Page 82 of Rebel Fates

“Yeah, but what’s our choice?” Zeek asks. “It’s Gemma,ouromega.”

“It might be the only way for us to see her.” My fists tighten as I want to pound the keyboard.

Instead, I type:

I growl as I type:

He prompts again:

“Do it,” Rok barks. Zeek concurs.

I feel like I’ve signed our lives away.

* * *

It’s only a short time later when a Mobia ship flies up beside us to escort us to a nearby planet. We refused to have our ships linked through a port. It was our last resistance in our agreement to meet. We didn’t want to just hand Leva over to Crax if he decided to kill us or trap us.

We land on the marginally hospitable and uninhabited planet.

I say to our ship before we leave, “Leva, keep your doors closed and don’t let anyone but us or Gemma onboard. And if we are killed or Crax takes off with us. Get out of here and save yourself. Find your mother. She will know what to do.”

Leva whines, but it’s with reluctant agreement.

As we walk down the ramp, a harsh wind and sand pummel our faces and exposed skin. The Mobia drops its ramp, and we walk up.

“Stop!” Before we enter, a large, cloaked figure appears, even taller than us, and commands, “Take your gear off. Nothing but your pants.”

“What?” I narrow my eyes. “Why?”

“I don’t want your weapons onboard.”

I glare at him, but concede. I need to see Gemma. Her sweet scent is all over the bastard.

We all strip off our armor and shirts.

“Wrists.”

For a moment, all three of us debate charging ahead.

“I wouldn’t recommend anything rash,” Crax warns. “You don’t know what securities I have in place. And you wouldn’t want to harm… theomega.”

We sigh and hold out our wrists.

“Behind your backs. Turn,” he instructs.

A thin cord wraps around my wrists. I tug, but it’s strong. Strong enough to hold me.

The utter loss of control has my animal clawing to get out. I see the same anger in my pack’s eyes.

Gemma better be alive and well. Or it won’t matter that I am half-naked, and unarmed with my arms tied behind me, I will rip out his throat with my teeth.

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