Badge

Citation preview

A routine peacekeeping effort throws Lee into the path of werewolves and their Alpha who happens to be looking for a mate.

Leeahan has spent her time as a badge, acting as peacekeeper, police, counsellor and confidant. Being alone on a shift is nothing new, but having twenty-six werewolves charging toward her town is something she wasn’t planning on. Facing the werewolves is one thing, her talent for ordering folks around sends more than half of them packing, but dealing with the others puts her life and her body in the hands of the Alpha. Ozwin was sure that his wolves would tear the badge apart, but he found a woman alone, clawed and bleeding, facing down the next generation of deadly farmers. Her wounds make her his problem, and her transformation into an Alpha makes her his destiny.

The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. Criminal copyright infringement, including infringement without monetary gain, is investigated by the FBI and is punishable by up to 5 years in federal prison and a fine of $250,000. Please purchase only authorized electronic editions, and do not participate in or encourage the electronic piracy of copyrighted materials. Your support of the author’s rights is appreciated. This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental. Badge Copyright © 2012 Viola Grace ISBN: 978-1-77111-273-4 Cover art by Martine Jardin All rights reserved. Except for use in any review, the reproduction or utilization of this work in whole or in part in any form by any electronic, mechanical or other means, now known or hereafter invented, is forbidden without the written permission of the publisher. Published by eXtasy Books Look for us online at: www.eXtasybooks.com

Badge A Terran Times Tale By Viola Grace

Chapter One

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adge Leeahan Ryan watched the festivities at her assigned colony with a cautious gaze. She was in charge of maintaining order during the weeklong party, and it was not an easy task. Last year, three of her deputies had ended up naked and shaved, hanging from the main tent pole. They were fine, but their shame never ended, and they had transferred off world for their own sanity. Decallock was a haven for those who had nowhere else to go. It was a pleasant-enough world but the harvest festivals were a riot of repressed emotions running wild before the lockdown of the winter. The seasons had turned early this year, and the harvest and festival were ahead of normal schedule. The behaviour of the colonists was also away from the norm. With the weather going crazy, societal behaviours were close behind. Lee took a look at her dwindling roster and sighed. The badges on this world were the only law enforcement that the colonists would allow, and she was the woman in charge. “Who is on nights?” Anadora smiled helplessly. “Um, Tonino has an arm break, it is Marthuic’s day off and Dennirio was dosed 1

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at the wine tank last night. I am afraid you are on your own.” There were not enough curse words in Alliance Common to cover how she felt right then. “So, Dispatcher, what should I do?” Anadora put her hands on her hips and looked at the boards. “Load up, keep alert and, for pity’s sake, keep the com on. Something is in the air tonight.” The sun’s rays were turning pink, and as the first shift staggered in, bruised, covered with substances thrown by revellers and the occasional bit of ribbon, Lee prepared to take on the worst shift of the week. Alone. She sat through the briefing of what trouble spots were getting ready to kick off and which ones had been successfully calmed. Lee put on her stun gloves, the clubs, stun sticks and knockout grenades. She was as armed as she could be, and the suit she was wearing would fight attempts to get into it, so no shaving and dangling above for all to see. Her hair was braided tightly and folded back against her head, her earpiece was firmly fixed and her backup tucked into her cleavage under the stiff leather. “Dispatch, this is a systems check.” “Check confirmed. Vitals online and strong. Go get ‘em, Badge Ryan.” Waving farewell to the exhausted badges in the offices, Lee strode into the fading light and got on her cycle. Her route was displayed on the small screen attached to her headset, and she began to do her rounds. Unlike her associates, the locals never picked on her. Even the drunks managed to struggle into polite cheer 2

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when she parted them. Five hours into her shift, she was helping one of the local girls back to her companions and out of the clutches of two enthusiastic young men when a call came in to her system. “Dispatch, what is it?” “Badge Ryan, all hell is about to break loose. There are twenty-six Keymin males coming right for the city. Their Alpha is on his way, but he is too far behind to rein them all in. You are about to get busy.” “Did the Keymin authorize measures?” “Full stun, full strength. Knock them out as fast as you can. They want them out and helpless. Their people are on their way.” Lee shuddered and returned the young woman to her people. “Which direction?” “Coming from the east. ETA nine minutes. Do you want me to call the guys for backup?” Lee grimaced. “Try and see who answers, but I don’t need anyone sleepy or injured. If they don’t pick up by the second alert, disconnect. I will handle what I can and hope that the Alpha isn’t dragging his ass.” With the woman returned to the revellers and the young men nursing the impacts to the wall behind them, Badge Ryan returned to her cycle and went to block the Keymin invading from the east. Keymin were the Earth equivalent of werewolves. Genetically altered to shift their forms and act as a fourfooted army, they were a customized species who had won their freedom and been invited to have their own settlement on Decallock. Their biggest problem was that the harvest season was the same time that their females were fertile. The younger males were driven 3

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slightly insane by the scent of their females, and though the Keymin kept their young women from being swarmed by suitors, their males were tense and irritable during this time. The Alpha of the Keymin was supposed to keep the young males under control, but apparently, they slipped his grasp. She sighed and flexed her shoulders as she drove toward the eastern gate. Any other time of year, the Keymin were completely normal, welcomed citizens of Decallock. This was the one festival that they were not invited to. Unstable was the best term for the Keymin males at this time of year. Aggressive was another good one. She was driving toward the most dangerous collection of males on the planet, and she had no backup. It was the perfect end to a hellish week. The cycle ran silently through the streets. The moment she passed the outer gates, she gave the order. “Anadora, close the gates and don’t let anyone in until the morning.” “Badge, I don’t know if that is such a good idea. You are going to be alone out there, and no one can help you. I got two officers awake, but they won’t be near the east gate for ten minutes.” “Good, have them charge the gate and wait for dawn. Six more hours, and they can go back to bed.” “What about you, Lee?” Anadora’s voice was worried. “I think I will be fine, but in case I am not, set every bit of tech on me to record. This will either be amazing or horrific.” Lee gunned the bike and headed toward the 4

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writhing pile of bodies sprinting toward the city. The moment she could see their eyes, she did her job. The flare beacon on her cycle elicited a sharp chirp that was barely audible to her, and yet, yelps and howls came from the Keymin. The light caused them to jerk to a halt and shake their heads. With the men shifting from canine to bipedal, she dismounted from her bike and stood tall. “Keymin, return to your settlement or face disciplinary action.” A young male swaggered forward and paused fifteen feet from her. “A pretty thing like you, discipline all of us? I can think of a number of things that you would be good at and none of them match that badge uniform.” Lee pulled in the one and only talent she had, concentrating her personal power in her words. “Calm down and go home.” Her voice echoed across the plain and over half of the young men jerked back, turned around and shifted back into their huge canine forms, running back the way they came. She was left with nine males, all too strong-minded to turn and follow orders from a female. The cocky male that she faced looked surprised. “What did you do to them?” She clenched her hands, activating the stunners on the back of her gloves. “I sent them home. It was for the best.” Lee stayed tall until he was almost on her, ducking and punching upward. The arrogant male went up with a grunt and continued upward with the power shorting out his nervous system. The next slashed at her with hands turned to claws, 5

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and he connected, slicing into her while her fist struck his jaw, shorting him out as well. Her gloves were spent, so she pulled out her batons. Three men fell as they ran toward her, their bodies dropping in twitching heaps. She was in for trouble when the last four men rushed her, her mind blurred into a montage of strikes, punches with hands pulling at her arms. The male behind her had his nose broken by the back of her skull, and he howled in pain. A furious roar froze the men around her just as the male in front of her curled his hand in the closure of her uniform. He jerked back reflexively as the roar repeated, and a Keymin male of impressive proportions bounded into their grouping. As the men let her go, she slumped to the ground. It was hours until dawn, but the threat to the colony was over. Their Alpha had arrived, and he was taking charge of the young males with a few huffs and growls. Lee sat and gripped her slashed ribs. With effort, she calmed her breathing, and by the time she had her body tremors under control, she was staring up into the whitest eyes she had ever seen.

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Chapter Two

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ou are injured.” He went from enormous canine to a man in a heartbeat. “Yes, one got a lucky swing in.” She winced as he moved her hands away. The smell of blood was heavy in the air. “You need medical attention immediately.” She laughed, “Not for another five hours. The colony walls are energized and on lockdown. I have a medic kit on my cycle.” She grunted as she tried to get to her feet. He gripped her elbows and lifted her. “You should not be moving.” Fire was spreading through her body, and it was coming from the open wound. She stumbled to her cycle, removed the kit, cracked a light and stripped her uniform to the waist. His hands pushed hers away, and she sat, using the cycle for support as he worked at her wound. “I am afraid that this is a temporary measure. You have been infected.” “What?” Fire and dizziness was spreading rapidly. “I will explain later. Get on and hang on.” The man 7

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was curt. There was no balking. He spoke with complete confidence a moment before she was facing a huge dark beast with wide shoulders and icy white eyes. Despite her trepidation, she gripped his fur with one hand and hauled herself upward, straddling his wide barrel of a torso. The second that she was settled, he began to run. They passed the younger males returning to the Keymin settlement. As their Alpha sprinted past them, they increased their speed to match him. They didn’t even come close. Fifty-percent larger than the younger males, his stride pulled him past them in seconds. Lee held tight with both hands, though her left was losing its grip along with all feeling. The wrap on her ribs was holding her together, but the fire inside her was spreading. The walled settlement of the Keymin appeared far more rapidly than she had anticipated. A crowd was gathered and hands helped her off the Alpha’s back. He shifted and took her from the helpful hands. “We need Dr. Nalura. She was infected by Sakkiel.” Spots and grey areas danced in front of her eyes. She couldn’t focus on anything and simply leaned against the chest of the Alpha. He carried her through the settlement, and she saw flashes of the buildings when she opened her eyes slightly. The light and sound was too much for her. “What is happening?” His voice was soft. “You have been infected, and your body is an unfortunately excellent host. We will try and stop the spread, but we don’t know if it can be 8

