In the employee lounge, someone brewed inder. That someone sits at the table, looking as if a thousand hounds chewed him up and spit him out.
“Etin Reg, Sotay,” I say.
Inder in hand, he blinks and stands, mumbles something I presume is good morning, and proceeds for the exit.
“If I may have a minute of your time…” I pour a cup for myself.
Sotay leans against the wall.
I lean against the counter. An unbound mess of blond hair drapes over his shoulder, and he wears sweatpants with three holes in them. No shoes. “Is the wall going to hold you up?”
“Speak your purpose. I have a minute left before I die of hunger.”
“A productive mating session, I presume?”
He smirks. “Very productive.”
“I shall turn my ship into a nursery.”
“Hopefully, by the time my Alpha comes out of the womb, we’ll have a nursery in the Stronghold. How is Anna?”
“Good question. I have not inquired about her well-being yet.”
I don’t believe he’s heard about Tamey, which works in my favor. It won’t last, but his cooperation today is important. “When Sidone and I first came here, we used the gate to jump through space and time. I would like for you to remap my old systems and prepare another location on Earth.”
“Where are you going?”
“Canada.”
He scrubs his jaw. “I need a few days.”
“I have three before Seer goes places.” I use air quotes for places.
Sotay laughs. “He would.”
“There is zero humor in that plan. It is only the second dumbest plan I’ve ever heard.”
“Which is first?”
“His father holds the gold medal.”
“Ah. The one where he decided he’s keeping my aunt and not moving the Horde from Ohala because Ohala is on the sea and she likes to swim?”
“That and many other things he’s done and keeps doing. The difference between Loven and Seer is that I care about what happens to Seer. I don’t want him rushing into something he’s not prepared for, or worse, rushing into something he thinks heisprepared for. We can’t prepare for that which we don’t know.”
“I can’t control Leah’s heat duration.”
“But you can, Sotay. Simply distance yourself so she may calm down.”
“Negative.” Sotay leaves.
“Hopeless people,” I mutter and take the lift to the next floor, where I enter Mike’s office. Despite my objections, the Horde has ransacked it, torn it apart looking for clues. They used hounds, as if Mike would be stupid enough to leave anything behind. He’s a Telean, and the trouble with Regha Alphas is they don’t believe me when I tell them Teleans rarely make mistakes and are careful and calculating. We also don’t succumb to our urges and forget the world exists in favor of Omega pussy.
I sit behind Mike’s messy desk and click my private com line.
Tamey answers. “Hello?”
“Tamey,” I greet her.