Rath

by Susan Hayes

  He watched her for a long moment, so long she leaned back a fraction. “I mean, only yours, you won’t share m—”

  She didn’t get the words out before he growled, his arms tightening around her. “No!” he snarled. “You are mine and mine alone. I would kill any male who dared to touch you. Even look at you.”

  She jumped, the odd sound starting in her throat again as she crowded closer, needing to soothe him and his anger. Instinct took over and she pressed herself to his chest, her head burrowed in the crook of his neck.

  His hold gentled, and she felt him relax a little, his face buried in her still-damp hair. “Little one...” was all he said.

  “I’m here. And I’m glad you don’t want to share me. I don’t want that, either.”

  Savanna blew out a breath. “If I had to be captured. I think... I think I’m glad it was you who found me.”

  5

  Xarth.

  He pulled her closer, folding her into the safety of his embrace, well aware that even though she’d parthed for him and admitted she was his, he couldn’t claim her as he wanted to. She was exhausted and still injured, and, he realized, practically falling asleep in his arms now that she had a belly full of food.

  He sat for a while, savoring the soft weight of her slight body against him, and listened as her breathing lengthened. She was asleep. Not medicated and unconscious, but actually asleep. She’d trusted him enough to fall asleep in his arms.

  He closed his eyes and rested his lips against the hair on top of her head. It was a... his chest ached with the feeling. It was the best gift anyone had ever given him. Finally, he stood with her in his arms, carrying her back to bed.

  Once she was tucked in and comfortable, he should have left her to sleep. Instead, he stood at the foot of the bed for a few moments. He’d found his omega and she had accepted him. Trusted him. It still didn’t feel quite real.

  It was also going to be a problem, given that the Lord Overseer had decreed that no omegas were to be taken or claimed without his express permission. He’d have to claim her first and ask for forgiveness later. Lord Tane would make an exception for him. He hadn’t raided a village to find Savannah. He’d saved her.

  Now, he needed to find the ones who had taken her in the first place and make them pay. Then, he’d find Savannah’s mother. Lord Tane would see to it she had protection until she was claimed. And if he could bring in another omega, one like Savannah, then... maybe his transgression would be, if not forgiven, seen in a better light.

  With a sigh, he turned from the temptation she presented, resisting the urge to slide in next to her. Instead, he dressed and strapped his weapons back on. Leaving the stronghold took a few minutes as he armed the systems behind him and then stepped out into the ruins beyond.

  It didn’t take long for Rett to find him. A patch of darkness moved, Rath whirling lightly to target the movement with both blast pistols, and then his brother emerged, hands raised.

  “A bit slow there, little brother. I could’ve had you there. Twice.”

  “Not on your best day,” Rath holstered his weapons and grinned at his elder brother. “All quiet?”

  “As a tomb.”

  It took Rath’s translator a moment to work out the meaning of the slang expression. “You’re spending too much time with the humans. You even sound like one.”

  Rett snorted. “That’s the idea. What’s gotten into you tonight? You’re wound tighter than a spring.”

  Again, his translator struggled. “Now you’re just being annoying.”

  “Sorry.” Rett leaned against a portion of crumbling wall, blending back into the shadows. “What news do you bring?”

  “Someone’s been raiding without permission. Have you heard anything? They brought the omegas somewhere nearby.” Rath settled into the darkness against the same wall as he waited for Rett to reply.

  “Heard some rumblings. We’ve had omegas go missing in sectors three alpha and four alpha. Mostly villages get hit, but... a couple of fighters have gone missing as well.”

  Rath cocked his eyebrow. Rett had been tasked with infiltrating human society as a beta. “Fighters?”

  Rett breathed out a sigh, shoving a big hand through his dark hair. “These humans... they are not like we were expecting,” he admitted haltingly. “You’re not going to believe me, but they’re organized. They were fighting back against the L’crav.”

  “Fighting back?” The idea was hard to swallow. Then again, he’d thought his brother was wrong about the human omegas being different than the others. However, Savannah proved that was true. She was neither submissive nor obedient.

