Page 4 of My Date is a Polymorph (Blind Date Corporation #20)

They sat down on a couch, and she was out of view at the far edge, curled into a ball.

He made the call and smiled. “Hey, Vaika!”

There was a happy squeal. “ Worro! You rarely call. What is it? ”

“I have to give you some good news. I am calling before I talk to Mom and Dad.”

“ Well, what is it? ”

“I am getting married.”

There was a squeal of delight, and Vaika laughed. “ Who is it? Is she an omega? Is she Sethir?”

Worro looked at Keera, and she gave him a hand signal that indicated half. He blinked in surprise. “She’s half Sethir and an omega.”

“ Oh, I am so happy for you. Glad to know you are making better choices. We were worried about you. ”

“Better choices?”

“ Yeah, they say you don’t remember this, but you were involved with a gold-digging tramp. You were completely besotted. It was embarrassing .”

Worro frowned. “Was I?”

“ Yeah. You told Mom and Dad you were going to propose, but then fate took it out of your hands. The girl was mutilated, and you went crazy, so they took the knowledge of her away from you. ” Vaika sighed. “ It’s for the best. She wasn’t worthy of you. She came from nothing. She was nothing.”

Worro was looking at his sister in horror.

“She said that this was what you thought. I thought she was wrong or remembering through a warped mirror. She was mine. He took her from me, but she’s back now.

I do remember. I remember finding her covered in blood and going mad with frustration and grief.

I didn’t know what to look for, so I couldn’t find him. They took her from me.”

Vaika paused. “ You don’t mean... ”

“Keera is my love, my omega, and my future. Accept that she will be my wife, and I may see you again. I don’t think I will ask you to be with us when I introduce her to our parents.”

Vaika spluttered. “ I don’t... I mean... she lost your child!”

Worro froze. “You knew. You knew this whole time what she was to me. I am going to think about this for a while. Don’t call me, Vai.”

He closed his com and put a block on his sister’s profile.

He called his parents next.

The call went smoothly until his mother got a call from a blubbering Vaika, who caused his mother to step away.

His father said, “ What is she doing? ”

“Vaika just let me know that she knew all about my loving heart, my reason for living, and my true partner, Keera, being alive and injured and left alone to heal with her family trying to keep her together. I could have helped her, could have mourned our loss with her. That choice was taken from me.”

“ Wor, we didn’t know when it happened. Vaika found the information later .”

“And she called Keera to shout at her for daring to be my chosen. Yes, I have seen all the call logs. Vaika attacked her when Keera was mourning me, our child, and her own body. I don’t feel like talking to her again. Possibly ever.”

His father blinked. “ What do you want from us? ”

“Just meet her and know that if any grandchildren do come from me, she will be their mother.”

His dad nodded. “ Understood. I look forward to meeting her.”

“Tell Mom that Vaika tried to beat Keera up on the playground and is now blaming the victim again.”

Keera watched Worro complete his call, and she smiled at him. “Too bad we can’t just get married before we talk to everybody.”

He looked at her, and a slow smile crossed his features. “City hall? Tomorrow at lunch?”

She bit her lip. “Really?”

“Really. Then, you come to live with me? Please?”

“I still work in the city.”

“And I will drive you to work, pack you a sandwich, and kiss you on your cheek in front of the doors every day.” His eyes were sparkling.

She smiled. “Are you sure? I mean, really sure?” She sighed. “I have PTSD. I wake up screaming some nights. I have to go for medical checks to make sure that the scars are staying shut. I am expensive to maintain.”

Worro smiled. “I don’t care. If something happens, I want you protected. I have a bit of money put aside. It would be enough to keep you and any children that we have quite comfortable.”

She snorted. “Alpha obsession. Making little alphas.”

“And omegas, and betas to keep everyone stable.” Worro smiled. “How many kids do you want?”

“I would like to start with one and see how that goes.”

He grinned. “So, what are you going to wear to the wedding?”

“Oh. Wow. I hadn’t thought about that. Shoot. I am guessing that it will be a grey cocktail dress.”

He raised his brows. “Grey?”

“It’s all I have. I haven’t exactly been partying in the last few years.” She swallowed. “This is stupid. Forget it. I don’t even have something pretty to stand next to you.”

