. We don't just talk the talk—we walk it." Scott reached into his coat and pulled out a small case containing a pale blue microchip. He continued politely, "However, I believe it would be best for you to have a chip implanted. It's the safest way to record your identity and ensure your protection within Stormclaw Alliance." Analise stared at his smile, but something about it made her uneasy—it felt too polished and too calculated. She suspected he was skeptical about her background, even if he had not said it aloud. Still, she did need a place to stay, and based on what Finlay had told her earlier about female status and protection, she had no better option. So, Analise nodded and pointed to Finlay without saying a word. Moreover, the system had already scanned the chip earlier—it was clean, just standard for this world, so she was not worried about that. If anything, it only confirmed that while Scott might have doubts about her, he was not planning to hurt her—at least not directly. Plus, Finlay mentioned before that males were not allowed to harm females. Finlay grinned from ear to ear, beaming with pride. He knew Analise would pick him. "You'd like Finlay to be your guardian?" Scott asked smoothly, still smiling as he looked at her. Analise blinked once, then nodded again. She chose Finlay purely because he seemed harmless—simple, easy to read, and, most importantly, easy to deal with. "In Stormclaw Alliance, each female is allowed up to five guardians," Scott added casually, handing the chip case to Kyle. Kyle remained expressionless, but inwardly, he was stunned because the chip Scott had just handed him was Stormclaw's highest-grade implant. After all, only one person had ever received the pale blue chip—Vera Khielson, an SS-grade mind essence bearer. Everyone had assumed Scott would eventually mate with Vera. However, with what had just happened, that did not seem so certain anymore. "Five?" Analise blurted, her expression finally cracking in shock. "Yes," Scott said evenly. "Stormclaw has far fewer females than other alliances across the interstellar universe, so we take extra measures to protect the ones we have. You, Ms. Chamber, are unique—a pure human with mind essence. That makes you even more vulnerable and more valuable." Then, his eyes locked onto hers, calm and composed, as he added, "If you'd allow it, I can be one of your guardians as well." Both Kyle and Finlay turned to look at him, surprised by the sudden offer. Kyle raised an eyebrow slightly, and the corners of his mouth twitched upward in quiet amusement. Internally, he was buzzing. "Is Admiral Hopkins finally being more interested in more than just war strategy? How exciting!" And honestly, who could blame him? Scott had always been polite and respectful toward females, but he had never once offered to become a guardian—not even when Vera herself asked him directly. "Scott? You want to be Ms. Chamber's guardian, too?" Finlay's grin faltered, and he blinked a few times. There was something weird and uncertain in his eyes now—maybe even a hint of panic. For the first time, Finlay felt an unfamiliar sense of competition stirring in his chest.