  “Someone has decided to ignore the Overseer’s decree. I’m going to have to tell him and then hunt them down to make sure they don’t do it again. I spoke to a… witness who got away from them. She doesn’t know where they are, though. She’s injured and weak.”

  Rett’s lips quirked at the corner, his arms folded over his chest. He was only slightly larger than Rath, both of them easily able to pass for larger humans as long as they kept their beast forms hidden. “A witness, huh?”

  Rath flashed his fangs. “My witness.”

  “Fine. Sure. I’m surrounded by human females. You can keep yours. But if she’s an omega, the Lord Overseer will decorate his office with your innards and mount your head on the walls as a warning to others. Please, tell me you don’t have an omega in our safe house.”

  “It’s temporary. Once she’s healed, I’ll take her to the citadel.”

  “Are you xarthing insane? The decree!” Rett exclaimed.

  “It’s not like I raided a village and took her by force. I saved her.” He squared his shoulders and let his voice drop to a growl. “And she’s mine.”

  Rett looked at him for a long moment and then shrugged. “Your funeral. Might be mine soon anyway.”

  “Do you need to get pulled out? The Lord Overseer might need the intel, but he won’t want you to die getting it for him.” Rath glanced back toward the building where Savannah was sleeping. “I’ve got no intentions of dying, brother. I just found something worth living for. Even if she is...” He rubbed a hand over his hair and grimaced. “Are they really all like that? Stubborn?”

  That made Rett laugh. “Oh yeah. At least the ones that haven’t been claimed by those honorless L’crav. And as for me? Don’t worry about it. No one suspects what I am.”

  Rath tilted his head. “Then explain,” he ordered. “Or I’ll have Lord Tane pull you out.”

  Rett growled, straightening up. “Don’t you xarthing dare, little brother.”

  Then he sighed, shoving a hand through his hair as he turned his back on Rath. “There’s a female. Okay? An omega. I’ve... she... she’s about to go into heat.”

  “Then you need to get away from her. Far away.” Rath couldn’t imagine being near an omega during her heat while trying to maintain complete control. If his brother’s eyes so much as flickered to pure black or his fangs dropped… he was a dead male, and his death wouldn’t be honorable or quick.

  “No.” Rett snarled. “You worry about your own omega, little brother. Leave mine to me. And you best not keep yours here much longer. As secure as that building is, it won’t withstand a prolonged assault. If any of the others realize what you’re hiding...”

  “They’ll die,” Rath spat the words like an oath. “No one touches her.”

  Rett nodded. “I’ll look into things more on my side. See if I can’t dig up some more info on what’s going on. I’ve had a feeling we had intruders for a while. And...” he paused, and for a moment Rath was sure he had something else to say, but then he shook his head. “It doesn’t matter. You watch your back, little brother.”

  And with that, he was gone.

  “Watch my back? How?” Rath muttered. His brother was spending too much time among the humans. He was even starting to sound like them.

  Rett was right about one thing, though. The safehouse wasn’t somewhere he could keep Savannah f
or long. This far from the citadel Lord Tane’s rule was still being established. The remaining L’crav were still smarting from the decision to strip control of Earth from them and transfer it to the newly formed H’thor clan.

  He’d promised Savannah they’d stay for a while, though. He could keep that promise until she was properly healed and thoroughly claimed. That would make it easier for the Overseer to forgive him. If Savannah was happy with her new status, that would simplify everything. Especially when Lord Tane realized what it meant. The omegas on this world were different.

  He made his way back, careful to check every shadow and crevice for threats. Nothing was going to endanger his omega. Not on his watch.

  The only danger to his little shar’ai... was him.

  Savannah woke up hot. Had she slept in until the sun was high enough to bake their little hut? She opened her eyes and immediately recalled where she was. No hut. No sun. She was far away from home... in an alpha’s bed. She kicked off the covers as another wave of warmth swept over her. Too hot.

