Chapter Five
Drazien
I entered the little white room at the appointed time, expecting my new omega to be there. Finding it empty had the smirk that had been on my lips turning into a frown, and I tightened the muscles at the base of my spine to keep my tail from lashing.
There had to be a reasonable explanation. Serenya had reminded me that the candidates had the right to refuse, but I’d chosen Elaina for her compliance. Her discomfort at the gala had been obvious, and yet she’d done as was expected of her, so I doubted she would have rejected the selection.
Still, the blinding room was empty. I didn’t understand why Humans thought making everything white meant a room was clean, when all it did was cause the occupants discomfort.
Crossing to the door on the opposite side, I glanced through to be sure Elaina wasn’t already inside. Arriving early was more acceptable, but the woman inside the room was not Elaina.
“Oh, hello. You must be…”
She reached for her datapad to check my name, but I filled it in before she found it.
“Drazien.”
“Yes. Is Elaina with you?”
The fact that she knew the female’s name without looking made my brow rise, but it was understandable. She was the patient, after all. I was only there to observe and confirm she received the injection, so I didn’t have to choose another.
“No.”
Her lips twitched as if she wanted to frown as she glanced towards the time displayed on the wall, but she pulled her smile back into place.
“You’re a little early. I’m sure she’ll be here soon.”
My silence seemed to make her uneasy because she shifted her weight from one foot to the other. When the scent of unhappy omega reached me it made my gut clench, and I backed out of the doorway to escape it.
Turning my attention to the entrance, I crossed my arms and leaned against the wall.
Pacing was a waste of energy, and sitting was pointless when Elaina should have been there already.
Plus, the tiny plastic chairs looked uncomfortable, and I wasn’t sure they would hold my weight.
Human furniture was small and untrustworthy.
My frown remained as the chill of the room seeped into old wounds, making them ache, but I refused to move.
Humans had strange ideas about punctuality. Most claimed to value it while routinely arriving late for things they considered unimportant.
The possibility that Elaina considered the injection appointment unimportant annoyed me far more than it should have, and a growl built in my chest before I smothered it.
I hadn’t earned my reputation by being impatient or failing to control my reactions, but as time passed, something suspiciously similar to irritation began to build beneath my skin.
The door finally slid open and Elaina stepped inside, looking unbothered by the fact that she was late.
She wore a mottled military uniform instead of the elaborate dress from the gala, although her thick curls were still secured in a braid and glasses still perched on the bridge of her nose, and while the purple dress had showcased her body, the uniform revealed something far more interesting.
Dedication.
The fabric stretched across generous curves she couldn't hide, but the sharp lines of the uniform transformed her from a purely sexual object into something more useful.
A warrior.
Her gaze found mine and I let my lips spread, dragging air in over my tongue to taste the flavor of her in the air. Her scent was still weak, still Human, and I could only imagine what it would be like once it deepened with the pheromones of an omega.
Her expression tightened, multicolored eyes flashing behind thick lenses before she dropped her gaze.
It wasn’t surprise or excitement that I’d seen. It wasn’t even nervous tension. It had looked more like accusation.
The realization made my grin widen. She was late, yet my korravalryn was angry with me.
I chuckled under my breath as she crossed the room. I was glad to see she possessed some spirit, even if a passive, malleable female would have been easier. Omegas were naturally submissive, but one that might hiss a little held more appeal than silent obedience.
“Elaina? I’m glad you made it.”
The doctor’s voice stole Elaina’s focus, and for a moment my fingers tightened, claws pricking my arms. I’d wanted to see if she explained her tardiness, but they both acted as if she were right on time.
“You can take a seat out here so I can explain everything to you, or you can go ahead and come in if you think you’re ready?”
Dr. Keene waited in the doorway to the little medical room, and while I noticed Elaina’s hesitation, it only lasted for a blink before she dipped her chin.
Elaina passed me without acknowledgment, the alpha part of me stirring.
There was no fear in her scent, although there was a faint edge of distress.
It made my stomach tighten again, but I still moved to stand in the doorway as Elaina settled in the exam chair while the doctor bustled around moving supplies.
