by Lily Archer
My heart jumps. “Are you saying what I think you’re saying?”
Kyte nods. “I think she’s ready. She wants to complete the full circle.”
“Mating?” Jeren smiles.
“Tonight?” I don’t know if I can contain the yell of excitement that wants to barrel from my lungs.
“Yes.” Kyte looks around to make sure no one is listening. “I think once we’ve joined the circle, she will initiate the rest of the mate bond.”
“How do you know?” Jeren’s voice shakes.
“I can sense her. I try not to read her thoughts, but some are louder than others.”
“Her slick.” I lick my lips. “It’s there every night.”
“If she makes us wait.” Jeren scrubs a hand down his face. “Just know that I might lose my mind.”
“I don’t think she will.” Kyte grabs both of our arms, that thin current twining through us. “I think tonight is the night.”
“By the Pillars, please let it be true.” Jeren sends his prayer into the universe, and I echo it silently.
The door opens again, and Unar walks out in a slim dress with a short skirt. She takes Tarvan’s arm.
“Dicknose got a date.” Jeren raises a brow.
“The universe has strange ways.” I watch as they head out together, Dicknose grinning in triumph.
“Get off my skirt!” Ilwen’s shrill voice cuts through the night as she exits from the dorm. Justa trails behind, a litany of apologies rolling off her tongue. Ilwen smacks her away.
I just have to get through it, no matter how much I want to ditch Ilwen and wait for Lana with Kyte and Jeren.
“Ceredes, darling.” Ilwen swans up, her dress different than all the others. The top is low, the slit high, and the color a decent accent to her pink skin. But she could be wearing a gown of diamonds, and Lana a terranseed sack, and I’d pick Lana every time.
“Let’s go.” I dutifully hold out my arm.
Jeren snickers.
I shoot him a scorching glare. He shrugs.
I turn and lead Ilwen away when a shuttle drops just ahead of us, blocking our way.
“Who’s that?” she asks, then her voice raises an octave in excitement. “Look at the emblem. It’s a Regent shuttle. Must be somebody important.”
The silver door opens and High Commander Bartanz descends, his back rigid and his gaze straight ahead. He’s a Bellatian from my home planet, his muscular body straining against his dress whites. His black hair is short, and his gaze doesn’t seem to miss a thing.
“It’s the High Commander,” Ilwen stage whispers.
He turns toward us. “Alpha Commander, Omega Commander, good evening.”
“Good evening,” Ilwen simpers. “I’m afraid your shuttle dropped you at the wrong building.” She points past the fountain. “The ballroom is over there.”
“I’m perfectly aware of the academy layout, Omega.” His tone is crisp. “Excuse me.”
He moves to step past us, then pauses. “Actually, you may be of some use. Go inside and bring me the Omega from Earth.”
Ice shoots through my veins, and I can sense Jeren and Kyte snapping to attention.
“Why would you want her?” Ilwen isn’t acting anymore. She’s genuinely perplexed.
High Commander Bartanz grimaces at her. “I’m here to escort her, obviously. Now, get a move on.”
His biting tone gets her turning so quickly she almost falls. But I steady her.
Then she stops and points. “Oh, there she is now.”
28
Lana
I hurry to the door and hope Jeren and Kyte will forgive me for being so late. Everything would have been fine if Ilwen hadn’t intentionally stopped up the sink when she was finished doing her makeup. Thankfully, Tilda was friends with the Beta who has the long, oddly stretchy arms, and he was able to clear it for me.
Stopping at the dorm door, I take a deep breath. I can do this. It’s a big night, and not just because of the ball. If all goes as planned, I’ll be part of a circle and in a mating bond with my guys before the evening is over. It’s dizzying, really. Just a few months ago, I was trying to survive long enough to get my high school diploma and away from Mom’s fists. Now, I’m on the verge of something so big it could rock the Gretar Fleet to its core. And more than that, I’ve found a connection with not one, but three amazing males. A jolt of nerves scatters through me when I realize that after tonight, we’re not just friends. We’ll be so much more.
“What a world.” I smile and push through the door.
