Chapter Eight

Amby was at the dock at dawn, and an unfamiliar boat pulled up. An alpha who was beautiful and golden moved to moor his vessel. "Ambermarle?"

"Yes."

"I am here to take you to the butterfly island. The Daring Company is closed for the day. Come on board."

"Oh. Well, thank you." She handed up her equipment to him and climbed on board.

"No problem. I live nearby."

She watched him unravel the line he had just fastened, and he moved around the boat as they drifted free of the dock. He settled behind the wheel, and they were off.

She moved near him and sat on a very nice padded seat. "Thank you again for this. Do you know what happened to the charter company?"

He smiled. "Their mate is in heat, so they are rather busy."

"So, one mate for the whole company?"

"There are only three of them." He grinned.

"Oh. Right. What is your name?"

"Exeter. The butterfly island is owned and run by my twin. Exoval."

"Oh. Twins?"

"Fraternal. You'll see."

Clear of the port, he accelerated toward an island that was still shrouded in the mists of early morning. The boat bounced on the waves, and she kept her phone pointed at her island destination.

It was a half hour on the water before he glided in against the dock. He tied up and said, "Exoval is at the top of the hill. Enjoy the hike."

Amby nodded. "Should I call you when we are done?"

"Exoval will get me. I live on the next island over. It will only take ten minutes or the time from the butterfly sanctuary to the bottom of the path."

She nodded and put her pack on one shoulder. "I will see you later."

He chuckled and nodded then cast off and carefully backed his boat up before turning and heading toward the island he had identified as his home.

Amby hiked up the path, saw a few butterflies that were familiar to her, and smiled as they landed on her shoulders and hair. She recorded them as they got thicker, and then, there was an archway and gate across the path. The gate was locked, so she looked around for a bell or alert or something.

A small bell was sitting next to the gate on a plinth. A butterfly had settled on the bell, and she carefully moved to avoid disturbing the blue and crimson insect. The bell chimed softly. A person approached her, and to her surprise, it wasn't an alpha. The man with golden hair, tanned skin, and vivid blue eyes was smiling at her. "Good morning."

She smiled in greeting. "Good morning. I'm Amby."

"Exoval. You are here for a walk in the gardens?"

"Yes, please. I will be recording with my phone if that is okay?"

"Sure. Did you want to set up a stationary camera for the central gardens?"

"May I? I brought a tripod and everything."

He gestured, and the white shirt that he wore fluttered with the motion. His clothing appeared to be made of a dense cotton gauze, and it caught the breezes. She was wearing one of the outfits Ahheel had chosen and some comfortable sandals.

She moved to where he indicated, got out her tripod, set it up, and got the camera recording.

Exoval smiled. "Are you good?"

"It is recording."

"Excellent. Is that a gimbal?"

"Yeah, it reduces the wiggling of the image. Are you up for being interviewed after I get a tour?"

"Of course. You don't seem upset that the butterflies are landing on you."

"I am used to having butterflies on me." She smiled.

He nodded. "Let's take that tour. We will start in the main building and go from there."

Amby inclined her head. "Lead the way."

The first hour was learning about the life cycles, looking at the cocoons, and then the hatching area where the butterflies could get their body's moisture into their wings where it belonged.

Once they were through the building, they walked out into a space where the air was filled with colour. Exoval brushed a flower petal from her cheek and paused. He drew his finger down her cheek, and his eyes went wide.

"You... are you an omega?"

She wrinkled her nose. "No, and yes. I am an altered beta. We kind of act as omegas with a more reliable reproductive system."

"They let you walk around alone?"

"Sure. Betas like me are occurring in one city only, and no one is looking for me here." She smiled. "Well, almost no one. I have two that have figured me out, but there are giant clues on my back. So, nice to know they aren't blind."

"You have a mark?"

"I have a few."

He smiled. "It would have been convenient to have that knowledge. The uncertainty is insane."

"Ah, which is why you are on a hillside covered with butterflies."

"Yes. Would you like some refreshments before we wander through the gardens?"

"That would be nice. Thank you."

He smiled. "This way. My home is slightly less covered in wings."

"Good. I was paying attention, and they like sugar. So do I."

Exoval smiled and led the way out of the cloud of brilliant wings and out through a gate. They walked into his home, and she smiled. "Does your brother visit often?"

"Why? Are you interested in him?"

"No. My dance card is full. The last symbol on me is why I am here, but I am not really sure how to bring this up with an omega."

He smiled. "Wait for tea."

He moved around his quiet home and soon brought a tray to the table with tea, cookies, and cups. He moved to the counter and got some sugar.

He poured a cup of tea for her and set a cookie on the edge of the plate. "Now, Amby, tell me why you are here."

His huge blue eyes were so pretty that she grimaced for a moment and then said, "I can explain by showing you. Do you mind if I open my dress?"

"That's a new approach."

"You have not answered. I don't inflict even partial nudity on my enemies without warning."

"Oh, by all means. Take off whatever you need."

She sighed and untied the wrap of her dress, turning to show him her back as she swept her hair to one side and then eased her dress off her shoulders. The butterflies were excited, and she knew they were moving.

