Chapter Six

Ryder looked at her, shocked that she would be ready to walk away from him. He shouldn’t feel so desperate to keep her, since they weren’t bonded, and all they had done was mate during her estrus. That shouldn’t have been enough to bind them together, or to make him have a stake in her future, but the idea of her leaving him was more than he could stand. With a growl, he surged forward and pulled her into his arms. “You aren’t going anywhere. Your place is with me.”

She stared up at him, slowly licking her lips. “I don’t feel like that’s the case. You have no interest in claiming me, Ryder, and you certainly can’t keep me this way. I’m better off at the convent.”

“You’re better off with me.” With another growl, he bent his head and kissed her firmly. He expected some resistance, since she seemed angry with him, or at least challenging his right to claim her, but instead, she melted right into his arms.

The kiss was hard and hungry, but he tried to gentle it when some shreds of his control returned, dragging her closer as he inhaled her scent. He moved his mouth from hers to her neck, sniffing and licking her scent gland. It caused her pheromones to rise, and he could smell the slick on her.

At first, it was an older scent, but then it was fresh and prodigious, and he knew she was actively producing it right then. She wanted him as much as he wanted her. He was determined to do it right this time, so instead of giving in to the impulse to pin her to the wall and take her right there in the cargo bay, he lifted her into his arms. She let out a squeal as she clung to him, and he hurried down the corridor into the lift.

He put her down long enough to nuzzle her neck again while they waited for the lift to take them to the deck with his bedroom, and then he picked her up once more. This time, her thighs wrapped around his waist as she faced him while he carried her, his hands supporting the rounded globes of her ass that he squeezed with delight.

He was thankful the biometric panel on his door was broken, so all he had to do was nudge it with his elbow and not let go of her to open the door and take her inside. Once he was in his room, he lowered her to her feet, his hands going to the fasteners of her suit to rip it open. She moaned her pleasure as he stripped it from her, revealing her ebony skin and utter perfection. He hadn’t had as much time to appreciate it earlier in the throes of rut, but now, he could take his time to savor each part of her.

Ryder let his hands roam over her smooth skin and soft curves, growling with impatience when she blocked him. He soon realized she just wanted him to remove his armor and flight suit, so he stepped back to accommodate her.

He planned to pick her up and sweep her to bed, but she dropped to her knees before him. He put a hand in her hair, wrapping the springy curls around his fist. “You don’t have to…” He trailed off with a groan as her hand wrapped around his large cock, her fingers not quite touching. She stroked him tentatively at first, but as his arousal grew, her enthusiasm seemed to increase, and she was soon jerking harder on his shaft while bringing her mouth forward to taste a drop of pre-cum that glistened on the tip.

Ryder nearly lost all control when her shy little tongue stroked against him in such a sensitive place. He couldn’t last if she continued to do that. With a groan, he pushed her away, but carefully, before bending to lift and carry her to the bed. He dropped her on it unceremoniously as he followed her down.

His mouth sought out hers, and she moaned and writhed underneath him when his tongue slipped into her mouth. He wanted to be gentle and take his time, now that they were no longer locked in the throes of biological imperative, but he still needed her with a frantic edge that had him practically devouring her as his mouth took control.

She wasn’t having trouble keeping up though. Her tongue plunged into his mouth to taste him as her hands gripped his shoulders tightly enough for him to feel her nails digging into his skin. Those pinpricks of pain helped him regain some semblance of control and keep from thrusting into her.

With a low groan of reluctance, he tore his mouth from hers, gliding it down her neck. He paused to nibble the column of her throat, making her purr. The sound caused a corresponding rumble in his chest, and he wasn’t sure if he felt contentment or ecstasy right then.

A couple of deep breaths helped him focus, and he moved his mouth lower. He detoured to sample one plump nipple, the brown bud tempting him to take it and part of her areola inside to suck firmly. That made her hips bump upward, reminding him what delights awaited, which helped him release her nipple and continue his journey south.

When he reached her core a few seconds later, she trembled as he breathed against her. “Ryder.” She sounded uncertain.

He lifted his head to make sure she was looking at him. “It’s okay. I won’t hurt you.”

She whimpered before he lowered his head again, kissing the lips of her mound before allowing his tongue to trace the neatly trimmed line of hair he found there. Her musk coated his tongue as she produced more slick before he even dipped inside.

