Dron snarled as another rock made its way into the small carriage.

He leapt from his seat and caged his wife with his body. One arm on either side of her head to protect her from the projectiles that were flying into the small space.

It was stupid. He hadn’t been paying attention. Had been so busy fantasizing about the woman in front of him that he didn’t even realize that he was leaving the both of them open to an attack.

Dron cringed as a sharp rock in particular slammed against his back. He was used to the people around him taking out their anger on him, but it had been a long while since anyone had dared raise a weapon against him. Mostly because they all knew by that point that he was one of the most deadly individuals in the community.

They only went against him now because they knew he could do nothing to stop them. He was stuck in this situation with this woman. His main objective was to keep her safe. It vexed him to no end.

Dron looked down and expected to see the woman enjoying the display, but instead the look on her face made it seem as if she were just as pissed as he was. Did she really expect him to believe that she didn’t feel the same way the rest of those around felt about him.

Dron refused to let himself believe that she was different. They never were.

There was a slight lull in the attack. Dron took that as his opening. He turned and quickly pulled the straps that held the drapes on the open windows in place.

It was one thing for the bastards in this town to come after him. But when it came to this woman, the omega, they had no right. He knew he shouldn’t, but he couldn’t help but feel bad for the woman. She didn’t deserve to be pelted with rocks. She was perfect.

Too perfect for him.

It was something that Dron would have to remember.

She might have gone through with the ceremony, but he knew that this was all just a ruse. She wanted something more from him. There was a reason that she was here. He’d almost forgotten that when she sat across from him and revealed her body to him. She was good. He could tell, whoever put her up to this was really a master in deception. The woman was trained well.

"Are you alright?" He questioned and watched as she tilted her head to the side. Her translator must be noting his dictation and cadence. .

It always took the device a few times to get completely used to a new speaker.

After a second, she moved her head up and down. Dron didn’t know what she was doing or what that was supposed to mean.

"Yes." She spoke and continued to move her head up and down.

After the marriage ceremony, Dron had raced off to update his language translator. He couldn’t stand not knowing what she was saying. But he didn’t want her to know that. He wanted her to think that he still couldn’t understand her. The goal was to maybe get her to say something that she wouldn’t have said out loud if he had been able to understand her.

So far she hadn’t revealed anything about her plan or what it was that she was doing there.

The more she talked, though. The more Dron felt like he was in a losing battle. She was interesting. She didn’t sound or act like any of the other Omegas he’d ever been allowed to be around. In fact, she was so different Dron felt himself nearly desperate to know more. .

He wasn’t stupid, though; he knew it was because of the mate bond that had started to form. A bond that he wouldn’t accept. Especially since he knew that the woman sitting right in front of him didn’t feel the same way. There was no bond on her side. Dron knew that if he let the bond take root. If he went against what he was supposed to do, stay away from her, he’d go crazy when she decided to leave him after the 20 moon cycles. . That must be the plan. The reason she was truly here. She’d force him to lose his mind just like his mother. Then the people in the community would have every reason to put him out of their misery.

It was a good plan, and if he weren’t smarter, it might have worked.

Unfortunately for everyone else, Dron was a master of self-control. There was nothing that this woman could do that would force him to accept her. All he was meant to do was to keep her safe and to make sure she lived for the next Alpha she chose. There would be no sex. No mating. No children.

The thought saddened him for a minute, but he knew it was for the best.

Dron didn’t say another word to the woman as he felt the carriage pick up pace and the amount of rocks being thrown at the carriage cease. They were safe.

He went back to his seat across from her.

"Is that normal? Do the people around here constantly throw things at you?" The woman asked, but Dron didn’t reply.

She huffed in frustration. Her face was so expressive. It was different from the normal. The usual people around here were very stoic. Only make gestures with their shoulders or snarl at him. Yet this woman seemed to tell all of her secrets on her face. Secrets that Dron just couldn’t decipher yet.

"You know there has to be someone to get those people under control. In my home, the community isn’t allowed to do things like that. Truly, for a planet that is supposed to be so advanced, stoning people is rather barbaric." She crossed her arms over her chest, her feet flat on the floor again. She’d given up her attempt at seducing him. That was a shame. Dron had particularly liked the way her legs looked. Smooth, daintier than the average Omega.

