UNCLAIMED, THE MOON OMEGAS

Chapter 5

I was approaching two weeks. Days that had been strictly structured and monitored by Lathan. Two hours were given to me for training. Always with a bonded Alpha. That usually was Ky. I would shower, eat breakfast, and spend time with Lathan’s mother. Rosemarye, a gentle and kind woman who attacked my heart on an entirely different front. Her genuine and loving disposition was hard to block out. She was caring, nurturing, and everything my own mother had not been. The old queen broke me quickly. The short time I spent with her was torture. No doubt Lathan was using her wholesome character to worm her way into my heart. Unfortunately, it was effective. I dreaded and enjoyed the time I spent with Rosemarye. When the aging Omega tired. I would leave her to recovery. I would be passed along to Lathan’s company. Reading and studying in his council room while he tended to the needs of the kingdom. Evenings would see me alone and tended by my mate. Time spent secluded with the Alpha, who was growing impatient with my lack of estrous. If he only knew. I was fighting just as hard to keep my body as he was fighting to take it, every day was a battle to keep myself in control. But Lathan was very skilled. What release he gave me only made me ache for more. I damned and thanked the gods for the heat suppressant. -My body and mind were in a constant tug of war. Instinct and reason raged against each other continuously, leaving me irritable. Today I woke to clouds and the threat of stormy weather. Fitting, the weather mirrored my emotional state. Mother nature cut into my training time. The ominous storm that had been sitting on the mountain peaks was making its way into the valley. The thunder was giving us an early warning. We hadn’t even racked our weapons when a violent wind storm hit us hard. This promised to be an epic storm. My sweaty body was now covered in dirt thanks to the wind, not a first for me. With Ky preoccupied I was sent to return with Lane. Lane and I walked back towards the villa. Outside the high walled training square, the wind was ten times worse. People scrambled to secure what they could before heading for shelter. A huge gust rocked me hard. Lane’s hand planted on my back was the only thing that kept me from being pushed over.

“We may have to put rocks in your pockets.” The giant Alpha teased me.

“Shake your head. I will use the ones that fall out of your ears.” I replied, smiling at the gentle giant. He laughed at me. The wind had no intention of easing up. Head down, I leaned into it and hurried my steps. We had only taken a few steps when my heart quivered deep in my chest. The wind was bringing us the sound of panic.

“Help me, please!” A woman’s terror-filled voice tore through the air, stopping us both for a second. Fear is a sound that motivates. Lane and I sprinted to the sound, finding a woman floundering wildly in the turbulent water off the docks. The wind had capsized her small boat. Screaming and desperately reaching for it as violent waves push it out further into the bay. Lane jumped into the water. Even his large body was fighting to reach her as white-capped waves rolled over them. Adrenaline and fear bloomed across my skin as Lane reached her. The flailing woman didn’t completely embrace the large Alpha who had just saved her. “My boy!” The woman screamed. Fighting against the man who was trying to save her life. “Please, my son!” She cried out again. The fear in her voice moved me. I didn’t hesitate, diving headfirst into the water. The icy water sucked the air from my lungs. I gasped as I surfaced, looking to see where the boat was. I bobbed, bucking the waves as I watched the capsized boat move further away from me. Screams from the shore dulled as I dove under the water. I gained more distance under the surface, swimming as far as I could before the need for air forced me up. I was a great swimmer, under better conditions. The cold and choppy water was making me work incredibly hard. The wind was stronger on open water. It whipped me hard as I gulped up a lung full of air. The cold and turbulent water was draining my energy faster than I liked. Already the cramps threatened to lock up my muscles. The capsized boat was only a few feet away. I sucked in a big breath of air and dove under one last time. Praying the boy was still latched on. Small legs kicking below the surface in the shadow of the boat. My heart spasmed with relief. And I broke the surface of the water gasping for air. My sudden appearance startled the boy who yelped. The sound echoing off the metal hull was painful on the ears.

“You’re okay.” I tried to console the frightened child while trying catching my breath.

