Chapter 8
CHAPTER EIGHT
Echo
My heart races as I hurry toward the exit of our den.
I can’t wait to catch a glimpse of the little Earth girl again.
I have no idea what draws me to her, but her scent is intoxicating, like sunshine and warmth, which we don’t ever get on Iceen.
I just want to rub my body all over her so I can carry it on my skin no matter where I go.
“Echo, wait!” Maxsim’s bark has me screeching to a halt just before the exit of our den and shivering with desire at the same time. I love my big, growly kitty, and he would never use his alpha bark on me detrimentally.
When he catches up, I get a whiff of his fear, and I suddenly feel guilty.
I realize what I’ve done, and I’m lucky that I didn’t get farther away from him than I did.
He wraps an arm around me, and I sink into his warmth, relieved to have him next to me now that I’m thinking more clearly.
How did thoughts of the Earth girl distract me so badly that I forgot about my safety?
That vicious beta bitch has been trying to kill me for months now.
Ever since she walked in on us knotted and she realized I’m an omega and she doesn’t stand a chance with Maxsim, she’s been hell-bent on trying to kill me.
Her single-minded focus is scary and borderline obsessive, and only Maxsim’s strength, as well as the other three acting as a buffer, has kept her in check.
If we can find more damning evidence to get rid of her, well, I’m all for it.
We leave our den, and the temperature program of our quarters has turned frigid.
There’s a raging storm, and the snow is practically sideways.
I take a deep breath and sigh with pleasure.
I just want to turn around, head back to our den, and snuggle down with my mate in my nest and finish what we started, but I know it’s important that we don’t.
Putting my head down to protect my face from the weather, I follow behind Maxsim as he leads the way.
We go down a path that lets out at the far right of the quarters, next to the entrance of the cave we need.
Maxsim lifts his nose into the air, checking the area for danger, aka Natalia, but when he smells nothing, he continues with his task.
His hand is warm in mine, not as warm as we would be if we were shifted, and I keep close, grateful for the heat his body is giving off.
I do love this kind of weather, but I prefer my animal form to this one as it’s much warmer like that.
We head down the corridor of the unused cave, finding no sign of anyone having dwelled in here, but smells don’t seem to linger on the frozen, ice-covered rock walls.
Soon enough, we’re in the living area, where again, there is no lingering, recognizable scent.
There is one that is new, but I’m assuming that’s the cyborg’s.
I didn’t get close enough to him to get a good sense of how he smells, but it reeks of electronics and desperation, which is not pleasant at all.
Maxsim huffs his annoyance at the intruder’s scent. It’s faint, but it does linger on a couple of surfaces. He did a good job of containing it, and I would like to know how he was able to. Not much can outsmart a lightning cat in its own environment, and we are skilled trackers and hunters.
While he continues to ponder the scent, I drop his hand and move toward the bedding area. Since it’s tucked behind a thick curtain, I would expect to be able to pick up a stronger trace of the cyborg there, but when I pull back the drapes, the scent that hits my nostrils makes my eyes water.
“Holy shit.” I wave a hand in front of my nose, trying to dissipate the overpowering odor. It seems like Natalia may have been doing a little more than just assisting the cyborg.
I feel Maxsim crowd in behind me and hear him draw in a breath, and I growl slightly at the thought of him smelling that disgusting beta’s sexual scent.
She must have been fucking the cyborg. There is no other way for it to smell like it does in here.
Maxsim strides up to the bedding pallet and yanks back the sheets.
The fluids on the sheets are still damp, and I grimace with disgust. It hasn’t been that long since they copulated.
She must have been in here with him last night, but it’s strange that neither of them smelled like it when we confronted them.
One of them must have gotten their hands on a scent blocker.
My guess is Natalia, because the cyborg would have no reason to.
How did none of us notice? Trace, Sim, and Fuse stay far away from her, so I guess it’s understandable that they didn’t, and the same goes for us. To be honest, unless we’re preparing for our show, none of us want anything to do with her.
“Well, I would say that is the smoking gun.” I try not to sound too disgusted, but Maxsim’s growl rattles out of his chest. “Good riddance to bad news. I hope it’s enough to have her thrown into the brig until we get to Iceen.”