Daisy shouted when he touched her swollen clit with the tip of his tongue. Her lower body came off the bed, and he gently applied pressure to her thighs to keep her from squirming away. He used a light, deft touch to stroke and taste her, surrounded by her scent and unique flavor. It was almost enough to make him come right then.

She was thrashing against him now, clearly chasing her release, and he didn’t want to torture her. He dipped his tongue farther down, licking her slit until he reached her opening. When his tongue wriggled inside, Daisy sobbed, and her hands clenched in his hair. He winced at the force she applied as she pulled, using him to ground herself. Despite the pain, he liked being there for her and taking care of her.

She came when he dragged his tongue upward again and lightly sucked the throbbing bud. Daisy’s hands tightened in his hair, but he endured the hint of pain as she sobbed and trembled until her arms went slack, and she collapsed against the bed.

Giving her time to rest before another orgasm, he moved his mouth to the side, finding the scent gland on her right thigh. He licked and nuzzled it as her pheromones drenched him. Slick rushed from her, and he growled his pleasure at proof of what he could do to her. He hoped it equaled the intensity of the effect she had on him.

“Ryder, I need…” She shook her head, looking unsure.

“More pleasure.” He grinned and winked before tearing himself from the area of her scent gland and renewing his delicate assault on her sensitive tissue. His tongue was an eager invader, moving with more force this time since he couldn’t hold back. He wanted to feel her come in his mouth again, to taste her juices on his tongue before he plunged his cock inside her.

Just the thought of doing so had him pressing his cock to the bed to apply much-needed pressure to keep his control in check. He wouldn’t take her again until she’d come at least once more. With that goal in mind, he licked and sucked until she was crying out her bliss moments later. Her hips pumped aggressively as she pressed her pelvis to his face. He grinned at the way her thighs tightened around him possessively, clearly not wanting to ever let him go.

He was fine with that.

Unable to hold back any longer, Ryder moved up her body and lifted one of her thighs to wrap around his waist. He felt between them to grasp his cock and line it up with her opening. She was wet and ready, but he had a hint of doubt that she could accommodate his size. She’d done so earlier, in estrus, but they were built for each other during that phase. He briefly worried now that she couldn’t take him, but her hips lifted even as he paused, wondering if he should make her come once more before trying to enter her.

Her sheath enfolding him banished any questions as he slipped inside easily. He wouldn’t last long with how good she felt, and he surrendered his control. He thrust forcefully and rapidly, but she kept pace. Soon, they were moaning together, and the base of his spine tingled as his testicles tightened.

As he surged into her once more, his gaze locked with hers. She seemed lost in the haze of passion, so he hoped she was aware enough of what he was telling her when he said, “I’m going to claim you. You’re my Omega, and I’m keeping you.”

He dipped his head, skimming back his lips to reveal his teeth. He waited a long moment, giving her a chance to pull away or tell him no. Even though he had every intention of claiming her, he would never force her to accept his bite. If she didn’t consent, he would find the strength to hold back until he could convince her she was safe as his Omega, and he would take care of her in every way that mattered.

Instead of protesting, all she did was drag her fingers through his hair and pull his head down while she purred against him. Her sounds of pleasure, combined with the squeezing grasp of her sheath around his shaft while she came yet again, spurred him on.

His cock started to spasm as another orgasm hit him, and he scraped his teeth against her scent gland. She moaned, a low, throaty sound of ecstasy, and his teeth penetrated her skin. There was a sharp taste of copper he found unpleasant, but it quickly faded as her pheromones flooded his olfactory senses, and his world became nothing but the Omega beneath him, clinging to him and milking his cock as he imparted his scent, fusing them together and claiming her as his.

When it was over, he rolled over to his side, taking her with him. They weren’t joined by his knot, since she hadn’t entered estrus, and he hadn’t been rutting, but they were still locked together because he kept her that way. He couldn’t bear to pull out from her yet.

He pressed a careful kiss to her forehead as he squeezed her in a light embrace. “My Omega.” He sounded fiercely possessive when he said that, and he grinned, enjoying the feeling sweeping through him. She belonged to him now, but he belonged to her just as much.

“My Alpha,” she said with obvious satisfaction. She was clearly as pleased as he was. Silence settled between them for a few minutes before she lifted her head slightly so she could look in his eyes. She giggled. “Or should I say Spud?”