Jeren and Kyte are waiting, and even Ilwen and Ceredes are standing outside. But there’s something wrong. I hurry toward Kyte, the worry in his eyes like a stab through my heart. What is it?
“Lana.” A male in a white uniform covered with medals calls my name.
I recognize him. He’s the one who met me when my shuttle first landed. And he was always one of the top cards when Jeren would quiz me about fleet leaders. “High Commander Bartanz.”
He offers his thick arm. “Shall we?”
“I, uh …” I look at Kyte.
“Go with him. We’ll be right behind you.”
“I’m not often kept waiting.” Bartanz says it with a faint smile, but it doesn’t reach his eyes.
“Sorry.” I take his arm. “I’m just surprised is all.” I let him lead me into the courtyard, past the fountain, and toward the ballroom. It’s decorated with the fleet insignia and the flags representing the Council of Regents. Everything is dark and formal, only the cadets brightening the night with their exuberance. Bartanz is more like the décor—silent and stuffy. Why is he here? Why is he escorting me? Should I ask him that? I glance at his stone countenance and decide against it.
In my head, I’d played out this slow-motion, amazing prom look when I stepped out of the Omega dorm. But instead, I’m being led to the ball by the stiff, mean-looking commander of the entire fleet. No dropped jaws from Kyte, Jeren, and Ceredes. Nope. This guy has stolen my thunder.
“You look amazing, the most beautiful female on the entire campus.” Kyte’s voice is at my ear, but not really. He’s several paces back.
My cheeks warm at his praise, but I keep my eyes straight ahead. I need to focus, because it’s pretty obvious that the High Commander escorting an Omega cadet isn’t normal. If I couldn’t already tell, all the stares, whispers, and gawking would have done the trick. Bartanz ignores all the other cadets and walks up the stairs to the ballroom as I dutifully stick to his side. Is he going to talk?
It takes about ten more steps for me to work up my nerve. But then I dive in. “So, why are you—”
“I have time for one dance.” His voice is low and curt. “Then I must return to the Council of Regents.”
“Okay?” I’m not sure how to respond.
“Come along.” He strides past the instructors, including Master Harlan, and pulls me onto the glittering dancefloor. The room was buzzing when we walked in, but now a silence falls as all the students stare. I can’t blame them. This is weird.
Bartanz points at the small stage where the musicians—though some of their instruments are a total mystery to me—are set up. They begin to play a strange, haunting song, and Bartanz moves almost mechanically to the music.
I would point out that I don’t know how to dance, but that wouldn’t matter, because he holds me off the ground as he waltzes us along the dance floor. We spin and glide as the faces around us become a blur. Good. I’m kind of over the staring, though I would like to see Jeren, Kyte, and Ceredes. Maybe they could give me some guidance.
The high commander clears his throat. “I’m not much for wooing, Lana. I’m far too busy with protecting the fleet from the Sentient threat.”
“Wooing?” I finally meet his eyes. They’re a darker blue than Ceredes’s, and somehow even more intense.
“In short, I intend to claim you as my mate. We will be bonded, just the two of us, and you will live up-fleet with me. I will secure you a position
within the Council of Regents, though you won’t have to perform any real duties, of course.”
“Hang on. What?” I shake my head, but it makes me dizzy as he swirls me across the floor. “I don’t even know you. Why—”
“You are my chosen mate. That’s all you need to know.” His grip tightens.
“Hey.” I squirm. “I’m not some doll you can choose out of a store window. And I’m not your mate.”
He stops. “You are what I say you are.”
The music keeps playing even though we’re standing still in the middle of the ballroom.
“This isn’t up for debate.” He puts me on my feet. “I allowed you this time at the academy to acclimate in total safety. From the results of your finals, I would say you’ve accepted the fleet as your new home. You did quite well on your flying exam, though you won’t be needing that skill as my mate. Now, it’s time for you to do your duty. Prepare your things. A shuttle will be here for you in the morning. The journey to my ship will take no more than two hours. You will be in my quarters and ready for the mating ceremony by the time I arrive after my morning intelligence briefing with the Council. Is that clear?”
