by Lexa Luthor
Leaning her forehead against Kal's shoulder, Charlie pictured the Alpha behind her, pounding into her until she ejaculated. Somehow the human taboo position had become Charlie's favorite and excited her more than anything else. She loved having the Alpha dominate her, control her, and fuck her like an animal. The level of trust she had in Kal when she was bent over was always exhilarating to her. She gulped for air, then nipped at tan, spicy-tasting skin under her lips.
"That's what you want, isn't it?" Kal asked, voice rich with desire.
Nodding, Charlie could admit to her secret. "Ja." Without pretense, she rose up and groaned at the loss of contact. She waited until Kal was out of the way before she recentered herself in the bed on her hands and knees. In front of her, Kal remained on her knees and seemed to consider some plan—if the wolfish smile was any indication. "Sumner," Charlie whispered, headiness in her tone.
But Kal was the Alpha between them, and her rut was at the forefront of her mind. She seemed alert about Charlie's needs and wanted to play. She grabbed near the base of her shaft and massaged the full length, giving Charlie a show. As her hand slid to the head, she slowed and displayed the bit of quima that trickled out; then she smeared it around the tip. She groaned and closed her eyes.
Charlie clawed at the blanket and was about to reconsider their agreement if Kal didn't give her something. Her glare must have registered with Kal, who smirked and moved around Charlie. A flutter of excitement passed through her when the Alpha positioned herself behind her. This time, there was no foreplay, and she had only a second to pray that the sex toy would help Kal.
The first drive was hard and stung, having determination behind it. Charlie shuddered and dropped her head, but she remained on her hands and knees. As her fingers curled into the blanket, her muscles tried to hold onto Kal, who was pulling out at a painstaking speed. Kal paused before she slowly pushed into Charlie, who moaned loudly. They both loved when Kal asserted her Alpha. She wanted Kal to rut into her and split her open. Their slow pace was maddening, and she had to prod Kal's Alpha.
After Kal withdrew, Charlie lowered to her elbows and raised her ass higher for the Alpha. She shivered from the growl behind her as she dropped her head to the soft bed and waited for her reward. A grin creased her lips when she felt movement behind her, then all the gentleness was gone.
Kal latched onto Charlie's hips with a strong grip that ensured Charlie wouldn't get away. Her first thrust forced a cry from Charlie, but she didn't stop or slow down. The pace was punishing, skin slapping skin. Her grunts matched Charlie's yells, and her growls grew more animalistic than before.
With an outstretched arm, Charlie held onto the bed as the Alpha rutted into her, deep and fast. She blinked away the sting in her eyes and screamed or grunted each time Kal's throbbing length drove through the wet heat between her walls. Gritting her teeth, she ground back into the Alpha's next pump and felt the cock ring hit her sex. She whimpered at being left unknotted, something so special between mates among the Kalmar. Charlie ignored the tightness in her chest, rocked her body back, and matched the Alpha's thrusts. Charlie sensed that her lover was just as close to breaking apart as she was.
"Charlie, vu—" Kal's snarl broke, and her last, forceful thrust split them both. She toppled over onto Charlie, just able to hold up her massive weight with her left hand. With her other arm, she hooked across Charlie's damp stomach and grunted as she nudged her cock just a bit deeper.
Gasping for air, Charlie whimpered at the cock ring's pressure against her entrance. But then the first warm shot of quima rushed into her, filling every void. Her inner muscles clamped around Kal's length, locking it inside her. But without the knot, the quima trickled out from her entrance and was lost. As more quima rushed through her, she fought the searing in her eyes, but the salty tears came anyway and burned down her cheeks, tainting her orgasm. She hadn't planned to be knotted or bonded to anyone in her life. As Kal withheld her knot, Charlie fought the sharpness in her chest and swallowed her silent pleas for Kal to knot her.
Kal continued nuzzling Charlie's neck, clenched teeth pressed against flushed skin. She never bit down but growled deep and long. Her hold on Charlie was almost crushing as her hips applied a bit more pressure to Charlie's ass. The cock ring barred her from pushing the knot into Charlie and binding them for this lifetime.