  A pitcher of water sat on the side table along with a glass, and she poured herself a drink, barely registering that the water was impossibly cold and chunks of ice even floated in the drink.

  She must be feverish and dreaming. Had to be. It was too hot for ice to be forming in the water. She gulped it down. It was wonderfully cold but did nothing for her overheated status.

  Without thinking about it, she snagged the silkiest of the blankets back into her lap, stroking it absently.

  “Savannah?” She knew that voice. The deepness of it, the way it rolled through her and made her blood run even hotter in her veins. Rath. The alpha.

  My alpha, a voice whispered somewhere in the back of her brain. Only that wasn’t right. Omegas didn’t claim alphas. Only the other way around. And he had...

  She blushed. The things he’d gotten her to do. Willingly. To herself.

  “Savannah, are you alright?” Rath prowled into view. He’d been in the kitchen, making something that smelled amazing. She should have been hungry, but she wasn’t. Or she was, but what she wanted wasn’t food. It was...

  “I burn,” she whispered. “Something’s wrong with me.”

  His movements changed and became more predatory as he stalked toward her. Rather than making her want to run—her brain telling her to do just that, to get away from the alpha with the black eyes—something else took over, and she snarled a warning at him.

  He paused and then a deeper, entirely more dangerous growl echoed from his chest. “Savannah, are you sure of what you’re doing?”

  What was she doing? “No? But I’m hot. I need... I don’t know. I want...” She ached and burned, her skin so sensitive it felt like it was on fire. “Help me.”

  He moved quicker than she’d ever seen anyone move, and a second later she was in his arms. “Always.”

  She whimpered as his hands smoothed over her skin, cool against her forehead as he tucked her hair back away from her face.

  “There’s nothing wrong with you,” he murmured, the expression on his face softening. “You’re going into heat.”

  “Nooooo,” she moaned, leaning her forehead against his shoulder. She couldn’t bear the thought of it—the need and the pain. “It’s not time yet.”

  “Shhh. Being with me has brought it on. You are mine, little omega. Your body knows it.”

  “My body is an asshole. I hate this. It hurts and I can’t stop it...” her words rode on the tail end of a snarl she hadn’t intended to utter.

  He kept touching her, soothing her. It felt good. Right. “Not this time. No pain, little one. Not with me here.”

  “There’s always pain.”

  “Savannah.” His voice cracked like a whip, his fingers tugging on her hair and drawing her head up so she was staring at him. “There will be no pain. Only pleasure.”

  “Knotting hurts. I’ve heard the screams.”

  “Not. With. Me.” He ground out the words, and she noticed the lines of his mouth had changed. Just a little. His eyes were entirely black, and when he spoke, she thought she saw a hint of fang.

  Fear hit her, but then it was burned away by a sudden rush of need so hot it consumed her. Without thinking, she reached up and ran her fingers over his mouth. “You’re changing.”

  “Because of you.” He bared his teeth to show her his fangs and then dragged her hand down his body to rest on the hard line of his cock. “Teeth to mark you as my mate. My cock will swell and knot, filling you completely. You are mine.”

  She moved closer, pressing against him even as fear rolled rampant through her. “I don’t want this. It’ll hurt... so much.”

  He snarled, hand in her hair to drag her head back and expose her throat. “I said not. With. Me.” His lips grazed her throat gently, despite his terrifying snarls. “I am your alpha, and I would never hurt you. Have I hurt you yet? Forced you?”

  It was hard to think past the fear and desire that clouded her mind, but he was right. He’d never forced her. Not once. Bargained, yes. Cheated? Possibly. But he’d never forced her. Nor hurt her. “No.”

  “Then trust me to continue as I have begun. You are going to scream soon, little one, but it will not be in pain. I’m about to teach you the meaning of pleasure, and you will learn it all from me. No one else. Ever.”

  She shivered in his arms, her hands clutching at his shoulders. Heat terrified her—a twice-yearly torment she could never escape. It was too soon for it to happen again, barely a few months since her last time, but she knew he was right. Being near him had brought it on.

