Unified Omegas (Alpha Elite Series Book 7)

by V T Bonds

  Safe and snug in my womb, our offspring grows whole and healthy despite the trauma of our day, and peace leaks into me from my lifemate’s splayed fingers.

  We survived.

  There may be worse tomorrow, but we made it through today.

  Our love shines golden between us, a solid beacon amidst the terror of memories and uncertainty of our future.

  I have him. He has me.

  Our offspring lives.

  We will rest. Heal. Reconnect in the most fundamental way an Alpha and Omega can. I’ll accept his knot and swallow his seed with relish. He’ll give me every ounce of himself, never ceasing his awe-filled praise.

  We’ll be ready for whatever comes next.

  Because we won’t give up on our future.

  We will make our world safe for the generations to come.

  No matter what it takes.

  Together.

  Chapter Twelve

  Minette

  Gods, but just once it would be nice to enter and exit a Space-Flyer as myself.

  Checking over my shoulder for the distinct form of my Alpha, I marvel over his ability to blend in despite his size. No one looks at him twice, and if they do, it’s to get out of his way.

  Dressed in a guard’s uniform, he moves with deadly grace and purpose, his swagger exaggerated to match the ridiculous pompousness of the typical ISC guard.

  Ignoring the lust coursing through my abdomen at the tasty sight his tempting form offers, I turn down the next hall and push my thick-framed glasses up my nose.

  The nurse’s uniform itches my neck and forces me to stand tall with its rigid collar and corset-like support.

  It isn’t tight, but I’d rather walk around in a straitjacket than this sexist monstrosity.

  Whoever designed this must have been a guy, one who thought healthcare workers never needed to bend, stoop, or kneel.

  At least the pockets and layers make hiding my weapons easy.

  Tucking the clipboard against my breasts, I pull “my” credentials out of my pocket and swipe them across the next entryway.

  It beeps green, and the Alpha guard standing nearby nods at me.

  I scurry down the hall like a fragile creature trying to escape a predator and turn down a smaller corridor.

  This passage has more movement than the one before, women bustling from one place to another as they complete whatever tasks are on their checklist.

  I drop my pencil and squat to pick it up, holding in my irate growl as my lifemate walks past the hall entrance with a beautiful Beta woman by his side.

  I know her. She’s been with us for several years, putting life and limb in harm’s way to accomplish risky missions.

  Caitlin has no interest in my Alpha and my Alpha has no interest in her, but I still fight my instincts to tear apart any woman who dares get near my lifemate.

  Picking up the pen, I fumble a few more times before sliding it into the little pocket on the clipboard.

  With a silent timer counting down in my head, I square my shoulders and blend into the chaos, walking in and out of a few rooms as though I belong, checking charts and moving supplies like I’ve done this every day for years.

  I step through the doorway of a quiet little white room and shut the door behind me.

  A tiny, pale woman sits cross-legged in the center of the narrow hospital bed, her shoulders hunched as she fiddles with something in her lap.

  She doesn’t look up at the sound of the door closing. She ignores my approach.

  It isn’t until I send a surge of awareness into the web of souls that she looks up at me.

  The shift in her countenance makes her resemblance to the tiniest Omega I’ve ever seen glaringly obvious.

  “You’re Evie’s friend?”

  “I am.”

  “You’ve seen Shya?”

  “Through a video communicator, yes,” I respond, moving closer and setting the clipboard at the foot of her bed.

  “She’s okay?”

  “Yes, from what I could tell.”

  “You’ll take me to her?”

  Her light gray eyes gain life as she searches my face, the prospect of reuniting with her daughter animating her in ways words never could.

  “Yes, but we have to move fast. Can you run?”

  She watches me move around the room, her hands constantly twisting in her lap as I flick off switches and turn dials.

  “I can try, but I doubt it. I haven’t been feeling very well.”

  With the instruments ready for me to take them off of her, I sit on the bed facing her and rest my hand on her shoulder.

  “I can carry you on my back, but you have to hold on.”

  She nods.

  With gentle hands, I detach the heart monitor leads and systematically remove every other node they’ve riddled her body with, leaving the drip line for last.

  I meet her determined eyes and pull the gauze and medical tape closer. She swallows and nods, indicating she’s ready for me to take out the IV tube.

  In less than two seconds, she’s free of the drip line and patched up for travel.

  Standing and stepping back, I rid myself of the stupid nurse outfit and pull a compact pouch out from my inner thigh pocket.

  When I unzip it, the contents spill out onto the bed like puffy clouds.

  Shya’s mother doesn’t move except for the rhythmic twisting of her hands.

  I pick up the black sweater and offer it to her.

  “Taliya, put these on. It’ll be freezing.”

  My urgency leads her to drop the little sponge ball in her hands and tug the sweater over her head.

  As the silent countdown in my head reaches the last ten seconds, I steady the slight woman so she can pull the pants I brought her up her legs.

  At five seconds, I stoop in front of her and urge her onto my back. She winds one arm over my shoulder and the other under my armpit, wrapping her fingers around her wrists in front of my sternum.

