Goliath's Mate (G-Force Federation Book 3), page 3
“Why are people so damn interested in me getting laid?”
Shaking his head Goliath walked out of his office and into his stateroom with a determined expression on his face, ready to take down criminals and maybe get laid.
Chapter Two
Camara smirked, looking at Nux, the luan shifter in front of him who was trying to cheat him at poker.
He knew a cheater when he saw one since he’d played the same scam a dozen times on other unsuspecting idiots. Not only that, but Camara could also see the card the shifter was hiding up his shirt sleeve. The game had started out with five people, but by the end, it was down to him and Nux.
Camara knew he had the winning hand, even if Nux wasn’t cheating. The man didn’t have a poker face—it was easy to figure out what kind of cards he was holding. Nux purred and his whiskers twitched when he had a good hand and growled under his breath when he had a very bad hand. Camara only hoped there wouldn’t be any bloodshed since it was supposed to be a friendly game while he waited for his client to show up.
He didn’t mind that their client wanted to meet on Unas since it was one of the many planets that allowed legal prostitution and gambling. The planet was gorgeous, with exotic foods, but it was also a den of pleasure opened to anyone who wanted to indulge in their deepest desires. A planet that made sure all its visitors’ fantasies come true.
“All right, my friend, I’ll see your fifty credits and raise you another thirty.”
“Such big talk for a little human-hybrid omega,” the luan shifter snarled.
Is he trying to scare me?
Camara responded with a smirk to the luan shifter’s comment. People always underestimated him because he was an omega. They’d somehow forgotten he was more gargoyle than human, not only that, but he’d made a name for himself as a deadly bounty hunter who didn’t put up with anyone’s shit.
“I’m so scared I’m shaking in my high-heeled black boots,” Camara teased. “Put up or shut the fuck up.”
Nux growled but added more credits to the pot. “Show me what you have, boy,” the luan shifter snarled.
Camara’s upper lip curled up in disgust—he hated being called ‘boy’ or any other names most of society loved to bestow on omegas because they were supposed to be the more submissive race.
Or so they thought.
Camara was far from submissive. He hated following rules he didn’t make. It was one of the reasons the federation was trying to take away his bounty hunter credentials and he was at odds with his family. They felt he had an obligation as an omega to mate with an alpha, preferably a gargoyle with a high ranking status in the federation and to give them strong, noble grandchildren. His sire was a High Admiral and had a lot of hopes for his youngest son, but joining the federation wasn’t one of them.
His clan was traditional and viewed omegas as docile and pure, whose sole purpose was to provide for their alpha mate and protect their young. All of their rules were stifling and were a disadvantage to the omega and an advantage to the alpha. According to the clan’s beliefs, omegas must put all others above their own needs and never walk in front of their mate, but behind them.
It was against the rules of the Creastalon clan for omegas to join the military. Unmated omegas without a noble bloodline were given non-combative jobs within the federation until they found their mates or entered a mating contract governed by the omega’s parents.
An omega like Camara, who was born in luxury, did not need to work, but must be mated by a certain age, or a mate would be chosen for them. Omegas in the Creastalon clan were not allowed to speak out of turn in the company of other alphas. It was seen as a sign of disrespect towards their alpha mate. They were not allowed to show emotion, especially if they disagreed with something their alpha said.
Omegas must follow their alpha mate wherever they went, without question. Once they were mated, the omega would devote themselves to producing children and catering to their alpha’s needs. The rules not only made Camara sick but angry each time he thought about it. He hated that his clan refused to change their old fashioned way of thinking.
Camara wasn’t an alpha nor a fully bred gargoyle, unlike his older brother, Leto. He was seen as too delicate and weak since he was a human-gargoyle hybrid. He hated the rules set by the elders of his clan. They were open and welcoming to other races who were mated into the clan, but they were required to leave the teaching and traditions of their birth clan and join with the Crestalon clan’s ways.
Camara broke the rules as much as he could growing up, only to be punished first by his sire and then the clan leader, Stavaris. It had gotten so bad at times his older brother refused to speak to him because of his behavior.
His bearer never once discouraged him, nor did he interfere in his punishments, always referring to his sire’s instructions. But it didn’t deter Camara. He retaliated against his upbringing to prove to his family that he was not some delicate flower. That he could be a warrior just like any alpha. He hoped that through his actions he’d change the minds of his clan leaders on how they saw omegas.
Not all clans thought the same as the Creastalon clan. Most of the clans allowed their omegas to do as they wished but still treated them as treasures. They were allowed to join the federation and served equally along with betas and alphas.
Camara wasn’t the only omega in the Creastalon clan who felt the way he did, but they were all afraid to stand up to their families. Except he wasn’t afraid to speak up. He’d argued the merits with Jakar, his sire, on many occasions on why things needed to change.
Jakar wasn’t the clan leader but was the second in command and had just as much authority to make changes for the betterment of the clan. However, the man was stuck in his old ways of thinking and hated change, just like most of the clan members.
Camara wanted to join the academy and had applied five times before he was accepted. Camara hated to admit it, but he knew his sire had something to do with him getting in—it was Jakar’s silent way of teaching Camara a lesson that he would always need an alpha’s help.