“Please help me.” The child said. Ghostly white skin made his fearful blue eyes look bigger.

“What’s your name?” I asked as I came to grab on to the same cross-bar he clung to.

“Beau.” The boy shivered violently.

“Beau, I am Neisa, are you hurt?” I asked him. Assessing him as best I could.

“I don’t know?” The child tried to speak through cold, chattering teeth. Big waves continued to jostle us around. “Is my mom ok?” Beau asked me.

“I saw one of the king’s men pulling her out of the water," I told him the truth. He couldn’t reply, a big wave rocked us hard, forcing us to tighten our hold. Cold, endless minutes tore at us. I tried to keep a conversation going. Exhaustion had me deep in its grip. If I felt this weak, I could only imagine how much worse Beau felt. “Beau, look at me,” I ordered the withering child. “Put your arms around my neck,” I instructed him.

“I’m… tired… and cold.” Beau was dreadful close to being claimed by hypothermia.

“I know, but I need you to hold onto me. Can you do that for me?” I asked as I easily removed one of his arms from the crossbar. “Come on, Beau, I need you to hold on a little longer.” I tried to keep my fear from my voice. Feeling his arms clutch me around the neck was hopeful. “I need you to talk to me Beau. You need to stay awake for me.” I encouraged the sluggish child. But he could only mumble garbled words that made no sense. Whatever spark of hope I felt turned to agony. I clung to the bar one-handed, trying to keep Beau’s body as close to mine as possible. Knowing I would run out of energy at some point as well. The sound of an approaching boat could vaguely be heard over the wind. I prayed this wasn’t my imagination.

“Neisa?” Lathan’s frantic voice called to me from the surface.

“Lathan!” I called back. My booming voice jostled Beau. Please hurry, there may still be hope. I silently prayed for his little life. I heard Lathan’s large body hit the water a second before he surfaced under the boat. Relief threatening to overcome my weak muscles. Lathan’s look was telling me we were in bad shape. “Beau, look at me.” I shook the boy briskly while still trying to hold on to the boat. But he was too cold to respond fully. Morbid fear grabbed me harder. “Lathan!” I truly feared for his little life.

“We must move quickly.” Hypothermia had me shaking too hard to nod my head in agreement, taking a huge breath of air. I placed my mouth over Beau’s lips and nose. I let go. Lathan moved like a dolphin, pulling Beau and me through the water with speed. Chaos exploded above the waves as I realized I had not enough air to keep me from getting lightheaded. On the brink of unconsciousness, my body was pulled aboard a boat. Beau’s little body flashed before me a second before Lathan scooped me up. “I hope for your sake there’s enough fuel in that motor to get us to shore.” Lathan threatened someone. Too many hands pawed and pulled at me, jostling my sore frozen muscles, moving me this way and that. Muffled voices that I groaned at with incoherent grumbles. Black, freezing pain took my sight and mind. I closed my eyes, and time was gone.

I moved slowly groaning instantly. Why did I feel utterly drained? “Wholly hell,” I complained as I tried to find myself.

“Neisa be still,” Lathan ordered me gently from beside me.

“What happened?” I tried to ask. But even my voice sounded weak and feeble. Opening my eyes was a chore. Trying to focus, I made out my surroundings. My room, I was in my room.

“You almost died. What were you thinking?” I wasn’t even fully awake, and I could hear he was mad. The moody Alpha king made me groan again, remembering what had put me in this state.

“I was thinking; I’d like to be a mermaid.” My attempt at sarcasm failed too. “What is this?” I tugged at a hook and tube. My fingers carefully removed from what I was digging at.

“An IV, leave it alone,” Lathan ordered me again.

“I don’t want it. And I have to pee.” I complained as I went to push the blankets off of me.

“I will help you to the bathroom. Wait for a moment.” He said. I whimpered when Lathan left me. The heat source gone, I picked at the IV. A little tug, a little pull, and I was free of it. Next on my to-do list was sitting up. I pushed my elbow into the bed, slowly moving up. The room went out of focus. I blinked a few times. Trying to get them to adjust, clearing in enough time for me to see Lathan walking out of the bathroom.

