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  Raine gazed over at Dorlon, who held Raine's gaze for the first time since the earlier fight. Switching her attention to Charlie, she said, "You told her to stop."

  "Yeah."

  "Does it even matter for us? We're humans." Raine unfolded her arms and tucked her hands into her dark, lined canvas jacket.

  "Dorlon listens to me." Charlie had a slight smile and shrugged at her sister.

  Raine snorted and said, "She shouldn't."

  Dorlon surprised them both and said, "I agree."

  Charlie rolled her eyes, then gave Dorlon a playful punch to the shoulder.

  Raine smirked at Dorlon's teasing, then asked, "So what's the word?"

  "Rojoh," Charlie and Dorlon replied together.

  Raine pursed her lips and said, "Rojoh."

  * * *

  "It's like an hour from sunset," Raine said.

  "That's plenty of time." Charlie was carrying an armload of wood that she and Raine had chopped together. They returned to the camp where Dorlon was organizing a few snacks that Charlie had brought with her. "I think we can teach her in an hour. It'll be fun."

  Raine released an exaggerated sigh, then grinned. "All right." Like Charlie, she carried wood and unloaded it by the fire.

  "Raine and I were thinking we could teach you to play a game." Charlie put a few pieces of wood into the fire and returned to her earlier seat on a blanket. "I think Raine needs a break from Kalmarese." The two hours of switching between English and Kalmarese had worn on Charlie.

  Dorlon chuckled and sat down on the blanket with the other two. She placed the food in the center and looked at her friend. "All right. What's the game?"

  Charlie stretched, grabbed her satchel, and pulled out a worn set of cards. She shook the deck out of the box, revealing the comic book characters on the back of each card. Its vintage-looking artwork depicted popular female superheroes. The deck held special meaning to her, as it was a gift from Raine for Charlie's sixth birthday when they were on the Liberator. She and Raine had passed a lot of time by playing different card games, but they both had one favorite.

  "I'm not sure there's a word in Kalmarese for it, but we call it Bullshit." Charlie tried to hold back her grin, but it grew when Dorlon eyed her. "It's fun!" She shuffled the deck several times and noticed how fascinated Dorlon seemed.

  "What is that?" Dorlon asked.

  "It's called a deck in English." Charlie held it up and said, "It's made up of…." She searched her mind for the word that was close to the English word for a card. "Like paper." She shrugged and inserted the card into the stack. She glanced at Raine, who was snacking on the food with a contented look. "Okay so here's how this works."

  For ten minutes, Charlie explained both the deck of cards and how the game was played. Even with their language barrier, the game only required one word and the rest was all cemented in the players' abilities to lie about their hands. As Charlie dealt for the first game, she heard Dorlon whisper the English word.

  "Kulshet." Dorlon grumbled and looked at Charlie for help.

  "Bullshit," Charlie said.

  Raine swallowed her mouthful of jerky and looked at Dorlon. "Buuull." She waved at Dorlon to repeat after her.

  "The B sound is super hard for Kalmar," Charlie whispered to her sister.

  Dorlon sighed and attempted only half of the English word. "Kull."

  Raine shook her head and went slower this time, dragging out the B sound for Dorlon.

  Charlie finished dealing and allowed the two to continue their lesson. She smiled at them getting along after the ugly first encounter. She hoped all of them could form a solid friendship. But Raine could still tell others about Dorlon once they returned to New Earth. On the walk back home, they would have to talk about it.

  "Bullshit," Dorlon declared, pride seeping in voice.

  Raine laughed and nodded. "That's good," she agreed in Kalmarese.

  Charlie chuckled at them, then scooted closer to Dorlon. "I'll help you the first game. Okay?"

  Dorlon nodded and mimicked Charlie's motions with the hand of cards. At first, she was confused until they played a few hands. She lost the first game, but could play without help by the second.

  "You just have to be a good liar," Charlie reminded after she dealt the cards again. "Don't let your facial expressions give away anything." There were other clues or indicators when a player was hiding a card, but Charlie wasn't about to give away all the secrets of the game. Dorlon had to learn a few things on her own. "Okay you're first, Raine, since you won."

