My footsteps echo as I stride past the flowing water in its own channel. The crash of the waterfall is up ahead. I carry Emma through the light mist and into the cool darkness that is her new home.
A contingent of servants is waiting to greet us. A mix of Betas, and Alpha warriors. Emma doesn’t notice. I dismiss all of them but Calla with a sharp shake of my head. Normally, the presence of Alphas wouldn’t bother me.
That was before the rut hit me.
Now, with Emma in my arms, it’s all I can do not to bare my teeth and snarl at every male who comes within a hundred feet of us. The Kings’ Council meeting was its own kind of hell—trying to stay calm enough to have a vital conversation with Aurus the Golden Asshat while holding the most precious thing in the world to me, whose scent drives me out of my mind with lust, and whose fragile little body makes me want to hold her snuggled up against my chest forever.
Unless I’m fucking her, of course.
Emma’s eyes are wide and blue as mountain pools. I pause to pivot slowly and let her see everything.
“Do you like it?” I purr.
“It’s very grand. But… different. Not like Aurus’s palace.”
“No, nothing like that.” Jealousy roars in my chest. I fight to keep my purr from turning into a growl. “Is that what you prefer? Gold and gaudiness? An excessive display of wealth?” I hate it, but if Emma likes it, I’d be willing to build a replica for her—twice as big as Aurus’s, of course.
Emma’s face falls. I try to mute my displeasure—it seems she can feel my feelings through our bond. “No. I didn't like it at all.”
Her feelings are a riot between us. Confusion, trepidation, overwhelm. My poor Omega is trying to adjust.
A few feet away, Calla waits with her hands folded. Patient and silent. I wish to introduce her but first, I want Emma to feel at home.
“If you have any questions, you may ask.”
She bites her lip and points to a glow lamp in the corner. “Are those orbs like the ones at the Kings’ Council?” She’s curious about the difference between the glow lamps and the comms spheres.
“Not quite.” I shift her in my arms so she can study the orb, suspended in the air. “These are merely lights. The ones at the Kings’ Council were communication devices that linked with the distant kings. Not everyone is as comfortable on a ship as I am. Most prefer to stay within their own kingdoms. They don't trust Aurus. Which is wise,” I mutter the last part.
“It’s like magic.” Her hand lifts to the orb, then falters. She rubs her head instead, her distress throbbing in the bond.
I grasp her chin, my purr growing louder.I stare into her wide eyes, pouring soothing feelings into the bond. She blinks, her pupils growing, darkness swallowing the blue of her irises.
Soon she will be done with all thought, but she is fighting it.
“Is that why you call them magicians?” she mumbles, her brow still wrinkled. Ulf, she’s adorable. “They do magic?”
“Magic tech, yes.”
“Magic and tech aren't really the same thing back on Earth…” She sighs. “I have so many questions.”
“And I will answer them all,” I promise. “But first, let’s get you settled.” I turn to Calla, now even more impatient to get my Omega into her new nest, so I can rut her in it.
* * *
Emma
Khan’s palace is like nothing I’ve ever seen. It’s built into the side of a freaking mountain, for one. And there are streams flowing down the platforms and over the edge, creating all those waterfalls. The rush and roar of the water echoes in the huge room we’re in now. The towering walls are a mix of smooth and rough stone. For all its grandeur, the room feels like an enormous cave, carved out of the mountain.
Glowing orbs lend a little light but my eyes are still adjusting to the gloom. At first, I didn’t even notice the pretty, green-skinned woman in a dark brown robe standing nearby. How long has she been there?
“My king.” She gives a slight bow. “Welcome home. We have done as you instructed. Quarters have been prepared.”
As overwhelmed and anxious as I am, I don’t miss the way her gaze slides over me—cool, assessing. It feels almost judgmental. What did Khan tell her about me? What were the instructions, exactly?I will be bringing an unwilling female back with me. Build her a pretty prison.
Refusing to be cowed, I meet the woman’s slightly slanting, emerald eyes. She’s tall—at least six feet—and is the first female Ulfarri I’ve seen up close. I bite my lip, and stare. Her skin is the pale green of a ripe avocado, and her hair the dark, rich tint of pine needles. The Ulfarri come in so many shades and colors, my own pale skin must look weird to them.
“Calla.” Khan’s voice is full of pride. “Allow me to introduce you to my queen. Emma.”