“Did you take out your IV?” Lathan asked me, staring down at the tubing I still held. I followed his gaze. “Yep.” I giggled for some unknown reason.

“Madness,” Lathan said, looking at me with more disapproval than normal. “What are you doing?” he demanded when I attempted to push myself off the bed.

“I told you I have to go pee.” I reminded him

“You think you are going to walk in there by yourself?” The king asked me.

“I may have to crawl,” I said, giving him a shrug. Lathan spewed a few curse words. Scooped me up and continued to complain the whole way to the bathroom. Setting me on the cold toilet seat, I shivered. “You can leave now,” I told him. I may be weak, but I didn’t like having an audience.

“No, ” Lathan said. Standing over me as I sat on the toilet, trying to figure out how to make my overfilled bladder work. I could have thrown a fit. But really, it wouldn’t have done me any good.

“Hmm, that’s new.” I pondered the loss of my control.

“What is?”

“Can’t make it work,” I complained. Lathan helped, turning on the sink faucet.

“How long have I been out for?” I asked as I picked and plucked at my matted hair.

“Many hours.” He replied.

“Wow, that’s impressive.” I mused as I pulled out a stick from my hair.

“Hurry up you need to get back to bed.” Lathan was back on his throne, throwing around orders I wasn’t planning on following.

“No, I want to clean up first.”

“Clean up?” Lathan was in disbelief.

“Lathan my hair smells like fish pee. Which means my bed smells like fish pee." I complained. “I may not be a high-born Omega, but I have some standards of my own.”

“Fucking madness.”

“I don’t need a royal babysitter, go do king things,” I told him. Hoping he would leave me to tend to myself.

“I will not leave you Neisa," Lathan informed me. The shower woke me up completely. Hot water, soap, and Lathan’s hands had me feeling things I shouldn’t be feeling.

“You don’t have to stay here with me,” I told Lathan as he settled us back in bed. “I really am okay.” Beyond tired muscles, I felt like me.

“I need to be here with you Neisa. I need to feel you.” Lathan said. He’d been pressing on the bond heavily since I woke up. Wanting to know if what he felt, there was the same as what he was seeing. Arguing was pointless.

“How is Beau?” I finally asked the question I’d been avoiding. The last image I had of him he was so frightening close to death, alabaster skin with mottled blue lips. I shivered at the memory — Lathan’s arms tightening around me.

“Thanks to you he’s alive.” His tone was slightly off. A mixture of appreciation and anger tinged with fear. My breathing settled back down. I stared into the fire, watching as the wood burned and glowed with passionate colors — what a contrast to the grey cold of the water. I’d never been that cold before. “You were so pale and cold Neisa.” Lathan’s voice pained with true fear. A fear I could feel without the aid of the bond. The purr at my back felt my body react to his words and adjusted to ease it. I closed my eyes and surrendered my emotions to Lathan. The need to move the remaining IV fluid woke me hours later. Lathan deep asleep beside me, I gently removed myself from his arms. I crept into the bathroom. When I’d finished, I walked back into our suite, placing another log on the fire. It was warm by the fire. But that wasn’t the warmth I was craving. Lathan was an incredibly attractive man. High cheekbones, strong square jaw, beautiful full lips. Features that slacked by fatigue made him look delicious. Even with the heat suppressant buried in my arm, I ached for him. I longed for him to make me feel complete. Cravings that I had only ever wanted during heat. But those cravings left me as quickly as my heat did, leaving me without a second thought. Now here with Lathan, all I did was crave and want. Instinct begging me to feed my body. Heart beating faster, I gently brushed my thumb against his lower lip. A little sigh made my sex clenched. And my fingers grew bolder. Skimming his cheek, I ran them along his jaw. Stubbly and raspy against my palm. Moving closer, I let them wander, briefly stopping on his neck. Knowing instantly, he was awake. My hand traveled up the back of his head buried deep in the long strands of his unbound hair. “Neisa, what are you doing?” smoldering honey eyes held mine.