As the orgasm faded, Charlie gulped for air and grabbed Kal's arm across her abdomen. Her body quaked but not with pleasure. A few sobs escaped, and she sank into the bed. Along her back she felt the stronger body cover her and shelter her from the rush of emotions. A muscular arm went under her and turned Charlie onto her side, then a powerful thigh shifted over her hip. She remained nestled and hidden in the Alpha's arms. Her lower body was filled with the swollen length buried in her. Even if she was sore, she wasn't ready to let Kal retreat and undo their connection.
A soft thrum pierced Charlie's downward spiral and soothed some of the pressure in her chest. She then noticed the massaging against her chest and remembered her lover was suffering as well. Covering Kal's hand, she squeezed a silent promise that they would figure something out. A soft touch brushed her ear, tracing the outer edge of it, and Charlie whimpered at the Alpha's tenderness.
"Mine," Kal whispered, final and unbreakable in the single word. She snaked their laced hands upward, coming to a stop over Charlie's pounding heart.
Charlie curled her fingers between Kal's bigger ones and dug her nails into a callused palm. They had no union ceremony, nor were they mated through a bite claim nor even a knot to blend their scents as a couple; but there was something unseen that bound them. Charlie squeezed Kal's hand tighter, accepting the unspoken truth between them. "Yours."
Chapter 2
Lennox raised the handgun and aimed for Charlie, who stood in the center of Kal's bedroom. They had been caught—Charlie and Kal both half dressed in front of the messy bed where they'd knotted and bit each other for the first time. Lennox had already spewed angry words at his leader, shaming her for what she'd done.
Charlie glanced at her lectra gun still holstered in her belt by her boots a few feet away. She lunged for it, praying she was fast enough. Charlie yelled as the first shot rang out, but the sound was outmatched by the roar from Kal. Jerking up with the freed gun, she watched Kal drop to her knees in front of Lennox. She hadn't seen Kal move to shield her from Lennox's shot.
Rushing to Kal's side, Charlie froze at seeing the blood seep between Kal's hands that were pressed against her stomach. "N-n-no." She caught Kal from behind, balancing her after she fell to her knees. "No no no." She dropped the handgun and reached for Kal's wound, but Kal's increasing weight overwhelmed her. Charlie lowered her lover to the floor and touched a pale cheek. "Sumner?" She covered Kal's hands with her own and whispered, "Can you heal it?"
Kal was panting, and her voice was weakening. "It doesn't work that way."
"Joh," Charlie whispered, then a darkness surged inside of her. She snared the lectra gun, swung her arm around, and aimed for Lennox, who was rooted in shock. Curse words tumbled from her mouth as she drew her finger back on the trigger. But a strike to her elbow threw off her aim, and the shot hit the wall next to Lennox. She swore and gazed down at Kal, who'd hit her arm.
Lennox stumbled away, collapsing to the floor and dropping his weapon.
Turning back to her lover, Charlie saw the green fading from Kal's eyes and leaving a sweet amber color. "Oh gods, joh!" She cupped Kal's cheeks and smeared blood along unmarred skin. "Sumner." She bowed until their foreheads connected together.
"I remember everything."
Charlie raised her head, hating the honey brown in her lover's gaze. Kalatas's spirit had fled Sumner's dying body and left her with all that she'd forgotten since becoming Kal. "Krafka, joh," she whimpered. "Sumner." Like a prayer, she whispered her mate's old name over and over.
"Charlie, I'm here."
Jerking back, Charlie opened her eyes and twisted her
head around, reorienting herself in the cabin. The nightmare untangled itself from Charlie's groggy mind, but the tears were still fresh until Kal wiped them away. She focused on her lover's face that grounded her, then noticed the green in Kal's eyes after being masked by the rut last night.
Kal tightened her arms around Charlie, sealing their bodies together under the blanket. All around them daylight streamed through the cracks of the covered windows. The cabin was cool, but they were warm together.
"Sorry. I didn't mean to wake you." Charlie cleared her throat, warding away the roughness. Exhaustion was still heavy in her bones, as she hadn't slept well during Starr's rescue mission and then rushed off to find Kal. They'd had sex until dawn but napped on occasion until Kal's rut was sated enough that they could sleep.