Nothing’s clear. I stare up at him as my eyes water. “Why?”
He turns on his heel and marches away from me, leaving my question unanswered and my life in tatters.
29
Lana
Kyte takes my arm and leads me off the dancefloor. Jeren’s on my other side, his warm palm at my lower back.
“It’s okay. Whatever it is, you’ll be all right.” Jeren’s low voice always calms me.
Not this time.
Ceredes breaks away from Ilwen and jogs over. “What was that?”
Kyte jerks his chin toward the back of the ballroom. Everyone is staring and whispering as I pass. Ilwen calls for Ceredes in a screechy whine, but he ignores her.
Tilda beelines for me, her face pale. Once we’re in a darker area at the back of the ballroom and Ilwen’s taken the stage alone, I tell them what Bartanz said. Their faces grow darker with each word I say, and at the end, my knees go weak.
Uaxin eases into the circle, her blue eye stark as she gets most of the story.
“He said in the morning.” I look up at my Alphas. “He’s sending for me. I’m supposed to go.”
“What in the Pillars is he thinking?” Tilda shakes her head. “He can’t just take you. The fleet doesn’t treat Omegas like prizes, not the way the Sentients do.”
Uaxin huffs loudly from her nose, and this time I can tell she’s angry.
“He said it.” I hug myself. “He said I was his and that we would do the mating ceremony tomorrow. There’s nothing I can do. But I can’t…” I stop talking before my tears choke me up.
“That’s …” Tilda pulls me into her arms and hugs me hard. “I don’t know what to say.”
“Why would he do that?” Her kindness finally loosens my tears, and they roll down my cheeks in hot streaks of sorrow. “What did I do?”
“You didn’t do anything.” Kyte strokes my back. “It’s not your fault. There’s something going on that they’re not telling us. There’s a reason he sent to Earth for you. A reason he’s had his eye on you this whole time.”
“We’ll figure it out.” Jeren’s tone is soft, though his jaw is set in a hard line. “He won’t take you.”
“How?” I wipe my eyes. “He said tomorrow. He said I wasn’t really a student, that he just sent me here to get me used to the fleet.”
Tilda releases me. “I’m going to put out some feelers, see what’s going on.”
“Granterry connections?” Ceredes asks.
She nods. “Just hang on, okay?” She pushes my chin up. “We’ll get this figured out.” Turning, she melds into the crowd. The dancefloor is full of couples now, the party in full swing.
Uaxin reaches out and takes my hand. “We won’t let him take you.” Her voice is so soft and creaky with disuse that I almost miss it. But when I realize the words are hers, I gasp. I squeeze her hand and blink away my tears as best I can. “Thank you.”
She nods and lets go, then follows Tilda out of the ballroom. I want to believe her, to think there’s some way my friends can stop what’s happening. But how could we stand against the high commander?
Ceredes scans the room. “We need to go. Seal the circle so that no other Alpha can try to lay claim to you.”
“Will that work?”
“Yes.” Kyte and Jeren say in unison.
“Once it’s sealed, it’s done.” Kyte takes my hand. “No one else can join. And the only ones who can ever break the circle are those within it.”
“One problem.” Ceredes peers over my head. “Master Harlan hasn’t let Lana out of his sight since Bartanz left.”
I turn and see the Alpha leader, a drink in his hand, and his yellow eyes on me. “What do we do?”
Jeren’s familiar smirk makes an appearance. “Leave that to me. When it happens, take her and go to the hangar like we planned. I’ll meet you there.” He backs away and disappears, nothing more than a shadow flitting amongst the cadets.
“When what happens? What’s he doing?” I peer through the crowd, but he’s gone.
Kyte grins. “I don’t know, but whatever it is, it’ll be good.”
Ceredes moves to my back, his wall of muscle promising protection. I lean into him as Kyte watches the crowd. Ilwen is still onstage, but I can feel her wrath from across the ballroom. She’s staring at Ceredes with a mix of anger and heartbreak. For a thin moment, I feel sorry for her. Then she drops her gaze to me, the heartbreak turns to rage, and my pity dissolves as she mouths the word ‘fliggy’ at me.