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done.” He settled her on what felt like a standard medical bed. The scent of a clinic was around her. She kept her eyes closed as hands stripped off her uniform and removed the bandage. “What is she wearing?” The low voice of the Alpha was curious “Underclothing. Probably species specific. Is that the uniform of a badge?” The voice was that of an older female. “It is. She is. I have heard that the main colony has a female in charge. I am guessing that this woman is her.” The older female was brusque. “That would explain it.” “Explain what?” “How she was able to turn over half the bachelors back without even raising her fist. I was shocked when they ran past me, but seeing the males that remained with her, it makes perfect sense.” The older woman had a grudging respect in her tone when she said, “She turned them back? That does explain a few things.” Small stickers were being applied to her skin. The gel on them had a peculiar smell. “Hold still, miss. This is going to hurt.” Lee nodded and held still as power surged through her body. Screaming seemed like a good idea, but the pain was over before she could do more than draw breath. A scanner was shifted into position, and the female doctor checked the readings. Lee opened her eyes a slit and looked around. The 9

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burning was fading, and the scanner was chirping. “What is wrong, doctor?” She breathed deeply, and her body gave her the signal that everything was okay. “You have been infected with the Keymin nanites. They are fixing your body, but they are upgrading you at the same time.” The word was out of science fiction and the Avari files, but Lee knew better than to sneer. “I got those inside me? How?” “Young Keymin who are still maturing are carriers. Their bodies produce enough nanites to carry them through growth spurts. When they shift suddenly, they tear the skin and the nanites move in to effect repairs. Those are the ones that jumped into the open wound. They came in under his fingernails where the claws tore the skin and ran riot through your body.” She struggled to sit up, but strong hands held her down. “Keep still until the doctor gives you the all clear.” “Bossy.” Lee sighed but kept her shoulders on the table. The physician puttered around and did a few more scans. “Well, you are firmly in the throes of transformation, Badge. You will have to remain here for a few days while we make sure that the change is stable.” Lee reached into her bra and fished out the spare earpiece. “Did you get that, Dispatch?” “Loud and clear. Check in during your shift, Badge Ryan. I will be standing by.” Anadora’s voice trembled with relief. “Over and out. I think I need some rest.” Lee turned 10

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off her com and hooked it back in her bra. The Alpha looked at her. “The com was open the whole time?” Lee nodded. “Standard protocol. I was going up against twenty-six beings that could rend me limb from limb. Recording is the best way of proving that I did not use excessive force. They were doing it on my home world before I came out here, and it has helped us drive home a few incidents that were not recalled by the perpetrators.” “So, there is a protocol involved. Well, that is understandable.” The doctor tried to fill in the silence. “Where do you want her housed?” The Alpha scowled. “What?” “She will need housing for the few days while her body adapts and living in the maiden quarters is not really suitable.” The doctor was hinting at something, and it was obvious by the way the Alpha’s jaw tightened that he was not impressed. Flat on her back, she had a chance to watch the man that had rescued her from his own people. His eyes were the same ice white in both forms, but as a human, his lashes were black and thick as were his hair and eyebrows. A claw mark started at his jawline and snaked beneath his shirt. His lips were currently pursed together in a frown, so she was unsure of what was going on in his mind, or what his mouth looked like. His nose was sharp with nostrils that were flaring as he scented her. The slow, sleepy look that took over his face sent a flip through her naked belly and created an extreme 11

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urge for her uniform. When he followed it with a slow smile, “She will stay with me,” Lee wanted to run.

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Chapter Three

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ou can get dressed, though you will need to find something else to wear. The nanites do not extend to repairing clothing that does not have them embedded during manufacture.” The doctor smiled. “Good to know.” She slipped into her suit and sealed the booted legs one at a time. The side of the suit was shredded, showing pink scars and white skin. The rest of the uniform still covered her decently though, so she sealed the front and turned to the Alpha with a smile. “So, a good night’s sleep then?” He grinned, “You can sleep.” She didn’t know how to take that, so she got to her feet, checked her com devices and stowed them in the pouches on the side of her thighs. She winced when she checked her stun gloves. They were smashed, the electronics mashed by the contact with the Keymin. Once she was dressed and all her bits were accounted for, she smiled brightly at the Alpha. “Shall we go?” He raised one midnight brow and nodded. “Please. Come this way.” Lee followed him as he walked out of the medical 13

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clinic. She kept her shoulders back, head high and her stride purposeful. “My home is this way.” He held out his arm and showed her a charming building across the open area of a courtyard filled with tables and ravenous young men tearing through piles of food. “Are those…” “The males that tried to take over the colony festival? Yes. Their shapeshifting leaves them hungry. It is necessary to replace the energy that we use to increase our mass. Also, they are growing still, they need to eat.” She nodded. “How long do the Keymin continue to grow?” He looked down at her. “Until our twenty-fifth year. At that point, we are physically mature and can begin to look into courting a mate. The women mature at twenty, so we have to keep them apart until the men have caught up.” She smiled slightly with understanding. “It was that frustration that sent the men out to find willing women at the festival. They probably would have too, but there was the little matter of getting past the drunken men, and they would not have been too appreciative of an influx of fur and fangs.” He nodded. “It was why we sent you the alert. You did more than we had imagined you could. We certainly never thought that you would have a badge to send out in defense of your colony.” “I was the only officer on duty. It was my responsibility to keep everyone safe and to stop your people with a minimum of fuss. I was amazed that my 14

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talent works on your folk, but it did seem to catch them by surprise.” She smiled happily. He gave her a sharp look. “A talent?” “A talent for command. It was why I became a badge when I left my world. It seemed the best of the options offered to me.” She shrugged and winced at the tug along her ribs. He opened the door to a large structure and shepherded her inside. “Welcome to my home.” “Wow, right on the main square.” “I need to be near my people and they near me. It makes it easier to put out any fires that erupt.” He grimaced. “Like the one tonight.” “How did that happen?” She took a few steps and paused. “I have been wondering about that all night.” He pressed a hand to her back and prodded her up the stairs. “The seasons have been accelerated and so were the females. No one was ready when three young women went into heat the first day and six the next. By the end of the week, the women’s quarters were full, and the young men were suffering. The harvest celebration is common knowledge, and one of them must have planted the idea for the others to follow. In five minutes, the bachelors’ quarters went from contained to empty and an alarm went up.” “And you were on your way to restore order.” “And stop them from tearing their way into a party uninvited.” His lips quirked in a smile, and she was hypnotized. She couldn’t stop staring at him. Lee tried to avert her gaze, but she only succeeded in dropping her eye-line to his chest. “You seem to have the nanite-embedded fabric.” 15

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He pressed his hand to his chest as if surprised. “Yes. We all wear it. It saves on replacing fabric every day.” “Very practical. Do you think I will be able to shift?” The idea was slowly seeping into her mind. She had been clawed by a werewolf and now was infected by the same mechanism that enabled them to shift. It was likely that this would take shape in her body. “I believe you will be, but we are not allowing you to leave until we are sure that you are not a danger to yourself or others.” His tone was stern, and it had an immediate effect. Lee stood glaring at him with the hair on the back of her neck literally standing up. A low growl built in her throat. He made an answering growl, wrapped his hand around her throat and pressed her to the wall. His growl vibrated through her until she grudgingly relaxed. “I will leave when I am fit and not later.” “You will leave when I tell you you can leave.” She could tell that she had struck a nerve with him. He seemed genuinely surprised she wasn’t giving in. With gritted teeth, she compromised. “We will discuss it in the morning.” He leaned back, allowing her to move away from the wall. “A sound compromise.” “I despise compromise, but I am at a disadvantage…for now.” He inclined his head, and she thought she saw a smile. “This is your room.” She opened the door that he was pointing at and saw a plain and serviceable guest room. “Thank you. I am a 16

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little tired after the evening I have had. Is there a lav attached?” “The door next to the bureau. Will you be all right?” She nodded. “I will, but one thing.” He paused and raised his dark brows against his sunkissed skin. “Yes?” “What is your name?” He blinked rapidly. “Alpha Ozwin Napoliac.” She grinned. “Thank you, Alpha Napoliac.” “Ozwin. Please. Just Ozwin.” She inclined her head. “Very well, Ozwin. I am Badge Leeahan Ryan, but you can call me Lee.” “Leeahan.” The words came out on a low growl that sent her enhanced hearing into riot. She was hearing things that were not in the words but under them, and those undertones were fascinating. He smiled. “Goodnight, Leeahan.” “Goodnight, Ozwin.” She turned and entered her plain room and closed the door behind her. There were no locks, but she was sure that he didn’t need them. Such tiny little things as locks wouldn’t hold back a male with muscles like that. She took a quick shower, wrapped herself in a towel and let her hair down. It was time to call it a night, and she knew when she was out manoeuvred. For better or worse, she was at the mercy of the Alpha, she was simply surprised that she wasn’t upset. Being at his mercy held a certain appeal.

