Page 32 of The Hive

As I came down from that first jolt of pheromone high, I remembered how much I enjoyed pissing him off. How good he felt under me when he was mad. The fire in his dark eyes told me he recalled it too, and the thought of sharing a mate would only make it better. I hadn’t seen him in so long, and I was too worked up from our brief exhibition with Saphyra to be thinking clearly. I regretted there wasn’t more time to explore that theory.

He turned away from me and gently nudged the heat-drunk omega, offering her clothes. We were almost to the junction in the tunnel where we would switch over to the shafts that carried freight. I watched how gentle Valyx was, helping her dress from the corner of my eye, as Axion laid out the plan in more detail for me. The way she smiled at him made my blood surge with jealousy.

Before I could do anything about it, the canopy peeled back, revealing a dark tunnel. Muted maintenance lights glowed dimly from sconces on the walls illuminating a set of stairs leading up to an exit.

“Let’s go,” I said, relieved to be out of the pod, breathing fresh air, and getting everyone moving.

Valyx ran ahead to open the door, and I stayed behind, offering a hand to Saphyra as she stepped from the nest. Even in the dim light, I saw the moment when her brow furrowed and her steps wavered.

My heart jumped in my chest. “Are you all right, love?”

“I think so,” she replied as she took another step, but crumbled with a groan.

I caught her before she fell, holding her close. The pain was etched on her flushed face. “You’re definitely not okay.”

I retrieved the thickest blanket I could find and wrapped it around her before swinging her up into my arms. Looking down at her fluttering lashes and flushed cheeks, I knew we didn’t have much time before the pain of denying her what she needed overwhelmed her. “Don’t worry, love. We’ll take care of you.” I pressed my lips to her over-warm forehead and hoped we’d be able to keep that promise.

As I approached the door with my wriggling bundle, I noticed the indicator light on the lock was still red and Ax and Valyx were swiping their forged barcodes under the scanner.

Axion responded to my unspoken question. “Grey said he’d unlock it remotely before we got here. Maybe he was held up.”

“Anyone have any other ideas?” I asked from the bottom of the stairs.

Just as I was about to give up hope, a clicking sound echoed down the tunnel. The red indicator light on the lock flashed green, and the door swung open.

Chapter Thirty

Saphyra

At the top of the stairs, the silhouette of a man blocked out the light streaming into the tunnel from the corridor behind. Shadow and Ghost were quick to move into defensive positions, but backed down almost immediately. I couldn’t see who it was around the big alphas blocking my view as they ran up the steps to greet the new arrival.

Lex carried me as if I weighed nothing. I was securely bundled in the softest blanket from the nest, but every part of me was achy. The silky fabric and the alpha’s protective nature were some comfort, but I knew we didn’t have much time.

“The remote overrides were blocked for some reason. I had to come myself.” The sound of my handler’s deep baritone sent a thrill of excitement through me. He was here. I thought I’d lost him forever. His voice was a soothing balm and welcome respite from my steadily increasing discomfort.

“Grey, it’s so hot,” I croaked from within my blanket cocoon. Wanting to be closer to him, I squirmed, but Lex’s arms were immovable bands holding me still. I felt the press of soft, cool fingers on my forehead and then on my neck. The gentle contact calmed me, and my eyes closed as I leaned into his fleeting touch. The joy of seeing him again, and the feeling of his confident hands, was short-lived as he pulled away. I wanted to reach out to him, but I was pinned inside the bedding and Lex ignored my pouting face and futile efforts to free myself.

“Shh, love. We have to hurry. There isn’t time.” Lex purred softly.

Grey ignored the quiet interaction, talking over my fussing. “Her pulse is elevated, and she’s feverish. She’s exhibiting signs of the early stages of estrus. We should be able to get you off the station in time to avert significant discomfort, but it may be close. The suppressant was a temporary fix that I no longer have access to.” He motioned for the group to follow him as we rushed through a well-lit passage to a service door.

“Don’t talk about me like I’m not here.” My voice was raspy as I grumped.

He took the time to tuck an errant lock of hair behind my ear. “I know you’re here, little one. How could I ever forget?”

I tried not to whine, but it was difficult to keep the vulnerability from my voice. “My stomach feels weird. It’s tight and sore.”

“I understand. Those are common symptoms, Saphyra. Try to sleep if you can, or at least relax. It’s going to get worse before it gets better.”

His words didn’t help, and my anxiety ratcheted up as he opened the maintenance door with his clearance code. The group clattered down a set of steps into a different tunnel system that connected to the transport bay. The larger freight tunnels made a direct path through the internal structure of the Hive. There was no faster way to get where we were going, and I was desperate to arrive.

The warmth of Lex’s body and the steady roll of his long stride soothed me as we raced through the shafts. Grey’s profile, silhouetted against the faint maintenance lights lining the tunnel, gave me hope. I was sure I had lost him, but here he was and I never wanted to be away from him again.

“You’re coming with us now, Grey. You have to,” I said, insisting on what I had long hoped for.

“Yes, it’s unavoidable at this point. Someone will likely discover my deception soon. I just hope we are away by then.”

I was relieved by his words. After believing I’d never see him again, I was afraid he might vanish. My anxiety over losing him made me want to grab on to him to make sure he couldn’t leave. But Lex still held me in his iron grip, and he showed no signs of relenting. The men were focused on their task. I was little more than luggage as we fled.

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