Shane
Waking up, I feel slightly disorientated, blinking, it's too bright.
My throat is dry. Oh god, not again, what did my father do now?
"Keep calm everything is alright you are safe," someone says to me.
The bright light behind my eyelids lessens.
"Better?"
I turn to the voice, oh I know him he is Doctor Jikin. I sight and touch my forehead,
"I was a bit confused, waking up."
"That isn't surprising after a heat."
"So, I'm no longer in heat now?"
"Yes, it took you four days to get it out of your metabolism. For the next time, I hope I get heat suppressors for you. The captain wanted me to inform him when you wake up. Is that ok for you?".
"Uhm... sure, did something happen?"
"It's better our captain explains," Doc says while tapping something on his tablet.
Then the door opens, and Wiphas steps in.
"Hello Shane, how are you feeling?"
"I think I'm fine. Thanks for bringing me to the doc and not taking advantage of the situation."
"You don't have to thank me for this. Any upstanding Alpha worth his Xerxerus would do this."
"Your Xerxerus? The ones that grabbed me?"
"My shifted form, yes. But back to the reason, I wanted to speak with you. I have to show you something," he says while handing over his tablet to me.
There is a video open, I only need to press start.
"I'm federation diplomat Jake Barker, and my son was kidnapped by rebels in the Centurion System. He is an innocent young man. He is gone for over 24 hours, and no demand for ransom was made. I imagine the worst happened to my beloved son. That's why I place a bounty of 10 million credits on Wiphas, the Xertian rebel leader. I want him alive so he can pay for what he has done to my son. If you recover my son alive. You will get an additional 10 million credits. Bounty Hunters, I want that bastard found, help me and get a hefty payment."
The video turns off.
My face went ashen, I feel sick. I drop the tablet and huddle together with my knees drawn to my chest, and my arms hugging them.
This can't happen, this can't happen. I reiterate in my head. Then I feel big warm arms hugging me to a muscled chest. Wiphas starts to whisper in my ear,
"Everything will be fine, we will protect you. He will not get you back."
I look him in the eyes seeing determination,
"But everybody will be after you, I'm not worth risking your life over."
"You are worth it, I don't care if the whole galaxy will come after me. I will protect you with my life."
Kissing me on the forehead. Wiphas draws back from hugging me and stands up. I feel the loss of his warmth acutely, my forehead feels like it's been branded where he kissed. I look up in confusion,
"But why? Why would you risk everything for me? What is with your crew?"
He reaches out with his hand and caresses the top of my head. His strong fingers feel good, massaging my scalp.
"That is easy to answer. You are a young man that needs help. Made vulnerable by his heartless father. I will not see you hurt or raped or worse. You were made an Omega, my Alpha side can't bear to see you get hurt or be in harm's way."
I blush, embarrassed by his declaration,
"So, if I weren't an omega, you wouldn't help me?"
I know this is an unfair question. But I need to know the truth.
"No, I still would help you if you were an average human. I would save anyone I could from this fate. It's one of the reasons we rebelled against the king."
"Okay, I believe you,"
I don't how, but I can feel that he is telling the truth,
"What happens now?"
"Well, we are one day away from Terra-Solaris. Suri, my First Officer, got the idea that we may be able to turn this against your father and the king."
"How?"
"Suri thought that you could speak with the human Senator on Terra-Solaris and explain what was done to you…"
"So I should tell him, my father made me an omega and wanted to give me to his business partner. But you guys kidnapped me before this happening?"
Wiphas sights, looking unhappy,
"Yes, I see that this isn't putting me in a good light. We never meant to kidnap you. I just saw an omega in distress that needed help. We have further information on your father. He is entangled in more than a normal business."
"Oh, I think I can imagine that now, I know someone you can give the information to."
"Really?" Both exclaim.
"Yes, my friend Curtis. His parents are influential people, his father is a general, and his other father is a famous actor."
That was the only reason my father ever allowed me to keep him as a friend. He wanted to save face, even when he had to put up with what he hates.
"How can we contact your friend?"
Suddenly before I can answer, I feel a vibration rocking the ship.
"Captain, we are under attack," Suri says over the ships communication channel,
"They opened fire without warning. They tried to disarm our ship and destroy our engine."
"You stay here with Doc, Suri I'm on my way," Wiphas says and runs out of the med-center.
"Oh god, this is all my fault."
"It's not, You did not offer yourself up to the King to be raped until you die. You didn't offer to be changed to an omega. You didn't ask to be kidnapped, in reality, rescued. And you certainly didn't tell your father to put a bounty on our captain's head. So keep calm and follow me. We need to go somewhere safer."
"Safer, as on the ship that gets attacked?"
"Safer means our lifepods, should we need them."
Walking out of the med-center. He is right, so I follow him.
"But don't they need you if someone is injured?"
"Yes, but Wiphas would never forgive me, for not getting you to safety first," Doc says, pulling out his com-device,
"Davac, I need you by the lifepods near the med-center."
"Roger, Doc, I'm on my way."
"You will go with Davac inside one, and stay there till we get the situation managed, or the ships break apart. Davac will protect you," Doc orders in a no-nonsense voice.
I shut up and don't reply. I hope that we will not need the lifepods. Davac arrives running, grabbing my arm he opens a lifepod and hauls me inside. While it's close, I see Doc wave and then run back in the direction of the med-center.
Davac sits me down,
"Try to be calm, this is just precaution, every crew member who isn't vital to the battle has orders to go to the lifepods."
I just nod, leaning back I close my eyes. Please all be safe.