Epsilon King: An Omegaverse Sci-Fi Tale

By Katie Douglas

Bow before your king, omega.

King Lachlan is on a mission to find himself an omega bride descended from the royal lineage. He finds several, but one arouses his interest more than the rest. Sierra is resilient and resourceful. Protocol dictates that he must offer the omegas to the Emperor as a gift, but Lachlan can’t stay away from Sierra. The short, curvy omega is the most beautiful creature he’s ever laid eyes on, and her scent calls to him.

The last thing Sierra expects is to be kidnapped by aliens, rescued by an alien King, then told she must stand in a line for the Emperor to choose. She knows nothing of Epsilon, or alphas, except that Lachlan is huge, muscular and a powerful king. And he wants her. But the consequences of crossing the Emperor are huge. When a political conspiracy threatens everything, enemies are everywhere, can Sierra abandon Lachlan to save him?

This is the third irreverent and steamy tale in the Epsilon Omegaverse series. Each book can be read as a standalone as it features a different alpha and omega couple, and each pair have their own HEA.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Katie Douglas
• Release date: Oct 7, 2021
• ISBN: 9781005971090

Katie Douglas

Katie Douglas is a number one and USA Today bestselling author of erotic romance. Katie is an incorrigible romantic and her books reflect that. Especially the incorrigible part. In her spare time she likes to run headfirst into impossible projects, especially if those projects involve travel and good food. Her other love is shoe shopping. She is currently masquerading as a librarian by day. Although, given that she lives in China, her day is probably night time where you are. So maybe she's moonlighting as a librarian.

Book preview

Epsilon King

Katie Douglas

Copyright 2021 Katie Douglas

The Omegaverse is an open-source world that no author owns. The copyright on the settings, characters and story are unaffected by this.

Chapter 1

Lachlan

The news, Your Majesty. A servant placed a tablet on my breakfast table, bowed, then left. I stopped eating qualdorf eggs and stared at the screen. A frown darkened my features.

How could this happen? I had known the hunt for omegas had intensified lately. I had decreed it. I wanted a mate, and only an Omega would be acceptable to me.

I looked at the smiling spaceship captain. One arm wrapped protectively around his omega mate, Stephanie. She was breathtaking. But when I looked at her, I didn’t feel a spark of attraction.

I didn’t covet her. But I was angry that this lowly captain had found his mate before I had been given mine.

Harak! I bellowed.

Yes, Your Majesty? My Grand Vizier bowed as he moved to my side.

Find my omega. You have twenty-four hours.

He looked astonished. But Earth is at least three days’ travel from here—

I waved a hand. I don’t care. There are ships near Earth. I want to hear she’s on board and headed to my palace by breakfast tomorrow.

I didn’t finish with a threat. The unspoken or else lingered in the air between us. I didn’t care. I wasn’t here to be liked. I was the king of one of the three nations of Epsilon and I expected to be obeyed.

Yes, Your Majesty. He bowed and left. I knew exactly what I’d asked of him. He would deliver results or be replaced.

I turned back to my eggs.

Your Majesty?

My eyes narrowed and shoulders tensed. I turned to look at the new voice.

What is it?

Her Royal Highness, the Princess Angharad.

I refrained from swearing. What did my sister want?

Show her in.

The doors slid open and into the gold breakfast hall walked my sister. She was a tall woman with long, flowing black hair and a prominent brow. The Royal Brow, they called it, because it was the product of centuries of refined breeding. Royals didn’t mate with commoners. I was looking for a very specific omega. She would be descended from the royal concubine.

What’s ticking, King? Her voice was teasing. I detested that she never took anything seriously. My brows knitted together. She was wincing a little as she walked. I surmised Brogan the stable master had punished her for something to do with the destrars during her morning ride.

My sister sat down opposite me and put her feet on the table, but her eyes narrowed a little as her derriere touched the cushioned seat of the dining chair.

Why do you disturb me, Angharad?

She poured herself a cup of lantana tea, the drink brewed from leaves of the lantana plant, which grew in the Kalimara mountains surrounding our island nation. It was Kalima’s main export to the rest of the planet.

My spies say there are utterings amongst the populace. They believe Andaris and Swerga plan to take all the new omegas for themselves.

And? The rumor mill has churned out far worse garbage than that in the past. Remember the time they suggested you were illegitimate and that our father had usurped the crown from Fair Queen Riskara?

But Andaris has the greatest army. And Swerga are so bally whiny, they always get granted whatever they want by the Emperor. Bunch of big girls’ blouses, the lot of them.

It was true. But that didn’t mean anyone would deprive my kingdom of our rightful omegas.

I took a long drink of my tea, thinking it would be so much more delicious if it were served by a beautiful tea-slave. It was one of the many roles the court omegas played before the evacuation twenty-five years ago, when we had to send all the omegas away to safety because of a radiation storm that hit the entire planet. Alphas had been able to withstand the ionizing radiation, but omegas were vulnerable to it, and intolerant to the pills we had developed, which had protected the betas.

There has also been unrest from the Council of Betas, I told Angharad. It was far more significant than what my subjects were talking about.