Jakar had even told Camara that he wasn’t tough enough to handle the training, and for a while, he believed his sire’s words. The training was hard and rigorous, not only on his body but mentally as well.
There were times Camara wanted to give up but pushed through. He’d been taunted and bullied during his training, not only from his commanders but also from his crewmates. The sad thing was, he couldn’t complain since he wanted to be treated like any other cadet because he was sure it was one of his sire’s lessons in the hope that he’d quit.
Camara couldn’t tell for a while if his sire hated him or loved him. Jakar had never raised a hand to him, no matter the things he’d done through the years, but his sire’s harsh words cut him to the bone each time.
Even with all he’d gone through as a cadet, he’d excelled, graduating at the top of his class in all subjects and combative skills, much to the ire of his crewmates and possibly his sire.
After his training was completed he’d gotten assigned to his brother Leto’s command—another of his sire’s interference where he was given menial tasks and was never able to put his combative skills to the test.
Camara grew bored and frustrated with his clan and the federation. He’d joined to have fun, travel, and go on missions, yet he was always stuck on Earth pushing papers and attending dinners and banquets, pretending to be proper and show interest in their boring conversations.
The thing that pushed him over the edge was when his sire, Jakar, informed Camara that he was going to be mated within the following year to an alpha gargoyle he’d never met.
The alpha was young and from a different clan who had just been promoted to the rank of Admiral with a bright future ahead of him. Jakar had told him the news so proudly, as if he was trying to impress Camara. They were at another banquet he’d been forced to attend when his sire sprang the news on him.
“Sire, you can’t do this to me,” Camara yelled.
“I can and I will,” Jakar shouted. “I’ve indulged your idiotic whims thus far and it is time you settle down and take on a mate.”
“I refuse!”
“You refuse,” Jakar countered much louder, getting the attention of everyone in the room.
Out of the corner of his eye, Camara saw his bearer, Susson, move to intercept but was too late. He was angry with him for always taking his sire’s side even when he didn’t agree with him.
“You will do as I say because I am your sire and I have authority over you. Not only that, you live under my roof and will follow my law.”
“Well then, maybe it is time I remove myself from under your roof,” Camara sneered, looking at his sire with disgust.
“What the hell are you saying, boy?” Jakar growled.
“If you haven’t noticed, sire, I’m no longer a fucking boy, but a man who can make his own decisions. I don’t need you to make life-altering decisions for me.”
Jakar scoffed. “You don’t know what the hell you want. You’re still wet behind your wings and need your bearer to kiss your skinned knees.”
“Jakar, maybe we sh—” his bearer started.
“Hush, omega mate,” Jakar snapped and instantly his bearer quieted. “I will ask your opinion when I require it.”
It angered Camara on every level. “How long will you let him treat you like this? He refuses to listen to anything anyone has to say unless they are an alpha.” He looked at Susson, who looked down. “He doesn’t see you as his equal and that means he will never see me as a strong person with a mind of my own. I can’t live my life like you, bearer. I cannot, and will never bend to the will of an alpha mate who doesn’t seem to have any regard to my feelings.”
“Cam, my son, you don’t understand. We’re doing this because we love you,” Susson tried to explain, but hearing that only made him angry.
“How is forcing me to enter into a mating contract love? I cannot do things the way you did, bearer.”
“Child, there are things I must adhere to when I agreed to mate with your sire. Human or not, I am your sire’s mate and I abide by his words always because it is my choice.” Susson sighed and took a step towards him, but Jakar stopped him with a hand on his bearer’s arm. “I know what it looks like to you, that I’ve never raised a concern or voiced my opinion, but that is because I wait until we are behind closed doors. I would never let our family business be known to others. Until now.”
I can’t believe I’m hearing this shit. If I need to wait until we are alone to speak my mind to my mate, I don’t want one.
“Behind closed doors.” Camara didn’t hide the disgust in his voice. “Well, bearer, I can’t,” he said, shrugging off the jacket to his uniform and the medals he’d worked hard to achieve.
His medals seemed inconsequential at that moment. He looked down at the jacket in his hand, wondering if he’d wasted his time all those years trying to open his family’s eyes. But they will forever remain closed.
“As of today, I’m done with this clan, this life, and the fucking federation. It’s time I carve out my own fucking future.”
“Why must you always disappoint me,” Jakar sneered.
“No, sire, it is I who is disappointed in you.” Venom dripped with each word he spoke. “You have never tried to see my point of view.”
“That’s because you don’t have one,” Jakar growled.
“Jakar,” Susson admonished, but it fell on his sire’s deaf ears.
“You disgust me, Jakar AstaFallen,” Camara said, dropping the jacket on the ground. He looked around the room at the shocked faces.
No one would dare speak to an alpha, or the second in the clan, much less a high admiral in the federation the way he did and get away without being punished. But he didn’t care anymore, he was through being a part of a clan that would only see him as a baby-making incubator.
“If there are any other omegas who want something different in life, follow me out the door. Think carefully because if you decide to leave with me, know you’re giving up your right to being a part of a clan. You will be excommunicated, be known as a rogue. I have no fucking idea where I’m going,” —he looked at his sire, who was so angry his fangs were showing— “but anything is better than staying here.”
