“None of that,” Apodis interrupted, not in the mood for one of Z’s little lectures.
Sometimes, it seemed like the caerulian cared more about an alpha’spurposethan he did. Apodis had never been interested in the dominance hierarchy that ran within his designation’s blood, the alpha’s obsession with leading. Sure, he’d worked hard at his job, but not to try to move up. He’d been offered managerial positions on more than one occasion, but had always declined.
He truly loved the orderliness of his work, the way the precise mapping tingled his brain in just theright way. It was easier to focus on the stars as opposed to interacting with others.
It’s not that he didn’t enjoy being around other Oslieths on occasion, it just always seemed so difficult to find ones he could relate to, ones whose sole focus wasn’t on what they could get out of him as an alpha. He knew not everyone was like that, but after a few unpleasant experiences with aggressive alphas, jealous betas, and overeager omegas, he’d turned inward, focusing on his work.
Zenith let out a sigh, his slender tail flicking with annoyance.
Apodis was about to suggest they return home when a scent wafted past his nose, forcing him to attention in an instant. He sat up, sniffing harder, trying to determine what it was. There couldn’t be someone out here, could there?
As far as he knew, he had no neighbors, at least not anywhere nearby. That was the whole point of leaving Aerumi, and he’d made sure he was able to buy a plot of land large enough to keep out any outsiders.
The scent was familiar, but he couldn’t put his finger on it, Zenith eyeing him with concern.
“What is it? Are you alright?”
“Don’t you smell that?” Apodis asked, standing up and trying to follow the scent.
“Smell what? It smells like nature out here,” Zenith huffed, and normally Apodis would chuckleat the little creature’s consternation, but he was too out of sorts to notice.
“Something different. It doesn’t belong.”
It didn’t belong, and yet it did, the scent scintillating and intoxicating and otherworldly in a way that made no sense. The aroma got stronger as he hurried through the forest, sweat beading on his brow and his heart thumping quickly. His cock stiffened in his pants, and he let out a low growl, trying to calm himself as he approached a clearing on the edge of his property.
Apodis crouched in the underbrush, feeling every bit the beast as he stalked hisprey.
The aroma of alona blossoms filled his nose, sweet and floral, with a subtle hint of spice. It was overwhelming, a scent that tingled his entire body with warmth, though the fact he was smelling it right now was surprising.
It was late heat season, and alonas had long since gone dormant, yet the smell was unmistakable. As he peered into the darkness, he zeroed in on the source, a source that shocked him to his very core.
A human stooping low in the clearing.Alone.
Even in the low light, he could see her perfectly, his vision adapted to the darkness. She was exquisite, far different from the newsreels he had seen of human reporters on the planet they called home. Earth.
Hair as red as the sun’s rays glowed in the duskylight, loose and falling to her shoulders in waves. He wanted to press his nose to her neck, take in that delicious scent—grip a fistful of her pretty locks while he gave her his knot—though he tried to push those thoughts far aside.
The human had a sharp nose and full lips, keen eyes that scanned the plant in front of her. Tan shorts showed off her toned ass, a sight which made his mouth water shamefully, a white shirt and dark overshirt completing her look.
She was completely unaware of him, immersed in her study, and he wondered if humans lacked the same instincts that Oslieths had. Search, stalk, chase, bite—it was the prey drive that still lay within the alpha, though for a distinctly different purpose now that his species had learned to synthesize meat.
Such a beautiful creature, her delicious scent making his pulse quicken, his cock throbbing in his pants. Not the reaction he wanted to have while stalking a female in the woods, at least not one of a different species. He knew little of humans beyond the fact that they liked to trade with his government, though he wondered what this female was doing out here in his territory.
Yes, the floral aroma was definitely coming from her, a fact that filled him with trepidation. Why would a human smell like alona blossoms? Of course, he knew it was a scientific possibility, but the probability of him encountering a non-Oslieth with such afamiliar scent seemed astronomical when he lived alone in the woods.
And yet, here she was, practically on his front doorstep.
“Go talk to her,” Zenith said, and Apodis jerked backward in surprise, stepping on a twig in the process.
The crack was loud, and a moment later the human was standing, eyes as wide as an animal caught in a trap. She was looking in their direction, though he was fairly certain she couldn’t see them, not with the way her gaze darted along the line of bushes like she was trying to find the source of the noise.
He could hear her blood pumping through her veins, could taste the sharp scent of fear in the air, and it was intoxicating. What a beast he was! She was a frightened female, a member of a strange species, and here he was enjoying the sweat dotting her brow, the way she trembled like a little prey animal. He needed to get a hold of himself before he frightened her further, though the best course of action would be if she just moved on. Returned to wherever she had come from.
Just because she had a strange smell didn’t mean anything. It could be perfectly normal for humans.
Apodis started to back away slowly, but Zenith nipped his leg, causing him to let out a quiet yelp.
The human’s eyes widened further, and beforehe could reprimand the naughty caerulian, she was running back into the tree line—the sight sending a shudder through him.