He groaned. “Never say that.”

She tapped her fingers on his chest. “Tell me how you got the nickname?”

He considered ignoring the request, but she was looking at him with such curiosity, and her expression was so open, that he couldn’t bring himself to deny her anything, even if it meant his humiliation. “Quinn and I grew up as part of an orphan clan after our parents died when we were little. They were part of a new colony and picked up Tycho pox. It wiped out a good part of the adults and a few kids. No one came running to check on the survivors, so we had to fend for ourselves.”

Her brow furrowed, and she looked at him with obvious sympathy. “I’m so sorry.”

He swallowed and looked away for a moment, blinking. Whether it was lucky or unlucky, he barely remembered his folks, so he mourned the absence of memory rather than the people themselves.

He cleared his throat. “Life was rough, and there was a hierarchy. We didn’t get enough to eat a lot of times, but one day, I found a potato someone else hadn’t dug up during harvest. It was full of eyes and going to seed, but I wanted it.” He closed his eyes, easily remembering his empty belly that day and the way his mouth had watered as he envisioned how the potato would taste when roasted.

She was rubbing his arm now, not asking questions. She seemed unable to as she eyed him with compassion.

“An older boy jumped me when I was almost home. He tried to take the potato, but I was determined it was mine. I fought him and beat the sh—stuff out of him. Quinn interceded and pulled me off him, sending Dicky running away. Even then, Quinn was enormous, but I’d held my own. Quinn teased me something awful about how much I was willing to go through for that potato—and I still shared it with him. Somehow, Spud stuck.”

She was blinking rapidly and started to sniffle.

He frowned. “What’s wrong?”

Daisy sniffed again before answering. “I thought it would be a happier, funnier memory. That makes me feel awful and want to cry.”

His chest compressed as the urge to weep hit him for a moment as well. It wasn’t because of the memory of that awful time, but from the proof of the care and concern of which his Omega was capable. He cleared his throat. “It was hard, but I survived. Quinn did too.”

She drew in a shaky breath, and her expression was still serious when she finally broke her silence a short time later. “What happens now, Ryder?”

He hesitated for a moment. “Just because I’m an Alpha doesn’t mean I have all the answers. We’ll be together, but I don’t know where we’re going next. We have to make some money, but I’m loath to risk you by getting back into rathium smuggling.”

“I need to return to the convent.”

His heart skipped a beat, and he couldn’t fight back a fierce wave of anger that swept over him. He turned away from her, breaking the connection between them, as he struggled to control his temper. He didn’t want to lash out at her or frighten her. “I already said you belong with me. I can’t be without you now that we have a bond established.”

The bed squeaked as she moved, and he tensed a moment later when her hands ran down his shoulders before starting to lightly massage his back. “I didn’t mean alone. I want you to come with me.”

He looked over his shoulder at her, unable to hide his skepticism. “What am I, an Alpha, going to do at an Omega convent? No one else would want me there, even though we’re bonded.”

She shrugged her shoulder. “I don’t plan to stay, but I’d like to know more about my origins. My mother left me there when I was just three, and I have vague memories of her.” She shuddered.

He relaxed against her hands. “Good memories?” He didn’t think so from her reaction.

“No, but there’s a shadowy memory that comes to mind whenever I think of her. I can’t make out any of the details anymore, and I don’t even know if it’s a male or female, but there’s someone in my memories who gives me warm feelings, and I’d like to find that person. It might be my father, or perhaps it was my mother’s lover. I don’t know, but I want to see if I can find them. Now that I have you to keep me safe from other Alphas, I can leave Paladin and explore the galaxy, including finding my origins. Will you help me?”

He melted at the sweet tone she used, trying not to reveal he would help her do anything. She probably already realized he was firmly wrapped around her finger, and he’d move the alignment of the stars if it would make her happy, but he didn’t need to reveal that so bluntly. “Of course, I’ll help you.” As he said that, she embraced him again, her breasts pressing against his back, and he realized he was up for another round of making love to his Omega.

***

Sometime later, after they had slept and showered, the computer buzzed to indicate there was an incoming communiqué. They were in the mess hall eating, but he bypassed his wrist comm to have the computer filter the call through the nearest wall monitor. “What’s up, Quinn?” He trailed off as he realized it wasn’t Quinn in the picture. “I don’t think we’ve met. You must be Azaria.”