  Raine smirked, pulled a card, and called it before putting it down. She waited for anyone to call her out, but silenced passed. Dorlon went next followed by Charlie. They went a few rounds and called bullshit on each other. As the game heated up, Dorlon was the closest to winning and ahead by two cards. However, the stack of cards had built up, and as Dorlon prepared to put down her second-to-last card, Charlie noticed Dorlon's hand curling in her lap—Dorlon's tell.

  She smirked. "Bullshit!"

  Dorlon sucked in a breath, then her shoulders fell. "Vuk!"

  Charlie laughed and picked up the stack for Dorlon. She heard Raine's own snicker and traded a grin with her sister.

  "I guess that's a cuss word," Raine whispered, grinning from ear to ear.

  "Oh yeah." Charlie chuckled at Dorlon's continued swears and was pleased with her own hunch about Dorlon's little tic when lying. Glancing toward the suns, she noted that the lesser sun was almost gone, while the primary one was inches above the horizon. "We should probably stop."

  Dorlon peered over her shoulder at the suns. "Ja."

  Together, the girls gathered up the things around the campsite and put out the fire with dirt. Without the heat, they shivered and buttoned up their coats to their necks. Charlie shared a long hug with Dorlon and promised to see her soon.

  Raine stood away from the pair, watching them and waiting for Charlie. She started to turn when Charlie neared her, but hesitated at hearing Dorlon.

  "Raine?" Dorlon was holding out her arm and offered a friendly smile.

  Raine shifted on her boots, glanced at Charlie once, and then closed the short distance. She hooked arms with Dorlon and held it for a long moment. "Tah," she said, but there was more written in her features that she spoke in Dorlon's native tongue.

  Dorlon dipped her head, then released her arm before heading to the fallen tree.

  Charlie stood next to Raine, her gaze steady on Dorlon. She traded a final wave and waited there until Dorlon made it across the natural bridge. "Come on, sis."

  Raine took the fishing rod and basket, then led the way back to New Earth. "She seems pretty cool."

  "Yeah, she is cool." Charlie followed her sister into the rusty-colored woods, using an animal trail to guide her. She noticed the slow, sly grin on Raine's face and asked, "What?"

  "She's so cute too!"

  Chapter 1

  "Charlie," Kal whispered with thunder and heat in her voice.

  Charlie stood before the Alpha and searched the dark ashen eyes above her. Her skin was hot and itchy, her clothing confining. As she inhaled, she swore Kal reminded her of warm autumn spices, and it excited her blood to the point that she wanted to strip. Instead, she adjusted the heavy saddlebags on her right shoulder and hoped she didn't drop them with her shaking frame. For a moment she was unsure whether she would be invited into the cabin or rejected. She clutched the bags' leather tighter as she waited for Kal to make the final decision.

  Kal remained poised in the doorway, filling it with her brawny body. She was breathing heavily and gripping the door with white knuckles, as she seemed to struggle with her inner Alpha. Although she only wore a breast wrap and loose, black bottoms, sweat was beaded along her brow.

  Charlie used all her willpower to not look below Kal's waistline where she imagined there was already an erection. As a kid, she heard many tall tales about Alphas in ruts, but now she wondered if there was
truth behind them. She cleared her throat, swallowed once, and did her best to remain silent, knowing Kal was in charge.

  "You should not be here."

  Charlie bit her lip and withheld a moan at how Kal's voice rumbled and called to Charlie. She struggled not to shove Kal into the cabin and tear both their clothes off. Such a strong need to have sex had never existed in Charlie's life until today. Her mind was growing fuzzier with each tick, but she took a deep breath and focused herself a bit longer. "I'm where I should be." When Kal narrowed her eyes, Charlie whispered, "You need me." A shiver raced down her spine after Kal's deep growl, but it wasn't threatening. "And honestly—" She hesitated, feeling the truth heavy on her chest. "—I need to be with you."

  Kal shifted closer, pressing their bodies together.

