“Agreed but I refuse to put Ellie in front of them to answer questions. They will verbally attack her and say mean things that will hurt her feelings. I won’t allow that. It’s my job to protect her. We need to allow the humans to deal with their own kind. They are getting paid to handle the press. Let them do it.”

“It’s also your job to protect Species and our image. We may have to allow them to see Ellie to assure all humans she is fine. We need the public on our side, Fury. The last thing we need is more humans hating us and showing up outside the gates. The president can’t back us if he’s getting slammed by everyone for doing so.”

“I can do my job and Ellie is New Species. She’s mine to protect as well. I won’t risk one for the other because it won’t come to that.”

“Good. I will call a meeting with Tom next and he’s the best public relations person we have. He’s heavily into politics and has a vast amount of experience in dealing with the public. He’ll tell us the best way to handle this.” Justice sighed. “I wish these anti-New Species humans would just go away.”

“I wish it as well but we’re free. This seems to be the price of it. We realized it wouldn’t be easy from the start. We’ll get through this. Our security teams are prepared for the worst and you’ll handle the humans. You’re much better at dealing with them than I am.” A chuckle escaped Fury. “I don’t envy you that job today.”

“Is there any way you’ll allow the press access to Ellie?”‘

“No. She’s waiting for me to end this call and I’m going to her. She’s worried. I need to soothe her.”

“Did you just say you needed to soothe her?” Justice laughed.

A flash of irritation tore through Fury. “What? She gets upset and I can’t stand to see her that way.”

“Soothe?”

“I get to run my hands all over her.” Fury chuckled. “I distract her and as her mate it is my job to keep her mind on more pleasant things. Are you really going to give me shit about doing that? If you had a woman waiting for you, you would want to soothe her as well.”

“Go. I envy you right now. I have no one waiting for me.” Justice hung up.

* * * * *

“Justice is going to hold a press conference tomorrow. He’s decided we don’t have to talk to them unless we want to. I told him we won’t.” Fury said when he walked out of the kitchen without the phone.

Ellie arched an eyebrow. “You might have asked me.”

Dark eyes narrowed. “I am not going to put you up on display and allow humans to say hurtful words to you.”

“Don’t get angry. I’m trying not to get mad myself. You need to ask me things though. It’s just the right thing to do.”

Fury growled. “You’re mine to protect.”

Ellie sighed. She loved him. He was naturally dominant, it being his nature, and he wanted to protect her. She could either fight him every step of the way or just accept that he was prone to that behavior. She knew he loved her as deeply as she loved him. She nodded and his anger eased.

“I just want to shelter you.”

“I know, Fury. I just like to be asked. All right?”

“I’ll try. Do you want me to call Justice back and tell him that we will be there for the reporters to question?”

“You’d do that for me? Go with me if I wanted to?”

He sat down next to her. “If you go, I go.”

She loved him even more for saying that. “Don’t call him back. There’s no way I want to be there.”

“Women,” Fury growled but he smiled.

Ellie leaned toward him and softly brushed a kiss on his lips before pulling back. “Get used to it if you want to marry one.”

“I do.”

The phone rang again. Fury cursed. “Damn it. It’s not going to stop.”

Ellie silently agreed. “I guess I should call my family on my cell phone while you take that call. It would be rude not to give them a heads up before they see it on the evening news.”

Fury’s expression darkened.

“I don’t care if they aren’t happy about us. You’re my life now, Fury. You’re all that matters. I should call them though so they hear it from me.”

“Maybe I should just tear the phones out of the walls.”

Ellie was tempted to let him but then reality set in. “Then they’d come to the door.”

“Good point.”

Chapter Sixteen

“I’m really sorry that I had to make you be here.” Director Tom Quish appeared sincere as he glanced between Ellie and Fury. “Justice is furious with me but I have more experience handling the press and the public than he does. Most people love a good romance. We need those people on our side. They want to see you together and it will squash all the nasty rumors circulating in the tabloids.”

“Do we want to ask what those rumors are?” Fury arched his eyebrow.

Tom shook his head. “Not really, unless you really do have Ellie locked up, living inside a doghouse and chained with a collar to get revenge on humans for what was done to you. It’s crap like that.”

Ellie turned her head to smile up Fury. “That sounds kind of kinky.”

He laughed. “Maybe I’ll build a doghouse.”

“That’s what I need,” Tom encouraged them. “You are both taking all this really well.”