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Chapter Four

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ee sat up and ran her hands through her hair before she froze in surprise. “What the hell?” Her normal brown locks had been replaced with platinum blonde. She scented Ozwin a moment before he spoke. “The nanites change you based on your standing in the scheme of Keymin society. Your eyes have also changed, by the way.” He was sitting in the corner of the guestroom, reading a data pad. “Why are you in my bedroom?” He sat up and arched his brow at her tone. “This is my home, all the rooms here are mine by that very fact. I was checking up on you. The data on your species does not indicate any difficulty on taking on the nano machines, so what is your plan for your change in status?” Lee tucked her sheet under her arms, keeping herself covered. “I don’t see why this should impact my status. I am the lead badge of the colony. I don’t need to change my occupation, this might, in fact make it easier.” “You will have to check with the ruling council. 18

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They are not too keen on Keymin in the city proper, and you are now definitely Keymin.” He got to his feet. “If you will come along, breakfast is ready in the dining room. My housekeeper is eager to be working for more than one person today.” Lee looked around, “I would love to, but I don’t see my clothing here.” “There is a gown at the edge of the bed. It will suit you, I think.” He waited. “Well?” “Aren’t you going to give me privacy?” She normally wouldn’t have given it a second thought, but there was something in his eyes that made the idea of changing in front of him slightly unnerving. “I don’t think so. With your body shifting, you shouldn’t really be left alone.” He crossed his arms and leaned back on the door. “Fine.” It was a grunt as she lunged forward, caught the pale blue fabric and hauled it toward her. It took a few tries, but she managed to pull it over her arms and ribs before she slid off the bed to shake the folds of the gown out. It was tight but it fit. The gown was pale blue in soft folds that formed a lowcowled neck before turning into a tight column around her ribs, which turned to more soft, draping layers down to her ankles. She tugged at the gown before turning to Ozwin. “There. I believe you mentioned breakfast?” He laughed and opened the door, gesturing for her to precede him. “No shoes for me?” “They will have to be created later today. We didn’t 19

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have anything in your size.” Lee looked up at him and frowned. “I am not that much bigger than a Keymin woman.” “You think so?” He chuckled. “How many have you seen?” Her frown deepened, aside from the doctor of the night before, she didn’t remember ever having seen a Keymin woman. “One. She was a little petite but not abnormally so.” “Dr. Nalura is not an example of the ladies of the settlement. She is an Azon physician who has decided to join our little endeavour. Her family is worlds away and visit occasionally.” Lee wasn’t sure what she was going to be facing until he seated her at a long dining table, took the position immediately to her right and tapped his fingers on the polished wood. A charming woman bustled out, no more than five feet tall to Lee’s five foot ten inches. The cook was in late middle age. “Badge Ryan, this is Ona. She is the grandmother of one of the betas and has the dubious honour of working as my cook since no one trusts me to fend for myself.” Ozwin grinned. Ona blushed and bobbed a quick curtsy. “It is good to be looking after someone who will eat my cooking. With all my boys mated, there is no one to need my care anymore.” Lee got to her feet and walked to face the woman. She extended her hand in formal greeting, and Ona nervously took it. “Thank you for your hospitality. It may be the Alpha’s house, but it takes a woman to 20

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make it a home.” Ona blushed again, pleased and smiling. “Well, now, have a seat, Badge Ryan. Breakfast is on the way.” “Call me Lee.” “Alpha Lee. Please be seated.” Lee quirked her lips at Ona’s insistence on an honorific. Inclining her head, she returned to her seat. As soon as Ona was back behind the swinging door, Ozwin leaned forward. “She likes you. I don’t think I have ever seen her take to a woman in my house with that enthusiasm.” “It must be my height.” Lee snorted. He looked at her with a focus that made her uncomfortable. “No, I don’t think that is it.” Lee’s stomach rumbled alarmingly, breaking the staring contest. Ona bustled in with a huge tray and set a plate down in front of Ozwin and another in front of Lee. Cutlery, teacups and tea all came in on the second relay. “Thank you, Ona. It looks…like a good start to the day.” The mountain of food in front of her made her blink, but Ozwin grinned and started in on his meal. Apparently, this was the size of breakfast that the men of the Keymin enjoyed. Sighing and taking up her implements, Lee ploughed through her breakfast. Ozwin finished his meal and sat back with his cup of exceptionally strong tea. “I cannot believe that you are still going.” “She made this for me, and I find that I am still rather hungry.” The fifth sausage disappeared between her teeth as her knife worked on the bread to parcel it 21

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into edible pieces. “Who does your cooking in the colony?” “I get ration packs from the Alliance. Four a day. I pop them in a heater and just eat.” She finished the last crumb off her plate and gave a delicate burp before reaching for her cup. “I am both impressed and afraid. A woman with an appetite like yours will be hard to satisfy.” She choked slightly as she tried not to spit tea on her plate. “I beg your pardon?” He leaned back and grinned at her, his icy eyes alive with speculation. “Food, Badge Ryan, I was talking about food.” Her blush started beneath her neckline and surged up to the crown of her hair. Even her ears were hot. She pressed her hands to her ears and paused. “What the hell?” “Keymin have pointed ears. Your species does not. I also have never seen a female blush that bright in years.” She muttered, “Pale skin shows it better.” “Your kind doesn’t tan?” “I turn red, peel and darken one shade. It is why I chose the night shift.” She twisted her lips and shifted into a smile as an eager Ona reappeared. “Everything was wonderful. Thank you, Ona.” The woman beamed as she bustled about, refreshing the tea and collecting the plates. Ozwin leaned forward and set his cup down. “Well, Badge Ryan, I believe that you should see the physician again and get a status update, and after that, we will find you some shoes.” 22

Badge “Call me Lee.” “Why do you shorten your name? Leeahan is a lovely name?” “Lee is pronounceable in every language I have come across. It is simply a matter of being called by my name no matter where I am. A little bit of personal arrogance.” She shrugged. “Well then, Lee. Shall we be going?” She slugged down the bracing tea and nodded. “Ready when you are.” He got to his feet, and together, they left his home, and she saw the settlement of the Keymin for the first time.

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Chapter Five

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t was bustling, active and all the adults visible were definitely beyond the age of the men she had seen the night before. “Where did you stash your bachelors?” she had to ask. “They are out turning the soil in preparation for the winter season. They will lay down manure and compost, working it into the soil.” She caught on immediately. “And the scent blocks their receptors to the women’s scent.” He smiled, “Very good. We have to adapt our lifestyles to living free, and it has been difficult for some of us. Being able to hunt in packs has been a relief, but the hunts cannot be embarked on with the bachelors. We have to find other ways to keep them busy.” “I suppose it is either the fields or having them chop wood.” “We have cleared enough land already. What forests remain, we need for a wind break and hunting grounds.” It was understandable. Lee winced as her feet found 24

Badge and enjoyed every pebble in the courtyard. “Ow. Ow. Ow.” He looked over at her and finally realized that her feet were unshod. “Come on. I will carry you.” “Only if it doesn’t—” The last was said on a yelp as he swung her into his arms. “Despite your length, you weigh almost nothing.” He strode past his people at a good speed, ignoring their morning greetings. “Thanks for that.” She knew that she was denser than most females. It was a side effect of the increased gravity of Decallock that she appeared larger but had less density than the locals. The doctor pronounced her fit, healthy and fully Keymin. The nanites had rewritten her while she slept. “Alpha Ozwin, where is my communications equipment?” He smiled innocently. “In storage. Why?” “I need to keep my dispatcher informed of my status so she can advise the colony council.” Dr. Nalura smiled, “I have a unit here. You can send a message to the badge offices from here.” Shrugging, Lee took a seat at the unit and keyed in the code for the dispatch office. “Badge dispatch, how can I direct your call?” “Anadora, don’t you ever sleep?” It was rhetorical, Anadora’s species never slept. They had a life span of ten years but spent eight of them as adults. Anadora was five. “Oh, Badge Ryan. I am so relieve to hear from you. How have you been?” Lee rubbed the back of her neck. “I have been 25

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transformed into a Keymin.” “What?” “Long story short, my people are malleable. A little exposure can shift our basic makeup. I am a Keymin, so you can alert the council and let me know what I am supposed to do next. I will still be here for a few days, making sure that I am stable, but if I need to find a new job, now is the time to find out.” A low, long whistle came through the com unit. “Understood, take care. Talk to you tomorrow?” “Of course.” “Good.” The call disconnected, and Lee turned in her chair. “How long was I out?” Ozwin and Nalura looked at each other for a moment before the Doctor answered. “You have been out for two days. We kept your dispatcher informed as to your progress, but she held back on any final comments until she could speak to you again.” Lee patted her stomach under the gown. “Well, that explains my appetite. Now, what can I do about the sensitive skin and the intense heat in my limbs?” Nalura winced. “Heat? Is it starting low in your belly and moving outward?” Lee analyzed her body quickly. “Belly, breasts and neck are the worst areas. What is going on there?” Ozwin’s gaze went from interested to hot. “That is fascinating.” “Alpha! She will have to stay with the women.” Ozwin looked like he was going to argue, but he nodded. “It is understandable, and it is protocol.” “What is?” Lee rubbed at the back of her neck again, 26

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lifting her hair out of the way. Dr. Nalura smiled. “You are going into season in Keymin fashion. If you are around any unattached males, you will begin to trigger their more competitive instincts and that leads to bloodshed. We want to avoid that.” Ozwin scowled. “She can remain with me. I can protect her against all comers.” “And what about protecting her against yourself? I have seen the way you looked at her when I examined her progress, and there is a fine line of self-control there.” “I can control myself.” He looked offended. Lee was watching their interchange with amusement. “I know you can control yourself, but can you control her when the heat grows to its peak? She is strong, she is tall and she knows how to knock a man on his ass. Who says she won’t take what she needs while she has you down there?” Ozwin crossed his arms over his chest and gave Lee a narrow-eyed gaze that took in her tight dress and every curve under it. “I think I will manage.” Dr. Nalura let out a deep sigh. “Yes, Alpha. Well, she has a clean bill of health, and she can go where she wills.” “She will go where I will, and for now, I wish her to remain with me.” “I will go where I will, and for now, I wish to get some footwear.” Her hackles were up again as they always seemed to be when he gave her an order. Lee fought with the idea of having hackles and her changing physiology, but on top of everything that she 27

