Pride.

Tempest didn’t think she’d ever felt this proud before in her life.

They all worked as a group to get Aixen the help that he needed. They weren’t able to get him to the Forbidden Lands just then; that would take some more convincing, but what they did do was at least get his present home in better condition to make his life a little easier.

They gave him a place for Pinat and the rest of his children to be safe, at least for the time being.

At first, Aixen was hesitant to accept the help from them, but Tempest was determined. She sat down with him while Gerax and Dron went about making repairs to the house. She told him that if he wanted to give his children a better life, it would start with getting a better life for himself.

She felt kind of shitty using his children against him like that but Tempest was willing to do whatever she had to in order to get Aixen the help he desperately needed.

One of the main items that Tempest demand be made was a wheelchair. It hurt her heart to see Aixen having to drag himself around. The strange part about all of it was the fact that Tempest had to basically describe it piece by piece to Dron in order for him to build it. There were no wheelchairs on Thraqe. There had never been a need, at least not from the higher ups. The technology to create hover chairs was probably available, but neither Dron nor Gerax had ever seen one. In fact, they hadn’t seen anyone who would ever need one.

It bothered Tempest to no end that they had been so blind to what was going on around them. Not just them, though, but herself as well. She should have started her journey to meet the people in the poor class. If she had seen what was going on here all those weeks ago, maybe things could have already been much different.

After Dron created the chair for Aixen, he was happy. Aixen didn’t say much besides the typical thank you, but Tempest could tell from the way he was rolling around from place to place in his small house. At one point, he rolled himself out of the front door. The steep ramp that led up to the house suddenly became an asset instead of a hindrance to him. It was there for the first time that Tempest could see real happiness on the man’s face. There was no smile, but there was a light in Aixen’s eyes that hadn’t been there before. He told her it was the first time he’d been outside in years.

Those words made Tempest’s heart ache and swell with joy all at the same time.

Gerax did what he could to help them find herbs that would grow in the hostile environment. Dron went back home for the briefest of time to bring Squab back, the poor animal had been tuckered out and sleeping in the corner for the majority of the time. Dron also brought back any food he could for Aixen and his family.

Even mexyn made the journey to come and help them in person. Aixen was scared at first that he would get in trouble for having so many omegas in his home. What they were doing wasn’t the norm.

Mexyn actively ignored the man’s concerns. She said there was nothing anyone could do to stop her from helping.

By the time they had finished doing all they could for the night, each of them was exhausted. It was all worth it, though. To see Pinat come home with her brothers and the joy light up their faces. They had food. New furniture. Walls that were once on the verge of crumbling had been patched up. Their father was able to get around. It was a good day.

The four of them walked out of Aixen’s house with a promise to come back and visit.

Gerax and Dron walked out in front while Tempest and Mexyn walked behind.

Tempest looked at Dron for what felt like the millionth time that day. He was dusty and dirty from all the work he’d done around the house, but even the slight sheen of sweat that still glazed his body was sexy. Tempest was drawn to him in a way that she really couldn’t explain. He hadn’t gotten more handsome than he’d been before, but something about him giving of himself to help other people made him nearly irresistible to Tempest.

She wanted to jump him right there in the main road. She could hear Dron and Gerax talking in the front about what they would do next to come back and help the people in the poor class. It seemed as if they were set on making sure there were grains and food that would grow here. They wanted to make sure everyone was fed.

Tempest sighed. Of course she would find the one alien who wanted to feed the world.

"If you stare at him any harder, I’m quite certain he will burst into flames." Mexyn leaned closer to Tempest and whispered, a soft smile on her face.

Tempest jerked her gaze away from Dron. Embarrassed that she’d gotten caught and focused on Mexyn.

"I wasn’t staring." She hissed at the alien woman.

Mexyn raised an eyebrow in her direction which only caused Tempest to burst out laughing. There was no hiding things from Mexyn. It was as if she could see everything.

"Okay, I was staring, but it’s not my fault. I’m still going through my heat. It’s the hormones."

Mexyn’s eyebrows furrowed for a second.

"No, you’re not. Your heat is over."

Huh? Tempest was flabbergasted for a second.

"No it’s not. How can it be over if I still feel like this? I’m still achy. Sure, it’s not as bad as it was and Dron has had to ...ah....relieve me in a day or so, but I’m sure I’m still going through this heat process you were talking about." Tempest kept her pace with Mexyn. They were only a few steps behind Dron and Gerax. Mexyn slowed a little more so there was more space between them.

"You’re still achy? That’s impossible." She gestured for Tempest to raise her wrist.

Tempest did as she was asked, and quickly Mexyn scanned through some of the properties until she got to Tempest’s vitals. There was another option, and a new screen popped up. It was much more detailed reading of information that Tempest assumed was going on throughout her body. Protein levels. White blood cell count. Blood work.

For a moment, Tempest wondered how that was possible, but she didn’t want to think too much into it. All the advancements on this planet made it nearly impossible to understand how most of anything worked. She just had to trust it.

