Page 38 of Fated to the Wolf Prince

One side of his mouth quirked up as he appraised my stiff posture. “Go to her, son. Don’t stand on pride with your mate, and don’t let her either. The bond you two share will grow into the most important part of your life, but it’s not indestructible. Focus on her and what she needs, not some petty tiff with a weak-spined alpha. You mustchooseto become one, to delve deeper, to hold tighter, to love stronger. The Goddess gave us this gift, but some have thrown it away over the centuries, nonetheless. You want my advice? Put aside your pride and go to her. Don’t leave until you’ve solved the problem, whatever it is. You’re both dismissed from scheduled activities going forward. Use the time wisely, son. There are no second chances in finding your fated mate.”

A pounding on the door interrupted our father-son moment.

“High Alpha,” Andrei called from the hallway. “The ODL is back.”

He made to rise from his chair, but I growled. “Let me.”

He nodded and sank back, steepling his fingers as he watched me. “Go. But don’t forget what I’ve told you.”

“I won’t,” I said, the words half growl as my wolf fought to come back out and deal with the ODL.

TWENTY-FIVE

Kane

Iran in human form, not bothering to shift to the wolf for such a short distance. Andrei had started off running in the lead, but I could smell the cat-piss stench of the lynx shifter at this distance, so I followed my nose and passed him.

I sent out a mental call to my top two, letting them know what was going on. Gael responded in the affirmative, and Reed was already running to stand guard outside Brielle’s door.

I slowed just before the ODL reps were in sight, raking a hand through my hair and sucking in a deep breath for composure before striding into the middle of the clearing. Andrei paused at my shoulder, following my lead.

When we stepped into sight, the Omega Defense League representatives were spread through the same clearing where the group shift had gone so disastrously earlier in the day. The vampire clung to the edges of the trees, staring disdainfully up at the sun, but the lynx was in feline form, sniffing a pattern back and forth across the forest floor.

The lesser fae was harder to find, but he solidified into human form once my wolf spotted his misty, leaf-and-vine form. He scowled, sour that I’d seen through his mediocre talent.

“What are you doing back on Pack Blackwater lands?” I asked the question calmly, but I knew they saw my wolf pressing against my restraint. I never slipped and lost control, but they didn’t know that.

“Investigating. We detected omega magic today, confirming the report we were already investigating. Something isn’t as it seems, Alpha. And if you’re hiding it…” The vampire let the threat trail off, but the glee in his ancient eyes at the idea of my punishment was chilling.

“We have nothing to hide. Frankly, I’m surprised you’re all so chipper about the idea of finding an adult omega. Doesn’t that mean that one of you failed spectacularly at your job?” I paced along the edge of the clearing, hands clasped behind my back and shoulders loose, as if I were out for a leisurely stroll and not to petrify the ODL into leaving us the fuck alone. “I wonder what would happen if it was found out that there was an adult omega?”

I let the question hang heavily in the air, ripe with unpleasant possibility. I might receive some small punishment for not immediately reporting an omega. But I had the benefit of the doubt; no wolf today would expect an adult omega to walk among us.

The punishment for a member of the ODL, who had enchantments specifically to identify omega females at birth?

Their fate wouldn’t be so lenient.

The lynx hissed and spat, scratching at a patch of dirt. I glanced that way and schooled my features when I realized it was the exact spot where Brielle had collapsed.

The lynx transformed back into the man, fully clothed in his odious uniform.

Interesting. They’ve got witches providing spells to help them now, since they’re keeping their clothes with their shift.

“This is the spot. There are traces of nonshifter magic here.”

I snorted then, when it clicked into place.

“You’ve got no proof.” They sensed Brielle’s curse. The witchy-smelling, vile drain on her natural magic. Deep down, I was both relieved and concerned. Was this proof that Reed was right and she was omega, or were these assholes just getting off on bothering us?

There was no way to know, and my wolf was irate that we couldn’t pinpoint the threat.

“Of course we have.”

“Nonshifter magicisn’t omega magic. Omegas are shifters. Vampires and fae, however…” I spun to face them, dropping all pretense that I wasn’t intensely interested in what they were doing. “I would hate to think that your little squad isharassingthis event, or Pack Blackwater.”

Gael ran into the clearing, not stopping until he was just behind my right shoulder. The bastard wasn’t even breathing hard, and he’d run full speed across half the pack lands.

“Do you need me to remove them, Alpha? It would be my pleasure.” He growled the words, baring his teeth at the lynx male.

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