He pulled her against him, and she fought him. She went through a dozen forms, and her clothing was torn and ragged when she rested against him. His hands slid through the tears in the fabric, and he paused. “You have scars.”

She wiped her cheeks. “Yeah. I tried to have the facial ones removed and focused my shape shifting there.”

“You said...”

“I lied. I am still all jacked up. Covered with damage. Do you know how hard it is when you wear the marks of your attack and see them every single day? It puts me back there, every time.” She sighed. “I didn’t want you feeling bad about it.”

Worro stroked her back and gently traced the marks. He didn’t ask her to shift them away.

He asked softly, “Can we go dress shopping tomorrow at lunch and have our wedding the day after? I will get the license and meet you at Z-Corp for lunch. I want you to stand next to me, feeling as beautiful as you are.”

“That sounds sweet.”

“I thought so. I practiced it in my head.”

She laughed and leaned up to kiss him. “Well, with that in mind, I am going to head home. I need to get to bed and get some sleep. Neither of those objectives will be met if I am with you.”

“The first might. The second, definitely not.”

She chuckled. “I am heading out. If you actually are coming in tomorrow, remind me so I don’t grab lunch in the commissary.”

He nodded. “I will be there.”

Keera leaned in and kissed him softly. “Don’t be late.”

She eased away from him and made her way to the front door, slipping on her shoes.

Worro walked up next to her and watched. “Stay.”

“Nope. I have to go home and explain this rock to my family, and then I need to see if I have anything that passes for feminine in my closet. Analysts are allowed to wear office casual. I haven’t bought anything pretty in years.”

“What happened to that sparkly blue dress that you wore on our third date?”

“Um, I tore it up after they deleted me from you. It hurt too much.”

Understanding lit his eyes. “Oh, damn. You torched all your date clothes.”

“Yeah. Well, I shredded them with my wolf, and then my mom threw them out.” She bit her lip. “Sorry.”

“Don’t be sorry. Fresh start.”

Keera nodded. “Fresh start. See you tomorrow?”

He grinned. “See you tomorrow.”

She left and got onto her cycle, putting on her helmet before driving back toward the city.

She focused on the road and drove back to the suburbs.

* * * *

W orro made a call. “Khassi.”

“ Yes?”

“I need a wedding dress,” Worro murmured.

“ Congratulations, but your shoulder-to-hip ratio is going to make for a tricky fit. ”

“Funny. Keera said yes.”

“ Oh. Bring her to the shop tomorrow .”

“Noon work?”

“ Absolutely. I can set her up with something that will make the development team at Z-Corp gnash their teeth with envy. I will start powering up tonight. Thanks for the warning. When is the big event? ”

“Day after tomorrow. We just want to close the loop. The party can come afterward.”

“ Sensible. Okay. She’s an omega, right? ”

“How did you know that, and I didn’t?”

“ Because I am insightful, and you were being led around by your dick .”

“Ouch. But true. You are an excellent friend to have.”

“ Yes, yes. I know. I am wonderful. Now, go and get some rest. You have to do all your running around tomorrow .”

“All of it?”

“ I am guessing you proposed with your grandmother’s ring?”

“Yeah.”

“ Well, Keera’s family can’t afford to deck her out.

So, you are going to do it. Headpiece, necklace, hand flowers, earrings.

Anklets as well. The works. When your parents look at the images, you want them to be able to show the wedding image to any of their friends proudly.

You want her to be able to hold her head up so.

.. would you like me to arrange things? ”

“Yes. Please.”

“ Cool. Give me your budget. ”

“No budget.”

“ Oh, dude. You just made my day. See you at noon. ”

He laughed and hung up. The wedding prep had begun.

* * * *

A fter telling her family and hugs all around, Keera spent a restless night, and dawn arrived far too soon.

She got up, headed for work, and tried to ignore the ring on her hand. She swiped through security and headed to her office. Analytics waited for no one.

Keera got her pad and headed down to R I just move my skin to obscure them. It’s habit by now.”

Hever’s eyes went wide, and she held up her hand, crossing the room to get some privacy. She spoke quickly into her com, and Keera looked at the new assistant. “I don’t think we’ve met.”