"What the hell? They are moving." Exoval exhaled softly, and then, she felt the touching. They all had to touch.

She pivoted and lifted her cookie while he stroked the butterflies.

"Who else is on here? Wait. Dorian and Ohno?"

Amby smiled. "Yes. Are you objecting to being on my back with them?"

He was quiet. "No, they were always very polite to me. Not like the others."

"Ah, guys getting grabby?"

"Yes. King Kekoa assigned me this research station, which has been very serene for the last few years."

"He did that for you?"

"He understood my fears."

"Well, he's currently enjoying life with an omega, another alpha, and an altered beta like me. My cousin, in fact."

"What? Alohi let him have another?"

"It isn't a matter of let, but my cousin Hara turns into a giant gold statue."

"Oh. Right. Alohi couldn't fight with that."

"No. He couldn't." She yelped when Exoval pressed his lips to her back, and he exhaled softly.

"You feel good; you smell good."

She nibbled her cookie. "You smell nice, too. Warm and pretty."

"Can we skip the tour and just cuddle? It has been a long time since I had someone to touch."

"You want to cuddle with me?"

"Yes. I haven't... it's been a long time."

"Well, I haven't ever."

"What?" Exoval lifted his head in surprise.

She explained it softly, and he turned her to face him. He smiled shyly. "So, cuddling?"

"Just cuddling."

He smiled. "Of course."

She put her hand in his and finished her cookie. "I haven't cuddled anyone ever. Let me know if I stick an elbow in the wrong place."

He led her to his bedroom. "I will."

"Can we have cookies after?"

"Amby, you can have my entire pantry."

"Yay!" She skipped along with her dress open to the waist. Something about him made her giddy. He was stunningly beautiful, his hair was longer than hers was and went down his back in a golden curtain, but it was the eyes that were braced for injury that made her want to cuddle him and make him feel safe.

"Naked is best, but I understand if you don't feel comfortable with it." He unfastened and slipped his shirt off.

She smiled and let her dress drop to her feet. Her underwear hit the floor as his trousers did.

"Wow. You are gold all over." Also, he had the standard muscles of someone who spent days swimming, but she tried to keep her gaze above his navel.

He chucked. "And you have been out in the sun." He tapped her nose.

He lifted her, settled her on the bed, climbed in next to her, and tossed a light sheet over them. He snuggled up to her, and the distinct feel of an omega's skin made her sigh happily. It was like the softest chamois stroking her skin. He wrapped her in his arms, and she relaxed far more than she had with Ohno giving her a massage.

"So, Amby, I am guessing you are looking for sex?"

She held up her cuff. "No. I am befuddled by the idea, but at the same time, I think it would be nice to trust someone that much."

He looked at her cuff and blinked. "I haven't seen that configuration before."

"It collects your ideal matches. I just happen to have three of them."

"You have collected two?"

"I have met two. They know about me; I know about them. We just have to get through my tourist contract, and then, we can negotiate."

"Negotiate?" He nuzzled the back of her neck, and his lips started a slow caress.

"Yes, what I can do, what I can't do, how much I am allowed to work, how any pregnancy would be identified. Who has to take care of me if I get pregnant? Where we live. Stuff like that."

"Ah. Those are all good things to know before you take a mark." His mouth moved more energetically on her neck, and then, he rolled her to her back.

He licked and kissed her neck in a puppy-like frenzy.

"I thought we were cuddling."

He lifted his head. "Never trust an omega when it comes to cuddling."

He kissed her softly and then with more intensity. She whimpered, and it felt like part of her melted.

His hair surrounded them in a silken curtain, and she whined softly, causing him to freeze.

He lifted his head. "You make omega sounds."

"I do?"

Exoval grinned. "I want to see what other sounds you will make. No joining of genitals, I promise."

Her eyes went wide as he continued to move over her frantically while his voracious mouth attacked every sensitive bit of skin as he slowly descended.

When he spread her thighs apart, she suddenly understood his purpose. He applied his mouth to her sex with his tongue swirling wildly, and all the breath left her lungs. She twisted, whined, and shook as her body felt hot and tense, and then, there was lightning and twitching.

Exoval waited until she was relaxed and moved up her body, rubbing his nose against her. "That is what an omega refers to as cuddling."

She looked at him in a daze. "Consider me educated."

"I wanted nothing more than to slide into you, but we agreed, and I am a man of my word." He smiled brightly.

"Um, why?"

"I know those butterflies, I am those butterflies, but they are next to the manta ray and twining up the falls before flying free. I know you will be my primary lover if we form a union. I am not into men if I am not in heat."

"Oh, so, you are here because..."

"I went into a heat when I lived in the village, and it turned into a free-for-all, but I fought getting marked. The alphas involved wrote apologies, but I decided distance was what I needed. So, Kekoa made me butterfly guardian, and here, I have stayed."

"How often are your heats?"

"There are plants around here that make them easier." He stroked her back. "I am no longer mindless and crying."

"Oh, good. The restriction and constant pain kept me from kicking into a full heat."

He frowned. "Are you in pain now?"

"No."

"Good. How long has it been since you have felt like yourself?"

"Since they removed the stitches? Six weeks."