He tilted his head to the side but still didn’t reply to her. Instead he looked away as if the words coming out of her mouth weren’t very interesting.

That didn’t stop her from talking, though.

That could be annoying. That is what he wanted it to be. He wanted the woman to be so grating that he would have no problem staying away from her while she was in his care. If she kept talking as much as she was, it would be no problem.

After what felt like ages, the carriage finally stopped. Dron took a chance and looked out the window. He could see that they were on his property. For the first time since this all started, he was able to breathe. The relief that he felt knowing that he was home was nearly overwhelming. Here there would be no one to try to cut him down. There would be no one around to call him cursed or a blight. He was safe here. Safe with a woman who might be sent to destroy him.

"Go." He ordered.

Instead of moving through, the woman simply stared at him, her expressive face trying to display confusion. It was of no matter to Dron, though. He didn’t care if she stayed in the carriage the entire time that she was here. He wouldn’t let her be the end of his peace. The small amount that he got.

She was safe here on his land. At least until the moon set. He would have to drag her inside before that happened, though, if the situation called for it. There would be no charge of him being the one to have an omega killed. He wouldn’t let it be that easy for those that would be going against him.

He stepped out of the carriage and looked around his land. He tilted his head back and closed his eyes, taking in a deep breath. Home. Finally.

He walked in the direction of the door and heard behind him the woman shuffling about in the carriage.

"Hey." She called out to him. Her voice was annoyed, but Dron didn’t turn. He simply kept on his way to the house. He raised his hand to unlock the door, but before he could finish the procedure, the woman rushed up next to him and grabbed his arm. He yanked it away, and she cowered back. He hissed at her once to let her know that she was too close to him. She didn’t have to touch him. Not for anything. He expected her to get angry again, but instead she continued to cower as if she thought he would strike her. .

The thought of someone hitting this beautiful creature pissed him off. Is that what happened to Omegas where she was from?

He grumbled something under his breath, still not wanting her to know that he could understand her before he reached his hand down. He didn’t touch her, but he waited for her to look up at him and to give him her hand.

Her eyes were wet when she finally did look back in his direction.

Tears? Why were there tears? The only time he’d ever seen tears was at the end of life ceremonies he’d been forced to attend after one of the fallen soldiers died, and it was reserved for the family of the soldiers. It was rare since not many soldiers were mated.

Dron wouldn’t focus on that; it could be another ploy.

Instead, he waited for her to lift her hand. She lifted the wrong one, and he puffed out in annoyance. He flicked his shoulder, indicating that he meant the other one, and it took her a few seconds to understand what he was saying.

She lifted her other hand, the one with the device, and he synced the door to her equipment. The locks beeped for a moment before the door slowly swung open enough for him to grab it and open it. It might be a bad idea for him to give her access, but he didn’t want anyone claiming that he’d kept her hostage. She was free to leave whenever she saw fit. He hoped it would be soon.

When the woman noticed what he had done, that same expression he saw in the marriage pond exploded on her face. The corners of her lips raised, and her eyes squinted.

What was this expression.

It bothered Dron that there was so much about this culture that he didn’t know. Being one of the best soldiers meant that he had information on everything that could come his way. Human women were not on the list. He was at a loss with her. It was a problem he was sure to rectify as soon as possible.

He didn’t waste any more time looking at her or her expressions. He turned and walked in the house, the omega on his heels.

He gestured for the lights to illuminate and walked further inside.

The woman was no longer behind him.

She was still standing at the door, her eyes wide as she looked around.

Dron couldn’t tell if she was impressed or just taking note of everything that was there.

He was cursed and shunned by the people in the community, but it didn’t mean that he was a brute. There was a time in his life when he believed if he could show everyone else that he was just as capable of being civilized, they would believe it.

No one ever did. It didn’t matter how much money he accumulated or how cultivated his tastes were, he would always be less than in their eyes.

She could stare all she wanted. There was nothing in his home that she could use against him.

In fact, the only danger here was her.

A danger that Dron was determined to get away from.

He left the woman standing there in the entrance of his home. If he had his way, that would be the last time that he would see her.

All he wanted was the peace of a good night’s sleep, and he would not let her stop him.