Tempest watched Dron as he walked off.

On the outside she was the picture of calmness, but on the inside it felt like two raging cats warring with eachother. She didn’t want to be anywhere near these people.

She could almost feel the hostility as it poured off them and arrowed straight toward Dron. He hadn’t done anything but show up but it seemed like everyone here was judging him.

She never wanted more to make a good impression on people she couldn’t stand. Before the night was over they would be eating there words. Dron was a good man. Most of the time.

"I’m told your name is Tempest?" The woman in the center of the other two spoke. She was beautiful. Long purplish blond hair. Her eyes were just a little too far apart. She reminded Tempest of Emma Scott. She was very tall had to be about six feet at minimum. She was thin, nearly no breast at all. In fact, everything about her was thin, her lips, her nose, her eyebrows.

"Yes, I’m Tempest. And you?" Tempest looked between the three women, waiting for the introductions.

"I’m Kia." The one in the middle said as she lifted her chin and looked down her rail thin nose at Tempest.

"Triniq." said the one to the left.

"Brixly." the one to the right said.

Each name had a very hard consonant sound, but they sounded enough like human names that Tempest figured it wouldn’t be too hard to remember.

"Nice to meet you all." Tempest smiled, and they all looked at her as if she was about to throw up or something.

"Are you well? I knew it, that horrid alpha isn’t taking care of you." Kia hissed.

"I’m quite well. I’m sorry. What I’m doing is called a smile. It’s how people on earth signify we are pleased. Just part of my culture. I know you all don’t do that here."

"A smile?" Brixly replied, tilting her head. "Oh, it’s true, my translator says it’s a form of greeting or joy."

For the next few seconds, Tempest cringed as she watched the three women all try to smile. It was like someone trying to morph a clay ball. It didn’t look natural on the women at all.

Tempest breathed, trying to keep the conversation light. "So how are you all liking the festival?"

"It’s mundane, there are so many other things we could be doing right now. Training our alphas for one." Kia shrugged her shoulders.

"Training them?" Tempest asked.

"Of course, I’m sure you haven’t been told, but the entire fate of our civilization rests on us omegas. The alphas may think themselves the leaders, but it’s really us who rule this world. Our alphas should be trained to be better companions."

"You speak about them like they are dogs." Tempest bit out all while trying to keep the smile on her face.

The three women tilted their heads to the side. Tempest recognized that she must have said something that didn’t translate quickly to Thraqen.

"You know animals...beasts." Tempest tried to quickly explain.

"Yes, that’s precisely what they are," Brixly replied as she tried to smile. Out of the three of them, it seemed to come more naturally to her.

The three women looked at each other; all of them wore the same snooty expression. Tempest wanted to smack it off each and every one of their faces.

"Dron isn’t an animal. He’s a man. A good man." This time it was Tempest who lifted her chin and glared at the women.

"You’re joking? Truly? You can’t expect us to believe the cursed one actually conducts himself as a man." Kia spoke, her eyebrows raising up to her perfect hairline, "Honestly, it wouldn’t surprise me if the miscreant crawled on all fours when he was on his property."

Rage built up in Tempest, and she felt herself starting to lose control of her temper. "You don’t know anything about him. You’ve taken rumors to be truth, but I’m here to set that straight. Dron isn’t cursed. There is nothing wrong with him. How dare you all stand here and judge him simply because he looks different from the rest of you."

Triniq gasped, "Just looks different? You must be brainwashed or just blind. It’s not because he looks different, though that doesn’t help. It’s because everywhere he goes, death follows him."

Tempest raised her hands slightly. "That’s not the case because I live with him and I’m still alive."

"Give it time. I only pray that while you are with him he doesn’t break you."

That comment pulled Tempest up short. "Break me? How would he do that?"

Kia was the one to respond, "Alphas may not be the leaders that they think they are, but make no mistake, they are leagues stronger than us. The only thing stopping them from dragging us all into the woods and mating us against our will is decorum. They try to stay civil. Unfortunately for a tainted alpha like Dron it’s harder than most. I’m sure he’ll have his way with you sooner or later, whether you want him to or not." She shrugged her shoulders again.

"Dron would never do something like that to me. He wouldn’t do that to anyone." Tempest tried to stand up for him but she’d witnessed just how strong he was. The fact that he was able to open that monstrosity of a door with just a few fingers was a testament to just how strong he was in comparison to her.

"You don’t know what he’d do. There’s a reason everyone stays away from him. Why you would pick someone like him I’ll never know." Kia continued.

"Of course, you’ll never know. You all are so focused on the gossip and rumors that no one even gives the man a chance to prove who he really is. I’m lucky to not have made that mistake. Now if you don’t mind I’d like to go find my husband." Tempest smiled stiffly at the three women as she scooted by them and walked away.

She didn’t know how much longer she’d be able to keep up this ruse if everyone felt like those three.

Tempest’s eyes wandered around the crowd of people. Everyone was trying to hide the fact that they were looking at her. They’d divert their attention when she gazed at them. Her eyes stopped on Dron who seemed to be walking away with another man. Older maybe. That was strange; she didn’t think there were any old people here in Thraqe. She wondered briefly if the older man had stopped using the life nectar.

Her eyes drifted back to Dron. He was a commanding man. Even just walking away, Tempest noticed how well he carried himself. The strength of his spine, the way he held his head up high. An outsider would never know the man wasn’t comfortable in his skin. They’d never know that he was as broken as anyone else.

Tempest was pleased to see that Dron had found someone to talk to. She’d worried when she stayed to talk with the three women alone that he’d be left to his own devices and she’d find him in the shadows somewhere.

