Page 51 of Rome's Mate: Hunted Omegas

“Maybe the goddess Luna has forsaken your pack.”

“You’re deluded, there is no goddess. Wolves are an evolutionary strain that managed to survive, much like the humans.”

“You may be right, I don’t know how you came to be. I’m only acquainted with how my brothers and I came to be. I also know how the omegas came into existence. You may leave now, without my family.”

“I don’t think I made myself clear. I will take the two prisoners with me or my security team will go through you to gain access to the prisoners.”

“Are their lives not of value to you?” Rome pegged each of the guards with a death stare.

“What?” Ian said.

Amelia stepped out in front of her son and her alpha. “You have to forgive Rome, he’s many centuries old. Too many to count.”

“You’re pregnant!” Ian gasped as if he had never seen a pregnant wolf shifter.

“Aren’t you quick on the uptake?” Amelia gave him a smile that was all teeth. “What Rome was asking is do you care for the lives of your guards?”

“They are unbeatable.” The gasp of the pack made the smile on Ian’s face grow brighter. “Alpha, it’s a shame that our acquaintance must be short. Hopefully your replacement will be more reasonable.” He nodded his head, and the two guards stalked their way down the rough-hewn stairs, each promising death.

“Rome.” Amelia kept the desperation out of her voice. He needed to know she had faith in him.

“Trust me.” He looked into her silver eyes, searching for faith. He found that and so much more. The love she had for him shone bright like a star on a moonless night.

“I trust you more than I have ever trusted anyone else in my life. If you say you can defeat them, then you can.”

“I can.”

“I’ll be on the sidelines with our son and our brothers. Remember, mate, you said you won’t die. Your pup needs you as much as we do.” She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him, before allowing one of the other brothers to walk her and Malcolm to a place where they would be safe. Saul and Theron would monitor the fight but would not intervene.

“Concede defeat,” a guard said. Rome said nothing.

“This is a fight to the death. Winner takes all,” the other guard said.

“Agreed.” Rome watched as the two guards took off their clothes. He would not honor them by disrobing in front of them. When the guards shifted to wolves, Rome shifted with little thought.

There was a quick gasp from Ian when Rome shifted. It was heard because the pack was holding their collective breaths. The two wolves stopped, staring at Rome before they shook off the awe of watching him shift without tearing his clothes to shreds. They circled him, one positioning itself behind and the other in front. Then, they attacked as one. The first wolf lunged for his side while the other aimed for his front leg.

Rome howled, his hind legs kicking the attacking wolf to avoid the one aiming for his foreleg. He snapped at the wolf in front of him, sinking his teeth into its foreleg just as the second wolf reared up and sank its teeth into his side. Rome went down, rolling away as the two wolves repositioned, giving him a brief moment to regain his feet.

A victorious howl echoed between the two wolves, and Ian stood above the pit, his face a mask of pride. Rome could be hurt, even bleed. They believed they could kill him and take the prize.

Rome staggered back, feigning an injury. He turned, running from the wolves and watching as they separated, allowing one to come after him. Trapped at the edge of the pit, he turned to facethe pursuing wolf. After taking the bite, he shifted his weight, leaning into it, forcing the wolf to follow.

The wolf howled in victory as it lunged. Rome feinted to one side, and the wolf followed. Rome shifted his position, trapping the creature with nowhere to run. Knowing he had only seconds, Rome launched at the wolf, meeting it head-on. Blood spilled—his or the wolf’s, it was hard to tell. He went straight for its throat, but the wolf managed to latch onto his shoulder, giving Rome the opening he needed.

With a twist of his head, Rome took the wolf’s throat, and with a violent shake, the wolf’s grip loosened. Rome drove him into the dirt, shaking his head harder, crushing the wolf’s throat.

The fight ended quickly. Rome didn’t linger to savor the victory. He moved away from the lifeless wolf, scanning for the second. The other wolf was standing over his fallen companion’s body, howling in vengeance.

“End this!” Ian shouted. “Vengeance for Rory and victory for you.”

Rome forced himself to straighten. The wound on his side was leaking blood. It didn’t matter, not when compared to the safety of his family.

The last wolf took one look at him and started to run towards him before he feinted to the side and decided to live to fight another day. Rome’s wolf howled before chasing him. He stumbled to a halt and looked back at his mate. Would he see disappointment on her face that he was chasing down a threat that turned tail?

Rome watched her smile and nod before pointing towards the wolf that was trying to escape. He could hear Ian screaming but ignored him, focusing on the threat to his family. He took off after the wolf. Rome was fast with the longer legs of his wolf.

When he was close enough, he went for the throat. There would be no mercy and no second chances. When a predatorcame for his family and his pack, he would kill without remorse. Hot blood flowed into his mouth as the sounds of the dying wolf assaulted his ears. The scent of death was surrounding him. He turned to look at Ian.

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