Chapter Thirteen #2
“Really?” She asks, with another snuffle, “You wouldn’t be... insulted?”
He shrugs. “I’m an alpha in an established, well-off pack that was recently blessed with an omega. What do I care what others might think? Besides,” he steps into Zallan’s spread legs and his hand cups Elizabeth’s face, “I would never turn down more time with you.”
Zallan’s handheld makes an urgent sound. He sighs and digs it out, as Nara takes Elizabeth’s hand and helps her stand. He leads her over to where he is cooking.
Zallan grunts, frustrated. “Shit. The nanofliers are backordered. Again.” He frowns, tapping out a response.
Elizabeth looks up, holding a spatula. She tilts her head as she asks, “Nanofliers?”
Zallan opens his mouth but pauses. His eyes take us all in. Nara’s face is soft, Ry’s guarded. I shrug.
Traditionally, omegas aren’t involved in any pack concerns that aren’t related to the raising of kits or basic household things.
We kept our omegas protected. Safe. Yes, some prefer to help outside of the home, especially city packs, but omegas are generally sheltered from stress.
And look where that got us. Perhaps if we had not downplayed the Red Paralysis, kept the knowledge from them, we would not have lost them all.
“Tell her,” I say, eyes on Zallan.
Everything is new to us; both to our pack specifically, and to our planet. We are only now, in the last few turns, getting any number of omegas matched. Who knows what each pack does in the confines of their own homes?
Her head turns. “Why would you not?”
There’s an edge in her tone.
Ry frowns, sighing. “Tradition,” he growls.
Please let her drop it.
She glares but Zallan cuts it off. “Yes. Nanofliers. They are... bots? Drones? Do either of those translate?”
She looks back to his face, “Yes, both.”
“Well, we ordered another contingent for the Setias Community—”
“But why?” She questions. “And why would you have done that?”
Ry growls again, “Do not interrupt.”
She levels him with a glare that would turn most’s Celnoe’s tails but he looks back calmly. Shit, she’s a wild little thing.
But I catch Zallan looking chagrined and I cringe. These are probably things we should have spoken of in more detail with our little omega.
“As you may recall, our pack, Gathea, founded Setias eight turns ago. We’ve grown from three founding packs to nearly thirty. We are not just the founders, I am the Governor here. That means I manage... well, just about everything.”
She seems to absorb that but then looks around, the stream burbling happily, Autious sinking behind the mountains, its light disappearing, the darkening forest surrounding our small clearing buzzing happily.
I chuckle, guessing at her confusion. “We have a town square not far from here, but each pack designs their own home, which must meet certain requirements, including undisturbed woodland. But we all meet in town square twice a phase.”
She frowns. “What’s a phase?”
Nara responds, “Eight nights.”
Elizabeth nods as she flips a ferczen berry on the grill.
“Okay, so you’re in charge of like... major decisions and procurement?”
Zallan smiles, “That’s a good summation. Also for trading our product.”
She turns, grabbing plates. She’s the most at ease I’ve seen her. I love it. Love seeing her slot into our lives.
“What product? You said you don’t really have a currency system.”
“Right. We are more trade- and favor- based than humans,” Nara says, his arm sliding around her nude waist. Her black Tuxiel harness, and that smile, are the only things she's wearing.
She leans into his body as she places the plates on the table near the fire pit.
Zallan smiles too, more content than I’ve seen him in ages. “Yes. So I ordered a new flight of nanofliers and I just got notice that they are backordered.”
She nods to his handheld. “That’s like a smartphone?”
I shake my head, “Does not translate.”
She looks at me, thinking, “You can call and send messages on it?”
“Messages yes.”
She chuckles, “Yeah, no humans like phone calls either. Texts only.”
We don’t quite understand the joke, I decide, as I look around at my packmates.
Nara places the hyras rolls open on each plate as she starts to take the patties off the fire. They work well together, I notice.
“So what are the nanofliers for, exactly?” She asks, not looking up from the plates.
“Setias has developed a unique type of sweetener. It’s environmentally sustainable and tastes wonderful. Unfortunately, there is an animal of our planet that has developed a taste for it as well.”
She looks intrigued but Nara scoops up the ferczen berries, holding out a large pincher-full, “Elizabeth, can you hand me each plate?” He asks.
She nods and hurries to help.
As she trades plates for him, she tosses us an arch glance,“You would all really have sat there on your tails and watched him do this on his own?”