  Charlie almost dropped the saddlebags after Kal's noticeable erection pushed against her stomach. She couldn't fight her needy moan this time. She stiffened when Kal bent over her, nose brushing near her ear, then decided this was her last chance to nudge Kal over the edge. "I won't leave. I can't leave." She closed her eyes while Kal breathed in her scent, savoring the sweet smell. "I know you're in pain. Let me help you." At the thought of Kal's misery, her chest strained and eyes stung. "Krafka, Sumner." Her shoulders sagged with each heartbeat; but then the weight vanished.

  Kal had taken the saddlebags and stepped aside for her lover, inviting her into the cabin.

  Still trembling, Charlie entered the cozy interior that wasn't much larger than Kal's quarters in the Great Tower. She noticed the lit fireplace and a long sofa with a wooden table in front of it. Her attention skipped to the oversized bed beside a window. To the right was a basic kitchen with all the necessities to be comfortable for noreds in the woodlands. Between the kitchen and bedroom space, a closed door probably led to a washroom, and Charlie suspected there was an outhouse somewhere on the property.

  "Did you come here alone?"

  Charlie faced her lover and replied, "Ja. Only Dorlon knows I'm here." She waited for any recognition in Kal's features about Dorlon knowing they were lovers. If Kal pieced it together, it didn't seem to matter. All that stood before her was a rutting Alpha who wanted to mate her.

  Kal set the saddlebags down on a wooden bench beside the closed door. She approached Charlie again with arousal etched on her face. In their previous liaisons, Charlie had felt Kal's cravings buried under the layers, but tonight was different. Kal's face was open and raw with hunger, which made Charlie's heart jump. As Kal made a grab for her, Charlie stumbled back and held up her hands. She promised Dorlon she'd have Kal take the medicine. But Kal's only purpose was to knot and mate Charlie, for life.

  "Wait, wait." Charlie clenched her teeth when Kal snarled at her. "Just listen to me for a tick." She was forced back another step as the Alpha advanced on her. "I have medicine with me that can help block some of the rut's effects on you. You'll be able to think clearer and have more control."

  Kal narrowed her eyes, her lips curling to reveal her canines.

  Charlie grumbled at her inability to reason with Kal, who lunged at her. She sidestepped Kal and continued holding her hands up. "Please, Sumner."

  "You came to give me suppressants?"

  Charlie lowered her hands, and a blade lanced her heart. "I came… for you," she whispered, crumbling at the mixed message she was sending Kal. "If you're gone for a nineth, then your people will notice." Kal paused and she sensed she was getting through on some level. "I don't want you to take the blocker, because I'm selfish and want you just for myself."

  Kal straightened. "Blocker?"

  "It's different from a suppressant. It's taken after a rut has started. The blocker won't stop the rut, but it'll make it bearable." Charlie held her ground, relieved Kal was listening to her. "Take some of the pain away."

  Shaking her head, Kal refocused on Charlie and pursued her again. "Mating you will take the pain away."

  This time Charlie didn't run and was grabbed by her lover, but she pressed a hand against Kal's heated chest. As in her earlier dream, her palm was coated in moisture from the rut's increased body temperature. She felt like she was being held by an ember, and the heat radiated through her clothes. "Ja, it will. But your people need you."

  "They can survive a nineth without me," Kal hissed, lowering her head.

  "Until they find out you've knotted and mated a human," Charlie whispered, nuzzling Kal's temple. She wanted to give in, slide her hand over muscles until she could clutch the hard penis, and allow Kal to take her to bed for as long as they pleased. Her body hummed with desire, nearly overwhelming her rational thought.

  "You don't wish to be mated, at least by me." Kal's rumbling voice held accusation in it. She attempted to straighten up until Charlie cupped her flushed cheeks and pressed their foreheads together.

  "I-I-I want that." Charlie squeezed her eyes shut and trembled from her confession. Being mated in the Kalmar culture was binding for life. It was more difficult to break than a legal marriage back on Earth. "I do want that with you." She swept Kal's wild, dark strands behind one ear. "But I know how important your people are to you and what you've sacrificed for them. I know what our mating would do to your people." She pulled her head back and gazed into blown pupils. "It's your choice. But if you mate me, I will take you off this planet rather than stand by and watch you be killed." She shook her head and whispered, "Screw them all."

