Alpha Siege (Omega Mates #1) - Pearl Tate Page 0,27

know that prayers to the High Mother are not optional. Especially as a female! When she glances over at me, I’m sure she sees my anger because she immediately lowers her head to the ground as I do, continuing on with my prayer.

As I recite the Sacred Words, committing myself and all who follow me to the Blessed Mother’s care, I listen for any kind of sound out of the female next to me. So far, I’ve heard nothing. She appears to be still steadfastly sticking to her story. It’s just extremely hard for me to believe, based on the damaged and destroyed spacecraft that I’ve seen personally come into our atmosphere.

Many, many years ago, before my existence, there was a great battle with invaders from another world. It was dire, but planned for. During that time, Alta’s leaders secretly utilized a planetary defense system that functioned perfectly. After that, nothing could come into our environment.

In fact, it worked so well, that when all the rising governments around our planet began to discuss turning it off years later, there were disagreements. Armies rose, determined to have their way. They ended up destroying each other and most of the population of Alta, leaving no way to turn off our defense system. Consequently, it’s still doing its job, but it’s also keeping us from going anywhere. Low air travel and flying machines, even those that don’t leave the atmosphere, have been banned due to the unpredictability of what the system determines as a threat.

Scrambling to my feet after the Devotion, I glance at Pascel, wondering about his thoughts. As my stalwart companion, he gives little away. But even I can see that her scent is affecting him too.

“Is that it?” Sunny’s climbing to her feet slowly. I should probably just be happy that she’s now speaking in our language. I didn’t understand the dialect she used before, but that means nothing. I remember the stories from my youth in the Growth Schools. There are other underground civilizations that communicate with different dialects of our language.

“Come, female.” Gesturing for her to move closer, I glance at Pascel, holding out my hand and waiting for him to pass me her bag. Without a word, he passes it over as the female puts her hands on her hips. “My name is Sunny.” Her words are deliberate and loud as she raises her voice to be heard over the sak still warning us from the ridge.

Taking this in stride, I just motion for her to move closer. “Sunny, come here.” I’m happy to see she does so without question, but when I bend over to inspect her foot coverings, attempting to release them from her feet, she bends down and smacks my hands away.

“What’re you doing? I need those!” Ignoring her, I look up at Pascel knowingly. He’s behind her instantly, lifting her up by her armpits to distract her. “Wait! What…?”

It irks me to have to explain this to her, but I try to keep my tone as indifferent as I can. “I don’t want to be challenged for you. Any strange or pre-existing items you’re carrying need to be removed.” She should know this! I wish she’d just stop the façade and accept that she’s mine. Clearly, based on her scent, her body already knows.

I’ve heard the stories. I know the low dwellers have fertile females. How else would we all be here?

If I knew nothing else about her, that’d be my first guess. Based on her scent and the way it’s affecting me… that must be the case. She’s escaped from some kind of breeding program, and that idea has my cock twitching in anticipation. I refuse to think too much about potentially having a child. There’s no sense in getting my hopes up about that, since the odds of a live birth above are miniscule. But the sex will be phenomenal.

Wailing again, she continues to chant, “No, no, no,” interspersed with her own peculiar language. Pascel holds her firmly while I remove her foot coverings, marveling at the detail. I’m not happy about totally getting rid of her bag either, but it must be done.

Yanking over Pascel’s bag, I divide up the strange food bars. I can lie about them. Throwing the boots inside her pack, I wrap it up tight. I scale the praline tree and drop it into one of the natural hollow holes. No one will ever find it, and I can always come back and get it if