Page 23 of The First Alpha on the Planet
He did not mean Naleucians.
“I didn’t mean to claim him. I tried not to.” My voice came out in a hoarse whisper.
“The fact that you tried tells me two things. One—he was with a beta before you and in season. The second thing is that you two are compatible.” Fel engaged a machine through his application, and a scan of Roan’s body popped up, enabling him to pan around and view his innermost workings. “Hm.”
“Hm? What doesHmmean?” Roan sat up, eyes traversing the image.
“That in a few days, we’ll bring you in for another scan to see if it took, unless you want to try flushing your system.” Fel said the last part as if it pained him. “If we needed reproductive material so badly, we could ask for manually produced samples. Copulation isn’t necessary. It’s not a terrible thing to mate when you are compatible.”
Wallace’s heart cinched in his chest. “And if he wants to not be mated?”
“I recommend we excise his marking, run a complete purge of his lymphatic system, and that he leave the planet and not return for at least forty Naleucian solar rotations.” Saying it aloud made the prospect worse. But neither of us responded right away. Anything I said may have hurt Roan, may have damaged the trust I had with Fel.
“Compatible how?” Roan cleared his throat.
“Typically, personality traits in a given Naleucian can be determined fairly reliably by color and by scent—to a given partner, that is. I’m not getting into chromatic bigotry. We’re an evolved species and we do not judge by the color of scales.” Fel waved a hand dismissively. “But, the fact that your instinct wasto claim, told you he was a perfect match for you biologically and likely temperamentally.Andhas been bred by a compatible beta.”
“Wait, I thought we only had to avoid threesome—” Roan choked as Fel pointed to the screen.
I had zero clue what I was looking at. Though, getting a close-up view of Roan’s insides did give me an idea of what I’d been touching that sent him over the edge. I made some mental notes as Fel cleared his throat and pointed toward a complex mass. Still. No clue.
Fel’s tail snapped at the ground in frustration. “This is an active duct. Blood flow has the tissue swollen, supporting sperm. This is several weeks active, so it tells me the sperm is being kept viable. So, there’s sperm here, which I assume is beta. And I don’t need a 4D to tell me what Friend Wallace contributed. I can smell it.”
“Well, that’s gross.” Roan shrank in his seat.
“Andthisis a ripened ovum. You’re a few days out from ovulating, my guess. Your shell gland is concentrating mineral salts. You’re prepared for an egg to be fertilized.” With a few final gestures, Fel stared me down, and Roan squinted at the image.
“Fuck.” I rested my face in my palm and took a shuddering breath. “Roan, I—”
“I can take care of a child on my own. I don’t need your assistance.” Roan huffed and crossed his arms.
“That’s inadvisable.” Fel hummed as he zoomed in and frowned. He panned to the other side, another organ almost identical to the shape he’d indicated previously. “Aaaand this is another ovum. You’ll be raising two hatchlings, potentially.”
“Well, it’s not like I’m poor. I can afford childcare.” Roan glared at me. “Or do you wish to make this needlessly complicated?”
“No, I do not wish to make this needlessly complicated! I didn’t want to mate you, and I didn’t want to force you to have my chil—children.” I reached up to tug at my ear, a habit I’d developed in lieu of having hair.
“If you don’t want me, I’ll stay where the healthcare is optimal for my laying and I’ll leave once they’ve hatched and are declared healthy. I understand I’ve not earned any favor with my history—” Roan slid from the table, tail twitching with utter grief that his face hid with anger.
“Stop that, this instant!” I held my hand out, fingers spread. And as if by magic, Roan froze in place.
“FriendWallace, do not do that in my presence, please. If you wish to lay down your authority, do not do so in such a way that would harm your mate, your trust, or your health. And this stress will harm an omega ready to ovulate. Children are very much desired. And while we did not encourage anyone to prevent conception, we certainly will not force anyone to conceive.” Fel stressed that wordfriendas if it meant something.
“Do what?” I glanced from Roan to Fel, whatever tense moment strung up between us falling flat as Roan exhaled a deep breath and sagged. He stumbled a step before glancing at me in confusion and horror that seemed to echo in the air between us.
“How did you do that?” The flash of betrayal in Roan’s eyes made my heart flip.
“Do what!” I stepped back, heart thundering hard.
“You exerted alpha control. Since you’re mated, your command works on them.” Fel’s expression and tail relented. “Is this something you do not know?”
“I—I didn’t know. I won’t do it again. I—”
“Until he completes your mating, you are dominant in the bond.” Fel’s tail did a little slithery thing that told me he was disgusted.
And all I wanted to do was cry. “You say we’re compatible? Personality wise?”
Fel nodded once, tail flicking in agreement.
