Page 62 of Free Beast Mate

“You think he sent Men of Earth after Rey,” Vice said, though not as a question. “Fuck, that makes sense. They were prepared. They waited for us. They knew we were coming. He’d been watching us all along, probably has spies in our ranks.”

“He got Dewlyn too.” I said. “I’m sorry about that.”

“It’s okay. If I didn’t think she wanted kids, I wouldn’t have gotten the incubator. But I had to try.” Vice sighed, wiping sweat from his forehead. “Is Emma pregnant?”

“Don’t know. Possibly.”

“So if he doesn’t know she’s pregnant, he won’t take her. This leaves you, Amoris. Did I get that right?”

“He doesn’t think much of me,” I said, “Although…” I’d never told my brothers Nie had offered me Tineya’s throne. But Vice was all ears now. “That last time I left Tineya, he asked me to stay. Told me straight I couldn’t challenge him, so he planned to give me Tineya while he held all the power. He thought I would accept for riches and glory, and I admit, it was tempting. In the end, I left. Sometimes I regretted it, but not anymore. Had I stayed, I wouldn’t have ever mated. He’d have gotten rid of me ’cause I couldn’t produce him an heir, and he’d end up here anyway.”

“I think you know what you need to do, my brother.”

I groaned and stood, dusted off my leathers. “You coming?”

“Wouldn’t miss it. The sight of me pisses him off.” He slapped my back. “Piece of cake, little brother, piece of cake.”

I leapt on the window and looked down some two thousand feet. Vice climbed after me but didn’t look down. He hooked his hands onto the roof, then swung his feet. I followed, and we climbed onto the red roof.

Father had come with Tineya’s Star, our most advanced and strongest battleship carrying enough war power and beasts to seize the Earth from us. Humans were many, but powerless and segregated. We were few compared to Nie’s army. “How did he get past the satellite surveillance?” I asked. A few days ago, Vice allowed my Ferry past the surveillance. Tineya’s Star? Nobody in their right mind would allow her near the surface.

Vice snorted. “Someone let him pass. Don’t worry about that. Jamie’ll enjoy handling that problem later.”

No doubt, and it wouldn’t be pleasant. Tineya’s Star hovered above the fortress, our defense pods swarming around her. They were firing at her, trying to damage her shields. Red and green laser fire crisscrossed the sky. Many beasts would die tonight. But they didn’t have to.

Vice tapped his earpiece. “Troy, come in.” He paused for Troy, one of our best pilots, who presumably was approaching with one of our battleships. We’d stored them because they were huge and also because we didn’t feel like we needed them. Humans were earthbound, the battles with Men of Earth fought silently on the ground.

Vice handed me his piece, and I put it in my ear, then checked in with Troy.

“Goner is no more,” he said by way of greeting.

Goner? Jamie couldn’t have come up with something more…more, eh, I’d get him for it after. If I lived. I gritted my teeth, cracked my neck.

“Good to hear your voice, Troy. Hail my father. I want to speak with him.”

“Where is Alpha Beast?” Troy asked.

“Not available.”

A pause, then, “Yes, my lord, right away.”

I waited, nudging Vice when Tineya’s Star ceased fire. Vice pressed his ear against mine, and it reminded me of the one time when we were kids trying to listen in on our housekeeping staff having sex behind closed doors. “This is Hikhor, Tineya’s Second speaking. Where is Jamie?”

“This is Vice, Tineya’s Second. You can shove your fake title up your ass.”

Hikhor’s laughter drifted through my ear. “You are welcome to challenge me for the title I earned after you abandoned our true alpha.”

“I can’t wait,” Vice said. “Send an envoy for us.” A pod disengaged and descended. “That went well,” he added.

“It’s a trap,” I said.

“You bet.”

“They’ll try to kill us.”

“You know it, bro. Choices? Options? Alternatives?”

“Nah, I’m good.”

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