Page 13 of The First Alpha on the Planet
“You couldn’t have known.” Doc rested his hand on Fel’s shoulder. “You were an infant with an adult’s knowledge. Your one impulse was to survive.”
They’d sent all their betas and alphas into the stars, carrying unburdened progeny, or what they hoped was, at least. And those that remained? The alphas and betas kept behind? The very act of being bitten by an omega, mating withone, killed them. And they’d birthed one egg after another. Those that remembered had documented sending them into the stars, praying they’d bring back healthy new life, unaffected by Colthraxians. In the end, though? Nobody had followed the resolution. They kept infecting their own young. So much wrong. So much, so fast, and as always, too late.
“Is Noel truly uninfected?” I caught myself asking as I glanced up at Fel.
“Can’t be infected. That was part of the lifeseed’s design; their venom concentration was so high that it made infection impossible, and that was unmated. Mated? A mated Naleucian omega was uninfectable most of the time, too.” Fel sighed dreamily.
“Don’t you worry about…” I glanced Fel up and down as he shrugged.
“What happens to us will be what happened to Sarge.” Fel rested a hand on his chest. “And we won’t ever have to feel like… This. It’s like I’m in the wrong body, or I am the wrong body. My Colthraxian body has never seen the world outside through its own eyes. I never want them to.”
I beckoned for Fel to come over and opened my arms, the gesture making him tilt his head. “Oh… Right, yeah.”
With an awkward angle of my tail, I reached over to give a casual wrap and squeeze around his calf, a loose and passing gesture that made him smile. As if reciprocating my custom, he stepped into my space and opened his arms, mimicking what he thought a hug was, which was more of a bear-hug assault that made me wheeze.
“Hey, guys, this is touching and all, but I want to go find my kid and hide for a while. New people make me nervous.” Doc slipped out, his tail flicking anxiously as he did so.
And I followed, steps unsteady, wondering what fresh hell I was in for.
Chapter Six
Roan
At first glance, when landing, I’d not noticed the buildings among the landscape, but everything had been seamlessly integrated into nature around them. Roads were present, but they were untended, gravel with moss and small plants poking between stones. I assumed things were delivered via air, judging by available lots being cleared out for landings.
Even so, the landing was pretty rough. Their atmosphere was not something Leticia could navigate as easily as she could some other planets we’d been to, but I didn’t chastise her for it.
Despite everything that I had wanted, I was commanded to be the first off, as their de-facto leader, a male named Zurok, wanted to see me first.
With magenta and a rather staunch build, he approached me, bright eyes narrowing as white hair fell in a braid over his shoulder. “Welcome, Roan. Forgive me if our welcome party is small. You have arrived during the peak of mating season, and those who can find partners are engaged. Those who cannot are here to greet you or have otherwise fulfilled their needs.”
It was nice to know I was meeting a group of sexually frustrated and or well-seeded males. I supposed. “Understandable. I—Is Noel available?”
“You impress me, first. You pass our tests. Then you get access to our special one.” He gave me a flat smile.
Such a drab thing, Noel was, a ghost of a male that didn’t stand out to me at all. I’d thought him lovely before my change, but after, seeing him on camera, he seemedlesssomehow. “Special one?”
“Yes. He birthed the first child we’ve seen in hundreds of rotations. He is also genetically unique.” Zurok tilted his head and flared his nostrils. “As are you. Interesting.”
“Noel did this to me, somehow. I’m—”
“Noel is a genetically diverse specimen who has prolific cellular activity and white blood cells that can genetically alter your own makeup. If someone is born with or permeated efficiently with genetic material, they can be seeded with enough of his raw cells and, as you’ve discovered…” Zurok gestured toward me and went on about his role as a lifeseed.
“So, Terrans used him incorrectly… They didn’t follow the directives left behind or the instructions… Which is why the initial specimens worked but subsequent ones couldn’t be as pure.” I smacked my head and flicked my tail. “Brilliant!”
“Now, I assume since you’re the leader of this operation, that your betas and alphas aren’t afflicted with nasty opinions against omegas?” He raised a brow.
“The only omega we’ve ever seen until you was Noel.” I gestured ambiently behind him, assuming the domed building at his back was where I could find him.
Zurok leaned his head to the side, his tail doing something quizzical. His brow, creasing, made his pretty face twist. “And how would you identify yourself?”
“Male.” I raised a brow. “My initial stock was Raziel, so I am of alpha blood.”
He glanced me up and down. “And you identify as alpha?”
“I don’t identify asanything. I’m hybreed! Designation doesn’t matter for us.” I crossed my arms.
“But you are genetically Naleucian, now.” He waited for me to say something, and when I didn’t respond, he flicked his tail in what felt like frustration.