  “Please,” she begged, and she wasn’t sure if it was for him to stop or to carry on.

  He snarled, a soft, rumbling sound that should have made her want to run in terror. Instead, she pressed herself against him, that strange sound rising from her throat as another wave of pure fire washed over her.

  His fingers caught in her hair, pulling her head back as he kissed her. “I will take care of you, shar’ai. Trust me.” His words were barely more than a whisper against her lips, but she heard them.

  “I...” She swallowed, her mouth suddenly parched. “I trust you. You’re my alpha.”

  A shudder rolled through him. His next kiss was hard, demanding, the tips of his fangs grazing her lower lip as he plundered her mouth. She clung to him, her body pummeled by the storm of needs and wants that always accompanied the heat.

  She needed him. Craved him. And suddenly she wasn’t clinging to him any longer. She was tearing at his clothes, needing to get him naked. To touch him.

  His bare skin pressed to hers. The blanket she’d had wrapped around her was cast aside as she purred in relief. Then the need took over again and she pressed against him more urgently. Her body was on fire and he was the water she needed to quench the flames.

  Her nails raked down his chest and he hissed at her, rearing back to look down at her with black eyes. She snarled at him, not liking the distance between them, and he smiled.

  “See? There she is,” he murmured in satisfaction. “My mate.”

  “Yours,” she let the word slip from her mouth with another soft hiss. “Soon. Please?”

  “Now.” He flowed toward her like the predator he was, taking her down to the mattress and pinning her there with his body as his mouth ravished hers. Everything he did felt good. So good. She writhed against him, enjoying the way his skin slid across hers.

  His kisses were hungry, his touch demanding, and the hard ridge of his cock was like a steel shaft against her belly. Part of her knew she should be afraid of it—so big, so hard, and ridged—but that part was a whisper in a windstorm.

  She wrapped herself around him, unwilling to allow even an inch of space between them. Arching up, she demanded his kisses, nipping at his lower lip when he didn’t give her what she needed.

  His chuckle of amusement whispered over her skin as his hand tightened in her hair. “Impatient,” he growled, kissing along her jaw with hard, biting little kisses.
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  She whimpered in need, trying to get a hand between them to touch him. He reached her neck, and she tilted her head to allow him better access. With a grunt of approval, he put space between them to allow her to touch him. With a sigh of relief, she slid her hand between them, reaching that part of him she needed most.

  He thrust himself into her hand, a growl of pure need rolling through him as she learned the shape and feel of him. The way the ridges rubbed against her palm. Thick. Hard. Her pussy grew slicker at the thought of having him inside her.

  “Tell me what you need, little one.”

  “You.”

  He nipped her throat gently. “Where?”

  “I..” she stammered and had to fight to focus. “Inside. Me.”

  “And who do you belong to?”

  His hand slipped between them, strong fingers stroking the seam of her pussy as he waited for her answer.

  “You. I belong to you.”

  His growl of approval against her throat made her gasp, and she rocked her hips against him. Each stroke of his clever fingers made her slicker, increased her need as she touched him. Even the size of him didn’t scare her anymore, not in the face of her need. Something yammered away in the back of her mind, but she ignored it. She needed him. Now.

  She parted her thighs wider, trying to get him closer to give her what she needed, but he held himself away. A snarl of frustration tore from her throat but the scrape of his fangs against her collarbone warned her.

  “I am your alpha,” he growled against her skin. “Trust me.”

  She whimpered, almost sulking as he continued to deny her what she craved. Again, that little voice chattered in the back of her head, but she ignored it. All she could focus on was him, the way his fingers stroked and teased her, the heat of his mouth against her flesh. He was like fire and ice, soothing her needs and setting her ablaze at the same time. It was maddening.

  “Rath, please.”

  “Not until you come for me, little one.”

  She growled, annoyed with him, and tried to yank herself away from him. He snarled, pinning her in place with his teeth in the curve of her shoulder and neck and the delicious friction of his fingers stopped. Freezing, she whimpered, trying to rock her hips against him, but he moved his hand.