Lirien's POV
I walked the same route to the maintenance storage room on Deck 7 like every other night. The uniform felt a little less strange now, but my stomach still tightened every time I passed another crew member. I kept my head down and my steps steady, just like Vael taught me.
The room was quiet when I got there. I started my usual fake tasks checking supply lists on the tablet and organizing a few toolboxes that didn't really need organizing. My mind wandered while I worked. Eleven days until Earth. The thought made my chest feel lighter, but I still had to survive these next nights without slipping up.
About an hour into my shift, I heard low voices from the far corner of the room, behind a tall stack of metal crates. I froze. No one was supposed to be in here this late.
I moved closer without thinking, staying in the shadows. Two tall men stood close together. Both Alphas. One had dark hair and broad shoulders, the other lighter hair and a nervous expression. They were almost nose to nose.
The lighter-haired Alpha looked scared. His hands were shaking as he touched the other man's arm.
"I can't stop thinking about you," he whispered. "But if my family finds out… two Alphas together? They'll never accept it. They'll say it's wrong."
The dark-haired one leaned in slowly, like he was giving the other man time to pull away. "I know. Mine are the same. But I don't care what they think when I'm with you."
They kissed. It was careful at first, then deeper. The hesitant Alpha made a small sound and pressed closer, but his body still looked tense, like part of him was ready to run if someone walked in.
I watched longer than I should have. My heart beat hard. I felt bad for spying, but I couldn't look away. They looked so careful with each other, so scared and hopeful at the same time. It made me think about Vael and me. We were hiding too.
I slipped away quietly before they noticed me and finished the rest of my shift with my head down. When my time was up, I walked the quiet route back to Vael's quarters. My hands were still shaking when the door opened.
Vael was waiting inside. He locked the door and pulled me into a hug right away. I held onto him tightly, breathing in his warm scent.
"You're trembling," he said softly. "What happened?"
I pulled back so I could look at him. "I saw something tonight. In the storage room. Two Alphas. They were… together. Kissing. One of them looked really scared. He kept saying his family would never accept it because they're both Alphas. They were trying to be careful, but they couldn't stay away from each other."
Vael's expression changed. He led me to the bed and sat down with me, still holding my hands.
"Those are my friends," he said. "Jax and Theo. They started seeing each other a few months ago. They've been hiding it from everyone, especially their families. In our world, two Alphas together is still looked down on by a lot of people. Their families have big expectations pack alliances, traditional matings. They're scared of losing everything if anyone finds out."
I stared at him. "You knew?"
He nodded. "They're my closest friends on this ship. They trust me with their secret. I've been helping them meet in safe places when I can."
We sat quietly for a moment. Vael looked at me with soft eyes, like he was really seeing me.
"You've been lonely here, haven't you?" he asked. "Stuck in this room most of the day, then pretending to be someone else at night. I don't want you to feel that way anymore. When we reach Earth in eleven days, I'm going to introduce you to them. Properly. As my… as someone important to me. You can talk to them. Make friends. You won't have to carry this alone."
My throat felt tight. I squeezed his hands. "You would do that for me?"
"Of course I would." He lifted one hand and brushed my cheek. "I like you so much, Lirien. More than I ever expected when I found you hiding in that corridor. I want you to have people you can trust on this ship. People who know the real you."
Hearing him say he liked me so much made warmth spread through my chest. I could see in his eyes that the words were true, even if he held something deeper back. I leaned forward and rested my head on his shoulder.
"I like you too," I whispered. "A lot."
Vael held me for a long moment, then pulled back slightly. His voice changed still gentle, but firmer now.
"There's one more thing," he said. "Did you watch them making out for long?"
My face heated up. I looked down at our hands. "Yes. Longer than I should have. I know I shouldn't have stayed, but… I couldn't stop looking. They looked so much like us hiding, wanting each other anyway."
Vael was quiet for a second. Then he stood up and looked down at me with that dominant look I knew so well.
"You watched something private," he said. "That means you need to be punished for it. Do you understand?"
My heart started beating faster. I nodded.
"Yes," I said.
He cupped my chin and made me look up at him. "Tell me clearly. Do you want me to punish you tonight? I will stop the moment you say stop."
I swallowed hard. "I want it. Please punish me, Vael."
He smiled a little, dark and satisfied.
"Good boy."