Page 55 of Rebel Fates

I wish he would just trust in the goddess and her gifts. And see Gemma as the blessing I’m sure she is meant to be. Our mate, our goddess. Our omega?

But it isn’t in his nature to trust in the beauty of life on a good day. And it’s been years since we’ve had any beautiful moments.

Although, if Rok was going to kill her off, he probably would have done it by now and rejoined us outside. I find some solace in that thought.

Movement in the sky grabs my attention.

A ship.

It circles above us and our comms go completely dead. They must have some kind of jammer.

Frex, they found us. But it isn’t a typical Syndicate ship…

The Tirbilians.

How didtheyfind us? And do they really think they can subdueus? They are hardly known for their warrior prowess. They are frexing slavers. Something our people forbade several millennia ago… from my ancestors’ time on Earth, ironically. And that’s why our people left, allowing the humans to have free will to figure out their own planetary development.

I cannot see Serrat, but I sense he has seen what I have. Our link isn’t as strong as it could be because we are still a young pack and we don’t have our center—a nexus mate.

After several minutes, two Tirbs brazenly stride toward our ship and call out, “Hathorans! We come with an offer.”

Two dozen small drones, much like Rok’s devices, span out and hover over the entire area. No doubt ready to shoot us down if we attack. The slavers are smarter than I gave them credit for. I never heard of Tirbs having tech like this. It must be a recent upgrade.

Syndicate upgrades.

Serrat doesn’t answer their call.

“No need for violence.” The Tirb calls out. “We know the human is alive and in your possession. We want her back.”

How the frex do they know that?We got rid of the collar. Besides, they should have thought it killed her.

The drones circle around Serrat’s location. They are narrowing in on him.

Rok must know about the situation outside, but he has yet to deploy his devices.

Then, as three Tirb drones seem to have discovered Serrat, Rok’s drones fly out of the ship and obliterate the enemies hovering over Serrat.

That still leaves twenty-one left to destroy.

I don’t dare shoot at a drone, revealing my location. Not yet anyway. Rok’s drones need to do their work and take out most of our rivals.

Six more of Rok’s small missiles shoot from the ship and target the new Tirb drones nearing Serrat.

Meanwhile, three seem to have discovered me.

But before Rok’s missiles can destroy the Tirb’s weapons, our drones are disabled and fall out of the sky.

My stomach drops with them.

We are in trouble.

Tirb drones have already located me, so I aim and shoot two out of the sky before they come near. The third evades my blast.

I turn my gun to the Tirbs. If I take out the controller, we might have a chance.

I shoot at him, then the other Tirb, but it goes right through them.

A frexing hologram!

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