  In those dark eyes, she watched an awareness come to life, and she already knew the outcome. As Kal made her decision, Charlie held back her tears.

  "Give me the blocker."

  Charlie nodded and gathered her strength before breaking their contact. She went to the saddlebags to retrieve the two purple pills from a container, then glanced at the Red Cherry Ring she'd transferred from her duffle bags when she left Tarrak. Her fingers brushed over it, but she left it alone and returned to her lover.

  Kal was seated on the sofa and bent forward. Her features were twisted while her trembling hand rested against her clenched stomach. All of her exposed skin glistened in the firelight, which caused Charlie to whimper. She lifted her head when Charlie offered her the pills.

  After Kal swallowed the pills without any liquid, Charlie sat down and said, "It'll take several hours for the blocker to work through your system and kick in." She hoped for the planet's sake that the blocker worked. As she traced her fingertips along Kal's bicep, she said, "I can help you with your pain until then." The selfish, needy part of her wished the medication was useless with Kal's biology. She feared that the Alpha was already being pushed back by the blocker and that Kal would refuse her. But then, dark eyes stared at her, reading into her spirit. The same string from earlier become taut around Charlie, cutting and seeping pain from her bones.

  Kal stood, then reached behind her back to free the black wrap from her chest.

  Charlie ogled at the muscles flexing along Kal's back, until the wetness between her legs made her follow Kal's example. She whimpered after getting the leather jacket off, tossing it to the floor, then removing her boots and socks. With some control, she was careful to put the belt with the attached lectra gun onto the fur in front of the fireplace. She glanced over at Kal and faltered at seeing the nude Alpha.

  Kal snarled at Charlie that prompted her to hurry up.

  Throwing her underwear onto the pile of clothes, large strong hands snared Charlie and pushed her toward the sofa. She faced the furniture and dropped to her knees on the edge of the sofa. Clutching the couch's back, she peered over her shoulder to see Kal stepping up behind her ass. Kal had once told her that the rut would make her penis thicker but not longer. At the moment, though, she had no chance to see for herself, and she shivered at the thought of taking it.

  Being a human lover might catch up with me, she thought as the head of Kal's cock kissed her opening. But Charlie convinced herself she could handle it, and she rocked her hips to encourage the Alpha to fuck her. "What are you waiting for?"
she taunted, earning a growl before the pressure against her entrance spiked as the head surged into her. "Fuck!" she cried out from the sudden drive.

  Kal bent over Charlie and twisted her fingers into her golden locks. She jerked Charlie's head around, growling at her. "Mine," she declared, staking her claim. Thrusting her hips forward, she drove her cock deeper into Charlie.

  Clawing at the sofa, Charlie panted and prayed her heart didn't burst. From the corner of her eye, sharp teeth reminded her that the Alpha ruled tonight, but Charlie wasn't quite ready to give over everything. She loved challenging Kal's Alpha until she had no choice but to submit. "Joh," she said, hissing in protest. "I can still fuck who I want." She grinned like the devil and provoked the Alpha with a last whisper. "Like Magnar." Her entire body was wrenched up from the sofa back until her feet were on the sofa, and her twisted head was pressed against Kal's chest. She shook against the muscular body wrapped around her, melting into the powerful hold.

  "Did you fuck her?" Kal's voice thundered through the cabin, and she dug her blunt nails into Charlie's stomach.

  "Do you smell her on me?" Charlie held a proud tone and saw Kal's foot now on the sofa cushion, next to Charlie's feet.

  Kal tightened her grip on Charlie's hair, making Charlie whimper. "You could have washed it away." She trailed her hand downward until her fingertips grazed Charlie's clit. "Did you fuck her?"

  Stiff against Kal, Charlie bit her lip and gyrated her hips, then gasped at how Kal's cock shifted in her. She wanted her clit rubbed more, but Kal denied her.

  "Tell me," Kal ordered, her breath hot against Charlie's temple. She pulled her hips away, dragging her thick shaft through clenching walls.

  Charlie moaned as she sensed the difference in girth, but she tensed when there was barely anything left in her. "I won't." She grabbed the muscular arm across her chest and clawed into the skin with both hands. She was unprepared for the sharp thrust back in and cried out.