Zyxel frowned as his fiery eyes settled on him.
“What do you know about your genes?”
“Everything that was available in the database, which unfortunately classified all demi-humans except for the genetic makeup of the prototype generation. While my sisters were able to discover what species’ genes they had been spliced with, Selena and I didn’t have that privilege.”
“Nothing came up in your galaxy’s database?” Zyxel blinked hard and shook his head in confusion. “If you’re part Ezzaska, then what genetic material did the Yaarkins use to create Selena?”
“We aren’t talking about Selena,” Kaede hissed. “Until you are vetted, you don’t have clearance to study her.”
“But Kaede—”
“No, Selena.” Kaede snapped his head toward her and glared. “My traits are too obvious to hide. You will tell him nothing.”
“I haven’t.” Selena narrowed her eyes. “Though I don’t think it’s wise to ignore the fact that he may know my species. What if he can give us both the answers we’ve always searched for?”
Closing his eyes, Kaede breathed deeply, inadvertently filling his lungs with Selena’s unique scent. Biting back a growl, he pushed away lustful thoughts of what he would rather be doing to Selena’s body at this moment.
If it wasn’t for his AI vision—enhanced by REI’s drone control—he would’ve missed Zyxel’s coils tightening as he stared on nervously. Kaede may have registered all of Selena’s ambassadors as neutral yellow bodies, but that didn’t mean he fully trusted them. It was up to his Oetsae to determine if they became a threat and dispose of them.
“You need to control yourself,” REI interjected. “The male isn’t a threat to you or your star, and you know it. If anything changes, he’ll be swiftly dealt with. Your mating instincts are making you view him as competition, but Selena has already addressed that she isn’t interested in exploring what he has to offer. You should leave if you’re unable to calm yourself before you do something you will regret. Continuing down this path isn’t healthy for either of you.”
“I’m fine,” Kaede pathed to his Oetsae, opening his eyes to see a worried Selena watching him. “As long as I have her by my side. I’m stronger than this.”
“You are mine to protect, Selena. Until we are within our borders, I can’t let my guard down for any reason, even though you tempt me to do so.” He searched the nervous doctor’s face, trying to get a read on him. “I don’t know what telepathic range either of your companions has. Your Cosmic Soul reached me from a three-day travel time away from the base, and that cyan frax was able to contact Selena on Destima. Therefore, until I’ve deemed Selena safe and Oeta has cleared all of you, she won’t be giving you any more information about herself. I don’t want a battle on my hands, but if you bring one to me, I won’t be taken by surprise again. You will lose.”
“I am a doctor, first and foremost, and a researcher second. I was thrust into employment with the twin commanders, left with no work but to study the abductees we’ve rescued. I’ve learned an extraordinary amount about species beyond my galaxy to provide them the care they need. It is my duty to provide my services to those in need.”
“Once Oeta proves your innocence, you can use that knowledge on Destima to help its citizens,” Kaede clipped. “Until then, Selena is off-limits. Let the Oetsae deal with her medical needs for the time being.”
“So you’ve said, but what does that mean for you?” Zyxel tilted his head toward Selena, his attention flickering between them. “I was just telling Selena that you are part Ezzaska before you returned. This is a dangerous game that you are playing.”
“Enlighten me.” Kaede grabbed Selena’s cup and took a sip, smirking at her silent objection. The beverage tasted bitter when cool, but it still satisfied. “What’s so bad that you are willing to risk angering me by warning my mate away from me?”
“I know how venomous Ezzaska are. When an alpha male goes into heat, it lasts for days—sometimes even weeks. He continues mating until he burns off his mating hormones. Your claim that you are mates makes things difficult.”
“How so?” Selena asked, her voice laced with concern as her worried eyes searched his. “Doesn’t that solve the problem?”
Zyxel shook his head. “Alpha Ezzaska don’t take life mates. In fact, it’s the beta who bonds with a queen to provide and care for her for life. Alphas mate with any betas or queens they encounter to spread their seed far and wide.”
“How often do they go into heat?” Selena squeezed Kaede’s leg as he rubbed her side to give her reassurance. “What does it mean for Kaede?”
“It means that somehow, if the Stars have willed you two together like you claim, that he will breed you—and only you—until the fire in his veins is no more,” Zyxel replied seriously. “If he has Ezzaska breeding venom, then he will inject you until your arousal becomes unbearable unless he quenches it. When a beta or queen is the only available Ezzaska around, even if they are tired or unwilling, the alpha will inject them with a paralyzing venom and rape them endlessly. It’s a terrible part of Ezzaska nature that comes once every year.”
“I will never take Selena unwillingly,” Kaede hissed. “Even when she tempted me to mate her in the past, I denied her because I would never take advantage of someone who wasn’t completely ready. It’s insulting that you believe that I would lower myself to rape.”
“That’s not what I’m implying,” Zyxel insisted. “I wanted to warn you both about your genetics, especially since you have displayed a lot of Ezzaskan characteristics.”
Kaede absorbed Zyxel’s warning.
Now he knew the reasoning behind his Bahzyl and Luzatu venoms. He had been spliced with alpha Ezzaskan genes, including the venoms used to subdue and mate his prey.
However, Selena was