“As outlined in the information packet you received prior to the gala, the omega serum modifies the reproductive portion of your genetic structure to make you compatible with the Morrak.”
Elaina sat with her back straight, hands folded in her lap. Her eyes were locked on Dr. Keene as she dipped her chin again in understanding.
“The injection only takes a moment, and the changes begin immediately. Most of the women who’ve gone through the process report feeling effects by the time they return home, and by tomorrow we will be able to check your blood to see if the serum worked.”
Another tiny nod. I was beginning to think Elaina wasn’t capable of speech, and while it might make life simpler, part of me was disappointed by the thought that I’d never hear her scream in pleasure.
“The symptoms are similar to having the flu. Fever, nausea, cramps, and body aches. They will grow worse over the first three days, but typically fade in less than a week. There will still be changes taking place inside you and you may experience new sensations, such as sensitivity to certain scents or fabrics, but your heat shouldn’t begin for approximately two weeks from the administration of the serum. ”
Dr. Keene paused to make sure Elaina didn’t have any questions, but my future omega remained silent. Most Humans were easy to read, but her face revealed little of what could be going on behind those tight lips, and a hint of frustration began to build.
“You can take over-the-counter medications to control any discomfort and fever, and a kethral is the Morraki version of a doctor. The Qy’shaeuhl, Sead, is also on Morrakan if you have any concerns.”
The doctor paused and drew in a breath, just as focused on Elaina as my future mate was on her.
“I’ve been through the process myself, so I have first-hand experience with all of it. Do you have any questions?”
Elaina’s brows rose a fraction, and a spark of satisfaction lit in my chest. She hadn’t realized the doctor was no longer Human, but when Dr. Keene pulled back the sleeve of her lab coat to reveal her kethra, there was no question.
“Will I get markings like that? I noticed Serenya had them as well.”
Elaina’s voice was controlled, making her sound disinterested, but I saw the curiosity in her gaze as she studied the glowing branches of silver on the doctor’s skin.
“It does seem to be a consistent side effect of the serum. Each woman injected has developed them. They come in various shades and patterns, but once Drazien claims you, they will shift to match his.”
Hazel eyes turned to me, dropping from my face to look for any hint of my kethra. The natural dark color of mine tended to blend with my skin, an advantage I used in the dark tunnels of Morrakan, but I let them flare for a moment, satisfaction curling through me when Elaina’s eyes widened.
“Any other questions?”
Once again the doctor stole Elaina’s attention, but I let the irritation slide away. Soon enough, I would be the center of her focus.
Elaina straightened in the chair, the shift plucking at my instincts. She didn’t want anyone to notice, but the question she was about to ask was her true concern, and I held my breath as I waited for her to reveal it.
“How will I know when I’m about to… to go into heat?”
There was a faint flush along her cheekbones as she said the last few words, and my grin returned.
She didn’t have the sweetness in her scent that would give away an aroused omega, but she’d be producing slick soon enough.
If she was nervous about the process, it wouldn’t matter once hormones and instinct took over.
“You will feel as if your symptoms have returned. It begins with a fever and cramps, and then an urge to nest.”
Elaina’s eyebrows twitched and the doctor explained one of the most defining features of an omega.
“You’ll crave a comfortable space filled with soft fabrics and scents that make you feel safe. It’s hard to understand until you feel it, but you’ll know what to do.”
There was a crease between her brows that didn’t disappear, but Elaina nodded as if she understood. When no more questions came, the doctor grabbed her datapad and held it out towards Elaina.
“If you don’t have any more questions, and you’re still willing, I need you to sign the consent form, and then we can get you on your way.”
Elaina’s chest expanded, her eyes locked on the datapad, but her hands didn’t move. She had a far-off look, as if she didn’t even see the tablet in front of her, until Dr. Keene spoke again.
“Elaina? Have you changed your mind?”
Elaina’s eyes widened and she snatched the datapad from the doctor’s hands before she swung her gaze to me. She stared at me with such a lost expression it pulled me forward a step before her expression cleared and she looked down at the pad.
