Page 10 of The First Alpha on the Planet
“Send a message. We have seventeen crewmen aboard, all hybreed of forty percent or greater. We have come seeking Noel and Vil of Mater Terra.” I wished they had last names to mention. Hybreeds were always a chosen name and just a code.
The echoing, repetitive message changed then, and instead of the welcome, it gave us landing coordinates and a revolving passkey to make it through the barrier and cloaking.
Leticia did what she could with it, and as the shimmer of space between planets flickered, the first hints of Paradise came into view. What could be my new homeworld, Naleucia. Or, their word for it, Lissotritonaleu.
We had two hours before the planet’s rotation would line up with a potential landing.
As I patiently waited, the entirety of my body clenched with excitement and fear. I wondered how well we’d be accepted, if they’d know why I’d changed so much, why I looked the way I did.
“Incoming communication, sir.” Leticia sighed audibly, letting me know she was irritated. “And Merriel is not responding to me.”
“Patch me in. I assume Vil wants to sp—” A video feed popped up, and Noel stood before me, a bored expression drawn across his beautiful face. As always, it was a shocking moment when I saw him, a relief of humanity’s betrayal. “Noel!”
His eyes flicked about, no doubt looking for my camera feed. “Roan. Vil is outside of range for communication, but is on his way. He’s been enjoying hunting.”
“Well, better it was you, anyway. I seem to have—”
“Gone through a complete metamorphosis, the likes of which Mater Terra scientists had only dreamed of?” Noel’s flat tones brought a flush to my cheeks.
“Well, yes. I seem to have—”
“You have a color that threatens your concept of maleness?” Noel, as astute as any Naleucian should have been, barely blinked, even as a small hatchling crawled over him and nestled up under his neck. Not the hatchling I’d seen before, this one far more violently colored—orange and blue striped.
Before I could ask a question or answer, a male I almost recognized swept by, his voice snapping my memory into placeMurdoc…“C’mere, ya little turd. Let’s get you cleaned up for a nap. Hopefully Uncle Vil comes back from the hunt with a dead thing for you to eat.”
The little one squeaked with joy and chirped something that my chip couldn’t translate.
“I… I am a dusky color…” I cleared my throat.
“Lavender.” Noel rolled his eyes. “Turn on the camera.”
“I—I don’t think that’s—I’m not lavender!”
“Turn on the camera.” Noel enunciated slowly, and I flipped it on with a scowl. He raised a single brow, such an elegant thing. “Alright. We’re approaching season. You’ve got crew with you who would benefit from being dosed, yes? Take the change like you and Doc have?”
“Yes.”
“Send DNA data, please.” Noel waved his hand offscreen and stared at something as I rushed to send off their profiles. He scanned them with eyes twitching in their sockets in an unnerving way as he flicked his finger.
“More betas, some alphas. Not a single o—well one, at least.” Noel huffed in amusement. “Fair warning and no apologies to your crew, but alphas and betas are in extremely short supply and many of the omegas here have never seen one before. And they’re extremely friendly.”
“I believe what he is trying to communicate, is that we are all very amenable to coitus. Encouraging, even.” A slender male with mauve scales slipped by Noel with a sweet smile. Everything about his body was my type, but as my eyes followed him, my libido gave the equivalent of a shrug. The male smiled at me.
“How—”
“We’ll talk when you arrive. With Vil present, but needless to say, not many people will be harassing you for intimacy.” Noel handwaved the statement off.
“Is my color that undesirable?” I glanced at myself and frowned.
“Oh, no. You’re lovely. Like a fostinum blossom. And you’re a bicolor! You’re an exotic and wonderfully beautiful specimen, but there’s much competition.” The male that spoke earlier interjected, and I frowned.
“Why does it always have to be sex with your lot?” I huffed and glared at Noel.
He shrugged in response. “You’re the one who showed up during season.”
“Mating season?” My upper lip twitched a little as Noel shrugged and glanced around suspiciously.
“Yes…” Noel frowned. “Merriel isn’t as talkative as usual. We can speak once you’ve landed and gone through decontamination.”
