Page 35 of Own to Obey

Treska had been amazed at the sight of Shaya when she had first entered the Alpha’s cabin. Her eyes had been as wide as a bellflower, and she stood stock-still for a few long moments before even being able to move. Then she grinned and giggled and hugged Shaya, even though she was still covered in the Alpha's dried seed. She’d helped her to get ready for her lessons, including washing his seed out of her hair, and drying it and treating it, which took ages.

Although she and the shinno didn’t tend to talk much, she forced herself to ask the shinno to stop getting his seed in her hair. It took way too long to get it out and get her hair back to a suitable state, requiring her to wash it more often than necessary.

He simply looked at her blankly and told her in the Common Tongue that he was never aiming for her hair, only her neck.

“Oh, I thought you would have better aim,” she muttered, smiling as she lay down next to him.

His arm tightened around her, pulling her flush against his body. “What?” he asked, his voice tight.

“You get it in my hair every time,” she pointed out, poking him. “If you're aiming for my neck, I dread to think what you would do with a bow and arrow.”

That earned her a delighted deep bellowing laugh. “I assure you,” he said, the humor in his voice dripping with desire as he pressed his mouth against her ear. “I am skilled in almost everything I do, I just simply do not care where it ends up as long as it ends up on you or in you,kysm eshar. And besides, if my seed ends up in your hair, I cannot think of any place more beautiful and more deserving it should be. I would cover you head to toe.”

His words made her core tightened with desire, because secretly a part of her wanted that too. Part of her was extremely aware that she could potentially get pregnant with the number of times he had knotted her. She was unsure if she wanted that. In fact, in the midst of her desire-filled days, she was sure she did want it, but when she had a clearer mind she felt too insecure about the idea. She had no idea who else he was having sex with, and this culture treated sex a lot more casually then she had ever known in the Western Lands, where everyone usually only had one partner and had sex privately or secretly. She hoped that he was satisfied with her, and deep down she hoped that he would want to impregnate her, but she just couldn't hold out such hope for an Alpha like him.

“It takes too long to wash it out and treat it afterward,” she complained. “It interrupts my learning from Treska. I have to spend time on my hair instead of learning.”

She felt him shrug as his hand brushed her stomach, and his fingers crept between her legs. “Then leave it be,” he said, huskily. “It is beautiful no matter what you do to it.”

She was unable to protest when his fingers reached their intended destination.

Her lessons continued to be interesting, and Shaya still asked Treska some of the words the shinno used, trying to be careful that she did not reveal anything too embarrassing, like when she asked about the word that meant tight. Treska avoided her eyes the rest of the day after she told her what that one meant.

After a week and a half, Treska informed her that they would be arriving at the Southern Isles soon. Shaya couldn't deny the curiosity that had built about the Land she’d been studying. From what she could tell, the various islands provided different things to the Southern Isle culture, and the biggest eight were owned by the eight established tribes. The central island was where the high chief lived, and he guided the entire Southern Lands, ensuring that Southern culture was maintained. The problem for her was that there was no written rules or guidelines regarding their culture; everyone seemed to inherently know. There were some things that Shaya asked Treska about that she explained in her broken Common Tongue, but Shaya never saw any of that written down. She asked Treska for the rules of the society, but she simply looked at her blankly, unable to determine what she meant by it. Most of what Shaya learned about the culture, she learned from asking Treska, and writing it down in her notes, but there was still something that didn't quite make sense. There were certain things referred to and methods of doing things, and it wasn't explained as to why they were set up that way. She felt as though she was missing something, but couldn't place what it was.

The one thing that fascinated her was that each tribe had a potionist—a man or woman who was highly valued and essential to each tribe. Potions were used in all manner of ways, and from what she learned were highly advanced, more advanced than her current understanding. She couldn't wait to find out more about it.

She suspected that the woman that came to see her after her first time with the shinno had been his potionist, but she did not ask the shinno directly about it. She tried to ask Treska, but her friend couldn't explain it properly.

When she was looking out of the window of the shinno's cabin one day, she saw land emerging in the distance. As each day passed, it became more pronounced and excitement churned in her stomach that she was finally going to be on solid land again.

At the back of her mind, she remembered him saying that she was not going to be a part of his tribe. She was nervous about questioning him again about that. After the conversation about her hair, they didn't talk much. And when they did, he spoke in his language exclusively. Although she was becoming more familiar with the words and the sounds, there were times she had to simply write things down and then ask Treska what he said. Usually it wasn't anything important, just correcting her on the way she groomed him or reminding her to stay in the room, or telling her, with a wry smile, that there was some of his seed in her hair.

Finally, one morning, the shinno got up and dressed himself. He pulled out thick shirts and trousers with socks and boots and gloves. Shaya stared at all of the clothing, wondering why the need for them. He saw her look of surprise and smiled quickly at her, but said nothing. He simply dressed until he was a massive bulk of Alpha, kissed her, and then left.

Soon after, Treska came rushing in her arms filled with clothes for Shaya.

“What is the need?” Shaya asked, in her broken Mayaros, pointing at the clothes.

“We are arriving at the Southern Isles today,” Treska said slowly in Mayaros.

Shaya's eyes widened. “I didn't realize that was happening.” The sudden nervousness gripped her. The shinno didn't even tell her. She suddenly wondered how much she would see him today.

“You must be dressed and prepared, Shaya,” Treska said, this time in broken Common Tongue. “You meet Tribe Nyek today.”

Her words only served to heighten Shaya's nervousness. “Really?” She fiddled with the hem of the tunic she wore.

Treska nodded enthusiastically. “They want to meet you for a long time. They talk about you for the weeks. You are the shinno’s secret. They are glad to be home to meet you.” She hesitated, her face thoughtful as she thought of the words she wanted to say. “There is no Omega in Southern Isles for a long time.”

Shaya nodded. She thought as much, but for some reason the thought did not fill her with any kind of comfort. There was something strange about the fact that the shinno had not discussed this with her, and she also found it odd that he had not introduced her to his tribe. She had an inkling that he was hiding something but couldn't figure out what it was. Still, now was not the time to be questioning it. She would find out soon.

Finally, as midday approached the ship shuddered and swayed. She ran to look out the window, but was disappointed to see a white mist everywhere. It was difficult to tell where they were.

Treska fussed over Shaya’s clothing so much that by the time she was ready, she was almost sick with nervousness.

“Don't worry,” Treska said, trying to be reassuring. “They love you.”

Shaya smiled at her, and wrung her hands together, wondering how they could love someone they didn't know. She hadn't seen the shinno all day, and now it was late afternoon.

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