“The warlock and the kraken will want to know. I’m almost certain the cyborg will not survive his interrogation.
As much as I would like to hand Natalia over to them as well, we do not need a war with her mother, but I think it’s time for a new ruling family, one who cares about every one of our people, not just what benefits them.
Natalia is not fit to rule. Although killing is accepted on Iceen, it is not the practice of other races, and killing the Adams brothers’ granddaughter is not good for political relations.
They have the ability to have us blackballed throughout the galaxy. ”
My growly kitty drops the covers and steps out of the bedroom area, and I release some of the tightness that had been building in my shoulders.
He must hear my sigh of relief, because he loses the growl and the frown and gives me a gentle smile.
Although I know he’s not growling and angry at me, it still upsets me if he’s upset.
“My poor omega, was the stench of that beta bothering you?” He grabs my hand and tucks me under his arm again as we make our way back the way we came, leaving behind the scene of the crime and the proof.
I shudder at the memory and nod my head, snuggling into his side as I enjoy the physical contact. “Yeah, it was horrible.”
“Unlike the Earth girl’s scent?” I hear the question and hide my smile. My poor alpha is suffering from a touch of jealousy, but he loves me enough to try and shove it back down, and I love him even more for it.
I’m almost certain if it had been another alpha lightning cat, he would have torn them apart already. The fact that he’s acting levelheaded makes me wonder if he’s not as oblivious to the appeal of Lila himself.
I don’t answer his question, deciding to let him stew on it a little bit. I like it when he gets demanding and growly, and maybe he’ll make me tell him how it feels.
“Come on, we need to hurry. We’ll be late for the meeting. It has to be something important. Crew meetings only usually happen at the beginning and end of a tour.” I pull his hand to hurry him along, and he does, grumbling quietly to himself.
“There’s been nothing but upheaval since we arrived on Earth. Personally, I will be glad to see the back of it. I really don’t want to do the rest of the shows. The sooner we can ditch Natalia, the better.”
That last bit is said as we step out into the furious snowstorm. Ahead of us, I can see Trace, Sim, and Fuse huddled together, making their way to the door, while Natalia, once again, is nowhere in sight.
“Hurry, let’s catch up to them. I feel like we haven’t spent any time with them lately.
” I drag my alpha along, and he chuckles.
Apart from our visit to see Link and have their birth control checked, we haven’t seen them unless it’s prior to a performance, and even then they prefer to stay in cat form.
Once upon a time, the five of us thought we’d find an omega and become a streak together.
That was back before I presented as an omega.
Once that happened and Maxsim mated me, the other three became close to Minx.
She was supposed to be on this trip. The four of them were going to create their own streak, but Natalia put a stop to that when she manipulated her way into the circus.
I bet they can’t wait to return to Iceen and be reunited with Minx.
I wonder what will happen to the act. With all the drama that has been happening lately, it wouldn’t surprise me if the Adams brothers decided to pack it in completely and call an early recess to the tour.
We catch up with the other three, and when the door opens, we stumble out into the relative warmth of the rest of the ship.
We stomp our feet and brush off the snow that has accumulated on our bodies.
Like Maxsim and me, the other three only have loincloths covering their groin regions.
Their coats are varying shades of blue. Of us all, Maxsim is the only one with black markings.
I hug all three of them in greeting. Once upon a time, we were all lovers, and while I miss their company, I don’t have those kinds of feelings for them anymore.
They are more like my favorite older brothers.
Thankfully Maxsim knows this, so there is no tension when I do show them affection.
Touch is integral for an omega, and I just can’t seem to help myself with the people I love.
“Hey there, Echo. Are you okay? I could feel your distress when the warlock and the kraken were here earlier,” Trace asks, holding me at arm’s length and running his eyes over me to make sure I’m okay. I’m not sure what he’s looking for, but it’s sweet.
“I’m fine. I was worried Natalia was going to hurt them and Max,” I explain, worry still mixed in my tone, and he reaches up and ruffles my mane before dropping his arms again.