Page 12 of Rome's Mate: Hunted Omegas

She got into her car and drove until a wide section of the forest called her name. She parked, knowing she had to run. There was freedom in letting her mind race while her body exerted itself. She jumped over possible trip hazards and felt free. Even when she was at home, she could never run like this. She was always on the lookout for other wolves who may trap her. Her death was always part of her thoughts. Now she was free. She laughed and then yelled, hearing her voice echoing through the trees. Her limbs were tired, and she wanted to sleep. She stumbled over the bench she sat on with Luna. Her heart rate picked up as she realized it was real. Her dream was real, and Luna was real, too. She wasn’t sure about the Luna part, but she made her way to the bench and lay down. The forest was quiet, and she was alone. A small nap would be nice.

Home. Rome walked down the steps of his private jet, because why not. His pack had a private airstrip close to their land, but far enough away that he could allow others to use it. Today, his jet was the only plane on the strip.

“I thought you were turning the pack over to me with how long you’ve been gone.” Saul had a serious look on his face, trying to hide the teasing smile behind it.

“As if you would know what to do with the pack,” he gave as good as he got. There was a smile on his face, but he was antsy. Something was different. He could scent it in the air.

He started stripping. Over the years, the goddess Luna had given them magic that normal wolves didn’t have. The ability to shift without changing and then shift back clothed was one of them. According to her, if they were going to be immortal and represent her, then she couldn’t have them showing up in places naked.

There was something primal about taking off his clothes to shift. It was what he did when he ran with his pack. He never showed them the extra magic the goddess Luna had imbued him and the others with unless it came to saving their lives.

“I’m going to run back. The forest is calling me.” The tree line was about a hundred yards away, and he wasn’t worried about being seen. No one was around except the people who worked in the tower. They were all wolves.

“Who’s going with him, you or me?” Saul asked Theron.

“Immortal. I can’t be killed.” The exasperation in Rome’s voice was ignored as Saul and Theron looked at each other, speaking silently. “Assholes.” They were speaking on their private line and not the pack lines.

“I’m going with you,” Theron said. “Saul is going to assure the pack that you are safe and needed to stretch your legs.”

If asked, that was the decision he would have made. His brothers had been with him long enough that if anythinghappened to him, he was confident any of them could lead. It was a testament to who they were that they never wanted to lead. They would mumble about leaving the headache to him.

Theron went from shifter human to a wolf without removing his clothes.

“Show-off,” Rome mumbled before transforming into his wolf. All of their wolves were jet black. They disappeared into the night, even when the moon was at its brightest. Their wolves were double the size of a regular wolf, that made them massive. Rome’s wolf was the biggest. He always thought that was because he was the leader and Luna wanted it acknowledged, even when they were wolves.

He howled, and Theron joined him. Saul gave a human howl before he sped away. Their howls were filled with longing and mournful for something they never believed would be theirs. Rome set the pace. They were almost flying across the land with how fast they ran. He never tried, but he believed they could catch a car going 100 mph. They were that fast. When he entered the protective wards of the forest, he stumbled, crashing to the ground. A scent washed over him that took him to his knees.

Chapter Seven

Theron tried to breakhis neck getting to Rome. He’d been his leader since he was little, but now he was his alpha. The thought of something happening to him struck a chord of fear deep inside.

“Rome, what happened?” He took another look around but didn’t see a threat.

“There’s an incredible scent in the air. Can you scent it?” He waved Theron off, knowing he needed to take more of that scent in, to have it penetrate his body, allowing it to become part of his being before he could stand.

“I’m fine. It’s the scent. It threw me for a loop, physically.” He chuckled, easing some of Theron’s fears. It was only after he sat there for a few minutes that he realized that he and Theron were no longer wolves.

Theron sniffed at the air, and then he changed into a wolf. He sniffed the air again, shaking his head.“I don’t scent anything different.”This forest was their home. If something had changed, he should scent it.

“It’s marvelous,” Rome told him. He scented the sweetness of honey and vanilla mixed with the salt of the ocean. It’s sweet along with being fresh. With a whiff of pureness. It’s like the two scents balance each other to form a scent of its own. It doesn’t have a name, but it needs one.”

Theron moved further away and scented the air. There was nothing there. Rome shifted, he took off running with Theron on his hind legs. The further he went, the slower he moved. He was scenting the air, following the trail that had been laid for him. Who or what was on the other end? Could this be another trick of the goddess Black Night? She tried several times in their past to sever the immortality that she gave them. Realizing that making them live forever might not be the curse she originally thought it was.

He slowed down even further as he realized the source of the scent was ahead of them.

“Whoever this scent is coming from is right ahead.”Rome took a deep breath as his wolf gave a subtle growl, not wanting to scare whoever was there.

“I’ll go first.”

“How will you identify what you cannot scent? I need you to have my back.”Rome slinked his way through the thick undergrowth. He headed towards the bench that he placed in the woods years ago with the vain thought that one day he would take his mate here and make love under the ancient tree.

There was a white wolf lying on the bench, asleep. A beautiful white wolf. His heart pounded as he looked at her. He knew, every sense he had screamed, she was a female. There were no white wolves in his pack, and there were no natural wolves in his forest.

The wolf woke and took one look at him before falling off the bench. It howled in confusion. When she tried to walk, she fell. Itwas obvious the wolf had never walked before. She scooted back, panting in fear.

She was afraid of him. Rome realized he’d make three of her. His wolf had been prowling silently closer. The need to scent her was almost uncontrollable. Never had he been more grateful to Luna for allowing him to be clothed when he changed. He became a shifter and crouched low, trying not to add to her initial fear of him.

“Hi, my name is Rome, and you’re in the forest my pack runs in. We won’t, my friend and I won’t hurt you.” He pointed to Theron. “His name is Theron. I just want to know who you are. I’ve never seen a white wolf before.”

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