Page 16 of 20% Stud 80% Muffin (Alien Fated Mates #1)

16

T he row of round windows skirting the ceiling turned my concrete table purple with the dusk’s light. White linobee fur slid softly through my hands. I pushed my strongest needle through the pelt, shaping the mittens I’d promised the enforcers. My gaze passed over the dark beams that framed the ceiling, then caught the glitter of liquid mineral under the polished floors. Thoughtfully planned and beautifully executed, my new dwelling nearly matched the quality of my rooms on Lorne.

My shoulders drooped as I sighed, settling into a state of relaxation I hadn’t known in annums. I no longer had to wrestle through a sticky door or fend off surprise visits from unwelcome neighbors, but even if I included my labor and supplied the lamar, this went way beyond a basic model dwelling. And Geo’s claim to call this a show home seemed like a stretch to justify all the extra features.

I snipped through the last thread of the mittens, picked up the stack and hugged them to my chest before I placed them on the table. They were ready for delivery to Sisip tomorrow. That reminded me, I needed to come up with a design for the mantu hides stored in my spare room—perhaps a coat for the cooler weather.

My wristport pinged.

Bonic: Are you free for a call?

Before I could respond, the screen flashed ‘incoming call.’ Typical Bonic.

“And what if I’d been busy, brother?” I teased.

He chuckled warmly. “You’ll always make time for me.”

Blant, I miss my brother.

“Spoken like an elite protector,” I joked. “How’s Jast’s pregnancy?”

“Well, would you like my words or hers?”

“You know only the omega’s opinion counts.”

“How could I forget? She’d say it can’t be over soon enough. She refers to the youngling as ‘a little parasite.’” He crunched something in the background. The snap made my mouth water, and a burst of zilna teased my tastebuds. Alpha asshole eating my favorite snack.

“I wish for the pregnancy to last forever. The youngling moved last night when I pressed my palm to Jast’s belly. It’s the safest place for the little one.” I could sense the awe of creating a new being in his voice. “Enough of me. Tell me how things are with the Earthling?” Bonic’s low voice vibrated through my bones.

Ah, there’s the commanding alpha voice I know and love.

“Um…will you visit Tern once the youngling’s born? I’d love to meet my little niece or nephew.”

I could practically see his eyes roll. “Of course. The little one must meet their only uncle. We’ll visit when Jast and the doctor agree it’s safe.” He cleared his throat. “Now, tell me.”

I sucked in a fortifying breath. “He’s compatible,” I blurted.

“Is that right?”

I couldn’t tell from Bonic’s neutral response whether he was angry. “Er…it was unavoidable. He was injured and I had to heal him. And, unconsciously, I used the healing source…which created a tether…which alerted him that I may be in danger.” My head grew dizzy from the lack of air, but I needed to tell him everything. “The hunting expedition coincided with the full moon, and we encountered a giant scary worm, so Geo led a rescue party to me, and my heat took over from there.” I exhaled. The weight of my stored guilt was released after my confession, and my shoulders relaxed.

Bonic drummed his fingers, likely against his desk, in the background. “I have a lot of questions.” The swoosh of his tail as it lashed through the air carried over the line. “You’re aware treatment with our tail’s source reinforces a tether, so I won’t belabor it. But I will remind you—these powers are sacred, do whatever you must to keep our ability hidden. Our people will be exploited otherwise. Off-worlders, especially omegas, will be even more susceptible to manipulation.”

My stomach soured, and I swallowed bile. Although he phrased it in general terms, there was no confusion about who the comment was directed at. “Of course, Bonic. I would never put Lornians at risk.”

“I know you wouldn’t.” His voice softened. “Now, tell me about this danger?”

I didn’t think he meant falling for Geo. With a white-knuckled grip, I clutched the table’s edge. “We encountered a giant worm-like creature. It decimated the herd of herbivores we hunted.” I began to pant, and my heartbeat ramped up, but I lifted my chin high and inhaled. I will not panic. “It appeared to track prey through vibration and…attacked,” I whispered, “by exploding through the ground.” My shoulders shook. “We were forced to hide.”

Bonic didn’t need to know I’d been having more panic attacks. He had enough to worry about.

The tick of Bonic’s fingers against his keyboard, tapping out messages to his staff in the background, guaranteed the problem would be addressed. “The mayor assured us the Fires That Cleanse had wiped out everything organic on the planet. How is it such a creature exists?”

“That’s just it, Bonic. Organic life blooms all over the place. The Fires That Cleanse did not eliminate everything as intended. Fortunately, there is no sign of the illness that left Tern at its mercy.”

“The High Hold’s researchers will investigate the creature you described and send the report to the mayor. Furthermore, I will request Mayor Yurst advances me the management plan for handling the predator. That should be a clear message to him that I expect this to be dealt with.”