“I am Dex. I am Hever’s new assistant.”

“Oh. Right. Pleased to meet you. I am Keera. I am in analytics, and I cost out all of your parts and labour, including any patents that are in play. Once I do that, Hever and I troop up to Heraina and pitch the item to marketing. Then, I put the advertising costs into it so that marketing can give an accurate estimate to any purchasers.”

Dex smiled. “And you just got engaged.”

“Yes, but we aren’t going to make a big deal out of it. The last time we were together, there was a disaster, and we separated. Because there was nothing formal between us, I was removed from his memories and left to figure things out. Now, we just want ties that are not easily broken this time.”

Hever returned as she heard that. “Wait. Who are you marrying?”

“Worro. We were lovers when I was in my team training, but I was attacked and mutilated off duty, and I was fired at that point. Things got worse after he found me and got me to the hospital.”

Hever blinked. “But he didn’t remember you.”

“They scrubbed memories of me. He forgot I existed.”

“Oh. I wanted to ask but wasn’t sure where to start. Krix didn’t know the details either.”

Keera smiled. “I have known you for years. Did you ever see me with anyone?”

“No. You applied to the BDC.”

“I was too unstable. I haven’t been able to afford more treatment than my sister could offer, and she specializes in couples.”

“Sister?”

“Cloud. She’s a therapist.”

“Why didn’t I know that?”

“She just came here and set up shop six months ago. She is now super pregnant.” Keera grinned.

“So, you are going to be an aunt?”

“Yeah. I just found out when I hugged her. She hasn’t let me do that in months.”

“How long were you apart?”

“Um, let’s see, sixteen years?”

“What?”

“Yeah. She got her family, and I had mine. I bumped into her at school, but she was very advanced, and her family travelled abroad. I am going to pop in and let her know my news after we discuss the new two-man rover that you designed.”

Hever grinned. “Okay, but you have to tell me what you are doing to celebrate the wedding?”

“Uh, saying yes and then getting naked? I don’t know. Worro has an idea, so we are going at lunch to find a dress.”

Dex paused. “He’s a Sethir?”

“Yeah.”

“And you don’t have a family who can make arrangements?”

“No. I’m adopted, and my parents are Aksallan. My mother was Sethir, but I don’t know any of the traditions.”

Dex paused. “Your father?”

“Hyreno, but I wasn’t born by choice. My mother was abducted, helped along by being rejected by her parents when she got pregnant. He had left home while in rut, and I was the result.” She shrugged.

“Oh, and you are having a civil ceremony?”

“Yeah.”

“Good. That’s actually very common. The big wedding occurs later for family and community.”

“That isn’t going to happen.” Keera shrugged. “And I don’t need it. If he does, we will negotiate, but his sister is vocal and doesn’t like me, so that would really harsh the festivities.”

Dex smiled. “Well, I organize weddings, so let me know if you need help.”

Hever paused. “You are going to see dresses today?”

“Yeah. Worro said he knows a place.”

“Nice.”

Hever cleared her throat. “Can I tag along?”

“Ask him. I don’t even know where I am going.”

Hever smiled and sent a message. A few moments later, she got an answer. “Who’s Khassi?”

Dex’s eyes went wide. “Holy shit. You are going to Khassi? Oh, can I come with? I can meet you there. Hell, I can carry you.”

Keera blinked. “Um, who’s Khassi?”

Dex sighed. “I have only had one bride who got a Khassi design. She was in seventeen magazines right after her ceremony. No one discusses her method, but the dresses are spectacular.”

Hever paused. “May I come, too?”

Keera looked at her and shook her head, but she sent the message to Worro. A laughing emoji said yes. “Yes, you are welcome to come, but I think whether you do or don’t get an appointment is up to Khassi.”

Hever nodded. “Dex has a bunch of designers lined up, but I just want to be there for my friend.”

Keera blinked. “Oh. Right.”

Hever laughed and hugged her.

Keera grinned. “Right. Now, let’s hammer out the details for that small rover.”

Hever nodded. “Back to work.”

Dex grinned and whistled softly as she put away supplies.