"See, here. Your hormone levels are already way down. It would seem your heat has been over for at least two days already." Mexyn continued to stare at Tempest.

How could it be over already, and why did she still feel this way?

Tempest shook her head.

"That doesn’t make any sense. If my heat is over, why do I still feel like this? Why do I still need him like this?"

Mexyn slowed her pace even more, and now there was a greater space between the women and the men.

"Maybe because it’s just that. You want him." Mexyn shrugged her shoulders.

Tempest knew that she was attracted to Dron. There was no denying that. She also knew that she loved him. She couldn’t lie abot that either, but she never thought her body would literally ache for him where there wasn’t a more alien cause behind it. If what Mexyn was saying was true and this was strictly her own body making her feel this way, she didn’t know how she could keep denying herself.

She didn’t know how she would get through the rest of her time with him while keeping up the facade as she had been the past few days.

It felt as if she were trying to cut her own arm off from her body. She’d heard stories about people being absolutely addicted to their partner, but what she was feeling had surpassed anything she’d ever felt for anyone. She had never even felt this way for Sam.

"No, that’s not what’s happening. It has to be something else."

Tempest groaned and crossed her arms over her chest. She just wouldn’t give in. She couldn’t.

"If you say so." Mexyn shrugged her shoulders again and dropped her hands to her sides.

Tempest shot her a look, and she noticed the smug look on Mexyn’s face. It was clear the alien omega didn’t believe her. She thought she knew better, but she didn’t know how determined and stubborn Tempest could be. Tempest would get over this. It was just a bout of puppy love. A crush. Tempest told herself anything that she could to force herself to belive that she would come out of this strong and not giving in to what her body was basically screaming for her to do.

Mate with Dron.

Take him inside her body and become one with him.

She had her priorities, and helping the people in the poor class had just skyrockted to the top of the list.

Having sex was at the very bottom, under figuring out how she could somehow send a laser beam to Earth and straight up Sam’s ass.

No, it wasn’t important. She could deal.

As if he knew something was off, Dron suddenly stopped in his tracks and turned to look for Tempest. At first, his face was a mask of concern and confusion when he realized the two women were not directly behind them. Yet once he laid eyes on Tempest, his entire face lit up with relief.

"God dammit." Tempest mumbled under her breath and mexyn chuckled. An actual real chuckle.

It looked like Tempest was the only one there who refused to see what was right in front of her. Dron was the perfect man. A great husband. A provider. A protector. And he was completely enamored with Tempest.

The longer she looked at the sweet expression on his face, the more the little invisible devil on the side of her head whispered in her ear that maybe having sex with him wouldn’t be so bad.

Tempest shook her head, refusing to give in. She would just take things one step at a time. Mating with Dron was the very, very last step.

Seconds later, Dron called a transport as did Mexyn and Gerax. The four of them went their separate ways, all with plans to communicate the next day and find out what more they could do to help the people of the poor class.

Tempest sat as far away from Dron as she could. She figured maybe if they weren’t in such close proximity to each other, what she was feeling would die down.

It, in fact, did not.

Now that she’d found out the truth from Mexyn about her heat being over, she almost felt more need for Dron. It was like every one of his movements made her want to jump over the small divide that was between them and right into his arms.

She fought with everything that she had, but she she could tell that she was losing.

She was losing badly.

The air in the small transporter was thick with frustration.

"Are you okay." Dron asked after they had been in the transport for a few minutes.

"I’m fine," Tempest snapped back at him. Her words were so sharp they made her cringe. She was being rude and mean.

"Are you still thinking about Aixen and Pinat? We did a lot for them today. I know there’s more to do, but we’ll get it done."

"I’m not thinking about them. They are going to be fine. I know." Tempest crossed her arms over her chest. On the outside, it must have looked like she was angry with Dron but the real reason she was crossing her arms over her chest was the fact that she had felt her nipples begin to harden under the thin fabric that covered them. She was getting more and more turned on just from Dron talking to her.

"Tempest, look at me." Dron called for her, but she didn’t move her gaze from the side wall of the transport.

"Moon Goddess above,, give me strength." Dron said it like a curse before he lunged over the middle console and sat down next to Tempest. He grabbed hold of her face and forced her gaze in his direction. He moved so fast Tempest was shocked for a second and tried to pull away.

"What is wrong? What’s happened? Tell me what I’ve done to upset you and I’ll fix it. I’m going out of my mind. I don’t know why you’re acting like this but I can’t take it. It enrages me." Dron’s entire frame shook, but his hands remained gentle on her face.

Tempest could see the hurt in the man’s face. She could see the confusion and the desire to understand, but there was nothing that she could do about it. Nothing that she could do to change anything that was happening right now. She didn’t want to hurt him but it seemed like no matter what she did she was either going to hurt him in the present or in the long run.

If she gave in and mated with him, when it was time for her to leave she would be hurting him again. If she continued acting like a Grade A Bitch, which was exactly how she felt at the moment, she would be hurting him now. She didn’t know what was better.

