Chapter Thirteen
Wells
When Ry and Nara were finally finished taking care of Zallan, the three of them entered the omega’s suite to find me curled around a sleeping Elizabeth. She was snuggled under the covers, her thick, rich hair still braided, face relaxed, a tiny smile playing at the edge of her lips.
We had had a peaceful, quiet bath. She had asked several questions about our planet and pack life as I had carefully washed her limp, relaxed body.
The rest of the pack slipped into the nest silently, all nude.
The careful, near-silent movement as they settled around us caused a sleepy grin upon my face.
I had rolled and rubbed my horns against Nara as soon as they were curled up with us.
And then, we all had an afternoon doze, blissful and relaxed.
I AWAKE TO QUIET TALKING. Zallan has rolled onto his side and is speaking with Elizabeth. I sit up, stretching, as I catch up with the conversation.
“So do you use any form of currency?” She asks, obviously in the middle of a discussion of our monetary system.
He nods, “Yes, we use planet minerals that occur naturally, but not commonly. We have a complex system of tokens, called leelus, that indicate...” He shrugs here, trying to explain our completed system which is very different from her capitalist hellscape, “Owing help, when needed, but that is all. We are a cooperative system, believing that the good of one is the good of all. But our system is not perfect, we have individuals that have strayed too far from our original goals. That is one of the reasons Ry and I wanted to get out of Figate, our capital city.”
Elizabeth looks at Ryson, his arms around Nara as they both sleep, and the look on her face softens.
“He’s not that bad,” I quietly murmur, chest hurting for Ry and how our omega doesn’t care for him.
Her eyes flick to me. “Oh, I know,” she responds quickly. “Just the idea of someone needed to ‘enforce’ me just rubs me wrong.” She lifts her shoulder.
“Hm,” I say, turning so I can face her and Zallan. “Maybe just think of him as... your cultural teacher? So you learn how to react to things on Celnoe?”
Zallan smiles, head dipping to rub his horns on Elizabeth in an exceedingly familiar gesture. “That’s a great idea, ufura, love.”
Her head turns between us, her gaze warm. “Okay, I’ll try.”
“Good omega,” Zallan rumbles.
And at that simple praise, her cunt heats. I arch an eyebrow, looking to Zallan.
She whines, “Ah, fuck, I hate that!”
“Hate what, baby?” I ask, smiling.
“That you guys can smell when... you know, I’m turned on.” She frowns harder.
“It’s our scent,” I say, smiling. “It’s increasing your sex drive. And your scent is driving us wild too, so don’t worry,” I smile as I say it.
She lets out a bratty puff of air in an annoyed way. “Anyway, so tell me more about the Setias Community that you started.”
Zallan and I exchange glances.
“We do not leave our omega in need,” Zallan says, hand going to the strap at her waist.
She swats his hand away and I immediately look to Ry, who is still asleep. Thank Zatura, or she’d be ass up over his leg already and it wouldn’t earn him any points.
Zallan growls, “Quit, or I’ll discipline you myself.” He gently tugs her up, “Now be quiet unless you're screaming out your pleasure as you ride my face.”
“And why would you discipline our omega?” Ryson’s voice is sleepy but stern.
Ah shit.
“Come on, Ry” Nara wheedles, sounding barely awake, “I know it has been too long for a human female to go without eating, even in the middle of the day. Elizabeth needs sustenance.” He sits up and adds firmly, “Now.”
Ry’s face crosses to worry and he quickly stands, even as Zallan lifts Elizabeth.
Once in the kitchen, Nara pushes a plate with a slice of hyras bread covered in a spicy dip made from the seeds of the tristl plant, to Elizabeth.
“It’s a nice evening,” Zallan says, “Perhaps we should cook over the fire pit?”
Nara nods, already pulling out a platter to load with food, “Indeed, my thought exactly, love; but I wanted our omega to get something in her stomach.”
“I’ll go start the fire,” I volunteer, grabbing a striking stone from the cupboard and heading out.
Ryson follows me out the door. I swat at his hand with my tail good-naturedly and he grabs at it, tugging me to him for a kiss. I purr as I place a hand on his chest.
“Elizabeth is over your shit,” I warn him.
He glowers. “Then she better start behaving.”
I waggle my eyebrows, “You had better figure out her preferred discipline.”
Ry chuckles a bit uneasily and we make it to the fire pit.
He kisses me again and heads to his shop.
I set the fire going easily and sit down on my chair.
Our star, Autious, is setting and Iofane is rising, her blue light dim at this point of the evening.
Iorura, our pink moon, associated with alphas, will soon follow her, chasing after her, keeping her safe and on her path.