“No, everything’s fine.”
The words were toneless, as if they’d been repeated until they lost all meaning, and I tipped my head as I studied her. It was possible her reluctance at the gala hadn’t just been in regards to the Councilor showing her off. She could have been forced to attend, but in the end, it didn’t matter.
If she’d attended the gala and come to receive the injection out of obedience, that meant she would make the perfect bait. I could order her into a position that would make the rebels reveal themselves, and then I could reap my rewards from her willing body.
Grin returning, I watched as she scribbled her name on the screen, my shaft thickening at thoughts of her obeying me in other ways.
It was obvious that she wasn’t happy, but she seemed to understand responsibility and following orders. She was intelligent enough to know when resistance was futile, and submissive enough not to fight the inevitable.
All traits that confirmed choosing her was the right move. I could have used any of the women at the gala as my lure, but she was the one most likely to make the trap a success.
And she was the one I couldn’t take my eyes off of.
Rolling up her sleeve, she watched the doctor prepare her arm and then the injector. She didn’t look away when it was pressed to her arm, and the only sign that the serum had been administered was an involuntary twitch of the muscle in her shoulder.
A sense of victory rolled through me, and tension I hadn’t realized I carried left my muscles. There had been other options, other Humans I could have chosen if Elaina refused, but she still seemed as if she’d be the best option.
“Okay, all done. I’ll see you again tomorrow to verify the serum is doing what it should.”
“And then you’re mine.”
It was the first time I’d spoken to her, and her eyes flashed behind her glasses as she gave me the glare from before. I grinned at her, my kethra brightening for a moment before I dragged them back under control.
Life was going to be interesting for a while. Once we returned to Morrakan I’d have rebels to hunt, then once we rooted out that problem, I’d have a little omega to tame.
She unrolled her sleeve and stood when the doctor moved out of the way, refusing to respond. Reaching up, I gripped the frame of the door and leaned against the edge, effectively blocking her escape route, and she had no choice but to stop in front of me.
Eyes trained on the floor, she remained silent. I was tempted to wait, to see how long it would take before she broke and finally spoke to me, but I was eager to learn how she reacted.
I was reaching for her face before either of us realized it, one finger curling under her chin as I used my thumb to pinch it. Many would be surprised by how easy it was to control someone’s head, and therefore their body, by taking control of the jaw.
Her lips were a thin line when I forced her to look up, her eyes narrow behind thick lenses.
I was tempted to lift my other hand to stroke her smooth skin, to lean closer to inspect the tiny dots of pigment scattered across her nose and cheeks, but I had a feeling she would have been growling if Humans did such things.
“Careful, little Human. Your thorns are showing.”
She continued to glare for a moment, nostrils flaring as she dragged in a deep breath. The muscles of her jaw flexed, and then her face smoothed, all traces of emotions erased.
When she pulled away I let her go, a hint of disappointment biting into me although she behaved exactly as an omega should.
“I’d like to return home.”
The words were quiet, calm, delivered as if she had minimal interest in the response.
It was tempting to remain in her way, but Kael had ordered me to behave, so I straightened and took a step back.
My bulk still blocked part of the doorway, forcing her to turn sideways or risk brushing against me, and my grin returned as she contorted to pass me without contact.
Her slow exhale was too controlled, revealing her agitation, and my tail flicked as my interest in her grew.
I watched her walk away, not a single glance back spared for me. She kept her head high, not bowed, her steps steady and even until she disappeared through the door, but as much as she wanted to pretend otherwise, I knew she was as focused on me as I was on her.
I gave her enough time to get out of sight down the hall before I followed her out the door.
It was easy to follow the traces of her scent lingering in the air, although I didn’t blend in the way I would have at home in the tunnels.
Still, I managed to make it outside to watch her climb into a speeder.
I didn’t need to worry about losing her in the air.
Her information packet had contained her address, and while Human military bases had protocols and certain protections in place, they hadn’t been built to keep someone like me out.
She might have thought she was escaping me for the night, but she was my responsibility now.
That started with me keeping watch over her, whether she knew I was there or not.