Page 35 of The First Alpha on the Planet
After a few beeps that rattled the internal speakers in a crunchy sort of way, Merriel declared it good.
I scanned the creature on both settings and got neither Tal nor human. “Either Merriel botched the hack, or the creature had never hosted in any of our three known hosts.”
“Hit the button again, man. I put one in there for shits and grins. Revulon. They’re fantastic Colthraxian hosts.” Merriel’spiping voice made my stomach clench as I panned the option menu and pressed the button once more.
It buzzed and displayed four percent and some change, the last digit flickering between two and three as if it couldn’t make up its mind. “Well, that’s a hint.”
Zurok flinched. “I know where this creature came from.”
“It isn’t Sarge,” Merriel said in a hurry. “He’s headed from the hunting grounds to Noel’s.”
“That was the furthest from my thoughts.” Zurok took a deep breath and gave Fel an apologetic squeeze to his ankle and bolted. He shouted over his shoulder as he ran. “Everyone needs to go home. Send an alert out for everyone to express venom. And douse the children.”
“Douse?” I frowned and glanced at Fel.
“You’re mated. When your egg comes, rubbing against it is a defense mechanism. It was why…” Fel flinched. “We kept omegas from being mated and nesting, which virtually eliminated venom enough for Colthraxians to infect eggs.”
My stomach clenched unpleasantly, as if my body was guarding the eggs within me from the mere suggestion. But, I did make a point to give each of the little ones a hug and nuzzle. While Noel was far more rife with the venom than I, the very act of giving the little ones a snuggle each was enough to assuage some of my anxiety. Instinct had its reasons, I supposed.
“Where did that Colthraxian come from, then?” I caught Fel’s uneasy gaze.
“I’ll refrain from comment, but there are a few infected Revulon on the planet in other communities. There’s some tension among the others about not immediately sendingsamplesout. Our community isn’t hoarding you. We were always meant to be first contact and the experimental community alpha. We’re more isolated for that reason.” Fel rubbed over the surface of his belly.
“So we have an invader from another community?” I clenched a hand in the slack of fabric at my thighs, relishing the soft feel of it against my scales. The lack of hair on my body made things distracting to wear.
“That’s my guess. I think we all need to go home. I’m better off in my nest. We’ve others that can stay on call. I’ll be in if something’s necessary.” Fel stood and shrieked when Kris scooped him up in his arms.
“I’ll help you get Nexus and Noah to Wallace.” Robard gave Fel a kiss before scooping Nexus into his arms. “Grab Noah and let’s go.”
A flush of annoyance turned into anger at the command. Because of my designation, it made it easier for betas and alphas to want to assert dominance. Naturally, it was due to an intense need to protect what they considered precious, but it was belittling. Part of me wanted to defy him out of sheer defiance.
“Please. I know you don’t want to like… I’m not your partner and Wallace wants that role to himself for now at least, but let me do some things, okay?” Robard’s tail gave a snug squeeze to my ankle.
The eggs within me were part Robard’s after all. “You sure Fel won’t mind?”
“I don’t think so. It wasn’t a consideration. Would Wallace care that I was walking you?” Robard reached for my midsection, hesitating before I allowed him to pat the surface and smooth his hand over it. “The egg Fel is about to have—it likely isn’t my blood, but the egg is more mine than these guys are.”
It made sense in an odd way. “I don’t think Wallace would mind at all. And it does make sense, I suppose. I’m far more accustomed to it being more competitive…”
“Come on, squirt.” Robard adjusted a sleepy Nexus on his hip and waved for me, tail giving my ankle a little squeeze as he headed out and let me step ahead, leading the way.
“Where go?” Nexus gave a sleepy little whine and rubbed at his eyes.
“We’re going to the bakery to see Uncle Wallace.” I adjusted Noah as he snuggled his face into my neck and huffed a sigh of irritation, ready to nap as well.
“Wanna teetee!” That had Noah awake and squirming on my hip and I stifled a laugh.
“I’m sure Wallace will have a treat for you.”
“No tree. Wanna teetee!” Noah climbed up to hang on my neck and shoulder with a little growl of frustration.
“Cookie it is, runt.” Robard reached a hand out to scruff the kid’s hair. He accepted it with a giggle, messy pale hair sticking up every which way, much like Nexus’s dark-black mess of hair that had grown into quite the impressive infant mullet.
“Onward toward cookies and safety.” I shook my head and trudged on, very glad for Nexus’s little gift.
Chapter Fifteen
Wallace
