Page 19 of Coveted

The question was rhetorical, but Varner answered anyway.

“Because they know we can produce more, and they don’t care that it would mean abusing our people. They want results now, not at some point in the future.”

Vax’s growl deepened. Varner was right, but he wasn’t going to let the Council bully him into forcing the miners into unsafe conditions again.

“Over my dead body.”

Varner grunted before heaving a sigh.

“Unfortunately, they can probably arrange that.”

Lips pulling back in a snarl, Vax barely stopped himself from throwing the tablet across the room as he read throughthe message again. It was bad enough to have the Chancellor’s coming to Farcon 1 for their next meeting, but they’d also scheduled it for much sooner than he’d expected. He’d hoped to have the drilling on the new mine begun before he had to face the others again, but he’d be lucky if they broke ground by then.

Plus, he’d barely make it back from Earth in time if he rushed, and he wouldn’t have any time alone with Alana before his home would be swamped with alphas. He didn’t know more about any of them than he needed to, and that meant he didn’t trust a single one with his omega.

And what if she went into heat while the other Chancellors were on Farcon 1?

His growl sputtered into a groan, one rough hand rubbing his face as his mind whirled. Complication after complication was all he’d received since taking over, and his patience was being stretched to the limit. If there was any chance Farcon 1 would survive breaking from the Federation, he’d have considered it, but with how badly they needed the crystals, even threatening to leave would have warships surrounding the planet and a new Chancellor running things.

Being popular with the indigenous wasn’t as important as compliance. The threat of another revolt wasn’t strong enough to stop them if they thought someone else could give them what they wanted.

A knock on the door startled both men, Cha’s sturdy frame standing just beyond reminding Vax that they still had other issues to face. He didn’t have time for the violence swirling inside, or to second guess himself. All he could do was keep pushing forward.

Chapter Eleven

Alana

It had been a fight to get her father to let her take his hopper to Earth. She’d almost resorted to outright lies, but in the end, an appeal to his appearance of compliance did the trick.

Of course, her mother had devolved into tears at the dinner table, and Alana was blamed for bringing up her imminent departure at an inappropriate time.

She didn’t care.

Well, she did, she was just trying not to. It was impossible not to feel bad when her mother was sobbing over Alana leaving. It wasn’t that she hated her parents, even if most people probably wouldn’t fault her if she had hated her father. It was rather that she was ready to go off on her own and finally live her own life.

She was more than old enough.

Alana had insisted on an early departure, knowing she wouldn’t sleep anyway with the nerves churning her belly, and breathed a sigh of relief when Tina stepped through the door into the sitting room where she waited. Alana was dressed, with her bags sitting beside the door, having refused to let Tina go through them the night before. Her maid had seemedbewildered by Alana’s sudden backbone and looked just as surprised to see Alana up and ready to leave.

Alana stood with a serene smile in place, until she noticed the bag in Tina’s hand. Suspicion filled her chest as she took in the other woman’s appearance, dark rings circling red rimmed eyes as if Tina had spent the night crying instead of sleeping.

“What’s that?”

Tina blinked, swallowing as she shifted her grip on the bag’s handle.

“My things.”

She’d tried her best to keep her voice as smooth as possible, but emotion still tinted the words.

Alana strode across the space as Tina sat the bag atop one of hers. Snatching it up, Alana shoved it into the other woman’s chest, forcing Tina to wrap her arms around it as she stared at Alana in shock.

“There is no reason for you to come. You have been a steadfast companion and an excellent employee, but I’m sure the Chancellor of Farcon 1 has enough servants to spare me a maid to keep my schedule and help me dress when I need it. You are not giving up your home because I have to leave.”

Tina’s lip quivered, the sparkle of fresh tears telling Alana it hadn’t been Tina’s idea to come with her. Anger filled her chest at her father’s callous disregard of other’s feelings. She knew she was expected to say her goodbyes before boarding the ship, but her mother would have to forgive her for leaving early.

Shifting her grip to the other woman’s shoulders, she stared into Tina’s eyes.

“I’m going to go straight to the ship and make them leave. Father should still be dressing and won’t be able to stop me. Tell him I wasn’t in my rooms when you got here, and there was nothing you could do.”

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