Page 104 of Rebel Fates

46

MISSIONS

SERRAT

All I can do is think of all the other females who suffered at the hands of the slavers. I know Gemma is safe from any ill effects from her transformation, but I shudder to think what could have happened if we hadn’t found her again.

Crax’s goal is to find other potential omegas on Earth and I agree with this wholeheartedly. Then, after we are finished here, we may go check out the other planets our ancestors colonized.

But I have another thought on Gemma’s LunaTek mission which I am debating on talking to her about.

Frex, it’s so odd having to defer to her, although she hasn’t used her power over us yet. I don’t think it’s in her nature to be demanding, at least unnecessarily.

We are lucky in our lot that we have such a caring omega as our nexus. Rok, Zeek, and I all agree that we couldn’t have asked for a better mate. All her trauma, unfortunate as it is, has made her a more compassionate person.

Although, perhaps she would have been just as compassionate without the pain. I know I was an ass before my life fell apart during the Hathoran Culling. It changed me, though. I realized I had to show people how much they mean to me before they are gone forever.

I check the coordinates for Earth and Leva’s systems again as we draw closer to our destination.

Rok walks into the control room. He eyes me and then says, “We should talk to her.”

“I know. We have to,” I sigh. “I’m just worried she won’t want to partake in a bloodier version that she might expect.”

“You think she’d stop you?” Rok’s blue eyes flare with understanding. “You worry she isn’t the female you hope for her to be.”

I shrug.

Suddenly, Gemma and Zeek pop into the small cockpit. She smiles and falls into my lap as if it is the most everyday thing for her. I smile, thinking about just a brief time ago we didn’t even know each other, and I thought I would never have a female mate.

“What’s cooking?” she asks.

“What?” I frown. “Nothing. I thought you ate. Do you need more?”

“It’s an expression.” She chuckles. “It means what’s happening.”

“Oh.” I squeeze her hips closer to me and click a few controls to continue my pre-flight check. “We’re almost to Earth.”

Gemma tenses in my lap. A darkness washes over her. She’s returning to her shadows, her nightmares. But I need her to say it aloud.

“What’s wrong?” I ask.

“Nothing.” She nuzzles down into my neck to distract me.

“Gemma…” I say with a warning in my voice. My alpha nature is not one to be muted.

“Are you nervous about returning?” Zeek asks Gemma.

“I guess I am a little bit. So many bad things happened there. And I worry one of you will get hurt while we try to stop LunaTek.”

“About Earth…” I hesitate to finish my thought.

Gemma picks up my unease through our bond. “What is it? Do you not want to find other omegas?” she asks.

“I do…” I lift her chin so I can look into her expressive blue eyes. I feel like I’m falling into the deep unknown each time I gaze into her soul.

“So what’s botheringyou?” she asks.

“I’m worried you won’t want to do what needs to be done to stop LunaTek,” I blurt.

---