Mated to the Beast of the Wasteland novel Chapter 16

Chapter 16 No One Pushes Us Around Anymore

Chapter 16 No One Pushes Us Around Anymore

“Gillian, don’t you worry about me. I’ll be perfectly fine on my own.”

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Mabel had slept well and looked absolutely radiant. At just 68, she wasn’t so old that she couldn’t take care of herself just yet.

“Go on. It’s your first day-you don’t want to be late.”

Mabel gazed at Gillian, her heart aching with a love so fierce it hurt. Her girl had been through something unthinkable, and yet she’d emerged stronger, more resilient, more grown than before.

It broke Mabel’s heart all over again.

“Grandma, why are you crying? Look around-we’re here now. No one can hurt us anymore.”

Gently, Gillian wiped the tears from her grandmother’s cheeks.

This is my fault. I’ve always been the one Grandma worries about.

“Ah, just an old woman getting sentimental. I’m fine. Gillian, does Merrick know about the house? Call him over for dinner tonight.”

Gillian had almost completely forgotten about Merrick. “Grandma, I think he’s still on a mission. When he gets back, I’ll-”

“Gillian.” Mabel’s voice was gentle but firm. “Don’t lie to me. Send him a message right now. Let me see.”

Seeing the worry etched into Mabel’s face, Gillian relented. She pulled up Merrick’s contact on her wrist terminal and sent a voice message.

“Grandma says to come over for dinner when your mission’s done.”

Only then did the tension ease from Mabel’s shoulders. She’d been terrified that this was all just a brave face Gillian was putting on for her sake.

“See? It says he’s offline. He’s definitely on a mission. Can you relax now, Grandma?”

A message flashed on Gillian’s wrist terminal.

“Gillian, I happen to be passing by. Thought I’d swing by and give you a ride to the medical unit.”

Gillian laughed softly, “It’s Freya. She’s going out of her way for me.” Her place wasn’t anywhere near Freya’s route.

She comes just for me.

“She’s a good kid, Gillian. You be nice to her.” Mabel was a good judge of character. Freya was solid.

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2:51 pm P PM T

Chapter 16 No One Pushes Us Around Anymore

know, Gratidma. You stay put and be good until I get back, okay?”

“All right. Oh, and tonight-make sure you invite Captain Reed and Lt. Col. Parker over for dinner too.”

“I will, Grandma. I promise.”

Gillian stepped out of the small courtyard and there it was-Freya’s terrain gripper.

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She hadn’t gotten a good look at it last night in the dark. But now, in the full light of day, she could finally appreciate the terrain gripper in all its glory.

The interstellar off-roader was a thing of beauty, its sleek lines forged from crimson nano-alloy. Its massive wheels were studded with spikes, built to grip any surface and conquer any terrain. A laser cutter gleamed on the front bumper, and the anti-grav engine mounted on the roof let it take brief flights to clear even the most impossible obstacles.

Gillian exclaimed, “Now that is a gorgeous color. What a ride!”

“They’re not too expensive. You can pick one up for around four hundred thousand coins.”

Freya’s mood lifted, seeing how genuinely Gillian admired it. Other people called it gaudy, but Freya loved her red

monster.

“I don’t even have my license yet. But as soon as I have some free time, I’m getting it. And then I’m getting one of these.”

The ride to Medical Section F of the 9th Legion flew by. As they pulled up to the massive metal complex, Gillian saw something else entirely: ruins from her past life-a wasteland of twisted metal and debris, total destruction.

How could a force powerful enough to wipe out an entire legion, with security this tight, even exist?

“Just head straight in,” Freya said softly, noticing the troubled look on Gillian’s face. “I’m over in Logistics Section G. Message me on your wrist terminal if you need anything.”

She figured Gillian was just nervous about her first day. That was understandable. Fresh out of the academy, a newly graduated cleric had been driven away by the Grayson family. It was heartbreaking.

“I won’t stand on ceremony with you, Freya.”

Gillian hopped out of the vehicle and bent down to flash Freya a warm smile. “Grandma specifically told me to invite you over tonight. Say you’ll come? Please?”

She looked so impossibly adorable standing there that it was impossible to say no.

Merrick is a lucky bastard.

Freya said, “I’ll swing by and pick you up on my way back, then.”

“That’s too much trouble-oh, who am I kidding? I’ll wait for your message.”

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Chapter 16 No One Pushes Us Around Anymore

Gillian genuinely liked how cool and composed Freya was.

萬

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