"I've been awake," Kal replied.
Turning until she faced her lover, Charlie touched Kal's cheek and admired the vibrant green in front of her. "Welcome back."
"The blocker is starting to work," Kal whispered, but a wolfish smile creased her lips. "Mostly."
"I guess so." Charlie heard the displeasure in her own voice and changed the discussion. "What time do you think it is?"
Kal responded with a rumble first, then replied, "Perhaps close to suns high."
Groaning, Charlie rubbed her forehead, rolled onto her back, and stared up at the wood beams. "We should get up." She peered over at Kal, who was still holding her. "I need to eat something." She noticed that the dark coloring under Kal's eyes was fading. "You probably haven't eaten in awhile." Gossip about Alpha ruts included their ability to go days without food.
"Joh." Kal breathed deeply and nudged Charlie's temple. "But I did bring food, and there's a root cellar here."
Charlie reached up and played with the wavy strands that spilled over between their bodies. "Any pizza? I love a good pizza after sex." She chuckled at Kal's raised eyebrow and then sighed at the lack of pizza on Kander, or anywhere for that matter. "I can't believe a human hasn't started a good pizzeria in Tarrak. I could go for a rancher pizza with extra sauce on the side for the crust." She started laughing at Kal's eyebrow arching to a new level.
"Will surra do instead of…" Kal pursed her lips and said, "Piz-za."
Charlie smirked at Kal stumbling through the old English word, but she enjoyed Kal's attempt. "I love surra too. Maybe it'll be my new favorite after-sex food." She shook with silent laughter after Kal rolled her eyes.
"Then I will make it." Kal rose up and pushed the blanket off them.
"Wait. What?" Charlie twisted her head as the blanket was put back over her. "You can fuck and cook?"
Kal was still nude as she walked around the bed. "Ja. I can do many things." She went to the sitting room and pulled on a few meager pieces of clothing.
"Wow," Charlie whispered, not expecting an Alpha to cook or do anything domestic. Alphas were known for working hard outside, while Omegas took care of the home, including raising the kids. It was rather old-fashioned in Charlie's mind, making her dislike Alphas more for setting the social norms in the Kalmar culture. It was no wonder Omegas looked up to female Earthlings, who long ago struggled against such social injustice. But the injustice between the sexes didn't truly end until Earthlings left their home planet, as they needed every able body in order for their species to survive in outer space. That new mindset became more crucial after Earthlings landed on Kander and had to fight to live.
Blowing out a breath, Charlie put aside her recent memories of Earthlings' history and climbed out of bed. She neatened up the blankets and pillows before collecting her scattered attire in the sitting area. A bath was in order, but food had priority, and from the smell in the kitchen, it would be ready soon. Shrugging, she pulled on the frayed jeans without underwear and yanked her T-shirt over her torso. As she neared Kal, she tamed her wild hair with her fingers.
Kal worked fast in the kitchen, like an old pro knocking off the dust after being away too long. She had her back to Charlie while she moved around and prepared the food.
Charlie folded her arms and stood several steps back, silently commending the Alpha's skill with a chef's knife. Over time she had cooked many meals herself but didn't claim to be an expert. Anything that Charlie made was at least palatable, and a few dishes ranked in the exceptional range. Watching Kal cook was both heartwarming and sexy.
"After breakfast we can bathe," Kal said, over her shoulder.
Clearing her throat, Charlie nodded and asked, "Anything I can do to help with that? Heat up water?"
Kal hesitated after going over to the stove top and lighted it with a match. "There's a full pot of water over the fireplace in the bathroom. If you light it, that'll be a start."
"Got it." Charlie shifted closer to the sealed door to her left but paused next to it. She stared over at Kal, who only wore a breast wrap and very short bottoms that reminded her of boy short underwear back on Earth. Reaching blindly for the door handle, she kept missing it thanks to Kal's distracting body.
"Food will be ready soon… if you can get the fire started in the bathroom." Kal cracked an egg over a cast iron pan.
"Right." Charlie smiled and nudged the door open with her shoulder. "On it." She rolled her body against the door, exhaling a breath once she was alone in the chilly room. Playing with her hair, she assessed the space that had a washbasin to her left and a tub in the center. An outhouse was located outside of the cabin, as Charlie had confirmed last night. Turning to her right, she went to the large fireplace.