  I grab her calves and guide her ankles to cross around my hips. As I step across the room, I press a hidden button on the underside of my hideous glasses.

  Without a second to lose, I grab the safety rail on the wall with one hand and the doorknob with the other.

  A shudder runs through the ship seconds before the lights flicker off.

  Taliya clenches around me in fright.

  “Don’t worry, I can see. Hang tight, we’ll be free in a jiffy.”

  No emergency lights flicker on, and as the knowledge of something terribly wrong sweeps through the hall, frenzied yells and frightened screams leak through the door.

  I yank it open and dart down the way I came, dodging flailing arms and jumping over legs as ladies with smarts sit with their backs against the wall.

  Even with the unusual events, most follow protocol, either stopping in their tracks or fumbling for the nearest bulkhead.

  Taliya’s harsh breathing brushes my earlobe as I dart through the maze of bodies. Trying to ease her, I tap her corresponding knee before turning in that direction, and after a few changes, she understands the wordless communication. Her slight shifting before I sprint around a corner aids my balance, allowing me to slide between two large Alphas.

  Their snarls bounce off the pitch-black walls as they scent us, but I’m already yards past their reach. As their crappy little lights switch on, I pour on more speed, turning into the next hall before they catch sight of my heels.

  Thankful for the arrogance of the ISC, I smirk as I leap over a row of civilians sitting with their backs against the wall.

  They never once thought I’d decipher their coded messages.

  After I sent the first blackmail notice, my team and I spent hours vigilantly watching every correspondence between the main ISC hub and the surrounding crafts.

  Turns out, they thought they could sneak my friends’ mothers away.

  Not on my watch.

  They thought they were being smart by hiding them in plain sight—giving them hospital roo
ms in a less militaristic Space-Flyer.

  Might be one of the dumbest moves I’ve seen a multi-galactic company make.

  I tap Taliya’s left knee and slide around the corner, almost colliding into a terrified Beta male.

  Her arms tighten around me as she senses two other people running behind us.

  A glance reveals my lifemate’s glow, and I smile in happiness.

  Caitlin’s lighter footsteps help me refocus on the task at hand.

  Another corridor passes by before we emerge into the main evacuation hangar. Darting into the eighth squad-sized chamber, I grab the lip of the door and fling myself out of the way so my Beta friend can jump in without slowing. Caitlin plops into the seat by the control panel and hovers her hand over the launch button.

  The second Draukir’s heel passes through the doorway, I slap the release lever and drop into the nearest chair, careful to keep my butt near the edge so I don’t squish my cargo.

  I tap her wrists, asking her to let go. When she does, I hop to the next chair over and give a thumbs up.

  Draukir’s bulk presses against my shoulder as he occupies the seat next to me, his own cargo placed safely in the chair on his other side.

  Caitlin slams the launch button. Restraints whip around us and secure us to the chairs. Loud pops sound before red-hot heat shimmers from the back end of our tiny transport.

  We press against the side of our seats as we jettison away from the Space-Flyer.

  I rip the ugly glasses off my face and weave my fingers into my Alpha’s, the excitement of an accomplished mission heating my blood.

  I’d give anything to be alone in our den right now, but we have other matters to attend.

  When the thrusters finally use up all of their fuel, we sit in silent anticipation, waiting for our contact to scoop us up so we can head back to the armada.

  I lean forward and look around Draukir’s chest to the woman he saved.

  Evie’s mother meets my eyes, her stoic expression making my hackles rise.

  Of course, she has nothing to say. No thank you. No, how are you? No questions about the future.

  Right on time, a familiar Space-Flyer blips into view just long enough to pull us into their cargo bay.

  As the new ship’s artificial gravity pulls our pod down, my teeth ache from the jarred landing.

  The hatch flies open and a flustered Alpha bids us to rush to the cockpit for an urgent update.

  Looking up at Draukir, I send him my frustrated emotions.

  He strokes a calloused thumb over my cheek and flicks my restraints off, removing his own after mine.

  I rise to my feet and ask Caitlin to settle the women we rescued before hurrying after the Alpha.

  ∆∆∆

  “They have no collateral.”

  “They don’t know that yet.”

  “Shit, how slow is their internal communication?”

  I raise an eyebrow at the ship’s commander, agreeing with his sentiment but knowing we can’t hope for the best.

  “Facts are facts. They’ve sent a few hundred ships to attack the armada. We prepared for this,” I say, holding back the urge to snap my frustration at the poor Alpha.

  I turn toward the comms unit and address our third in command.

  “Hold the line until we get there.”

  Without another word, she nods and ends the call.

  Draukir chuckles as the ship’s commander scowls at the dead line, his hackles rising as though he struggles with the fact a female hung up on him.

  “I like her,” my lifemate says, solely to mess with the ship captain’s sensibilities.

  “It isn’t very often female Alphas put up with growly beasts such as yourself, so you should be glad she likes me so much.”

  I can’t help it.

  I really wish we were in our den right now.

  From one adrenaline rush to another, I’m jonesing for a rough rutting and thick knot.

  His thick knot. My perfect, massive, ruthless lifemate’s diabolical weapon.