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had been through since joining the Terran Volunteers, it seemed another piece of weirdness that she had to absorb into her life. She had always been able to boss folks around at any job she was at. They looked to her for guidance like sheep to a shepherd. That ability to control crowds had extended to her when she was in the waiting room of the Volunteer Centre, where a riot had broken out and folks had tried to push their way into the facility in an effort to be chosen. Lee had stood up, controlled the situation and earned her way into the Alliance with a few quiet sentences. Being told what to do had always brought her ire up, and now that she was a Keymin, it was no exception. Ozwin grinned every time she snapped at him, and that irritated her even more, which filled his eyes with delight. When he didn’t speak, she asked the doctor, “Where can I find a pair of shoes that fit?” Nalura grinned and she winked. “Out the doors, turn left, four doors down on the right. Haz will fit you with a pair of boots that should fit.” Lee was on her feet and out the door in seconds. Her dress fluttered around her legs as she sprinted out of the medical centre and down the street following the doctor’s directions. She skidded into the shop and braced herself in the doorway. The dark-eyed male working on a pair of boots looked up in shock. “Hello? Can I help you?” Lee looked at the breadth of his shoulders, the long cascade of his hair and the dreamy dark eyes that were staring at her in shock. “Are you Haz?” 28

Badge He swallowed nervously. “I am.” She swayed in and took a seat on a nearby stool. “I am looking to get some footwear. Apparently, I am not the standard Keymin size. Can you help me?” Amazed at what her body was doing, Lee watched herself lift the skirt to her knees as she kicked her feet slowly. Haz swallowed and a bead of sweat worked its way down his forehead. “I believe I can help you, Alpha.” She chuckled and was shocked at the sensual tone that crept into her laughter. Teasing a man was not part of her repertoire, but now, it seemed to come naturally. Haz cupped her heel gently and measured her foot. He swallowed heavily, and his hand trailed up her ankle, working up her calf. “Stop there, Haz. You really don’t want to continue with that hand.” Ozwin’s voice was a low growl. Haz jerked back as if stung. “I am sorry, Alpha. I was just…” “She is hard to resist, isn’t she?” Ozwin walked up behind her and pressed his hands to her shoulders. “I wasn’t doing anything…well, not on purpose.” She shrugged, unrepentant. Having his hands on her was sending a new set of sensations through her. Haz quickly busied himself in the back of the shop. Ozwin pressed himself to her back and whispered in her ear. “You are a Keymin female now, and that means that you are entering a receptive phase. Your scent is intoxicating and none of the males will be able to refuse you. You have to be careful.” She shivered as he spoke in time to his hands caressing her bare biceps. “Receptive?” 29

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Her low throaty tone drew a harsh breath from Ozwin. “Yes. Whether your mind is on board or not, your body wants a mate, is demanding a mate. You will not go anywhere in this colony without me from now on.” She snarled at the command in his tone, and his hand slid into her hair, arching her neck back, exposing it to his mouth. He set his teeth on her skin, his canines shifting into points. She felt his breath on her neck, the flick of his tongue and the implicit threat in the contact. Lee didn’t care. She snarled low in her throat, stiffened her fingers and jabbed them into his abdomen. He released her with a jerk, and she pushed out of his grip, crouching low and letting her displeasure reach her eyes. Lee could smell the blood from her throat, but she ignored it. He was going to get more than a mouthful if he came at her again. To her shock, she felt her teeth elongate, and she bared them in defiance. “Lee, you don’t know what you are doing.” She snarled and lunged at him, grinning inwardly as he stepped out of her way, and she made it out the door. Sprinting on her feet suddenly grew easier, and her body kept its balance by leaning her forward. Her hands turned to claws and got into the act as she picked up speed. A howl in the distance told her that Ozwin was in pursuit, but she didn’t care. She was heading for the gates of the Keymin settlement. 30

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The gates swung shut, and she picked up speed, trying to make it through the opening. The clang as they locked made her snarl in disgust as she struck the gates with her feet, turned in the air and raced back toward the clinic. The dark hulk of Ozwin’s shifted form was waiting for her. She moved left and he countered her, moved right and he blocked her again. Howling in frustration, she attacked him head on. His claw lashed out, knocked her down and then pressed against her neck. Her blood roared in her ears, a struggling pulse that slowed as he increased his pressure. Lee gasped, looked into his cold eyes and let the grey mist claim her.

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Chapter Six

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zwin’s rhythmic steps woke her. “Ow.” “You won’t give in, will you?” There was something about the cheer in his tone that shook her. Her voice was hoarse. “You don’t have to sound so happy about it.” Lee looked around, and there was a crowd of men and women watching as Ozwin carried her back to his home. “Why are they staring?” “You are the only snow white shifter they have ever seen.” He smiled down at her. “I have to admit, we were not expecting you to be able to make a complete shift, but you did well. Haz will be gossiping about this in minutes.” “How long was I out?” “Only a minute. I let you go as soon as you shifted back. Do you understand why I don’t want you running around without me?” She shivered. “I wouldn’t have tried to get away if you hadn’t tried to subdue me.” “I wouldn’t have tried to subdue you if you hadn’t 32

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been seducing Haz.” His tone was most reasonable. “I didn’t mean to, it simply seemed like something I had to do.” Her confusion came out in a rush. Instincts she never knew she had were alive and well in her body, and it was beginning to wear on her nerves. She hated to be out of control, and this was almost enough to make her burst into tears. Almost. Lee leaned her head against his chest and sighed. “I apologize for the trouble.” He paused outside his home. Looking down at her, he came to some kind of decision. Ozwin set her on her feet, pulled her against him in full view of the watchers, wove his hand through her hair and kissed her lips with an intensity that she answered with her own hands in his hair and low sigh. A cheer rose from the crowd, and the noise was enough to break her enjoyment of the contact. She lunged back only to be held by Ozwin’s grip. “Oh, no, Badge. You are not going anywhere until I say you may.” She immediately started to fight him, and she heard voices calling out to him in encouragement. Lee clawed, twisted, writhed and bit at him, but he managed to pin her arms behind her back and held her tight against him. The struggle must have worked on him, because there was a rock-hard column of flesh beneath his clothing, and his gaze narrowed when she squirmed against him. “Let me go.” He smiled, showing pointed canines once again. “No. We need you here, and I will keep you chained if I have to.” 33

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The thought of being bound and at his mercy set off a reaction in her belly, moisture slicked her thighs and her new senses picked up on the increase in her scent. She smelled her own heat and shame flooded her body, rendering her limp in his grip. He sighed and stroked a hand up her back, pressing her forehead to his chest. “Don’t fight it, Leeahan. The changes to your body come with certain instincts, and right now, it wants a mate.” She whispered into his chest, “I don’t want to impose.” He jerked and then started to laugh. “I think this is a conversation best carried on inside.” She didn’t say anything, just walked ahead of him into the confines of his home. When the door was closed, she fought the urge to run. Instead, she watched Ozwin warily, trying to figure out what exactly he wanted. Ona came in with a cheerful smile, looked at their expressions and retreated back to the kitchen. “What is going on, Ozwin?” Going on the attack seemed the best course of action. “You are in heat, and I need a mate, Leeahan. It is really that simple.” She blinked rapidly. “Don’t you have your pick of Keymin women?” “I do, and I don’t want any of them. I need a woman who will not depend on me for her reason to live. In the few days I have known you, you have shown more determination and a complete lack of slack-jawed awe at my presence than any woman in this settlement. I am revelling in your irritation, and I think that we could 34

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make a good match.” “Not that I have a choice.” It needed to be said. He leaned next to the fireplace and shrugged. “Not particularly. Every time you fight, my beast rises to the surface with the urge to subdue you. I am hindered by my instincts as you are by yours.” “Your beast?” “The part of us that acts on instinct—the fight-orflight mode that overrides our common sense. It drives us to hunt, to kill and to mate.” His eyes were narrowing again. This gaze glowed white hot as he looked her over. “So, if we mate, I can simply get on with my life without this insane urge prodding at me?” “And you can stop looking at Haz as if he is edible.” Ozwin scowled at her. She blinked and then laughed, “You sound jealous.” In an instant, he was on her, his arms wrapping around her, pinning her hands behind her back again. He pressed his lips to her neck, and in the privacy of his home, she sighed, surrendering to him. She could fight him again later when the burning between her thighs had been sated. She felt him smile against her skin. “Lee, are you not fighting because there are no witnesses?” Lee shrugged, “Yes, is that a problem?” He backed away from her, bent and flipped her over his shoulder. It was the most trite of caveman manoeuvres, but it worked. Her belly shimmied in excitement, and her hands clenched on the back of his shirt. A needy, eager, sex-crazed female was replacing the 35

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bossy wench that normally inhabited her skin, and Lee didn’t know which impulse to fight. When Ozwin’s hand slid up the back of her skirt, caressing her thighs, she decided to let the sex-crazed Lee win. After all, she got out so little. The moment they walked into his room, she knew. The scent wrapped around her and worked her hormones into a frenzy. This was the home of the Alpha, and she had been invited in. Now, she just had to keep her calm and invite him in and this hormonal surge might just fade into an embarrassing memory.