I lean back and close my eyes, relaxed and peaceful, the sound of the creek cheerful.
I look up and see Ry putting down a small chair that matches ours. I grin. Softie.
The house door opens and Zallan comes out, carrying Elizabeth, though she seems to be gently arguing to be put down. Nara follows, a large tray in his hands.
As Nara heads for the outdoor table, Zallan settles in his chair, Elizabeth still in his lap.
She squirms off, to his sounds of displeasure.
“Your feet! You cannot possibly handle our terrain!”
She looks from our feet, to the ground, to her soft feet. “This is grassy, I’m fine. Do you guys not wear shoes?”
“‘Shoo-ez’ does not translate.”
“Uh, foot coverings?” She replies, cocking her head. She’s gorgeously naked, besides her harness, and I feel my cock harden.
“We will order you some shoo-ez tomorrow,” Zallan promises.
She crosses to the small chair, placing her hand on the arm tentatively. She looks between us, eyes wide.
“Ry made it!” I offer quickly. I want her to adore him like we all do, but her human sentiments seem to make it hard for her to accept his role.
Her eyes turn to him and he reaches behind his head, rubbing his shoulder. “It’s nothing.” He shrugs, “I thought you needed one your size, is all. I’m, uh, working on a stool and chair for inside as well. But I might need to make a step stool for you as well.”
A smile lights up her face and she crosses to Ry, climbing into his lap without hesitation and curling up against him.
I watch his body tense and surprise flicker across his face as she settles on top of him, but then he lets out his little smile that means he’s pleased and, very slowly, in case she objects, puts his arms around her. She speaks softly to him and I grin, turning away.
Nara settles the large grate over the firepit.
“What are we having?” Elizabeth asks with interest.
“These are patties made from nuts of the tristl plant, with spices and binder. They are very versatile and provide long-lasting energy. We’ll eat them on hyras rolls,” Nara points, “That is a vyrd fruit that I’ve been marinating.
It’s tender and nutritious. And those are ferczen berries.
Toasted, they are sweet and chewy.” Nara tosses me a look. “Wells’ favorite.”
She looks between us.
“What is it, my dear? I can practically feel your question,” Ry rumbles, his arm around her waist where she still sits in his lap.
“It’s just... I knew I’d be joining a pack... and that you all would be close, but I didn’t realize you were... lovers.” She shrugs. “I don’t mind, of course! It’s just not common for more than two people to partner like that on my planet.”
We all absorb that but it’s Nara who barks out first, “Well, that’s stupid.”
All of us laugh and he turns to grab the patties to put over the flames.
“Yeah, it is, isn’t it?” Elizabeth says. She watches Nara shuttle the fruit over to the fire pit. “Can I help?” she offers, adding, “I like cooking.”
Nara makes a displeased noise. “This is my duty. I find much pleasure and honor in fulfilling it, little omega. You will have plenty to occupy your time soon.”
She crosses her arms. “If you mean babies...”
Nara arches a rich blue eyebrow. “I meant suckling our cocks and taking the seed of four Celnoe alphas’ deep inside your body.”
She blinks those gorgeous eyes, but says nothing.
Trying to ease tension, I ask, “What did you do with your time, on your planet, Elizabeth?”
She wiggles off Ry’s lap and crosses to her chair, sitting with a pleased look on her face.
“As a job, I worked with a non-profit wildlife rescue. I have a degree in biology.” She laughs, but it’s tinged with sadness. I do not understand all her words, but I dislike her sorrow.
“Pretty worthless now, huh?” She shakes her head, braid swinging. “Anyway, for fun I like to cook and do hot yoga and thrift... er, go antiquing?” She looks at our faces, trying to see if the words translate. Her face is melancholy. A shrug. “Stuff I can’t do anymore, I guess.”
The silence between us stretches. I am sure my other pack mates are wrestling with the context of her words to make sense of the ones that didn’t translate, as I am.
But her sadness does translate. As clear as Zatura’s sword itself.
Zallan stands and scoops her up from her tiny chair.
She makes an annoyed noise, but he rearranges her so her legs are around his body and he tucks her head under his chin. He starts to purr as he sits again, holding her firmly in the circle of his arms.
“Wedari, your sadness hurts my heart,” he rumbles. “What can I do to abate it?”
We all nod, taking comfort in the fact that our omega is allowing Zallan to hold her and purr for her.
Nara puts down the cooking utensils and crosses over to them. His gentle hand lands on our omega’s back and he rubs up and down slowly. “Sweetheart, I... I can’t say I understand, but if cooking with me would bring you joy, then... it would please me to have you beside me.”
She lets out a loud snuffle and lifts her head from Zallan’s shoulder, those sad, wet brown eyes turning to Nara.