  Flames spark in his white irises as he erases the distance between us with one step.

  “Careful, firecracker. Her gender matters naught. You let her touch you, and I’ll rip her apart, no matter how much we trust her.”

  I shiver as his deep voice vibrates through my cells and causes lava to erupt in my core.

  His fist grabs my hair and tilts my head back.

  Lust threatens to shake me apart as he whispers against my neck.

  “The second we win this battle I’ll give you exactly what you need.”

  I melt into him, wanting exactly what he promises.

  A beep sounds, denoting a message from the ship commander, and as he talks into the speaker, Draukir releases my hair and leads me to the extra seats along the wall.

  Strapping in, I can’t help but lean over and give him the same torture he’s given me.

  “I can’t wait to taste you again,” I say while nipping his shoulder and placing his palm on my thigh.

  The heat of his hand seeps through my pants as I scoot it upward, so close to the apex of my thighs a quick tilt of my hips would lead to my slick gushing forth and puddling in my seat.

  His fangs creak as he grinds his teeth together.

  I smirk at him until the Space-Flyer jolts to its top speed.

  The sudden movement acts as a segue, reminding me of the trials to come.

  We have a battle to win.

  Chapter Thirteen

  Minette

  I meet each of my foe’s eyes before speaking.

  “You have a choice.”

  Each person on the other side of the video communicator sits rigid at the famous oval Council table, and I hide my roaring anger behind a cool façade.

  Visions of scattered bodies and pieces of ships floating in the vacuum of space plague me.

  “Continue in your current endeavor. Suffer the loss of your reputation alongside the many men you’ve sent to their deaths here today.”

  I loosen my fists, allowing my arms to hang at my sides as I remember the floating debris of war trailing after their retreating Space-Flyers.

  “Or agree to our terms and gain another… alliance.”

  I use the term loosely, withholding the mockery from my tone with much effort.

  We will never be allies. They’ve caused too much pain to earn such an honor.

  But to call them what they are right now would be tactless and illogical.

  Thick silence fills the air, every individual standing behind me riding the high of adrenaline from battle while every slimy cur on the other side of the screen tries to worm their way out of this situation.

  The sleek, almost-too-perfectly-put-together Beta sitting in the middle folds his hands over each other on the table and angles his head as though preparing the longest monologue in history.

  My fingers tighten into fists again, but I raise an eyebrow instead of snarling.

  He swallows and straightens before speaking.

  “The list of grievances shall be expunged. All records indicated shall be destroyed, as per your instructions. Mai’Cus shall be granted Rights Holder status—after you’ve upheld your… promises.”

  His clipped words make me want to throw my knife at him, even though I know he isn’t within reach.

  “No. You will do so within the hour or I broadcast our findings.”

  His pupils shrink in shock, but I’m done playing with these fools.

  They have the power to meet our demands, they’re just cowards looking for a way to save face.

  The oldest member of the ISC’s Council sits furthest to the right, his white hair doing nothing to mitigate the sharp intelligence behind his eyes.

  When he speaks, no one in the Council refutes him.

  “We will fulfill your requests within the hour. You will supply us with proof of your success within the month.”

  He waves his hand and the call ends.

  Silence.

  Chaos as those aroun
d me explode in excitement, the victory bittersweet.

  We lost over forty ships, which overall is a miracle, but the deaths haunt me.

  I led them to their demise.

  Strong arms wrap around me from behind as my Alpha pulls me close.

  His purr doesn’t reach my ears since our crew celebrates around us, but it rumbles against my back and loosens my grief.

  I feel him accept several slaps on the back, those who’ve entrusted us with their future happy over the news.

  After exchanging relieved smiles with our third in command, she barks a few orders, and the rowdy crowd disburses.

  We may have won the battle, but the war still rages.

  I squeeze my lifemate’s arms, enjoying his embrace for another moment before stepping toward the control panel.

  He releases me, letting his palms caress my abdomen as I create horrible distance between us.

  I flick switches and let a smile ghost across my lips as my Alpha joins me, his side pressing against mine as he aids my mission.

  A few minutes later, we send an encoded message to not only the entire armada, but also to the Omega responsible for our success.

  I pause, knowing the electronic communication is more for me than her.

  She knows. She feels the discomfort in my chest over our dead crew, but gives me a theoretical, friendly arm punch.

  We accomplished the mission.

  Now it’s up to them to annihilate Alpha One and his newly discovered Omega mate.

  My skin crawls over the thought.

  The torture Evie went through curdles my stomach, but to know a fellow Omega orchestrated it?

  I want to rip her limb from limb.

  Stealing myself against the anger roiling in my guts, I push away the whirlwind of the last few days and center my focus on my best friend.

  Her emotions throb through my chest, a livid ball of worry and hatred eating itself and growing bigger as it consumes.

  I turn wide eyes to my lifemate, his white irises growing and shrinking as he studies my responses.

  “She’s hurt,” I whisper, knowing he’ll hear me through the busy noises filling the cockpit.

  “They’ve all suffered,” he agrees, shifting the largest dial on the dashboard while keeping eye contact with me.