A cadet runs past, and I get a quick glimpse of him. His nose looks like a penis. “That must be Tarvan?”
Kyte nods. “That’s him.”
“Master Harlan!”
Harlan finally turns his attention away from me. “What is it?”
“Another shuttle has arrived with the Regent insignia.”
“What? We weren’t expecting—”
“It just landed!” Tarvan squeaks.
Master Harlan stares at me for a long moment, then tears off toward the ballroom doors.
“Now.” Ceredes takes one of my hands, Kyte the other, and we push through the crowd. They’re all straining to see who’s arrived, so we have to go against the tide to make it to the portal along the wall next to the band.
Once we’re through, the hangar appears, and we hurtle toward the V-11.
Jeren moves from the shadows, his steps quick as he meets us.
“How did you get a Regent’s shuttle?”
He shrugs. “Any shuttle looks like a Regent’s shuttle if you plaster the council’s flag to the side.”
“Are you kidding?” I laugh despite the worry eating away at me. “That’s brilliant.”
“Nicely done.” Kyte grins, and Ceredes claps him on the back.
He gives me a small bow, then opens the V-11’s bay door. “Let’s get this done.”
“I can’t wait.” I grab my skirt and climb aboard, then stuff all of me and my gown into the pilot’s seat. “How far should I go?”
“Just get outside the barrier, and we’ll find a good spot.”
“You got the code, right?” Kyte turns to Jeren.
“It was written on the bottom of Master Daviti’s canteen.”
“Lirian.” I start the engines and maneuver toward the hangar door.
“Whoa.” Jeren stares. “How did you know?”
I shrug. “Wild guess.” I ease the ship low along the ground until we’re a good distance from the main campus, then I shoot up toward the barrier.
Kyte taps in the code. His display blinks red. He taps it in again. Red.
“What is it?” I turn, fear once again constricting my thoughts.
“It’s not working.”
Ceredes tries to enter it. Red again.
“Jeren, are you sure this is the—”
“Yes!” He tri
es it, too. No luck. “They must have changed it.”
I slam my hand on the console. “Bartanz knew I aced my flying exam.”
“You think he—”
“Yes. He’s the greatest strategist the fleet has ever known, remember?”
Kyte nods, impressed. “You were paying attention when we studied.”
“He knew. He knew I could fly and that I might try to escape.” I drop my head into my hands. “I’m trapped.”
“No, you aren’t.” Ceredes takes over from the co-pilot seat. “We’re doing this. Here. Now.”
“But everyone will know.” I look over at him. “Is that what you want?”
“Do I want everyone to know that Jeren and Kyte are my brothers and you are our mate?” He smiles, his blue eyes lighting like a clear morning sky. “Fuck yeah.”
I step off the ship. My Alphas lead me into the canopy of trees, the same ones we stood under the last time we almost completed the circle.
Kyte stops and turns around, then puts his palm to my cheek. “Are you ready?”
I shake out my hands, nerves ricocheting all through me. “Yes. Are you?”
He gives me one of his golden smiles. “Completely.”
Jeren strides up. “Perimeter’s clear for now. But they likely clocked you when we went through the portal to the hangar.”
I drop my gaze to the leafy forest floor. “They all knew. The instructors. They knew I wasn’t a real cadet, that Bartanz was just stashing me here so he could come back for me later. That’s why they were keeping tabs on me.”
“It doesn’t matter.” Ceredes lifts my face to his. “Once the circle is formed, they won’t treat you as anything less than you are.”
“You’ll be dangerous.” Jeren grins. “We all will.”
“Together, there’s nothing we can’t do.” Kyte kisses my forehead. “And Bartanz won’t be able to touch you, okay?”
I nod. This is it. The moment. The tipping point where I have to decide if I’m going to embrace my own future or let someone else dictate it for me. If I’m going to curl into a defensive ball and take each blow that rains down on me, or stand up and fight. I’ve played defense all my life. Now it’s time to see what I can really do.
