Page 40 of Galaxy Between Us

“It’s working!” he announces in a singsong tone.

“What is? The quantum force transfer stations?” I perk up, but Gomez shakes his head and taps the screen of his work phone.

“The distraction!” he explains before flipping the screen around to show us a magazine cover displaying a picture of Knox and me in the cylinder. Knox leans forward, reading it carefully with his eyebrows drawn together.

“The first compatible Alpha and Omega to reach the stars,” he mumbles the caption before glancing up, “So, everyone will think that it was all for science?”

“That’s right,” Gomez declares proudly. “The public will believe that the chemistry between you two was necessary all along for this project to work! Which isn’t entirely a lie.”

“Gomez, you’re a genius!” I cheer along with him.

This is great news. The scandal is practically water under the bridge, and we still get to be a part of an amazing project. But when I glance at Knox again, he isn’t smiling with me.

“Thank you, Gomez,” he dismisses his assistant. As he retreats, I continue staring at Knox until he explains why he’s upset. It doesn’t take long for him to sigh through his nose and confess.

“This isn’t just for science. I don’t like hiding the fact that you’re mine.”

My stomach flutters at the declaration.

“Drama doesn’t stay hot forever. Everyone will mellow out eventually. Maybe once people get used to seeing me around you, they won’t glance twice once we…make things official.”

We’ve never discussed what we mean to each other after our raging pheromones subsided, but I’m pretty sure the answer is the same for the both of us.

Everything.

Knox means everything to me. But mating is a big commitment. One that could cost him his status and his job due to the outrage from others. It’s unheard of for such a prolific Alpha to settle with a defiant Omega nobody. Especially one who has already earned a bad reputation.

The door to the lounge slides open. I’m slightly surprised, and very unhappy to see Jaimie stroll in with the food cart. His jaw is set tight, eyeing me like a cobra while remaining professional. I stare him down while he settles platters of food in front of us, but a firm squeeze on my thigh draws my attention. I glance at Knox, finding his eyes still on me and his hand possessively on my leg.

Jaimie pretends not to notice and makes a swift exit.

“Whether others know it or not, we’re together now,” Knox mutters.

A laugh escapes my throat.

“Are you asking or telling?”

Knox wraps his arms around me and places firm kisses on my mouth.

“Telling. You’re mine.

I press our foreheads together, basking in his Alpha scent for a minute until my stomach twists painfully. We need to eat something. Leaning away from each other, we observe the food. Immediately, I frown.

“The hell is this?” I grimace at the mushy, gray muck with steam rising from it. It hardly looks edible.

“Space food with necessary proteins and calories to keep us healthy for the transfer beds. It’s not as bad as it looks,” Knox explains, lifting a spoonful to my mouth. “I tried it back at BOW camp.”

I blow on it, expression timid as I accept the smallest nibble. Chewing thoughtfully, it’s bland as hell as I swallow it down, but my stomach allows it. My appetite has been a little weird since Dr. Ritza told me to quit my suppressants cold turkey. I can’t be on them for the project. And I’m already feeling the effects because I haven’t actually taken them for days due to the elevator incident.

They’re in my dorm room and I’ve been staying at Knox’s house since the scandal.

He helps himself to the rest of the muck on the spoon before bringing another scoop to my lips.

“How long did she say we’d be on the beds for?” I ask, letting him continue feeding us both.

“Three to four weeks, but for us, it will feel like thirty minutes or so.”

“I hope it works…and that the side effects are minimal.”