Her face seemed flushed, though her warm brown complexion made it difficult to discern. She appeared embarrassed though, and he realized maybe she was awkward about the fact he’d seen her naked and in such a state. He struggled to appear nonthreatening as he gave her a smile. “Daisy is right here with me.”

Her relief was palpable, and she turned her attention to Daisy as his Omega crowded into the frame with him, smiling at her friend. Azaria looked upset, and Ryder wondered if Quinn had something to do with that.

“Let’s go home, Daisy.”

Daisy tensed for a moment, but then she nodded. “We were planning to return to Paladin. Before we left, we were going to check in to see if you wanted to come with us.” Daisy seemed almost sad that her friend was choosing to do so.

Azaria apparently had no doubts though. “I can’t wait to get home.”

“I’ll bring our ship alongside and use the pincer arm to help you in,” said Ryder, eyeing her with some trepidation. He wished he knew what had happened between her and his brother, but whatever it was, it clearly hadn’t led to a more permanent connection like he’d found with Daisy. He was sad for his brother, though he understood why Quinn might be resistant to such a bond. Perhaps Azaria had been equally resistant.

With a sigh, he moved away from the comm so he could go to the command room. Soon enough, he had the ship program the coordinates to line up with the cargo bay on his brother’s freighter, and the pincer arm was in position when the door opened a few moments later, and Azaria stepped out in an E-suit. She grabbed onto the arm as it wrapped around her, pulling her slowly into the Remedy and away from the Catriona.

When she was on board, Quinn’s cargo door shut, and Ryder accepted the incoming hail. “Is everything okay, Quinn?”

Quinn’s expression revealed nothing. “It’s fine. I helped her as much as I could, but now she’s ready to go home.”

Ryder accepted that, knowing he had no right to pry, and from Quinn’s closed expression, his brother wasn’t going to discuss the situation anyway. Instead, he said, “Thanks again. I’ll make sure she gets home safely.”

Quinn’s features spasmed for a moment, revealing the depth of his concern, which left Ryder puzzled how he could bear to send her away. “See that you do, Spud.” With those words, Quinn disconnected the communication between them, and his ship soon veered away from them previous to entering ionospace.

Daisy and Azaria returned to the command deck a few minutes later, and he held out his hand to formally meet her.

“Azaria Khalid, this is Ryder Strang.”

Azaria’s nostrils flared as her eyes widened, and then she looked at Ryder with something akin to accusation instead of taking his hand. “You claimed her. You selfish bastard.”

“It wasn’t like that,” said Daisy before Ryder could defend himself. She put herself between her friend and him, as though he needed to be protected from the brunette Omega. He struggled not to smile, not wanting either of them to think he was mocking the gesture.

“I chose him, and he chose me. He gave me the option every step of the way. There was nothing coerced about it, okay, Azaria?”

After a moment, and her friend regarding both of them with suspicion, her features relaxed, and she exhaled slowly. “I believe you. I know you wouldn’t do anything you don’t agree with unless you got trapped into it.” She still seemed to bear a little bit of distrust as she glared at him for a moment before her expression lightened when she looked at Daisy again. “I’m surprised you’re returning to Paladin then. As a mated Omega, what will you do there?”

Daisy hesitated and then shrugged. “I don’t plan to stay long. I’m sorry, but I have the opportunity to explore now, and I’d like to find out who in my memory leaves such a warm impression.”

Azaria’s expression softened further, and she clearly knew to whom Daisy referred. “I can’t imagine Mother Risa will deny you access to your records, so hopefully you’ll find what you’re looking for.”

With a meaningful glance at Ryder, Daisy looked at him warmly for a long moment before the turning her attention back to her friend. “I suspect I already have, Azaria.”

Her words filled Ryder with a strange sense of euphoria, and his chest felt like it might burst from the overflow of emotion. Was he already in love with his Omega? Had it been predestined right from the start, and he’d simply fallen in line with fate’s plans?

Normally, he would’ve chafed at such a thought, but with her, it felt so right that he couldn’t question the concept, though he wasn’t one for believing in predetermined anything. With her, everything fit together and made sense, and he was thankful for whatever had brought them together, whether it was fate or an accident.