I snorted. As if the mayor had a management plan.

If I were anywhere near Bonic right now, I’d have cowered under the alpha pheromones he likely pumped out in waves. He’d elected himself my protector alpha when my father hadn’t stepped into the role. There was always one in a family, and it had gone against his every instinct to allow me to go to Tern unmated. Even his voice through the phone had my tail tucking between my legs.

My brother’s voice grew gentle. “Is your Earthling a kind alpha?”

Geo brushed off my offers to pay for the many extras I hadn’t agreed on. My tail snapped. That was garbage. I’d pay what I owed even if it meant spending every hour not in my hovery making mittens. But I wouldn’t change how my dwelling had turned out for all the stars in the Reiner System—it had been built as if he could read my mind.

I sucked in a breath. “He’d never hurt me or ask me to do anything uncomfortable. He’s a strong protector and a skilled archbuilder. You should see my fabulous dwelling. It rivals my private rooms in the Tuniga High Hold.”

A needle of loneliness threaded through my heart at memories of the Tuniga family dining table. It always overflowed with an aunt or uncle and their younglings. My fine table would likely end up more of a cluttered workstation. Family was something I’d left on Lorne .

The background noise had diminished. Bonic’s fingers stilled their drumming. “You have no idea the peace it brings me to know you are now protected.” Bonic blew out a long breath.

I worried my lip until it bruised. “Ah… He would make a fine mate.”

Do I mean that?

The power of saying the words aloud, ‘he would make a fine mate,’ shuttled through my veins, lighting up each nerve with hope.

With conviction this time, I said, “He’ll make the best mate.”

The list of pros and cons in my head finally sorted itself, and the pros list tipped the scale. “But he’s clueless, Bonic. Geo isn’t aware he’s an alpha, has no idea what an omega is, and was alarmed, to put it politely, about my womb and…shocked that our genitals are hidden in protective pouches.”

Bonic’s laughter rang through my empty kitchen. “Teach him our ways, and he will want no other.” A notification pinged in the background. “It has been an extremely long rotation and I still need to sort out an incident from earlier. Misinformation caused riots along the northern border.”

Blant those councillors! Always meddling with the elite protector’s business. Bless the goddess that my brother is in charge of them, not my parents.

“I wish I was there to lend support, Bonic.”

“I must go, Makee. May the goddess Sola bless this union. We will speak on the new moon or sooner.”

My heart soared at his approval, but he was gone before I could say, “Bye, brother.”

The call disconnected, and longing for my brother swept through me. I yearned for a soul-linked bond like the one he had with Jast. In this moment, I wanted nothing more than to place my hand on Jast’s belly.

A strange clunk rattled my front entrance—a welcome distraction.

I pushed aside the cover of the tiny lamar viewer, marveling at Geo’s ingenuity and concern for my safety. Geo stood on the other side of my locked door, his face strangely distorted. If I hadn’t been so focused on Jast’s growing youngling, the loosening pull from my tether would have alerted me to his presence. He shifted from one foot to the other as I watched through the little lamar hole. A smile so big my cheeks hurt was plastered across my face.

When I opened the door, Geo straightened his shoulders and sucked in his belly. He said, “For you.” Then he pushed a container into my hands as he continued to shift from one foot to the other on the threshold. “Can I come in?” His voice was too loud, but I wasn’t startled. “I haven’t seen the finishing touches on your house, and I can’t market the features effectively if I’m not sure what they are.”

Geo stared over my shoulder. We stood so close that his belly bumped me. The heat from his body drew me to him like flying starbugs to a flame. Boozy orzfoam and summer fields scented the air. How could I say no to his scowling face, gruff voice and terrible excuse?

“Uh-huh.” I nodded, then twisted sideways, allowing him to step in. His shoulder brushed against my chest and turned my nipples into stiff peaks. “What’s this?” I read the label on the container. “Hiscus wine.”

“It’s a housewarming present,” Geo mumbled. He unlaced his boots and toed them off before locking the door. His brightly colored socks had what I assumed were little Earth creatures on them.

With a sway to my step, I entered the kitchen, and Geo followed. He poked and prodded the cabinetry, scent-marking his territory with each touch of his fingertips. His lips tipped up when he discovered the cleverly camouflaged appliances.

I poured us each a container of wine and sipped mine. “It’s lovely.” A purr rattled in my throat before I tipped my container to him. “To fresh beginnings.” I took another sip of the fermented hiscus.

We walked into the hovery side by side. I bounced on the balls of my feet, eager to show off my space. “The three bays are exactly what I asked for. Where did you get the idea for the clever pit with a lift? It will be extremely helpful to be under the hovercrafts for repairs.” Nearly twirling, I stopped where my parts were stored. “Oh, and take a look at my storage wall!” My hand brushed across the tools where each hung from a peg. Storage bins and drawers for parts lined the wall. “So much better than I imagined.”

