Captured by the Yandere Space Pirates

"Ila," Syn started, his voice steady after a swift but deep thought, he had decided to tell her the truth but in a twisted way, his way "do you know anything about the moon Thebe?"

Ila's eyes widened as soon as she heard the word 'Thebe' come out of her lips, a flicker of alarm crossing her face.

Before Syn could react, she surged forward, gripping him, her movements swift and unyielding as she yanked him into her.

Her hands clamped over his mouth, silencing him, and she dragged him to the center of the glade, her strength overwhelming.

Syn voice came out muffled, and stumbled, caught off guard, as she pushed him to the ground, pinning him beneath her, her body pressed against his.

"Don't talk loud, whisper," she hissed, her voice low and urgent, her teal eyes boring into his with a mix of fear and command.

Syn's breath hitched, her weight anchoring him to the grass.

He pulled Ila's hand out of his mouth, "I thought this glade was under your control," he murmured, confused, his voice slightly muffled against her palm, his eyes narrowing as he tested her reaction.

"It is, Syn," Ila whispered, her chest heaving, brushing faintly against his with each breath.

"It's mine, sealed from royalty, from everyone—except the King. You know, he is omnipotent here, this entire mega station belongs to him. He already know about us. He just… doesn't care. Not about us, not about me." Her voice wavered, a rare crack in her royal armor, her gaze intense, almost vulnerable.

She might be true because a bunch of cameras going offline in this glade regularly is an abnormality he should have noticed by now.

Ila leaned closer, her face inches from his, her breath warm against his cheek.

Syn felt the heat of her body, the tension in her grip, and his pulse quickened, torn between caution and the pull of their past.

God, she is beautiful.

"So tell me, Syn," she whispered, her voice a velvet blade. "What about Thebe?"

He swallowed, his voice barely audible. "Do you know shapeshifters once lived on that moon?"

"Yes," Ila replied, her eyes glinting with eagerness. "I know about that, everyone does. What else?"

Syn chose his words carefully, weaving truth with strategy.

"Elara found out Thebe was destroyed by weapons which belonged to the Kingdom. One of my friends from Elara's ship called me on they way back from Thebe, said they found radioactive debris, proof tied to old Kingdom weapons. Elara suspected the shapeshifters weren't just killed for nothing—they're being held hostage, bred to increase their numbers, used as weapons. Spies sent to rival stations, gathering intel, maybe even assassinating rulers to destabilize them."

Ila's lips parted, her mind racing. "That's… brilliant," she murmured, a dangerous excitement in her voice. "With them we can easily destroy our enemies, become the supreme power."

Syn nodded, masking his unease. "Yes, but Elara thought if she found their base, she could blackmail the King. He'd favor her, give her a stronger army, better tech, a clear path to outshine the others vying for the throne."

Ila's eyes narrowed, a flicker of jealousy crossing her face. "Including me, right?"

"...."

Syn hesitated, his heart pounding, but he met her gaze. "Yes."

"So that's the secret Elara chased," Ila said, her voice low, calculating. "The reason she died."

"I think so," Syn replied, his tone steady. "It's too convenient—her ship, her crew, all gone, right when she was closing in, even the evidence they were bringing got lost in that explosion."

Ila's smile was cold, ambitious.

"If I find the shapeshifter base, I'll have the sharpest edge. More power than any of my siblings, the next to the throne is definitely going to be me."

"In a way, yes," Syn said, his voice calm, though his mind raced with triumph. Her excitement was exactly what he needed—motivation to drive her toward his goal, to infiltrate the palace under her banner. "It's a game-changer, Ila."

She leaned back slightly, her hands shifted, pinning his wrists, her eyes roving over him with a sudden intensity.

"Why do you look so hot right now?" she murmured, her voice husky, a predatory edge to her smile. "I have this… intense urge to…"

Before he could respond, she leaned down, her lips smothering against his in a fierce kiss. Syn froze for a moment, then let her, their history flooding back—countless kisses in this glade, this was normal. Her lips were warm, demanding, her hand sliding to his jaw, caressing it with a tenderness that belied her aggression.

