Tempest had never been so overwhelmed in her life.
Not only was she burning up in the gown she'd chosen, but the staring unnerved her.
On earth, Tempest never considered herself anything special. Sam let her know on more than one occasion that she was pretty but more homely than anything.
Just average.
But here it seemed as if the crowd looked at her as if she were some sort of supermodel. Tempest wasn't used to being the center of attention.
On top of all the attention, Gerax talked nearly non-stop. He had taken his duty as her guide seriously. Every alpha male that they passed, Gerax would tell her a little about their background and even what previous Omegas thought about them.
Based on what Tempest had learned from Gerax, sharing was the norm on Ustea. Tempest had never been the type of woman to go for someone else's sloppy seconds.
Every last one of the alphas she was forced to look at stared at her as if she were something to eat. Like they would take her to the back room and devour her. She didn't want that. Tempest didn't want anyone under the impression that she could be devoured.
"Why are they lined up like this? Is it random?" Tempest asked.
"They are in this lineup simply based on what they have to offer to society. The lower-class alphas you've already passed."
Tempest felt bad about that. If she'd known the ones she'd passed were the ones who had more to gain, she would've put a marker in front of them.
"What about this one? What does he have to offer?" Tempest's hand hovered over the floating button Gerax placed in front of her when the procession started. He told her she'd only need to press it if she were interested in the male in front of her.
Tempest had watched other women, all of whom she thought looked insanely beautiful, press their buttons without hesitation once they were in front of an alpha they desired. Tempest was envious of their clarity.
"He is called Muraq. I'm not sure that he'd be the best choice for you."
Tempest looked away from the alpha in front of her to look at Gerax. "Why do you say that?"
"Well, he's a good man for sure. Wealthy, experienced in taking care of an omega, but… how can I say this delicately…" Gerax looked off to the side as if he were trying to invent new words for this particular circumstance.
"Don't worry about delicate. It doesn't look like I have a lot of time to decide." The anxiety of the entire situation rose in Tempest's chest.
"Indeed, many Omegas have complained that though Muraq is a great husband, his conversational skills leave a lot to be desired."
The light bulb went off in Tempest's head; she understood, "So he's stupid?"
Gerax tilted his head, translating what she'd just said into his native language before he nodded, "Unfortunately."
If she were to be stuck with a man for six months, conversation was going to be a must. Unless she was willing to be bored to death, which she wasn't necessarily hoping for. Tempest dropped her hand down from the button and waited for the next.
Another two Alphas passed by, both licking their lips and puffing their muscles as if they had been trying to impress Tempest. It didn't work.
The further along the procession went, the more worried Tempest became, as she thought she might never find someone suitable. It seemed like every last one had flaws Tempest didn't think she could deal with for an extended time.
No, if she had to deal with this for a long time, she would need to be able to talk to her faux-husband.
"What about this one?"
"Oh, that's Rynax. He would definitely be a good choice. He's very progressive. He would be patient, especially with all the cultural differences."
Tempest tilted her head to the side. The alien was handsome as far as aliens went.
His light-brown hair was hanging free around his shoulders. From what Tempest could see, he was in shape. Maybe that is who she should go with. Just as she was about to hit her buzzer, she realized that the man had more jewelry on than she'd ever seen on a man in all of her life. Necklaces upon necklaces. Rings, bracelets—there were even gems on the man's pants.
Tempest stared at him for a moment, and he raised an eyebrow at her as if he could tell what she was thinking. Or at least what he wanted her to be thinking. He was trying to seduce her from the stage that he was on.
Tempest couldn't be sure because she had yet to speak to the man, but it seemed like he was something like a narcissist. Patient or not, Tempest didn't want to deal with that.
Tempest wavered in her decision. She hoped this alien wouldn't be the best that she could do. If what Gerax had said was true, it meant that the other suitors further up the line might be worse than what she'd already passed.
She honestly didn't know how it could get any worse than what she'd already seen. Would they have diamonds growing out of their skin? She mentally beat herself up for not pressing her buzzer earlier in the procession. If she had, then she wouldn't have to deal with making a decision that would shape her life for the foreseeable future. More importantly, if she had made her decision already, she would've been out of the hot dress. She was so damn uncomfortable.
From the corner of her eye, Tempest saw the next candidate, but unlike the others, this alien wasn't looking at her. In fact, the man wasn't looking at anyone.
Tempest turned her head and looked at the crowd opposite her. Those that hadn't been looking at her were glaring at the next man in the procession. Tempest could nearly feel the hate coming off them.
Tempest focused on the alien who was looking down at his feet once again. Tempest didn't know why, but there was something about him that called to her. Something that made her want to take him into her arms and just hold him.
"What about him?" Tempest looked at Gerax and waited for him to tell her how great of a choice the alien would be.
"No."
The finality of the answer shocked Tempest.
"No? Why not? What's wrong with him? Is he mute or something?" Tempest questioned.
Gerax grimaced and rubbed the back of his neck in the most human like movement that she'd ever seen from him.
"He's no good for you."
"I'd like to know why you think that." Tempest looked back at the alien. The platform was moving slowly, but she didn't have much time in front of each of the candidates.
"No one will ever pick him. He's tainted."
Tempest wondered if that meant he had a disease or something like that, though she didn't understand how that was possible. Based on his place in the procession, it was clear that he was wealthy; he looked strong. She didn't understand why he wouldn't be able to use the life nectar.
"What do you mean by tainted?. Can't you just give me the short version?" Tempest rushed Gerax.
"He's cursed. He's the son of a shamed woman and a father who abandoned him. He was a beggar in the beginning stages of his life, and his markings are miscolored."
Tempest blinked a few times as she waited for Gerax to continue.
"That's it?" Tempest's voice raised an octave.
No one wanted to pick him because he had a rough childhood and because he didn't look like everyone else? That was the most ridiculous thing she'd ever heard.
"He's not suitable to be a husband."
Tempest shook her head as she dismissed what Gerax said, "What does he have to offer? He's high in the procession, so he must be good at something. What does he do?"
"He's a soldier. A mechanic. He was top of his class in both education and matehood training…" The more Gerax spoke, the more it sounded like this alien was the one for Tempest.
"Is he crazy or something?" Tempest asked, her voice barely more than a whisper.
Gerax tilted his head. "No, not crazy. He has all his wits, but he's not the best in social interactions."
"So he's mean?"
Gerax huffed out a breath as if he were pissed that he was having to explain at all. "He knows better than to be mean to an omega. They'd throw him in the black cells if he were convicted."
Tempest bit the corner of her lip as her platform inched toward the next candidate.
She looked at the alien in front of her one final time. His body language told her that he was uncomfortable. The fact that he'd yet to look up at her let her know that she hated being the center of attention.
Before she could overthink it, Tempest pressed the button in front of her.
Decision made.
"By the moon gods, no! What have you done?" Gerax had his hand out as if he had tried to stop her before she could press the button but hadn't moved fast enough.
"I made my choice." Tempest smirked at Gerax before she turned back to look at the alien she'd chosen.
In that one second her heart nearly leapt out of her chest.
The man was now focused on her, and he looked absolutely murderous.
Tempest swallowed hard.
There was no doubt in her mind.
She'd made a grave mistake.