"You smell like your cycle is close."

"How close?"

"Pretty close." He chuckled. "A few days, if that. Can't you tell?"

"No. I can smell food and flowers but am generally nose blind."

"Oh, that will be interesting." He kissed her and whispered, "Just a minute."

He moved away, and she shivered as air moved across the sweat on her skin.

Exoval came back and had a black cuff on his wrist. "Here. Let's see what this does."

He bounced back onto the bed, his erection bouncing as he settled next to her. He touched her hand and stroked his fingers across his cuff, grinning.

She watched as a band that had black and rainbow hues moved across her white cuff. A small message came as Pack complete.

She looked at her cuff in surprise. "Wait. Is that what it was doing?"

He chuckled. "Tourists think that the cuffs are a cute way that they can interact with the locals. We know that it is to match us with mainlanders who might have characteristics we might vibe with. We get a financial bonus for kissing a few frogs, and they get a story they can barely remember when they leave."

"What?"

"The cuffs disperse memory. Well, the normal ones do. I have never seen one like yours before."

"Violet made it, and Ahheel had it behind the counter in her boutique." She flexed her hand.

He grinned. "Come on. More cuddling then I will feed you."

"Wait. Cuddling or omega cuddling?"

He chuckled. "I can't wait to find out myself."

She blinked. "Hey, a price just came up on my cuff."

He nodded. "I am not surprised."

She shrugged and said, "I don't want to use this account."

"How much is in it?"

"Infinite?" She shrugged. "It has one of those figure eight symbols."

"Oh, well, what is the number for me?"

She pulled up the numbers for the bands and swallowed. "I can't afford you. Any of you."

She pushed away from him, and he said, "Shush, shush, shush." He gathered her in again. "If I agree to it, it can be free."

She was breathing heavily. "I can't spend half a million dollars on sex."

"Whoa. So, you have expensive mates. Good to know. Right. Ohno owns the hotels."

"He owns the manor."

"Aw, little wings, he owns all the hotels on the island. Just like the Daring Pod owns the charters. Wait, you said Dorian was one of your mates?" He chuckled as he held her close. "Yeah, he's expensive."

She was shaking, and he held her close to soothe her.

"I have never cuddled a woman through sticker shock before."

She looked at him and felt tears in her eyes. "You are three hundred thousand dollars."

He smiled. "I am. Was. Showroom price. I am giving you the discount. Can I show you something fun?"

She blinked and sniffled. "What?"

He tapped his cuff and did something to it. It faded to soft grey. He held it where she could see it and touched her cuff with his. "We are pricey because you are pricey. Look. Seven figures for you, dear one."

"No fucking way."

He giggled. "We are a very expensive grouping."

She blinked. "I don't think I can afford to shower myself."

He laughed and wrapped his arms around her. "I will help you do whatever you like."

"Are you drunk? This is a weird system."

"It is just to stop the vacationers from running wild on our islands. We don't have to keep more than a handful of peacekeepers on hand. They keep each other under control because they are trying to woo locals."

"You haven't seen a bachelorette party recently. Those ladies are insane."

"And I hope never to see one again." He shuddered.

"Oh, right. Omegas don't get married."

"We can't. It is considered unwise to give a highly hormonal creature a vote or rights to their own accounts." He shrugged. "I do okay on an allowance."

"Oh, wow. I hadn't thought of that. I guess if I mortgage my house, I could afford one night with you, but that would be it."

"Exeter would kill me, but it would be worth it." He stroked her breast and chuckled.

"You are under his custody?"

"Guardianship. It was always obvious that I was an omega, and our parents just signed me on to him. He didn't have much say in things."

"Where are your parents?"

"Sailing the seas on their yacht. They will be back in a few years." He chuckled. "Boy, will they be surprised."

"Surprised?"

"They thought I was going to die alone here."

She frowned. "Why?"

"Because no alpha would be with me, knowing that I didn't want them."

"What about a female alpha?"

He chuckled. "Me and Ahheel don't get along. She likes females exclusively."

"Ah. Yeah, she does." Amby blushed.

"Plus, she isn't soft or curvy or sweet."

She pressed her head to his shoulder. "Um. Okay."

He kissed her temple and tilted her head back. "So, pretty one, want to cuddle?"

She bit her lip, and he smiled and kissed her, tangling his tongue with hers. Amby leaned into him, and he carefully aroused her with his fingers and mouth until he was licking again, and she screamed when everything shattered.

He purred softly and nuzzled his way up her body as she gasped and shivered against him.

"Don't you need to..." She caressed his chest and trailed her fingers down his belly.

"No. I got off twice before you arrived. I didn't want to show you around with a raging boner just because you smelled good, but I did anyway."

Amby yawned and cleared her throat. "Excuse me."

"Tired already, little pretty?"

"Sorry. It's been a fairly active few days. Yesterday, I climbed the falls, and I think I am still tired from that."

"You climbed the falls? Ah, you did say Dorian was one of yours."

"Yes. He is."

"Get some rest. I am going to invite some guests."

She sighed, and Exoval kissed her forehead. Cuddled against him, she imagined herself covered with butterfly wings.