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Chapter Seven

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zwin flipped her over his shoulder, and Lee landed on her back in the centre of his bed. Her skirt was rucked up around her thighs, and he was looking at her as if she was a full-course feast and he was a starving man. With calm motions, he stripped his clothing away, leaving nothing but bronze skin and rippling muscles. His erection curved in a high arc, a wet bead of pearlescent liquid appeared at the tip as she watched. Lee licked her lips out of reflex, and he was on her before her tongue was back in her mouth. Ozwin’s lips caressed hers ravenously, coaxing her to open for him. His tongue slipped between her lips, and she moaned at his taste. Her body responded wildly, her hips arching against him and her arms tangling in his hair. His kiss went from frenzied to leisurely, and she growled. She wanted more, and she wanted it now. Lee used her new strength and her grip on his hair to flip him onto his back, straddling him and rocking her aching entrance against the head of his cock. He pulled his head back in surprise, and the grin that 37

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he gave her was not a nice grin. She began to suspect that he had been waiting for her move when he reached up, grabbed something at the head of the bed and snapped it on her wrist. Lee’s eyes widened in shock. “That is my cuff!” “And you are wearing it.” He lifted her off him, flipping her to her back and her other wrist was encased in the other official badge cuff. Being confined was a fine fantasy, but her body bucked and struggled as she tried to free herself. Ozwin knelt between her thighs as she fought the unnatural feeling of being restricted and helpless. When he was done with watching her struggle and gasp, the Alpha held her down with the weight of his body. “Enough, Leeahan. You are caught.” Lee whimpered and showed her sharpened teeth. Ozwin caught her neck in his jaws, and his own sharp teeth held her while her mind struggled to subdue her new instincts and old reflexes. Lee closed her eyes and took in the feeling of his teeth on her neck, holding but not biting, his weight against her limbs, heavy but not crushing, and the prod of his shaft between her thighs, insistent but not aggressive. Ozwin was taking his time with her, and it was both gratifying and terrifying. Her gown was bunched up around her hips, a feeble barrier to the heat of his body. Finally, her calm was reclaimed, and she whimpered her acceptance. Ozwin licked at her neck, sending shivers of excitement through her, pebbling her nipples and sensitizing her skin. With her arms linked over her head, her breasts were arched into contact with his 38

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chest, and her erect nipples scraped against fabric and his skin. When he was done working on the marks he had made on her neck, Ozwin moved down her body. The tearing sound caught her by surprise but sped her pulse into a steady gallop. Ozwin’s mouth on her breasts elicited another whimper as her tight nipples were sucked and flicked in turn. Each draw on her breast caused a clench of muscles low in her belly, and she lifted one leg to drape it around his hips in invitation. The scent of her heat filled the room, her body was slicker than she had ever felt it and he was taking his time. She wanted to kill him and fuck him at the same time. This was a conflict she had never experienced before. Lee whimpered and finally resorted to pleading as Ozwin showed no signs of abandoning his worship of her breasts. “Please, Ozwin. Please.” He lazily licked one breast and then the other. “Please what?” “Please fuck me.” “No.” Her voice rose to a shriek. “What?” “I am not going to fuck you. I am going to mate with you. Now, ask me again.” He worked his way down to her navel and licked and blew at her belly. Lee gritted her teeth. “Fine, please mate with me.” He gnawed gently at her stomach before he slid back up her body to look her in the eye, face to face. “I thought you would never ask.” He reached between them and aligned the head of his cock with her 39

Viola Grace slick opening. “Hello, mate.” He shifted his hips and thrust deep. Her body fought him, so he reared back and thrust again. Finally, her body realized what was going on, and his entry became even and smooth. She arched against him as he withdrew and returned. Lee worked her hips to his, meeting him thrust for thrust. The slide and pull of the sharp head of his cock caressed the inner walls of her channel, and her voice sighed, moaned and whimpered without her willing it to make a single sound. Ozwin’s features were fierce, his gaze focussed on her face. She met his gaze and fell into his eyes as her body climbed the plateau to release. He stared into her eyes when she was caught in the storm of fire that started within and spread to both of them. His surprise as his body arched into hers, his cries matching hers, caused a ripple of amusement to simmer in Lee’s mind. Fair was fair. If she was his mate, he was hers. The bulge of his cock inside her was a surprise. He was wedged firmly into her opening, and she wanted to bite someone in frustration. Giving into her urge, she sank her teeth into his shoulder, listening to his hiss with some satisfaction. When she released him, she licked at the wounds. “You didn’t say we would be stuck together.” “That has never happened to me before. It is only supposed to happen when…” He trailed off. “When what?” “When I have found my life mate.” She shivered, and his cock jumped inside her, a 40

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reflexive kick that reminded her it was there. “You don’t get stuck into casual fucks?” she raised her brows. Tugging at the cuffs that bound her. “I do not have casual encounters. It is bad for morale if I take favourites.” His words brought to her something that she hadn’t realized—he was just as lonely as she was in his particular way. He actually dealt with it the same way she did, controlling everything and everyone around her. He was in charge, and he was alone. She sighed and lifted her hips to him again. His response was reflexive in the form of a short, sharp pump. “Am I to take it that I am a favourite at the moment?” She bit her lip as he continued the slow punching thrusts that were driving her to the edge of control once again. “You are the only favourite.” He pressed his lips to her neck and rocked into her over and over until she shivered and gasped softly at the electric orgasm that rippled through her. Her hands were clenched in reaction, and her wrists ached. With Ozwin still wedged inside her, she was suddenly shy. Unable to escape him, she closed her eyes and averted her head. He pressed kisses on the corner of her eye and down her cheekbone until he reached her lips. He coaxed and persuaded until she turned her head toward him. Still keeping her eyes closed, Lee leaned up to return his kiss, welcoming the light strokes of his tongue, parting her lips in invitation. 41

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They remained locked together, kissing softly until his body finally let her go. Lee sighed and blushed as the column of flesh inside her relaxed to the point where his semen poured out of her. She was beyond embarrassed at the sensation. “Um, Ozwin, could you please release me now?” She shifted under him, but he didn’t move off her. His tone was lazy, and his eyes were glowing hotly again. “Why?” “So that I can clean up a little. I can feel…well, I can feel everything, and it is a little disconcerting.” Ozwin breathed deeply, “I like the idea of my seed inside you.” “Inside is fine, it is the liquid escaping that is getting a little cool.” She squirmed her hips again, and he sighed, moving away from her. If she was expecting him to release her, she was sorely mistaken. Ozwin walked to a door adjoining his chamber and disappeared. He was gone for a few minutes but returned with a bowl and soft cloths. Lee screwed her eyes tightly shut as he cleaned her, going so far as to wrap his fingers in a cloth to twist them inside her. A second cloth was drawn along her throat and across her skin, removing traces of her sweat and his. When he was done tidying her up, he crawled onto her again, weighing her down before he reached for her cuffs. Lee brought her arms down, frowning at the red and purple lines that banded her wrists. She had pulled harder than she thought. She was about to rub her left wrist with her right hand when Ozwin gripped her 42

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forearm and brought her left wrist to his mouth. He licked slowly, with attention to getting every inch of her bruised skin covered. “That is very nice, but what are you…oh.” The discolouration faded rapidly under his lapping tongue. “How did you do that?” His mouth quirked up at one corner as he lifted her other wrist to his lips, she was left wondering as his tongue made the rounds on her skin. When he finished, her skin was as clear and unblemished as it had been before the first cuff had snapped into place. With her unclasped, he rolled to one side and held her against him, pressing his face against the wealth of her pale hair. Lee curled against him and inhaled their combined scents. She let the rhythm of his breathing relax her, and as she drifted off, she could have sworn she heard him say, “Mine.”

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Chapter Eight

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ee was alone and uncuffed in Ozwin’s bed. A light knock on the door preceded the entrance of Ona. “I have a fresh gown, and Haz delivered some boots for you. Come along, Alpha Lee. There is a public dinner in the courtyard, and we need to get you presentable.” Ona grinned and didn’t even bat an eye at Lee’s tangle with the sheets. The older woman took her by the hand and tugged her free of the bedding. Lee was embarrassed, but she let herself be bullied into a shower, followed by a brusque towelling. Ona sat her down on a stool and brushed her hair for her. “Where is Ozwin?” Ona smiled, “He has to attend to the business of the settlement, including discipline of the bachelors for their exercise the other day.” After her hair was wrangled into a loose twist and pinned in place, Ona came toward her with a deep blue gown. The woman dropped it over her head and helped her tug it into place. “We don’t have anything in your size, so we had to 44

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improvise. The ruffles at the bottom make up the length I think. Oh, here are your boots.” Black thigh-high boots slid up and under the gown. “This is a good fit.” Ona snickered, “It is some of Haz’s fastest and best work. Whatever he saw in his workshop scared and delighted him.” The boots had flat soles for running and balance. They were still elegant and graceful but practical. “I like them.” She pivoted on the balls of her feet and laughed. “It is weird. Even a few days without shoes and I was in withdrawal.” “They are invisible under the gown. Lovely. Is the dress too tight?” Lee looked in a wardrobe mirror and snickered. It was similar to a prom dress in dark royal blue. Sleeveless with a ruffle on the right shoulder, tight to mid-thigh, the ruffles took over and frothed to the ground. “Is this acceptable?” She turned from side to side. “I am sure that Alpha Ozwin will be suitably impressed. He has been by all of your actions so far.” Ona chuckled. “Now come, we will have some tea and wait until sundown is complete.” Lee trailed along as Ona led the way down to the dining area and took the seat that Ona pulled out for her. When the tea tray was between them, Ona grinned at her. “So, how do you like my grandson?” Lee paused. “What?” “Ozwin. He is one of six surviving grandsons, and being able to act as his housekeeper is very restful.” 45