We all exchange a glance. I answer, “We’d have helped if he asked. Happily. But he wouldn’t have. Just as I wouldn’t ask Nara to speak for our pack in public.”
She levels a gaze at me, her pretty brown eyebrows lowered. “Horseshit.”
Ry asks, “What is a ‘whore-ss?”
At that perfectly reasonable question, Elizabeth breaks into giggles.
Her happiness makes us all smile, beam in fact, at our omega being pleased.
When she stops laughing, but still grinning, she answers, “A large animal, four legs. But that’s not the point.”
“What is the point, little omega?” Ry asks, head tilted, still smiling gently, which is like a grin for him.
“I was just saying it’s silly that you all don’t help each other without being asked. It’s... a way to show you care.”
Ry’s look takes an evil edge. “You want all of us to punish you, Elizabeth?”
She gives him a sassy look but wisely keeps her mouth shut.
Nara places plates around the table and we get up, Zallan scooping up Elizabeth and setting her in the center of one of the benches before sitting next to her.
“I’m starving! This smells great!” She says.
Nara freezes, roll halfway to his mouth.
“Oh, sweetheart, I’m so sorry,” he starts.
“Staaaahp,” she says, “It’s just a saying.” She waves a hand, clearly trying to make Nara understand it is not a failing of his.
Our chatting slows as we start to eat. Elizabeth makes pleased noises as she tries everything. Nara watches her closely, probably still feeling worried about her earlier comment. Since Autious has now set, the clearing is dim, lit by our large fire.
“When is the next day to go to the town center?” Elizabeth asks between bites of her meal.
“Tomorrow,” I answer easily, “But we are not expected.”
“Why not?” She asks, sipping water.
“We have been blessed by Zatura with an omega. We are secluding.” Zallan says it like it’s obvious.
She blinks, absorbing that as I wipe up the last of my ferczen fruit.
“Sooooo.... What are we supposed to be doing during this secluding?” She finally asks.
“Filling you with seed,” I answer flatly, fluttering my eyes at her in a flirtatious manner.
Her eyes widen even as Nara says, “Helping you adjust to life on Celnoe. Helping you adjust to being a pack member. Training your body to become accustomed to our pheromones. And our cocks.”
She coughs on a sip of water. But she recovers and her rich brown eyes peer around the table. “Why am I not getting any dick then?”
Zallan purrs, the rumble starting in his chest. “Is our omega in need of release?”
“Absolutely not,” Ry snarls. “She is due a punishment and my attempts at denial are spoiled by Nara and his belief that she needs relief when upping her trainers.”
“That’s bullshit,” she snaps.
I look between them. I think Ry is figuring out that any human word before ‘shit’ is just a descriptor and means Elizabeth is being extra obstinate.
He arches an eyebrow, “If you think so, then it is likely a good punishment method for you. I don’t want it to be something you enjoy too much, otherwise what kind of deterrent would it be?” But an unexpected look crosses his haughty face.
She narrows her eyes. “I understand your logic but I don’t like it.”
Ry chuckles. “But perhaps we can allow release after a few ruined orgasms.”
“Well. That sounds more like it,” she says, with an incredibly beguiling look.
Nara laughs and stands to gather plates.
“Soon, wedari,” Zallan promises, his tail curling up.
I stand and grab a striker. Nara walks to the house to deposit the dishes. I strike the stone a few times and the fire is crackling happily in the firepit, instead of just under the grill.
Zallan crosses, sitting back in his chair by the fire as Iorura becomes visible over the mountains.
“Gorgeous,” Elizabeth murmurs as she stands, eyes on the moons.
Ryson looks to Nara, emerging from the house holding some trainers and lubrication.
“Over the table, my dear,” he says, a testing edge in his voice.
She turns, eyes on him as she saunters to the table. She bends smoothly, lifting onto her tiptoes as she bends over the tall, for her, table. Her eyes are still locked on Ry.
He purrs happily, “Such a good girl, my dear. Maybe I can lessen your punishment if you’re going to be so obedient.”
Nara places the trainers down and unstraps Elizabeth’s harness.
“Keep your eyes on me,” Ry orders in a low growl as he crosses to the other side of the table, “Or I will be displeased with you, Elizabeth.”
She makes a sound as I stand. I cross to the other side of the table, wanting to see her unusual but delightfully pink pussy.