Smoke and Mirrors

The Core

Each of the paladins took the dead and started moving in the direction of their lion's hatches. Stret ended up next to Keith, with Krolia following.

The descent was grueling and by the time they reached the first ledge their muscles burned. Keith was starting to get annoyed because Stret stayed so close to him he almost couldn't move. He tried several times to move away, but Stret followed him.

'For fuck's sake, will you back off,' snapped Keith, as they made their way over the next ledge. 'You're practically on top of me.'

'I'm keeping you safe, Omega.'

'No, you're pissing me off. And quit calling me Omega.'

'Stret leave him alone,' Krolia said.

'As an Alpha it's my duty to keep you safe.'

'Bullshit. You think I haven't been around enough Alpha's to know the smell of mating pheromones.' He stopped climbing and look Stret in the eyes. 'Lance is my Alpha and I don't give two fucks what you think about that, so back off.'

Keith continued his descent.

'He will never be able to satisfy you.' Stret said, following.

Keith groaned in frustration. 'You have no idea what you're talking about, and seriously, I don't want to be talking about this with you at all.'

'Stret, will you stop,' growled Krolia. 'You can't just take another's mate.'

'They're not real mates,' insisted Stret. 'You should know that.'

'I'm going to come over there and kick your arse,' said Lance, his voice clear even though he was on the other side of the power core. 'Now, leave Keith alone.'

'All I have to do is mark him and he'll be mine,' Stret said. He grabbed Keith and pulled him closer.

'Let go of him,' Krolia demanded.

Keith slammed an elbow into Stret's face. 'You can't mark me, I'm pregnant. You'll end up killing me and the baby.'

'Keith, what's going on?' asked Lance.

Keith shook Stret off him and moved away. 'I'm fine.'

'If an Alpha marks some other Alpha's pregnant Omega, it causes a hormone imbalance that can be fatal,' Shi said.

'Right, that's it, I'm going to bash the shit out of him,' Lance said.

'Lance, save it,' said Shiro. 'We have a job to do. I want everyone to stop with the bullshit and concentrate.'

Keith started his descent again, hoping Stret would back off now. He managed to put some distance between them, so Stret wasn't breathing down his neck, but it was obvious he was trying to catch up.

He found the entire situation crazy. Stret didn't even know him, so he had no idea why he wanted to mark him. Most Galran thought of him as an outcast and had not been welcoming into the Blade. He spent his time staying out of their way and going on mission's others thought were beneath them.

Against the odds, he'd found the perfect partner in Lance, and he was damned if he was giving that up for anyone.

Stopping at the next ledge, he took a moment to flex his stiff and sore hands. He was slipping down over the ledge when he felt the vibrations. Looking up, he saw sparks of blue electricity snaking its way down the core.

'MOVE,' Coran yelled.

No-one needed to be told twice.

Letting go of the ledge, Keith let himself drop down, maneuvering himself from one hand hold to the next in quick succession until his arms burned in protest and his feet hit the floor.