The Tribute (Clexa)

Chapter 2

Lexa did a quick assessment of the omega. The girl had a gash in her head that was still bleeding, and with the way she was positioned, the alpha had no doubt that the omega had either severely bruised or broken her hip in her crash through the atmosphere. Lexa figured it had to have happened then because the pod had landed rather softly on the ground thanks to the parachute.

"Strikon (little one), I am going to lift you now and bring you outside. Our healers will take care of you."

Lexa moved to pick up the omega, but the girl panicked and tried to scoot away, ripping a scream of agony from the blonde creature.

Behind her, Lexa could hear Titus approaching with Anya and Indra. She was sure they were there to congratulate her on her win, but their approach had her growling. Suddenly, she didn't want anyone near the omega. The omega was hers.

She spun on them and held her swords crisscrossed in front of her, ready to defend the omega on the floor of the small ship.

Anya held up her hands. "Lexa, it's okay. You've won. We are simply here to help."

Anya and the others knew this was likely to happen. It wasn't uncommon for the winners of the Conclave to become defensive of their prize, and it often took hours to get the alpha to move so that the precious cargo inside the pod could be taken care of.

Peering inside, Anya knew that this omega didn't have hours for Lexa to calm down from the heat of battle and winning her prize. One look and she knew the omega was in a bad state, not only from her injuries, but also from the very obvious maltreatment she had experienced during her life. Once glance, and Anya was cursing Keryon for allowing such terrible treatment to befall the omega.

It was the way of all the omegas that came from the sky. All were malnourished, and many got hurt during their landings on Earth. Most had been unprepared for life on the ground and had withered away within months of the Conclave. It was why Sheidheda had been Commander for so long. Since his Conclave, no other omegas from the sky had survived. No pups had been sired, except his own one pup. The last sky omega had been killed during the Conclave. That wasn't supposed to happen.

It was why it was vital to get to the omega inside the pod. She needed care immediately. An overprotective alpha was exactly what the omega didn't need right now.

Lexa was growling.

"Lexa kom Trikru. You need to settle down. Look at your omega," Indra snarled tersely.

Lexa looked down at the girl and whimpered, but she didn't let up on her protective stance.

"If you don't let the fisas (healers) look at her, she's going to die. Is that what you want?" It was Titus who spoke.

Lexa's chest was still heaving from the exertion of her battle. Her breathing increased. Titus's words sounded like a threat to her, and a deep growl formed at the base of her throat. At the same time, she knew the omega needed help. It just wasn't in her to let anyone else near the girl right now.

"Stay away from her. I will carry her," Lexa snarled.

She finally turned to the frighted omega on the floor again. Kneeling down, she placed a hand on the omega, but the girl screamed again, trying to move away from the touch.

"Beja Strikon (please little one), I am not going to hurt you. Ai swega em klin (I swear it)."

The frail blonde omega didn't seem capable of speech.

Lexa heard the others shuffled behind her, and she growled again. "Stay back."

This time she didn't hesitate. She moved toward the omega and scooped her into her arms, ignoring the terrified cries. She poured out calming pheromones, but the omega was too far gone in her fear and pain to notice.