Viola Grace “I thought he said you were the grandmother of one of his betas.” “I am. His cousin, Morask. He didn’t want to tell you that I was his grandmother. He wasn’t sure how your society deals with relatives at close quarters.” Lee was blushing at the destruction that Ona had witnessed in the bedroom. “Don’t you want to retire, do nothing?” Ona chuckled. “The Keymin cannot do nothing. We need to keep active or our thwarted instincts drive us mad. It was designed into us, and as long as we occupy our bodies, our minds stay sane.” Lee sipped at her tea and asked, “So, how did the Keymin come to be?” Ona snorted, “You didn’t look us up?” “There were limited records available to the badges. We were given more physical information on the Keymin than historical. I needed to know what I would face if I was against them in a fight. Whether it was a bar fight or an incursion, we had to be ready to face what your people would throw at us.” “Our people.” “What?” “You are Keymin now. Our people are your people. You have the same thoughts, instincts, passions as any Keymin woman.” Lee blinked and did a personal inventory. The heat was still inside her, the vibrating tension of her muscles was constant and her sense of smell was so greatly enhanced that she could pick apart the different herbs in the tea with a light sniff. Whatever was left of her Terran sensibilities was the 46

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only thing holding her back from running out into the population, finding Ozwin and tossing him to the ground for another ride. Ona patted her hand. “Don’t worry about the heat. Every woman goes through it.” Lee was confused. “I thought that once Ozwin and I…it was over.” The older woman laughed. “Days. It takes days to wear off. With the hormonal surge, if it simply ceased, you would go into shock. It will never be as strong as it was this morning, but it will remain for days.” “How can you stand it?” Ona laughed, “It only happens twice a year, and it is both before and after harvest. It keeps us busy and the men exhausted. It is when the next generation comes into their own.” “Because they have to do everything around the settlement.” “Something like that.” “How did the Keymin become what they are now?” Lee sat back and sipped at her tea. Ona grinned, “I wondered when you would ask that. The Keym were an agrarian species. Our ancestors were living their lives happily when the Sixiv dropped a nanites bomb in the middle of the weather centre of the planet. The tiny machines travelled on the wind and infected the entire planet within three years. No one knew precisely what had happened to them until the first harvest or planting season hit their village. “The panic of the Keym was all encompassing, and the Sixiv swept in and calmed them, offering help in exchange for services. Every year, they took more and 47

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more of the population until Keym was empty. Our men and women fought wars for the Sixiv, held populations in thrall and finally gained the attention of the Alliance. When the Alliance freed our people, they offered us a place here, and we took it. “I was on the first landing craft here with my mate Orian. Our first son was born three days later. It was a hard first year, working the fields and creating a settlement, but we flourished here on Decallock and have grown into a solid community.” Lee heard Ozwin’s footsteps outside the door before it opened. “Thank you, Ona. This has been most informative.” When Ozwin came through the doorway, Lee’s heart sped up. “Are you ready to meet your new people?” his voice was slow and amused. “No, but I had better get out there, because the thoughts in my head need a bit of privacy to work my nerves up.” Her mouth said what was in her head, but she wanted to sink through the floor at Ozwin’s smile. She got to her feet, thanked Ona for the tea and headed for the door. As she passed Ozwin, he wrapped an arm around her waist, so together, they met the gathered folk who were watching the door of the Alphas’ home with keen attention. The moment that they were framed in the entryway, a cheer rose up. “Why are they cheering?” She asked it in a low whisper. He started walking her down the short flight of steps to the courtyard filled with tables and Keymin. 48

Badge “Because there is rarely a second Alpha in a generation, and we have never had one in female form before.” “Oh, so I am a freak.” “And my mate. Therefore, your new people want to get to know you.” They walked past smiling folk who were staring at her with rapt attention. Lee was glad Ona had taken the time with her hair. Since she was being paraded past strangers, it was nice that she looked her best. Their table was sitting on a raised platform, so everyone could see them. “That’s festive.” “It comforts them by making us visible.” There was a story behind his words, but she didn’t have time to ask it. They were up on the platform and took their seats at the table. “They will bring platters of food, but you don’t need to take everything, just put your fork in the dish and they are free to walk on.” Ozwin was referring to the line of women and men carrying dishes of food and approaching their table. “Why?” “They have to offer food to the Alpha first at these events, and since we now have two, they need to offer it twice.” He sat back and waited for the first carrier to arrive. The next half hour was a blur of smiling faces, food Lee could not identify and the urge to be polite causing her to overload her plate. Ozwin was laughing at her. “You are never going to eat all that.” She took a deep breath and raised the first bakedmeat stick to her mouth. “I know, but I am going to take 49

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a bite out of everything and work from there.” He grinned, “An admirable method of dealing with the new.” She blushed, “I didn’t mean you.” “I know, but the marks you left on me have given me a one-track mind.” She paused with the sausage halfway to her mouth and quickly put it on her plate, mincing it into small bite-sized pieces. It was a method that she engaged in with all of her food. Not one suggestive eating technique was engaged in for the rest of the meal. The crowd of folk smiled when they looked toward her. “Why are they so happy to see me?” Ozwin finished his meal and sighed, “They are seeing you as a sign of evolution. If even the Terran badge of the Decallock colony can be turned Keymin, we have a chance to survive.” Lee sat back and stared at the remains on her plate. A peculiar idea came to her, and she leaned forward, concentrated and called the beast. Three swipes of her jaws and the plate was clear. The crowd was staring at her in shock, so she relaxed and returned to her chair. Ozwin’s hackles were up. She could see the rise at the back of his neck. “What is the problem? I finished my food.” He frowned, “You weren’t upset, enraged or anything?” She shook her head. “No. Just wanted to finish my meal, and it seemed the only way to do it.” He blinked. “Kiss me.” Not understanding the significance, she leaned 50

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forward, caressed his cheek and kissed him softly and sweetly. His fangs were out, but her kiss continued until she felt him unclench his jaw. A relaxed sigh came out of the crowd, and Lee clued in. “They thought I was mad?” “Most of our kind can’t control the shift in the first few months of the change. They were preparing for a rampage.” She blinked and leaned back in her chair. “That is interesting. What would you have done if I had gone insane?” “I would have had to subdue you and neither of us would have enjoyed that.” There was a dark undertone to his voice. An image in her mind formed of a snow white creature being pressed to the ground by a larger beast in silky black. Based on his motions and hers, they were coupling in front of the assembled. “Oh no. We are not doing that.” Her cheeks were scarlet, but Ozwin gripped the back of her head and pulled her to him for a kiss. “Not in shifted form and not in public.” Her eyes were wide as she stared at him. The realization came that the image in her mind had not come from her own thoughts. “You…” “Eventually, you will be able to do it as well, but the mind is the last thing to take on the change.” He pressed his lips to hers again, and a cheer went up from those assembled. Lee trembled as she finally realized that things were not going to be nearly as simple as she had imagined. 51

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Chapter Nine

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fter the meal, wine was brought out, and Ozwin turned to her, “Perhaps you would like to introduce yourself to the young women in season.” It didn’t take Lee more than two seconds to identify the women in question. They sat downwind from the bachelors but close to the Alphas’ table. Why she had imagined that there were more was beyond her. The nine young women looked nervous as she approached. A matron was sitting near them, and the woman nodded her greeting. “Hello, ladies. How are you this evening?” Several of the young women looked down, but one smiled timidly. “We are well, Alpha. How are you enjoying your time in the settlement?” Lee grinned, “It has had its challenges. Apparently, the hardest thing is finding clothing that fits me.” The young woman inclined her head. “I am handy with a needle and thread. If you wish for something to be taken in or embroidered, I would be honoured to help.” “I may take you up on that, but taking things in is not the current issue. Apparently, I am taller than most 52

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ladies of the Keymin.” Laughter rippled through them, and with that one sentence, their nervousness went out the window. A cup of wine was pressed into her hand, and Lee was introduced to her maiden collection. They were locked away for two weeks in the fall and two in the spring every year until they found their mate or he grabbed them. The settlement sheltered them until they turned twenty-three, and after that, they were on their own. “Did the bachelors come after you?” The embroiderer, whose name was Ceeki, smiled. “No. They didn’t even try. Alpha Ozwin was speaking with the matron, and when they broke free, they didn’t dare to come and oppose him. They simply overwhelmed the gate and ran for it.” “Was anyone injured?” “The two gate guards on duty suffered claw damage as well as broken ribs.” Ceeki frowned. “There was a lot of yelling, and then Alpha Ozwin roared.” Matron Halio grinned, “I think you know what happened next. Did you really hold off two dozen bachelors until Alpha Ozwin could get there?” Lee blushed, “Well, sort of. The first dozen or so left when I ordered them to. After that, it becomes a bit of a blur.” “Alpha Ozwin says you were holding your own.” Ceeki was looking at her with worship in her gaze. “He is too generous. Four of them were holding me when he arrived, the slash to my ribs had already occurred.” Lee believed in honesty, and she didn’t want anyone to think she could take that many on her own 53

