Crax huffs and folds his muscular arms across his broad chest. “I can’t help that Iamentitled. But I only use my influence for good.”
I wrap my arms around his neck and pull him close. Kissing his soft nose, I say, “And I love you because of it.”
Crax’s eyes widen.
I realize it’s the first time I’ve really said I love you.
He breathes out in awe, “I love you. You are my heart.”
I hear Zeek choke, and I turn and run over to him. I inhale his cinnamon scent and want to take another bite out of him. “And I love you for your total acceptance of me and your humor.”
“I loved you from the first cute wiggle of your ass, and even more so the moment I gazed into your eyes.”
I chuckled at his silliness.
I needed his light heartedness when I had been dealing with so much pain in my life.
Moving to Rok, holding him tight, I whisper, “I love you for your caring heart, even when you didn’t like me very much.”
“I love you, my fierce little one.” Rok smirks. “The problem was that Ididlike you, but I was too scared to allow myself to open my heart again.”
Serrat stands stock still as I turn toward him. I sense his apprehension through our bond. He doesn’t know what I see in him.
Sliding my hands around his waist, I gazed up into his dazzling green eyes. “You make me feel safer than I have ever felt in my entire life. With that first touch when I was stuck in the air ducts, I sensed you didn’t intend to harm me. Now I see how much you tried to protect me, even though you worried I might be here to hurt you. And then, you trusted me to be in your pack. I’ve never had anyone believe in me the way you do. I won’t let you down.” My eyes tear up. “I love you, my alpha.”
“I love you, my goddess mate.” He brushes his lips over mine.
A thrill goes through my body.
Looking at all my beautiful males, I grin and say, “All right, let’s go save our worlds!”
* * *
Crax and Serrat put in requests to their friends and allies on their homeworlds to join us in protecting Earth. And Serrat also contacted some of his Freedom Raiders to help us with the Syndicate blockade we hope to create around Earth.
We stop outside of the Sol solar system to wait for reinforcements.
“So how are you going to find prospective omega candidates?” I ask Crax. The complex issue is something that’s been on my mind since he mentioned it. “We have over eight billion people on the planet. Half female. Less than half of that are an appropriate age for a trip to space and an omega shift. So we are looking at almost two billion people to check on their genetic code.”
He gives me a grin. “You’ve been trying to work this out, huh?” He pulls me into his lap and looks me in the eye. “I’ve been able to isolate the Hathoran genetic sequence in your code that gives you your chimaeric ability.”
“But it will be impossible to look for that in so many people.”
Crax frowns. “It won’t be as hard as it should be, actually. Earth’s leaders have been collecting genetic information on your people for quite some time. I only have to hack into the databases and narrow my search to certain ancestral backgrounds… Egypt, India, Middle and South America.”
His knowledge of my home planet rattles me. “You know a lot about Earth.”
“I’ve been studying Earth for a while, suspecting that some of the ancient genetics had been passed down from our ancestors to yours.” Crax shrugs. “Many species interacted with Earth in your distant past, and it still goes on today. People are actually abducted for experimentation. But now, with the information I gathered through you, I can find females who have the right latent code.”
“Crax, we can’t share the code with anyone,” I say cautiously. “We need to be the gatekeepers of this knowledge.”
“I know. Potential omegas will be targets.”
“And not all of them will want to change.” I remind him. “Just because I’m happier now, doesn’t mean all other women will be open to it. They might have lives that they love.”
Crax nuzzles into my neck. “I will keep the secret safe. But I trust the crews we’ve invited to help us. I’ve learned you have to protect what’s important. And this is important.”
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