The kiss deepened, her tongue exploring his, a hungry edge to her movements as if reclaiming him.

Her fingers tightened, pulling him closer, her body pressing against his, the grass soft beneath them.

Suddenly, Ila grinned against his lips and bit down, her teeth sinking into his lower lip.

Syn yelped, pulling back, the sharp sting of pain snapping him out of the haze.

Blood welled, a metallic taste on his tongue.

"Oh, sorry," Ila said, her voice teasing, her eyes gleaming with mischief. "I'll be careful."

She pulled his face back, her lips capturing his again, sucking gently on the wounded lip, the blood smearing her mouth like warpaint.

Her kiss grew bolder, her tongue delving deeper, her hands gripping his head, hair, and jaw, anchoring him as she poured months of pent-up longing into the act.

Syn could feel her aggression, her desperation, as if she was making up for every moment they'd been apart.

"I'm ready today," Ila whispered, pulling back just enough to meet his eyes, her voice low, decisive.

Syn's eyes widened, his breath catching.

Those words carried weight—she was offering herself fully, something she'd never done before.

In their past, whenever Syn had hinted at intimacy, Ila had demurred, saying she wasn't ready, her royal duties or her guarded heart holding her back.

But now, here, she was saying yes, her desire raw and unyielding.

It was the worst possible timing.

His mind flashed to Vera, Aster, and Pako—their recent call, their laughter, their flirts, the promises he'd made to return to them.

The fire of their bond had reignited, their love a lifeline in the chaos of his mission.

To betray them now, to give in to Ila, felt like a knife to his heart.

Vera's longing, Aster's warmth, Pako's brazen affection—they deserved better than this.

He'd something real with them, a trust he couldn't shatter for the sake of his cover.

But Ila was his key to the palace, to the shapeshifter prison, to bringing the King's rule to its knees.

If he played her right, she could hand him the rebellion's victory—or destroy him if he faltered.

He was at a fork in the road, each path fraught with peril.

Could Vera, Aster, and Pako forgive him if he used Ila, crossed lines to secure the mission?

Their love was sincere, and he owed them at least a shred of fidelity, a fight to stay true.

Ila's advances grew relentless, her hands tugging at her tunic, peeling it off to reveal a black tank top that hugged her curves.

She straddled him, her fingers deftly unbuttoning his shirt, a hungry smile playing on her lips.

"I've waited too long, Syn," she murmured, her voice a mix of desire and command, her teal eyes locked on his.

"Wait, Ila," Syn said, his voice strained, his hands catching hers to stall her. "Not now. This isn't the right time or place. Our first time should be better, more… memorable."

She laughed, low and dismissive, her fingers slipping free to continue unbuttoning. "I don't care about that, Syn. I want you now."

He tried again, desperation creeping in. "I… I haven't showered in a while. I'm a mess."

Ila's smile turned wicked, her nose brushing his neck as she inhaled deeply.

"I like your scent strong," she purred, her hands roaming his chest, undeterred.

Syn pushed against her grip, his voice urgent. "We don't have a condom, Ila. It's not safe."

She leaned closer, her lips grazing his ear. "Don't worry. I'll take a pill later." Her voice was unrelenting, her fingers working the last button free.

Damn, she wasn't budging. Syn's heart pounded, his options dwindling.

He couldn't do this—not to Vera, not to Aster, not to Pako.

Not to himself.

"I'm sorry, Ila," he said, his voice firm, final. "I can't. I'm not ready."

Ila froze, her hands pausing at his last button, her teal eyes narrowing.

"What did you say?" she asked, her voice grim, a dangerous edge cutting through the glade's serenity.

"I'm not ready, Ila," Syn repeated, his gaze steady despite the fear coiling in his gut. "We broke up, and we just met again. I haven't processed today—your confession, everything. I don't want our first time to be half-hearted."

Ila's expression darkened, her hands trembling as she pulled back slightly, studying him.

A tense silence stretched, her chest heaving, her eyes searching his for any hint of deception.

Then, her lips curled into a bitter smile, her voice low, laced with mockery.

"I guess my pirate boyfriend still needs to develop feelings for me, even after everything I did today."