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before she had changed. Now, those young men would have ended up ass over teakettle, but that was her secret. It was always good to catch your opponent by surprise when you could. Lee drank more of the wine and looked around her. “Matron, where are the other young women?” Halio looked nervous. “What do you mean, Alpha?” “I mean that there are sixteen places set at this table, but only nine girls came to the gathering. Where are the other seven?” The matron looked even more nervous. “They were told that they had to remain in the maidens’ quarters. They are not convinced that a woman could be an Alpha, and they were slightly hostile. Alpha Ozwin suggested that they not attend if they couldn’t be polite.” Lee finished her wine and got to her feet, her head spinning. “I am going to have a word with them. Today is a day for introducing myself, and they are not going to be left out.” The matron grabbed her arm, and without thinking, Lee growled at her. The woman dropped back and lowered her gaze. Lee lifted her head, scenting the air and moved quickly through the crowd toward the maidens’ quarters. Anger and dissatisfaction were actually something she could sense. She waved the guard at the door to one side, and the male nodded, allowing her entry. The main room on the base floor was littered with young Keymin women sitting on the lounging furniture and speaking in low tones. 54

Badge “Ladies. We have not been introduced.” Lee waited as the women took in her appearance, her hair and the pale colour of her eyes. “I am Alpha Lee.” The women shifted, and in Lee’s mind, a pattern emerged. They were gathering for a pack attack, and Lee’s new programming recognized it. She hauled in a deep breath and roared, it reverberated through the room and echoed outward. Six of the women paused, leaving a young woman with ice blue eyes glaring at her. “It was supposed to be me.” The young woman growled, and her teeth shifted into fangs while her hair slicked back along her skull. She embraced her beast in the centre of the maidens’ common room, and it left Lee with only one action. Instead of the drawn-out shift of the younger woman, Lee shifted in seconds. She waited for the attack. The young woman did not leave her waiting long but lunged at her, snapping and snarling. The other ladies scattered. Lee’s beast calmly stepped to one side, swatted the younger creature down and held her on the floor until she stopped squirming. Unable to avoid it, Lee closed her teeth on the beast’s neck, holding her firmly in place. A minute went by before the young woman shifted back into her normal shape. Lee immediately released her and returned to her own regular form. The young woman knelt with her head down. “I am sorry, Alpha. I should not have doubted what you were.” 55

Viola Grace Lee sighed, “We both know you wanted Ozwin.” “Yes, Alpha, I did. I was the strongest of our generation. There was no other logical choice.” “Until I spoiled everything.” “You were not at fault, Alpha. It was the one who clawed you who was at fault. Frankly, I was not expecting you to be so tall.” The woman peeked up and smiled slightly. Lee grinned. “What is your name, beta?” “Sakiana. It was my brother that clawed you, and that I will never forgive him for.” There were genuine tears in her eyes. “Ah, Sakiana, when something is meant to happen, it just happens. I am a badge for the colony. If it weren’t your brother, it would have been another teen on a run through the area around town. I have seen shifted Keymin before, and each time, my life flashed before my eyes. Now, it will simply run through my mind with a battle plan.” Lee lifted the young woman to her feet. Shock was on the features of the women in the room. Sakiana asked, “You aren’t staying?” Ozwin’s voice came from the doorway. “She is contracted as the badge for the colony. Until they release her from her contract, she is theirs. However, if they don’t enjoy her new talents as a Keymin, she will be free to return.” Lee smiled and patted the Sakiana’s cheek. “Don’t fret too much. You might still have a shot. As for the rest of you, I trust that I have settled your doubts?” The other women nodded. Lee turned her back and walked toward Ozwin. She felt the change in the air behind her, turned and flipped 56

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Sakiana to her back on the floor, pressing her knee into the woman’s chest. “You have dishonoured our Alpha.” She growled, squirming on the floor. Lee looked to Ozwin. “Have I dishonoured you?” He grinned, “Considering that I had to cuff you first, I would say that I take full responsibility for what happened between us.” Lee’s body heated at his look. She glanced down to the stunned Sakiana. “Did you hear that? No dishonour.” Sakiana was in shock. “Cuffs?” “When you are a big, fluffy thing and you find another fluffy thing to love, you will understand why sometimes a little light restraint can make the sex easier and reduce the bloodshed.” The young woman’s eyes were still as wide as saucers. Lee shook her head. “If I come back, I will answer any questions you might have. This is hardly the time, and I have to call in to dispatch.” Ozwin extended his hand and lifted Lee to her feet. He wrapped an arm around her and made a short, sharp barking sound that sent the girls scrambling up the steps and to their rooms. “What was that?” “It was an admonition for them to stay in their rooms for a day. The matron is with her charges, but she wishes to speak to you before we rest.” His change of topic caught her off guard. “Why does she want to talk to me?” “I believe that she wanted to warn you that some of 57

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the maidens were not very keen on my taking a mate from outside our settlement. Though, if they paid attention in classes, they know that our birthrate is demanding that we start to look outside the settlement. We don’t want to court inbreeding.” His hand was on her lower back, his fingers touching the base of her spine. She wanted to lean back into his grasp and shook her head. “That wine must be hitting me harder than I thought.” She licked her lips. “Are you keen on taking a mate outside the settlement?” He smiled, “I am keen on taking you whenever and wherever. If I have to commute until your contract is over to continue to persuade you, I will.” It was part threat, part promise and the sexiest thing that Lee had ever heard.

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Chapter Ten

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ntering Ozwin’s house, Lee had a blush on her face that she couldn’t shake. “I can’t believe that you said that to the matron.” He chuckled and moved his hand over her spine in the slow caress that he had been engaged in during her whole conversation with Halio. She didn’t remember any of it thanks to the gentle touch. She did, however, remember that he had excused them with the explanation that he had to take care of her heat before she started to hunt for a fuck, and he had to kill the other male. “It seemed appropriate. The matron was not going to let you go otherwise.” He pressed a soft kiss to her shoulder, nipping gently. “Also, it was true. Your scent had been increasing in strength for hours.” “It had?” “Yes, and it reached a peak when you roared at the maidens. The whole gathering was shocked by the strength of your voice.” He stroked her ribs and cupped the underside of her breasts. “It was quite the turn on.” She sighed, “It is the enormous ribcage that comes with this huge body of mine.” 59

Viola Grace He turned her in his arms. “You are perfect for me. Never think otherwise. The average woman of my race is far too short.” His grin was sincere. “Would you have mated with Sakiana if I hadn’t gotten clawed?” He nodded. “Probably. She is the strongest female in the colony. There was no reason not to choose her…until you arrived. Now, I cannot imagine how lucky I am at my narrow escape.” She shuddered and raised her face to his, seeking a kiss. The inner compulsion was growing stronger as they remained close together, but she wanted gentleness before passion kicked in. He gave her what she needed, cupping her face in his hands as their mouths met and caressed each other. When he lifted his head, his lips were shining. “Don’t you have to call your dispatcher?” She leaned her forehead against his chest and sighed. “Yes.” He took her by the hand and tugged her to his room. He passed his hand over a spot on the small desk, causing a small door to pop upward out of the wood. Her com unit was inside. Ozwin went into the lav and left her alone to make her call. “Dispatch? This is Badge Ryan.” “Lee, oh thank goodness, I was getting worried, and they are forcing me to take a rest day.” “I am well, recovering and adapting.” “Good. I haven’t heard from the council today, but they were making their decision this afternoon.” Butterflies flickered in Lee’s stomach. “They didn’t 60

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tell you of their decision?” “No. Are you sure you are fine?” “I am well, healthy and even have a new dress.” “A dress? Oh, damn. I am sorry that I am missing that.” Lee grinned. “I know. There will never be any proof. It will remain a mystery of the universe.” “I hope to see you soon, Lee. The replacement that they are bringing in is not even close to your league.” Lee’s stomach filled with lead. “Replacement?” “They had to bring in a new badge while you were incapacitated. There is a bit of a problem in the colony, and the duty officers are useless.” Lee closed her eyes. “Of course. Right. Well. I hope that Teenath has some information when I check in tomorrow.” “Have a good night, Lee. You sound like you need it.” The com went dead, and Lee numbly walked back to the small, hidden panel and put it back. Ozwin returned and looked at her expression, then caught her up in a hug. “What is it?” She drew a shaking breath and spoke clearly. “They have requested my replacement, and he is on route. My place is gone.” He lifted her chin on his fingers. “Your place is here. You can be a badge here just as well as at the colony. We are smaller, but there is still petty theft and matters of security that you can handle on a day-to-day basis.” She smiled weakly. “Isn’t that your job?” “If you do that, I can concentrate on the expansion of the settlement, including putting in for new colonists 61

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who are compatible with the Keymin nanites.” She knew the answer but asked, “You can find folks to volunteer to be changed?” “By the hundreds. The nanites will be drawn from the young men and injected into the candidate. They will be watched closely as they make the change.” She chuckled. “Like I was.” “I have to confess, I was looking at you for my peace of mind as well as your transformation. A woman like you is unusual enough, but to have you arrive in the precise place and time when I needed a mate is beyond coincidence and sneaking into destiny.” She cupped his neck and stroked her hands up through his hair. She flicked the tips of his ears and grinned. “You believe in destiny?” His hands gripped her ass and lifted her against him. “I believe in fate. Well, I do now. You are one of a kind, and now, you are one of my kind. We will make a place for you here if one does not come easily.” She shifted, caressing the erection beneath his clothing with the slow slide of her belly. “Speaking of coming easily…” The innuendo was all he needed. Ozwin lifted her with his grip on her buttocks, and he flung her to the bed. The small surge of adrenaline woke the beast inside her, and she was up on her knees in the confining gown in seconds. She snarled at him, and he made a low huffing noise. She tried to move, but the blue ruffles bound her legs, and he was on her in seconds. She fought him, biting, clawing and snarling as he 62

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fought her arms back into the cuffs. The click was unmistakable, and instead of calming her, it enraged her. The sign of her rank and position was being used to hold her back, and that rank and position was being taken. She bucked and writhed against him until he pinned her down with his body. He held her tight, nuzzling her throat until the first sob broke. When she started to cry, he stroked her body through the gown, over and over, until she relaxed and just let the tears fall. When she calmed, he kissed her fiercely, tangling his tongue with hers, sucking lightly before working his way down her throat. His hands curled in the neckline of her gown, and he tore it down the center. He sheared the shoulder straps in a matter of two tugs, and he moved down her body, pulling and tugging her clothing from her until all she wore were the cuffs and hairpins. She sniffled with a smile, “You are going to have to stop shredding my gowns.” He laughed, “And you are going to have to stop fighting me at every turn. If you do one, then I will do the other.” Lee sighed and watched him strip. One day he wouldn’t set her off, and she would be the one unlacing, unbuckling and unbuttoning him into nudity. For now, all she could do was lie back and enjoy the show.