“Do you want me to stop?” I asked him. Mesmerized by the desire, I saw in him.

“No.” Lathan swallowed hard. He actually looked nervous. Almost frightened. Emotions I could clearly understand. A fact that seemed odd for someone of his genetic position. I pushed forward, nuzzling his neck. An action that got an immediate gratifying moan of pleasure. Filling me with the need to taste him. I ran my tongue from the pounding vein in his neck to his ear. I Shuddered with the violent tremor that rocked the giant body — nipping him on the lobe of his ear.

“Lathan, I can’t wait anymore.” The ache in my voice begged for release. If the suppressant held, my heat was still weeks away. I wanted pleasure now. Lathan moved fast, pinning me to the bed, coming to settle his massive frame over mine. Possessive eyes were boring into mine, demanding to know the truth.

“There will be no stopping this Neisa,” Lathan warned me. “You will be at the mercy of my instinct.” He again tried to warn me.

“I am at the mercy of my instinct, Lathan.” I Greedily rose up to kiss the wary Alpha. Lathan growled loudly against my lips. The sound filled my head and bolted straight down to my loins. My slick ran.

“If you want this Neisa then show me,” Lathan ordered rolling to his back. I didn’t hesitate to straddle him. My hot wet sex resting on his thigh, I bowed to take his member. His audible pleasure mixed with his scent and taste had me in on a single-minded mission. I took him into my mouth, loving the taste of his pre-release. Eagerly taking what he gave me. He only let me play for a minute before he warned me. “Stop Neisa.” I looked up at his plea, growing more powerful as I saw his epic struggle to keep his release from coming. I wanted him. I wanted his knot. Aching with instinct I crawled up his body. Straddling his wide hips. “Lean forward Neisa,” Lathan ordered as I kissed him again. Fisting his cock Lathan placed it at my wet entrance. The sensation I craved moved me of its own will. And I wiggled, pushing down. The pressure was tight but not uncomfortable. Lathan hands on my hips steadied and guided me. He gyrated his hips, trying to help me gain ground. The big room was filled with moans and sighs and the scent of our mating. “Relax.” Lathan barked at me. I was so close to having him completely. I sat up, hands on his chest. Letting gravity and desire sink me to him. With my ass flush with his pelvis, I cried out, arching my back with the sensation and sense of accomplishment and pure white pleasure. Lathan roared. His large hands were gripping my hips firmly. He knew pleasure, as well. He was lost in the rut. He lifted me slightly above his hips before slamming us together. Setting us to a slow, deep rhythm. It didn’t take me long to find heaven.

“Lathan!” I cried out his name. “Please.” He rolled me beneath him. Claiming our first knot as his victory. He roared as he joined us with a massive release and engorged knot. My muscles clamped violently on to his large knot. Expanding and lengthening our orgasm. Catching us both unaware of its power and intensity. I cradled and stroked my spent lover. Well, I rode out the lingering electrical impulses of our mating. Minutes ticked by as we laid here.

“Neisa your humming,” Lathan said surprised. He rose up to look at me. I realized I was, in fact, humming. Oddly I felt the need and content with the action. “You have never hummed before.” He remarked, resting on his elbow, caressing my face.

“I didn’t know I was,” I told him the truth.

“It beautiful, and it pleases me.” He said as he kissed me again. “Did I hurt you?” Lathan could no longer resist the need to know. The worry he’d been feeling souring the link. I smiled absentmindedly. I moved my body slowly. Realizing Lathan’s knot had begun to shrink, and I could move again.

“No, did I hurt you?” I asked.

"No, my little nymph.” Lathan’s fingers threaded into mine. He held me stretched and flush to the bed as he slowly drove home the true nature of our dynamics. The release that was steadily building promised me earth-moving pleasure. Deep thrust drove me wild. “Tell me you are coming?” Lathan snapped his hips thrusting in deeper.