Page 2 of Rome's Mate: Hunted Omegas

She stood and said something in the moon language. “Stay ever ready. When your mates come, the fight to claim them may be long and hard. The victory will be worth the fight.”

Chapter One

Henri wrapped an armaround his older brother’s neck and laughed at a joke no one told. He led Marquis out of the house and away from the pack. When they were far enough away not to be heard, he dropped his arm and the pretend laugh.

“What are we going to do?” Henri hissed at his brother.

The time was coming when Amelia would reach her twenty-fifth birthday. On that day, if what they suspected was true, her omega nature would be revealed. Henri could feel the very earth demanding that Amelia be put to death. Every wolf shifter knew that omegas were to be put to death before their first year. It was in their bones, a knowledge they couldn’t deny.

“The pack will know on her naming day. They already suspect, and you know they do. That is why she’s not allowed out of the house or on pack runs. The minute the pack knows she has no wolf, they will cry omega.”

Marquis took in the woods that provided sanctuary for him and his pack. The same woods he walked with his mate as they dreamed of the birth of their first child. Here is where he buriedhis heart when she died in childbirth. His brother would have him bury his child here, too. The only piece of his mate that he had left.

“Tell me, Henri, if Nicole was an omega, could you kill her?”

“We are not talking about Nicole.”

“No, we are not. If I must kill Amelia, then we will kill Nicole. Then Amelia will have a friend to travel through death’s dark corridors with.”

“Alpha, you can’t mean that.” Henri dropped to his knees, ready to plead for the life of his daughter.

The thought of death was never pleasant. When it was one so close to your heart, the hurt was more acute. How could his brother speak of his daughter’s death when he too had a child he cherished? Mysteries would never cease. He would allow Henri to linger in his fear. Maybe his brother would understand how he felt.

Henri sank to his knees, his hands beating the ground beneath them. “You think I’m cold-blooded and don’t love Amelia? You’re wrong. She’s my niece, I love her greatly.” That love could not drown out the voice of Mother Earth demanding that her blood be spilled to right a wrong. No one knew what the wrong was, only that nothing but a blood sacrifice would satisfy Mother Earth.

“When her omega status is confirmed, the pack will rise and tear her apart with tooth and claw.”

Marquis’ brother was not wrong. He witnessed it once when he was a child. A female baby was born and declared an omega. The pack rose, ravenous as feral beasts. There was no reasoning with them. They kept coming until the newborn was shredded. There was nothing for the distraught mother to do except bury what they left of her child. The father cursed them. In the middle of the night, they left, never to be heard from again. It had taken years for Marquis to be able to look his pack mates in the eyes.

He knew they would do the same to Amelia. How could a civilized and progressive pack turn feral in a matter of minutes? He had not understood it then and couldn’t understand it now.

“One day Henri,” Marquis cautioned, “You may find yourself in the same spot. What will you do?”

Amelia was sitting on her bed. She listened as Nicole walked down the steps leading to the basement. Many of their peers thought she was being punished by being made to live down here. That wasn’t the truth. She had a beautifully done room with an attached bathroom. Her room was amazing. The walls were painted purple with black accents and covered with some of her teen dreams from when she was younger. She should update it, but it didn’t seem to matter now. She used part of the basement as a living room to entertain in. It was warm and cozy where she stayed.

She often wondered as she got older why she couldn’t live in the rooms upstairs, but she heeded her father and her alpha’s command. He knew best.

“Amelia.” Nicole flew into the room. Her black and white hair waved behind her like an invisible wind was carrying it. She jumped on Amelia, and they rolled around on the bed the way they used to when they were younger.

“You’re excited.” Amelia pushed her off, and they both lay on the bed looking at the starry sky that was painted on the ceiling.

“I am. You should be excited, too.” Amelia knew what she was talking about but was playing dumb. She was not excited, more like scared out of her mind.

“Not sure what you’re talking about, cousin.”

“You’re turning twenty-five, and then I’m turning twenty-five less than five months later.”

The fear Amelia was feeling doubled after hearing Nicole speak those words. Her twenty-fifth birthday was coming up. A large part of her didn’t think she was going to live past that day. In all of her dreams, her life stopped that day. Everything just went black.

“I bet the alpha gives you the biggest birthday party ever.” Nicole kept speaking, not noting the fact that Amelia was silent and brooding. “We have to pick out a dress for you to wear.” She jumped up before realizing that Amelia hadn’t moved.

“What’s wrong with you?” she huffed, waiting for Amelia to get excited.

Amelia shrugged before getting up to join Nicole in her closet.

“Come on, you know your dad. The alpha loves you. I don’t understand what’s bringing you down.”

Amelia took her cousin by the arm and pulled her into the living room, where they could sit together on the couch. The two of them had loved to cuddle together since they were pups. It’s a wolf thing, the pack said and thought it was cute. Amelia always thought it was something different, a little stronger.

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