She rolled her eyes. What nonsense. You ought not listen to anything they say or do.

I should. The Council of Betas has more power than it appears.

That’s just a foolish conspiracy theory.

Is it? I raised a brow. What is our Grand Vizier?

A beta.

And Andaris’s Grand Vizier?

A beta.

And Swerga’s?

A beta.

And the Emperor’s?

She sighed. Yes, fine, they are all betas. That doesn’t mean they’re doing anything they shouldn’t be. Some betas are decent people, you know.

Don’t turn this into a game of identity politics. This isn’t about good or bad. It’s about power. And the Council of Betas has positioned itself so its members are indispensable.

It’s a social club for like-minded betas who are interested in personal development through allegory, Angharad countered.

There was no point trying to tell her about this. She was too busy trying to be a woman of the people, a royal who understood the struggles of peasants. There were few things more dangerous than a loose cannon with access to a royal seal. I would not find an ally, here.

Very well. Enjoy your mingling. Don’t get pregnant. The last thing we need is a bastard heir with primogeniture.

Are you not going to do something to ensure your country’s rights are protected? She sounded surprised that I wasn’t immediately acting on her news.

No. My job isn’t to pre-empt things or to mark my territory like a hungry canid. I will observe the situation and take action if it is merited. Royal decorum dictates I will not fight for scraps from the table of the emperor.

Then Andaris and Swerga will see us all starve! Angharad threw her hands up and walked out.

Be sure that teacup finds its way to the kitchen, it’s part of a set. I didn’t really care about the cup. At this point I wanted to wind her up more than anything. It was my prerogative as an older brother.

She threw the cup down on the floor and it smashed, sending liquid in every direction. A temper tantrum. That was her prerogative as a younger sister. I didn’t need to even snap my fingers. A beta servant was already on the floor cleaning up the mess before Angharad had disappeared into the hall.

After breakfast, I found my own Grand Vizier, Harak. He had breakfasted hours ago and was hard at work in his study. Beta or not, he was an outstanding aide. I wouldn’t be without him.

Your Majesty. He got to his feet in deference. I waved a hand to allow him to be seated again. It was protocol, which was to say, it was a sort of game we played where I never asked him to be deferent as long as he continued to show deference. But it was the sort of game where I could have him executed at any time, for any reason, up to and including looking at me in a funny way. Not that I would, but there was a precedent.

Bloody Queen Galita had been fond of such things. Historians reckoned my great-great grandmother had put to death twenty-two husbands, three hundred and four grand viziers, and about two thousand castle servants, never mind all the peasants. But her reign was viewed as peaceful and prosperous because she hadn’t started any wars.

Any news on the omega? I knew he’d barely had time to log into the computer system, never mind anything else. But I also knew he thrived best under pressure. So I gave it to him.

Your Majesty, I’ve contacted Beta Orm from one of the ships that went to Earth. He is making inquiries and will call once he— Harak was interrupted by a beeping sound. The words incoming call flashed on the wall-to-wall screen on one side of his study.

Accept call, Harak said.

A dark-haired, oily-looking beta came onto the screen. Intense dislike churned up my stomach before he’d spoken a word. I couldn’t put my finger on why, but I really didn’t like him.

Grand Vizier Harak. Your Majesty. The beta paused and bowed.

Never mind that! I waved a hand dismissively to hurry him up.

Uh—well, anyway. I have information for you, Grand Vizier Harak. Orm looked warily at me. I glared back.

Spit it out! I told him.

Go on, Orm, Harak added.

I realized this creature had the audacity to defer to my Grand Vizier rather than me. If that wasn’t the height of rudeness. I bit my tongue.

Four new omegas have been found to date, sir. They would need extracting from Earth and testing before we could know if any were of royal lineage.

Is your vessel in a position to do this? Harak asked.

No, sir. We are in orbit around Epsilon awaiting orders from the Emperor’s retrieval department.

I see. Do you know which ships are nearest to Earth?

None, at present, sir. Sorry.

I was beginning to see a problem with my demand.

Please can you send over the details of the omegas, I will proceed from there. Thank you, Orm. Harak ended the conversation and turned to me.

It appears I need to change tack, I observed.

Oh, Your Majesty? Harak wasn’t acknowledging the problem. He was going to make me spell it out. Fine.

When I gave you twenty-four hours to locate an omega, I expected there to be ships in orbit around Earth, ready to bring her here. That is not the case.

Indeed, Your Majesty.

Damnit, my sister’s ramblings about the other two nations had taken root in the back of my mind, now, too.

I think it would be prudent for us to go to Earth ourselves and search for the royal concubine.

Your Majesty? Harak looked surprised.

I don’t want her sullied by inexpert handling. Come along.

I swept out of the study and headed toward the huge courtyard in the center of the palace, where the royal spaceship was parked. A minor flock of servants trailed in my wake while others scattered when they saw me. I was used to it.

Unlock code Alpha two five two. I put my hand on the access panel while the computer ran my words through the voice recognition software. A moment later, the ship’s doors hissed then opened. I went to the lounge, where Harak joined me, while six spaceship pilots hurried to the control room. My ship was much smaller than those in the Imperial fleet, but mine was also faster and more maneuverable. I would get to Earth quickly and find my omega.