He stepped closer to his bearer and kissed Susson on his wet cheek. “I’m sorry, my bearer, but I need to…” He choked, unable to finish his words.
Camara knew once he walked out of the door he would never see his bearer again. If their paths crossed in the future they would be like strangers meeting for the first time. He was going to miss his bearer’s hugs and comforting words, but he knew leading his own life was for the best.
Susson placed a hand on his cheeks, then pressed their foreheads together. “I understand, and you have my blessing to live your life the way you see fit. I love you, my little one. Be well.”
He kissed his bearer on his forehead before walking out of the room, not looking back at his sire who was screaming his name, or to see who would follow him. All he knew was that he was about to start a new life, whatever that might be.
“Are you going to sit there staring at me or show me your cards, boy?”
Camara smiled and knew the expression didn’t reach his eyes. “I’m sorry, gents, it seems I was wool-gathering about the last man who called me boy.”
Nux growled again, his mane ruffled and his whiskers twitched the more the shifter was agitated. Nux dragged his claws against the table, growling as he stared at Camara. Maybe in an attempt to scare him, but Camara tsked, shaking his head.
“Damn shame he’s dickless now.” Camara mentally rolled his eyes at the gasp he heard from the people who believed him.
“W...what did you do to him?” Nux asked.
“Didn’t you hear me? I said he was dickless.” To hype things up, he reached into his pocket and pulled out a knife, throwing it in front of the luan who jumped, the knife stapling the sleeve where his extra card was hiding. “I cut his dick off with that very knife. If you look carefully, you’ll see that the grooves are still stained with his blood no matter how many times I cleaned it.” Nux’s friends winced and covered their crotch, trying to hide their jewels from his view. “Want to know what was the worst thing he did?” They nodded, seeming too fascinated by his web of lies. “He also tried to cheat me. So I took his dick with me and threw it out of an airlock. Right now there are some guy’s dick floating along with the stars all because he tried to cheat me.” The luan shifter’s eyes widened in fear. “You wouldn’t want that to happen to you, do you?”
“You’re lying,” Nux said.
“Keep thinking that, it might save your dick,” Camara said with what he hoped was a convincing smile. “Now, how about you be a good luan and show me yours and I’ll show you mine.”
Nux slowly laid his five cards down on the table. “There. Now try to beat that,” he smirked.
Chuckling, Camara laid his cards down one by one, shocking the luan who couldn’t believe his three of a kind beat his pair. He reached into the middle of the table, pulling the credits he’d just won towards himself.
“Not so fast,” the luan shifter said, stopping him.
“Captain, we have company,” Allack, his vice-captain, said in his earpiece.
“What? Who?” he said, speaking to Allack.
“The federation,” Allack answered. “Tell me you didn’t do something to piss them off because it seems they are looking for someone.”
“I’ve been a good little omega, I promise,” Camara told his friend.
“I wish I could believe that,” Allack grumbled.
Camara looked around the bar and rolled his eyes, spotting the federation officers. If they were trying to mix in with the rougher crowd, they were doing a terrible job. Dressed in leather pants and jackets—all neatly buttoned up to their chins, and their military-style haircuts—screamed, I’m a part of the federation. If their appearances weren’t a dead giveaway, their side pieces clipped to their legs were.
Who the bloody fuck taught these rookies about surveillance?
Camara shook his head and turned to the luan shifter who was growling down at him.
“What can I do for you?”
“Give me back my credits.”
“No,” Camara said, gathering up his goods, pocketing them as he stood.
“You cheated!”
“Oh bloody hell,” Camara cursed. “Why can’t you lose with dignity?”
The luan pushed him against the nearest wall and brought the knife Camara had thrown earlier to his throat. “You fucking cheated! Nanzo saw you.” Camara tried not to wince or reopen the injury in his back he’d received the week prior in a fight.
Now he’s threatening me with my own damn knife? How dumb can he be?
Camara had no fucking clue who Nanzo was, nor did he care.
“Cam, we do not have time for you to play around. Our client just entered the bar,” Allack said in his earpiece that chameleon technology changed to fit the wearer’s complexion.
“Where?” Camara asked, looking around the bar once again. His eyes stopped on the tall, muscular gargoyle that swaggered into the bar.
The gargoyle had light blond hair with a scar on his handsome but roguish face and an eye patch that covered one of his ink-black eyes. The leather pants looked as if they were made for him. Tall, dark, and sexy didn’t have a shirt on, showcasing his eight pack abs and muscled chest under the white leather trench coat he was wearing.
He didn’t see a weapon on him, so Camara couldn’t tell if he was a part of the federation or not, but his entire body language screamed “I’m in charge and test me if you want and I will crush you”. It didn’t deter Camara that the man he was looking at was an alpha—he didn’t discriminate when it came to sex.
“Damn, he’s hot, please tell me that’s who we came here to pick up?” He was drawn to the man’s bad boy appearance when he shouldn’t be.
“Not him,” Allack snapped in his ear, making him wince. “The one behind tall, dark, and brooding.”