Tempest didn’t know who the older gentleman was, but she was glad he looked to be a friend to Dron. Dron deserved friends. He deserved to be loved, just like everyone else.

Tempest let out a soft sigh before she turned her attention to the marketplace itself. Everything was so nicely decorated. Lights seemed to be embedded in the crevices of each stall. Each of them pulsing and throwing pretty colors in the surrounding area.

She didn’t know what most of the items for sale were, but she couldn’t stave off her curiosity. There was one stand that seemed to have a plethora of flowers for sale. She wondered what they smelled like. Roses? Lillies?

Tempest walked over to the stand, and the shopkeep stood tall, and his eyes brightened.

"You bless me with just your presence, omega. What are you looking for today? I’m sure you’ll find all you need here at my shop." The merchant said.

"I’m not really looking for anything. I’m just...window shopping." She replied and waited for his translator to get her point across for her.

"Ah, I understand." He shrugged his shoulders. "Well, did you have any questions for me? Truly, your alpha should be the one to explain these things, but I’ll be more than happy to help you."

Tempest cringed at the man’s words. It seemed no matter what Dron did, the people in this town would find some way to disparage him.

"He’s in the middle of a conversation right now. I don’t wish to bother him." Tempest smiled at the man, and once again another native Thraqen stared at her as if she were about to combust. "I’m fine, smiling is part of my culture."

The shopkeep didn’t ask any more questions; he just shrugged his shoulders and moved closer to his wares.

"Are these decorative flowers?" Tempest asked.

"Oh no. Not at all. We use these herbs for cooking and cleaning. Of course, you shouldn’t have to worry about that." The shopkeeper’s eyes widened, "Dron is feeding you appropriately, is he not?"

Tempest sighed, it seemed as if everyone was so quick to assume Dron was mistreating her. "Yes, he feeds me well. In fact, Dron is a very skilled cook. He’s made me some of the best food I’ve ever had in my life." That wasn’t a lie. Her mouth was watering just thinking about the next time she’d be able to get a plate of food.

"That’s good...now let me explain what I have for sale." The shopkeep tried to smile. It was quirky on him, but it was close enough that Tempest returned the expression.

The man was nice enough, at least he didn’t openly judge Dron in front of Tempest. Before long she was enthralled in a world of spices and smells. Items she expected to smell sweet somehow smelled spicy and the items that looked bad enough she’d disregard them as poison actually were sweet.

She was so focused she didn’t realize what was happening until it was too late.

"Beta, take a break." A deep voice rumbled from behind her.

Tempest turned around expecting to see Dron but it was three other men she didn’t know.

"Of course, alpha." The shopkeep bowed his head slightly his shoulders bunching up to his ears as he backed away and walked off.

Tempest was instantly on alert. She didn’t see any police around but then again she didn’t know if they dressed in a certain uniform or anything like that. She looked over the one man’s shoulder trying to find Dron but he was still talking to the older gentleman. She was on her own for the moment.

"May I help you?"

"Yes, you can help us. You smell divine." The man in the center leaned forward slightly and actually sniffed the air around her. "We just wanted to get to know you better."

The one to the side shrugged his shoulders softly, "I’m Cynit." He gestured to the man in the middle, "This is Brulin," Then to the last one, "And this is Atax."

Tempest logged all of their names in her mind. She would have a harder time remembering those. "Well it’s nice to meet you. I should be going." She tried to walk off but Cynit stepped in her direction cutting her off.

"Oh, no. Don’t leave just yet. We just wanted to speak with you for a bit. After all, this festival is truly a celebration of you. Won’t you let us celebrate you?" He tilted his head. He was trying to seem pleasant, but everything about this man was giving Tempest the ick.

"I appreciate it, but I don’t need to be celebrated. There’s nothing special about me." Tempest’s voice lowered, and she felt a soft tremble inching up her spine.

"Well, that’s to be determined. I’m not sure if you know so I’ll tell you. Atax here is of royal blood. Brulin is one of the richest alphas in all the land, and I, well..." He lifted his chin and pulled his shoulders back giving Tempest a smug look, "I’m a favorite among all the omegas. They say I’m the best lover they’ve ever had. I’ve already fathered a child."

Tempest looked between the three of them confused as to what that speech was supposed to do for her, "that’s nice." It was the only reply that she had in the tank.

"It’s more than nice. It’s proof that we are the best of the best. In every way. Rumor has it that human women will be the next group viable for our reproductive properties. You’re the first of many. I think it’s only right that you are bred by an alpha capable of highest praise."

Tempest’s mouth gaped open and her eyebrows furrowed. She didn’t know what the proper cultural etiquette was in this situation. All she knew was she wanted out of there.

"I’m married. If anyone is going to breed me it’ll be my husband. Now if you could move out of my way." She snapped at the man and tried once again to walk around him. At once the three of them converged on her and backed her into the stall.

"I don’t think you are understanding. Maybe your translator isn’t working. You will allow me to mate with you."

"Like hell I will. I know the rules. You can’t touch me unless I give my consent. It’ll never happen." Tempest’s voice shook, but she dared not look away from Cynit.

"Maybe you should think again." Cynit leaned forward as if he were going to touch her. Tempest cringed away. She didn’t want this man anywhere near her. She sucked in a breath, ready to scream, but it wasn’t needed. Before Cynit could get any closer, a monstrous growl erupted behind the group of alphas.

"You lay one finger on my mate and I’ll rip your arms off and feed them to you."

Dron had come...just like he said he would.

Tempest didn’t know if that was a good thing.