There was a full, gigantic pot hanging over the fireplace, where logs and kindling were already organized under it. Charlie located the matches on the short mantle and started the fire. When she returned to the main room of the cabin, she and Kal sat down to a hot breakfast, which they sorely needed after last night.
They ate in comfortable silence, other than Charlie's occasional hum of enjoyment. She was famished but tried to pace herself. After her stomach was sated, she sat back and sipped the warm kello from the mug in her hands. She eyed Kal, concluding that the blocker was working.
"How are you feeling?"
Kal put the dirty utensil onto the plate and leaned back in the chair. "More in control."
Charlie dipped her head, then took a sip of the herbal drink. It gave her a beat to formulate her next words, unsure how Kal would respond. "We have a lot to talk about." She lowered the mug into her lap, allowing the drink to heat her hands.
Kal tilted her head and remained quiet.
Charlie had been thinking about their situation for hours before she even arrived at the cabin. The long ride had given her plenty of opportunity to consider so many things, maybe too many. As she focused on Kal, she realized a huge issue that needed to be solved before they could talk about anything. "I seriously can't discuss any of it when you're sitting there in nothing but a damn…" She hunted for the word in her head, then it came to her in English. "Bikini."
Kal's rumble was deep and a glow entered her eyes.
"And I could really stand to bathe." Charlie lifted the collar of her shirt to her nose. "Like right now."
"Finish your kello." Kal stood up with the dirty plates. "I will prep the tub." She deposited the dishes on the kitchen counter, then went to the front door.
Charlie twisted around with a furrow across her brow. "Where are you going?"
"To get more water for the tub." Kal pushed the bolt back and opened the door.
"You barely have anything on," Charlie protested as she held out a hand at Kal's minimal attire. "And it's freaking cold out there."
"There is no one around for many marches." Kal stepped out but not without a grin. "I'm still hot from my rut." Then she was gone.
Rubbing her brow, Charlie shook her head and went back to the herbal drink. "Am I going to wake up from this?" she asked herself but already knew the truth. Some remote part of her expected to find herself back on the Pacifica, as if none of her adventures since coming to Kander had happ
ened. But one day she would have to accept that her life's trajectory was changing from what had become comfortable and easy for her. Swallowing the rest of the kello, she popped out of the seat and neatened up the kitchen while Kal made a few trips with filled buckets of water.
She met Kal in the bathroom and helped get the pot of heated water poured into the tub, which was smaller than the one back in Kal's quarters. They both stripped off their clothes and climbed into the inviting herbal-infused water. A groan escaped Charlie after she slumped against the side and stretched her legs.
"How are you feeling?"
Charlie lifted her head off the tub and considered her answer, warmed by Kal's concern. "I don't know right now." She was ignoring the jumbled mess in her head until they could talk it out. "There's a lot going on and…" She held up her hands and whispered, "And here we are hanging out in a cabin in the middle of nowhere like it's a vacation."
Kal tilted her head and said, "We are in a safe place together for the first time."
Sighing and dropping her hands, Charlie nodded. "Ja. You're right." Maybe hiding out here was the best scenario for them right now because they had so much to work through in a short amount of time. Dorlon would be expecting Kal back sooner than a nineth.
Kal leaned forward and reached across the distance. She clasped Charlie's wrists and urged her to come to her.
Giving in, Charlie crossed the small space and followed Kal's wishes by sitting in the Alpha's lap. She melted into the comfortable position, feeling tiny compared to Kal's larger structure; but she also felt like she was meant to be a part of Kal. She relaxed into Kal's front, hard nipples brushing Charlie's shoulders. She leaned her head back and listened to the thrum rattling deep in Kal's chest.
"What was your dream?" Kal asked, her voice vibrating against Charlie's shoulders.
Charlie grumbled and closed her eyes. "Just a stupid nightmare." Kal's hand moved to Charlie's thigh, massaging the area. Somehow she sensed her answer wasn't enough for her lover, so she sighed and told Kal the dream's details, then whispered, "I tried getting you to heal yourself, with the spirit."