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Chapter Eleven

W

hen he parted her ankles and knelt between them, she came to the conclusion that Ozwin had a different plan for this particular mating. He lay on his belly between her spread thighs and inhaled deeply. “Did you know that all Keymin males are taught that the day they find a woman of their own, they will be free to enjoy her body as she enjoys his?” Lee’s skin was waiting for his touch. “No, I was unaware of that.” “It is true. We are taught to look forward to pleasing our mate, knowing that once she bonds to us completely, her pleasure will be ours.” “Oh, you mean…mentally.” He grinned and parted her folds with his thumbs. “If you say so.” It appeared he was done talking, and she was fairly sure of that as his mouth took on the duty of lapping, sucking and caressing her sex. A low moan took her over as her mind focussed on the feel of his tongue sliding into her again and again. Lee spread her thighs wider and let her breath come faster and faster as her body tightened under the grip of 64

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pleasure. She felt the sharp blades of his teeth pressing against her, and as he moved his attention to her clit, she shot over the edge, bucking against him. Her cry of release was a piercing wail that hurt her own ears. He laughed and slowly kissed his way up her body, licking and nipping at her breasts, nibbling at her collarbone and gnawing at her neck. She tried to move her head to kiss him, but he dodged her skilfully. Ozwin moved back and flipped her to her belly, then helped her prop herself up on her elbows. The chain of the cuffs drew her closer to the headboard, but she had enough play to brace herself as he continued his slow caresses down her spine and across her buttocks. “You have the loveliest hips.” He nipped at her left and then her right hip. “Thank you. They are part of a set.” She stopped talking when she felt the prod of his cock inside her opening. He slid in, inch by inch, widening and parting her to make room for his shaft. It was slow torture, and with her elbows in the bedding and her face looking at the sheets, Lee was forced to concentrate on what was happening to her body. He rocked against her, pushing and sliding, caressing her inner walls with every shift of his hips. Ozwin set up a rhythm, slow and deep. It had her crying out and whimpering. She wanted it fast and hard, and he was giving her exactly the thing guaranteed to torture her. She concentrated on doing to him what he had done to her earlier. She created a blurry but specific image in her mind. He started to thrust faster, harder, and he 65

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gave his hips a twist that had not been in her image but sent her shuddering into release. He reached up and flicked the cuffs, releasing them an instant before he lifted her. Ozwin turned her and slid back inside her in seconds. They both groaned. “I wanted to be face to face this time.” He cupped her thighs and lifted her, bouncing her on his cock until he groaned and his neck corded in tension. She felt the swelling inside her again and understood. Gasping she said, “You wanted to face me while we were stuck.” He grinned and kissed her chin. “You are correct and very lovely.” Locked onto him, he supported her with hands on her lower back. Smiling, she raised her hands and slowly removed all of the pins in her hair. When it tumbled down and covered her breasts, she grinned. “That’s better.” He swallowed and stroked the flaxen locks. “It certainly is. You look lovely in formal wear, but you look infinitely more desirable in nothing at all.” She rocked her hips against him lightly, loving the pressure on her clit from their close contact. “I would have to say the same of you, though I am going to have to request some better-fitting clothing if I am to stay here.” He grinned. “You are adapting to it?” “I am prepared for that eventuality. Being a badge here would mean that I could at least use my beast from time to time. If the position is similar to the one at the 66

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colony, I not only enforced the laws of the colony, but I counselled, arrested and investigated when it was necessary.” While she spoke, she kept up the slow rock of her hips against him, working her on the wide flare at the base of his cock. Ozwin’s eyes were losing focus, and the passionate look was coming back rapidly. Lee raised her arms and tossed her hair down her spine before gripping his shoulders and continuing to work against him. When her hips jerked and she let out a high-pitched whine, he was with her, growling. His cock pulsed inside her again. She could feel the spasms through the ridge wedged inside her. Smiling, Lee pressed her head against his chest and waited for her breath and heartbeat to return to normal. She looked up at her mate, and the tenderness on his face brought tears to her eyes. She drew his head down to her, taking his lips with hers in a kiss that sealed them together. Eventually, his body released hers, but she kept him tightly to her as they lay together, kissing and touching. “Wake up, sleepy head. Ozwin has left this for you.” Ona was cheerful once again. Lee waved a greeting, stumbled to the lav and took a quick shower to remove all the soluble traces of the evening before. Her hair was wet but her body clean when she re-joined Ona in the bedroom. The highly efficient woman had already changed the sheets on the bed and was straightening the coverlet. The box was lying on the centre of the bed. “For me?” 67

Viola Grace “He thinks it will make it more comfortable here for you. It defies our traditions, but then, so do you.” Ona grinned. “Open it.” Curious, Leeahan lifted the box lid, and she gasped in surprise. Her hands trembled as she caressed the stiff fabric and the mark on the shoulder. A white wolf and black wolf were facing off, hackles raised. It was picked out in delicate embroidery. “Ceeki.” Ona looked surprised. “You are correct. It is Ceeki’s work.” Lee sat at the edge of the bed and pulled the suit on, when she was dressed, she took the boots that Haz had made for her and pulled them on. It was not Alliance issue, but Lee was back in uniform. The bodysuit was deep blue, covered everything and had a thick reinforcement that let her know body armour was included. The boots were perfect, as if they had been designed for it. “So, Ona, how long has everyone here known that I would only stay as a badge?” Ona grinned. “Since your first day of transformation. Ozwin had a long talk with your dispatcher, and she told us what we needed to do to get you to stay.” “Where is he?” “He is in the council hall, seeing to the duties of the settlement. Anyone will direct you there.” Ona gathered the bedding and disappeared out the door, whistling softly. Grinning, Lee brushed her hair dry and let it hang loose. The white against the dark blue reminded her of the moon and night sky. 68

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Her eyes still freaked her out, but as long as the eyes she stared into had the same icy composition, she was going to be one happy Terran. Striding through the settlement, she was greeted with the same friendliness that she had seen the farmers offer to Ozwin. When she asked for directions, she was shown with a cheerful grin. Walking up through the few folk gathered to speak to Ozwin, she stood behind the current petitioner and glared at her mate. The man asking for additional acreage finally clued in to her presence behind him. He bowed out of the way with a smile. “Please, Alpha. Take my turn.” “Thank you.” She stepped into the petitioner position. With concentration, she sent Ozwin images of her hands in the shower, caressing her skin, sliding over her breasts and down between her thighs. His hand trembled and sweat appeared at the edge of his hairline. She received an imaged of that same path, but this time, his hands were on top of hers. Laughing, she countered with the thought of him on his back, her hands on his chest, nails digging in as she rode his cock. The pen that Ozwin was holding cracked. A few of the men realized what was going on and carefully moved away from Lee. It was a sound decision, as the moment that he surged to his feet, he kept going and lunged for her over the table and down the aisle. Lee remained in place, fighting the beast inside her 69

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that wanted to fight him. He stopped in front of her, his chest heaving and his eyes white hot. “You aren’t attacking or growling.” She slid one hand up his chest, ignoring her audience, and wrapped it around his neck. “No, I am not. My beast wants to, but I am not.” He pressed a kiss to the inside of her wrist before he peeled back her collar and pressed a kiss to her neck. “Thank you.” She smiled mistily. “Thank you. Your people may have started something, but I get the feeling that I was supposed to be here all along.” His kiss was wild, and she was bent backward in his arms. His hands were shifting to claws and back, and she said the one thing that had been on her mind since she got dressed. “Ozwin, if you rip this suit…I will kill you.”

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Author’s Note Leeahan Ryan is spunky, but every strong woman needs a strong man…eventually. The Keymin are a fun species, but they don’t get out much and can only breed with their own kind. Now…how do I get more Terrans there… Thanks for reading Viola Grace http://www.violagrace.com [email protected]

About the Author Viola Grace was born in Manitoba, Canada where she still resides today. She really likes it there. She has no pets and can barely keep sea monkeys alive for a reasonable amount of time. Her line of day job tends to be analytical which leaves her mind hopping to weave stories. No co-worker is safe from her character analysis. In keeping with busy hands are happy hands, her hobbies have included cross-stitch, needlepoint, quilting, costuming, cake decorating, baking, cooking, metal work, beading, sculpting, painting, doll making, henna tattoos, chain mail, and a few others that have been forgotten. It is quite often that these hobbies make their way into her tales. Viola’s fetishes include boots and corsetry, and her greatest weakness is her uncontrollable blush. Her writing actively pursues the Happily Ever After that so rarely occurs in nature. It is an admirable thing and something that we should all strive for. To find one that we truly like, as well as love.