Dron hacked and hacked at the tree.

There were easier ways to get rid of the debris on his land, but this suited him. He needed a way to get some of the excess energy out.

A way to relieve the pressure that seemed never to stop growing in the pit of his stomach.

He’d never in his life spent so much time with a woman, and knowing that she wanted him to just hold her while she lay there with him was a pleasant surprise, to say the least.

After he left Mark Chief Rynax, he promised himself that he wasn’t going to allow himself to be played for a fool, but it was nearly impossible to keep that promise.

Every time Tempest smiled in his direction, he was willing to give up the world to keep that smile on her face. He was becoming as soft as a beta.

Dron grumbled under his breath and swung the large axe down onto the thick piece of wood.

After a while, his mind started to drift, and he was no longer thinking about Tempest lying with him in bed. Instead, he was thinking about what she had said, how she told him what Rynax had told her in the shop.

There would be other alphas coming for her, other alphas willing to try to take what was his.

There was no way that he was going to allow that to happen. He’d give up his life before he allowed anyone to touch her.

Still, Dron wasn’t stupid or overly confident. He knew there was a chance that he would die. Then what? What would she do when he was gone? All that he would’ve worked for in regard to keeping her safe would be for nothing.

Dron had never felt more alone than he did at that moment.

There was no one that he could turn to. No one that he could trust to take care of Tempest if something were to happen to him.

Maybe Mexyn or Gerax, but neither of them seemed like the fighting type. Maznik would try, but he was too frail. He’d been off the life nectar for too long to really put up much of a fight. Clik was more interested in the science behind anything than to ever raise a hand to anyone.

That was it.

That was the extent of people Dron would ever think to ask for help in the situation.

There was another option, but it made Dron nauseous just thinking about it.

He could always approach Rynax about it.

Rynax was a strong alpha. Sure, he’d made some poor financial decisions in his life, but Dron knew that Rynax would put up a fight.

Dron also knew that Rynax would want Tempest for himself. Maybe that would be the best decision, the best choice for Tempest once he was gone.

The morbid thinking made Dron all the more angry, and soon the wood that he was chopping was nothing more than a pile of mulch. He would rather not have to think about this. Didn’t want to have to wonder about what would happen after he died.

His life was simple before Tempest. Sure, he was hated and feared by nearly everyone in the country, but they left him alone. He rode out his heat in peace. He didn’t have to worry about any other omega’s heat. He didn’t have to think about subterfuge or large-scale plans to overthrow the present regime. All he had to do was get through the days.

Now everything was more complicated.

Dron looked through the window and saw Tempest rushing to the door. He’d installed a lever that made it easier for her to open. She was very excited about that. Another instance where her happiness meant everything to him. When she opened the door, Dron could see that it was Mexyn through the windows.

He let out a deep sigh. He didn’t realize that he had been holding his breath. He was worried all the time now. It was true that everything was different, more complicated, more intense...but he didn’t think he would give it up if it meant he had to give up Tempest.

It was right then that he knew that he couldn’t go through with his part of the deal that they’d made.

There was no way that he could help her get back to Earth. He couldn’t let her go.

Dron walked a little further down the path. Almost as if somehow Tempest would be able to hear his innermost thoughts. He could feel his world growing heavier and heavier with every step that he took.

Dron squeezed his eyes closed and roared up to the sky. He didn’t want to betray her like this. Didn’t want to go back on his word, but he didn’t feel like he had any other choice. Just thinking about her on a ship headed through all those stars away from him felt like he would die.

But what would it matter if she didn’t stay with him anyway? What would it matter after the mating period was over and she decided that she no longer wanted to stay with him?

Finally, Dron made the decision that he would leave it up to her. He would make it so hard for her to want to leave him that she would choose not to go back to her home planet.

That meant he would have to up his effort when it came to wooing her.

More jewelry.

More clothing.

Special dinners.

Everything that he could think of in order for her to want to stay there with him. It wasn’t something that he was used to, but he’d do everything he could to make her want to stay with him.

It felt like it was a life or death situation.

Either he would live in happiness with the one woman in all the world who brought light into his life, or he would die in darkness without her.