Chapter 156
The relief was nearly instantaneous for Tempest.
The second she finally heard Dron’s voice it felt as if everything that was plaguing her was no more.
Finally, she was that much closer to her mate.
When they finished the conversation, she got up from the small rock she was sitting on behind the shack. It was the closest that she was going to get to privacy and she knew it.
It didn’t matter to her. All that mattered was she was able to speak with Dron.
It was darker than she was used to.
When the group of them were out walking in the wilderness. Gerax and Mexyn always made sure to keep a fire burning so they could see what was right in front of them. But here in the settlement, there were very few lights burning. The topography made it hard for any light to reach the bottom of the enclosed space they were in.
Of course, Gerax explained to her that the people in the strong hold did that so no one would suspect that there was anyone there. The last thing they wanted was for some rival clan to stumble upon them by accident.
Tempest made her way out from around the shack and began to look around. It amazed her just how much these people had managed to accomplish. The hidden strong hold. The training. The community.
She scanned the crowd and at the very edge a twinkle caught her eyes.
Rynax was there alone. He brightened a little when he saw her looking at her.
Tempest didn’t want to be anywhere near him. She wanted to believe that she understood why he’d done what he’d done but that didn’t mean that she was any less pissed with him. No it was going to take her a long time to trust that man again.
She wouldn’t cut him off completely, as much as she didn’t want to admit it, she still needed him.
She didn’t know just how long it would take Dron to get to them and for right now that meant Rynax was her only real protection. That is unless Mexyn could convince Crilium and the rest of his militia to join there cause and help her. Then she wouldn’t need to depend on Rynax for anything.
It was a long shot though and she knew it.
With a sigh, Tempest dropped her gaze from Rynax. There was no point in getting his hopes up. She decided now was the best time to do a little exploring. She wouldn’t leave from the strong hold but she was curious to see exactly what was going on here.
Based on everything that she’d learned, there shouldn’t be anyone here that could have any real quality of life. That didn’t seem to be the case.
She walked around the hut and toward the first small fire.
"What are you doing Omega?" A man she didn’t recognize spoke, he seemed to come out of the shadows. The sudden intrusion caused her to jump.
"Jesus christ, where did you come from?" She smacked her hand to her heart as if that would slow the sudden speed of it.
"Who is Jesus Christ? I’m Aliq."
"Alex?" Tempest said in her normal diction.
"No, Aliq." The man repeated. It sounded more like Alek than anything else.
"Sorry, it’s nice to meet you." Tempest did her best to remember her manners but at the same time she stood a few feet away from the man. It was dark and she was out walking alone. There was no question that Gerax was already in the space designated for them, sleeping. And she hadn’t seen Mexyn for a while. Tempest assumed she was reconnecting with Crilium. She was out here alone unless she went to Rynax.
That wasn’t going to happen.
"As it is nice to meet you as well but you haven’t told me what you are doing. I’m on patrol and am supposed to report any strangers."
Tempest realized what was happening. She was not supposed to be walking out here without a chaperon. This place was starting to feel more and more like Thraqe.
"Oh, well, I’m not a stranger. Not really. Crilium knows that I’m here."
"He’s not with you. How do I know that’s the truth?" The man tilted his head but there was barely an expression on his face. He was only doing his job but the way he was looking at Tempest unnerved her. She didn’t want to get bent out of shape for nothing but she was still a little jumpy from everything that had happened to her while she and the rest of them were out there on their own.
"He’s not with me because he is with another member of my group," Tempest was assuming, "He should be with Mexyn right now."
The man’s eyes brightened. "You’re with Mexyn?"
"Yes." Tempest smiled and nodded enthusiastically. Finally she was getting somewhere that didn’t make her feel like an intruder with this man.
"Then you are most welcome here. Mexyn is one of the greatest blessings this stronghold has ever had the chance to receive."
Tempest took a step closer to the man, now finally feeling like he wasn’t so much of a threat. "Oh, why is that?"
"You don’t want to hear about our war stories. Surely, an omega like you would rather get her rest and eat."
Tempest rolled her eyes. That was not what she wanted in the least. As if she would really be able to sleep right now. It just wasn’t going to happen.
"Actually, I’m not that sleepy. I’m still a little keyed up after all the excitement of earlier."
"Keyed up?" The man furrowed his brow, "You have the strangest speech."
Tempest chuckled slightly, "I’m sorry. In case you have noticed. I’m not from here." She spread her arms slightly as if to gesture to her form.
The man looked her over slowly, but not so much that it seemed as if he were undressing her with his eyes.
"Where are you from?" The man asked.
"I’m from a planet called Earth. I’m a human."
"Ah, that’s right. I’ve met a few others of your kind. Mostly nice. A little untrusting. Very fragile." The man huffed.
Tempest’s ears rang, and she had to shake her head to clear the sound. How was it possible that he met more like her?
The words she’d heard in the past floated through her head. The human settlement.
"There are more like me? Where? I was told I was the only one." She spoke but her words came out barely more than a whisper.
"Oh, there are dozens more like you. We don’t bother them too much. They like to keep to themselves and they don’t bother us. It seemed best to leave them to their own devices."
"Dozens..." Tempest parroted back. "Where?"
"Not far, just over that mountain." The man pointed off into the distance.
Tempest didn’t know how far it was, but she knew without a shadow of a doubt that she had to find a way to get there.
If there were other humans here, she had to find them.
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⏸ PAUSE■ STOP