“You like it then?” Geo barked, but his shoulders slumped forward vulnerably before he stiffened his spine again.

“No, I love it,” I gushed. “It’s remarkable. Plus, I have so many appointments for the next two weeks that I stopped taking new bookings.” I smiled as I recalled the number of people who’d just happened to walk by and need a little tune-up. Another sip of flowery wine burst sharply on my tongue.

I leaned on my long workbench as Geo opened and closed drawers idly, presumably testing how smoothly they shut. While I chatted away, his shoulders loosened, his legs gave a little more around the knees when he walked, and his belly relaxed.

“Why don’t we finish the tour in the courtyard?” I lifted my container.

Geo cringed and followed me with dragging steps. What was going on with him? I was thrilled with the work his crew had completed.

The woodskies’ squawking calls drifted in from the courtyard. Greenery perfumed the air with a sweet and spicy scent reminiscent of cold season holidays on Lorne.

Geo sat sideways on the lounge chair, his legs spread wide, facing the lounger I lay on. “So, about that.” He jerked his head sideways toward the pool. “It was installed before I knew you…hate water.” His cheeks turned a shade of pink that warmed a place low in my stomach. He took a gulp of wine and grimaced. “Anyways, it would be a lot of work to…remove.”

Ah, he’s embarrassed about the pool.

“Hey, none of that now.” My tail wrapped around his calf, and the fuzzy tip brushed up and down. “I don’t hate water,” I lied. “This is exactly the push I need to finally force myself to swim. My brother has pressured me to learn for a lifetime.” I rolled my shoulders back and nodded.

“I can swim…” Geo’s pale green eyes lifted to mine .

“Well…great for you.” We both knew he could swim. He really was the strangest alpha.

He stood up then paced along the pool’s edge. “I’ll teach you to swim.”

Why was he pacing? The hair on my arms rose, and I shivered as I recalled Raz circling me deeper and deeper until I was on my tippy toes and at his mercy.

He scratched the back of his neck and looked through the lamar ceiling that domed the courtyard. “Maybe you can tell me more about Lornians…” Then, with a sharp inhale, his uncertain demeanor changed, and his chest puffed out. “This time tomorrow…I mean, new week, and every night after until you can swim from there—” He pointed to the shallow portion of the pool, then his arm swept out to cover the entire pool length. “—to there, three times with no breaks.”

My heart raced. There to there…three times. I inhaled deeply. New challenges. I’m open to new challenges. I’d already completed my orders for linobee mittens, and I only liked to be covered in hovercraft grease for so many hours in the rotation, so that left a lot of free time.

Plus, there was the incentive of ogling Geo in a swimsuit. “In return for your kind gesture, why don’t you come one moon earlier, and I’ll make you dinner?” I beamed. “I hope you like mantu?”

Get recipes from D’irk on how to prepare mantu, because asking Raz is out of the question.

Geo met my eyes as he nodded in agreement, but his words were stilted and his face a blank mask. “I like mantu.”

Maybe this will provoke a reaction. I leaned back on the lounge chair and lifted the hem of my tunic, exposing my stomach. “I can repay you by feeding you.”

Geo’s gaze fixed on my hand, where I not-so-idly scratched my tummy.

“So, tonight?” I asked.

His knuckles turned white as he clasped his container. Even in the dark of night, his eyes dilated. But he said nothing. I couldn’t get a read on him.

“Not tonight.” Geo shook his head, swallowed the rest of his wine in one gulp, and shuddered .

“I’ve had a few drinks. We’ll start in the new week.” He pushed back his shoulders again and sucked in his belly. “I’ll see you tomorrow, an hour before dark. Thank you for showing me the final product. Sully will be by tomorrow to finish the overhead bay door installation. If you encounter any problems, com me and I will send one of my crew over to make repairs.” He tipped his chin in goodbye, a vein throbbing on his neck. Seconds later, he exited by the side gate.

“Geo…” I walked toward the latched gate.

The door swung open, and I swallowed a lump in my throat as his hungry gaze scanned my body. Not so ‘all business,’ after all. “You forgot your shoes.”

He looked down at his bare feet. “Right.” Heat radiated from him as he wove around me and stalked toward the main entry. “I’ll just get those then.”

“Bye, Geo,” I whispered into the wake of summer field-scented air. I’d never met an alpha quite like Geo. At times his insecurities overpowered his instincts. Edgy and hot, I stalked to my freezer and stuck my head in.

I made a plan to avoid my terror about learning to swim and control my raging hormones over a confusing alpha. First sun tomorrow, I was heading to D’ovey’s bakery and trading some of my mantu for graneth puffs. Worrying over credits and ration bars was in the past. Maybe Lorne wasn’t the only place I had a family after all.