Page 52 of Rome's Mate: Hunted Omegas

His howl reverberated through their meeting place. Every wolf howled to join him. Victory was theirs. Ian backed up slowly, not admitting defeat, but conceding the battle.

Rome wound his way through the pack, rubbing against them, reaffirming that he was their alpha before he made his way back to the pit.

He shifted, waiting for Amelia to join him. The shift made it easier for everyone to see the blood that coated his clothes. His black fur hid a lot of the damage.

Amelia walked up and pulled him down to meet her. She placed a scorching, hot kiss on his lips before looking at him with love shining in her eyes.

“It’s my turn now,” she whispered before stepping in front of him.

“Hunter pack.” Her voice echoed, reaching the back row and commanding attention. “You have whispered about me behind my back and speculated on who I am. What gives me the right to claim your alpha as my mate? Listen carefully, I hate repeating myself.” Her hand went to her belly, caressing her pup. No one could miss that action. A smile curved her lips as she sent love to her pup.

“I was Amelia Dumas; I am now Amelia Hunter, and I am an omega. The bogey man of the wolf world. I’m the thing your parents taught you to fear. They said that my sisters and I should be killed at birth and the pack should rest in peace when the killing was done. You were lied to.” She looked around, meeting as many eyes as she could. The others lowered their heads. Was it shame, fear, or anger? She didn’t know but took note of them.

“I will do whatever it takes to protect my life and the life of my pup. My protectiveness doesn’t stop there. I will protect my mate and my son. These,” she pointed to Rome’s brothers, “are my brothers and I will protect them, last but definitely not least I will protect my pack. That is who I am. Feel free to leave if you can’t live with an omega in your presence. If the thought of my cub makes you grimace or shiver, leave. I am Alpha mate, and I take that seriously. Why? Because I’m madly in love with Rome. He is my alpha and my mate. This pack has always taken care of its own. If you think you can find a better pack please leave. Understand this though, if you leave and decide to come back, there won’t be an automatic admittance. Rome may decide not to take you back. That is his prerogative. If you have questions now is the time to ask them.” She leaned back into the solid presence of Rome behind her.

She would no longer take the snide comments about her mate. Anyone she overheard would fight her after her pup was born, until then they would fight one of her protectors. There was no need to tell anyone that their life would be forfeit. If Rome hadn’t made that clear, there was nothing she could say that would enforce what happened today.

She looked around and no one moved. It felt like the pack was holding their breath. “Please call me Alpha-mate as we get to know each other that will change. Ask Sheela, Todd, Janice, and Mark.” She beamed a smile over the pack. “Hello Hunter pack from your Alpha mate.” There were loud howls. She could tell that there were a few of the pack who didn’t give her a greeting.

Turning, she placed her hand on Rome’s chest. “I concede the floor.” She gave him a wink and moved to stand beside him.

“Malcolm, do you consent to become our son?” Rome’s voice carried as he turned to face the teenager.

Chapter Twenty-seven

Malcolm shuffled from legto leg. His mouth opened and closed before he took deep breaths through his nose, letting them out through his mouth.

“What about my mother? The one who gave birth to me?” He turned to look at Amelia with longing in his eyes. How could he be greedy enough to want to have two mothers? He didn’t know if she would ever look for him, but there was a spot in his heart that held onto the hope that she loved him.

Amelia tilted her chin at Rome, telling Malcolm that Rome needed to make that decision.

“Malcolm, your human mother is welcome as long as she comes in peace and desires to be there for you.” Rome looked over his pack to see them nodding in agreement.

“Thank you, Alpha… Father. I want to become an adopted son.” His smile trembled, and he braced his shoulders and legs; his eyes were wet with tears.

“No, Malcolm. Not an adopted son, a son of my blood carrying my genetic markers. My real son.” Rome held still, waiting forMalcolm to absorb his words. To know there would be no going back. To become the son of his line would hold great meaning when Malcolm hit his majority. Today it meant he would be loved and cherished the way any child should be. Moreover, his new father had been childless for centuries. He may find himself getting away with murder for a while until Rome adapted to be a father of a teen.

“Yes. I wish to become the son of the alpha and alpha mate. More than that. I wish to become the son of Rome and Amelia Hunter. My family, my parents.” Amelia teared up through her smile, and Rome engulfed Malcolm in a hug. Malcolm stood with his arms straight at his side. His eyes went to Amelia, who gestured a hug.

Malcolm raised his arms and placed them around his new father. Rome hugged him tighter, and Malcolm imitated the motions. The tears he was keeping in check broke loose. He was used to his mother hugging him, but he had never been hugged by a father figure. He had never imagined that he was longing for a father to approve of the man he was becoming.

Rome tucked Malcolm’s head on his chest. He still had some growing to do and may one day be as tall as Rome. He held him until his shoulders stopped shaking, and the tears began to dry up. “How are you doing?”

Malcolm gave him a shaky smile. “Father, my father.”

“I’m just as happy, confused, and startled as you are. I’m also proud to be able to be the one to call you son.” Rome gave him a watery smile and waited for what was next.

“Saul.”

Saul approached carrying an elaborate case. He laid it across his arms and presented it to Rome to open.

Rome opened it and pulled out a dagger that looked like it was pure moonlight.

“Many centuries ago, the goddess Luna presented me with this dagger. If I or the others ever wished to bring someone into our line to make them a son or a daughter, this was the method for doing it.” He lifted it, moonlight blazed from the dagger, overcoming the daylight. The blade was pure light, with symbols shifting in the light. The handle was made of white sapphire.

Rome lowered the dagger to look into Malcolm’s eyes. “This works only if the goddess blesses the union being formed. If you want to be my son, raise your right hand, palm facing outward.”

Malcolm didn’t hesitate. He grew up without a father and gained a stepfather that always hated him. Now he was being offered the chance to become the son of a male, a wolf shifter like him, who would care for him and teach him how to not only be a great wolf, but a great male.

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