Your Majesty, Harak said as we fastened harnesses around ourselves and prepared for launch.

Hmm? I glanced up at him and waited for him to talk.

There were several royal omegas born that year. Apparently, a good year for the royal harems in the three kingdoms. Will you claim all of them?

I shook my head. Only one. Any others will be brought under my protection, however, as citizens of Kalima. The idea of finding several royal omegas and bringing them back made my veins fizz. What was it about those little creatures that made them obliterate all rational thought? I couldn’t wait to find out.

Chapter 2

Sierra

I opened my eyes, although there wasn’t much point. Ever since the shipwreck, the days had been exactly the same. First, it was morning, and the sun was over the sea. Then it was midday, and the sun was high in the sky. Last, it was evening, and the sun sank low behind the palm trees. Or were they coconut trees? It wasn’t like they came with labels, and I didn’t know the difference.

I was alone and bored. Except for Malin, a Voodoo doll I’d made of the woman who had caused this shipwreck. And yes, it was one-hundred percent her fault. She had told me the crew were experienced and that this was a professional travel company. She had sold me the tickets. Insisted I come out.

The night played over and over in my mind. The ship had lurched side-to-side, then without even trying to stabilize itself, it had gone under the water. It had happened so quickly, there hadn’t been time to get my belongings. The crew had taken off in the only lifeboat and I’d been left clinging to splintered driftwood. I didn’t know what had happened to the other passengers. The tide had washed me ashore on this island.

That had been days ago. I was still here.

I threw a rock at Malin.

I always thought it would be kinda nice to be stuck on a desert island by myself, away from the hustle of daily life, but without my phone or laptop, or anyone else to talk to, I was feeling the emptiness of solitude.

I was what people called an introverted extrovert. In my heart, I didn’t like being alone, even though I often needed time to recharge by myself.

The waves lapped against the shore, soothing my angst. I’d done all the right things. There was a huge SOS stamped into the white sand beside the word HELP. I’d been making fires with smoke signals whenever I saw a plane in the sky. I couldn’t be that far from civilization, surely.

When I got back, I was going to write an extremely bad review of the Meadow Water Cruises Company on my travel blog. And fire Malin’s stupid ‘blogger management company’. She’d claimed she could get me review opportunities, not get me killed.

That was assuming I got back.

I didn’t even have my passport with me. Everything had gone when the inky water had claimed the boat. I couldn’t dwell on that. Instead, I sat in my favorite spot near some gleaming pink rocks. Legs crossed, back straight, I closed my eyes and focused on my breathing.

The sun shone down, warming the sand and my shoulders. A light sea breeze lifted my hair and moved it away from my face. The waves lapped rhythmically at the shore.

Being in the moment was calming. I don’t know why. It wasn’t like I had anywhere else to be.

The sky opened and a spaceship appeared. I’d never seen one before, but I knew immediately what it was.

The spaceship skimmed the clouds. It seemed to be headed sideways. It zigzagged left and right across the sky. Maybe there was going to be an alien invasion. I laughed to myself. It would be pretty ironic if I survived because I was stuck on a desert island while the rest of the world was fighting little green men.

Wait... was it getting bigger in the sky? That meant it was coming closer. Shit. What if it saw my SOS and discovered I was here? I ran across the beach as fast as my short legs could carry me. I kicked up the sand around the words I’d made. My call for help had been too effective. The letters were huge. I could see the windows and lights on the ship, now. Balking in terror, I abandoned my attempt to scrub out SOS and HELP, and I ran into the trees. I hid under some big flowery tropical shrubs. From here, I watched the ship get so close it skimmed the palm leaves. Its belly traveled right over my head. I held my breath. It was leaving.

I didn’t have time to feel elated. The shrub vanished and so did the sky and the sea. In their place were metal walls. I was still crouched. Disoriented, a wave of nausea and dizziness made me sway.

Chapter 3

Lachlan

Your Majesty, we are approaching Earth.

I’d fallen asleep. I saw the funny little green and blue planet on the viewing screen in the passenger lounge. As I watched, another ship zoomed up from the planet surface. It wasn’t as fast as us, but its presence still startled me.

I thought Orm said there were no Epsilon ships near Earth. I looked to Harak for some kind of explanation.

There are none. At least, not approved by the Emperor. He looked as confused as I was.

But that’s clearly an Epsilon ship. Have the pilots hail the ship. I want her identified.

At once, Your Majesty. Harak bowed and left the passenger lounge. Another thought came to me, so I headed to the flight deck myself.

Ship is not responding to our hails, sir, one of the pilots, a stocky alpha called Blik, said to Harak as I entered.

I frowned. Do we have a tracking cannon on the ship?

Yes, Your Majesty. The pilots didn’t stand to greet me. It would be silly, since they were flying a spaceship right now.

Fire it at that unidentified vessel. Then we continue to Earth to find our omegas. I will pursue the vessel once we have our cargo.

Every member of the royal family had to do military service. It was how we were taught to lead. I had been in the Space Corps. That meant I was