She was just as frustrated. Angry that she was forced to be in this messed up situation. Frustrated that, out of all the alien mates she could have chosen for herself, She managed to pick the most decent one.

It just wasn’t fair.

To neither of them.

"Let me go." Tempest heard herself say, and Dron grasped before he dropped his hands from her face. It was as if she’d taken a whip to his skin. The words stung, and she knew it.

Finally, the transport stopped, and it dropped down to the ground in front of Dron’s house. Tempest nearly ran out the door so she could get away from him.

It was too much and not enough at the same time.

"Tempest!" Dron called after her. He was walking fast but Tempest was still practically running to get some space between the two of them.

She had to get herself under control. Had to control her emotions.

"Tempest!" Dron shouted for her, but this time there was something about his voice that literally stopped every muscle in her body from moving. She’d made it just inside the door. Squab was in the main living room, and when he heard Dron’s booming voice, even he stopped hopping around in excitement at seeing the two of them.

"You will tell me what’s wrong." Dron growled from behind her.

Tempest opened her mouth to lie. To tell him that nothing was wrong, but she found that she couldn’t get the words out. It felt foreign. Wrong. Like she was under some sort of drug that kept her vocal cords from working.

Slowly, Dron made his way in front of Tempest closing the door to his home in the process.

The air was thick and Tempest still couldn’t talk.

Dron’s face was a mask of fury. He blinked a few times as he took in Tempest’s form.

"Oh...no...My temptation, I’m sorry. You can speak freely. I didn’t mean it. I’m sorry." Dron’s voice was softer, and all of a sudden, the lock on her vocal cords let up.

Tempest gasped a few times as she took a step away from Dron. "What was that? What did you just do to me?"

"It was my Alpha tone. I didn’t mean to use it."

"Alpha tone?" Tempest questioned.

"Yes, it’s used in battle to invoke fear and compliance. Your body must have reacted to the growing anger in my body. I didn’t mean it. I would never force you to do anything."

Tempest scoffed and shook her head as she walked around him and stormed in the direction of her bedroom. Every day with Dron it was like she was learning more and more about this planet. It was getting to be ridiculos.

"Please talk to me. I didn’t mean it."

"Just because you didn’t mean it doesn’t mean you didn’t do it. You used mind control on me!" The words sounded silly coming out of Tempest’s mouth, but it was the closest she could get to describing it.

"I did not. It’s my nature. I’ve been trying to keep the worst parts of myself away from you. Trying to be soft and open around you. Giving you everything I can think of to show you that I’m not like the other alphas, but all it’s managed to do is push you further and further away. Why are you doing this?" This time Dron didn’t keep the volume or anger from his voice. He shouted in Tempest’s face.

"I’m not doing anything! I’m trying to do what’s right!"

"What’s right? According to who? Am I that wrong? Am I that unworthy that I’m what you consider to not be right? I didn’t ask to be born this way. I didn’t ask to be your mate. I didn’t want any of this, but I’m here. I’m trying. What do I have to do!"

"You’re not unworthy! It’s not that simple!"

"Why not!" He narrowed his eyes at Tempest, "Because you love me? Is this what your love looks like? Ignoring me. Shrinking away from my touch. Showing me just what I could have only to rip it away from me again. Maybe it’s using me for your own needs? I shouldn’t be surprised. You’re not the first and I doubt you’ll be the last."

"I do love you! I have to do this... to protect you." Tempest felt the hot tears streaming down her face. She was a mess, but it was all coming out now.

"Protect me? The only thing I need protecting from is how you’ve been making me feel. You’re not protecting me, you’re destroying me. Piece by piece. I know you still want to go back to your home planet. I heard you. I heard you say it while you thought I was asleep. I don’t care. If all I have is now with you, I’ll take it. But you won’t even allow me to have that. You’re denying me the only chance I’ll ever have at knowing what love truly feels like because you’re...protecting...me."

Tempest shook her head hard. Her mind was racing. Every part of her body ached. It felt like her heart was breaking into dust fragments instead of just pieces. She had to get away. She had to stop this.

She turned and tried once again to go to her room but Dron wasn’t having it. He followed her, catching up to her right in the main hallway. He grabbed hold of her arm above her elbow and turned her back in his direction.

"No, you don’t get to run away. Not from this. Not from me. Face this." Dron snarled at her.

Tempest could see the anger, frustration, all the bad in Dron’s eyes but there was something more. Something that matched what she was feeling.

Desperation. Love. Hope for a chance. A soul connected with hers in the most impossible way.

It was in that moment that the chains she tried to lock around her heart broke open.

She couldn’t play this role any longer.

Time seemed to come to a standstill as the connection between the two of them all but solidified into diamonds.

One moment Tempest was seething, angry at the world, and the next she catapulted herself into Dron’s arms, her lips pressed firmly against his with a kiss that was sure to light the cosmos on fire.