Page 13 of Sins of His Wrath

“Does that matter?” Naya shot back. “Does being a good mate to me cancel out all those other things?”

Mama inclined her head, lifting a shoulder. “For some Omegas, it does, but for most it helps to put things into perspective.”

“What do you mean?”

“If there is any part of him that could treat you well, any part of him you have misunderstood, then you owe it yourself to understand him. I know it’s hard when he’s hurt you, but?—”

Naya glared at her. “Mama, a war is looming?—”

“That’s why I have to mention it now, Naya,” Mama snapped. “That’s why you’re the only one who can do your own intervention. If the war happens, it won’t change that he is still yours. Even if you bond with Lonn, even if we defeat this Akoro, you’ll always know that he was supposed to be yours.”

Naya shook her head, not wanting to hear that. “No, Mama.”

“I’m not saying you must be with him—I was given that order once, and it is cruel. I am saying, find out if he is really the mate you want, and if he isn’t, you kill him.”

A jolt went through Naya’s body, but Mama’s eyes remained firm on her.

“If he is the man you think he is, you should be the one to kill him, Naya. But now that you’ve found him, you will feel that loss.”

“And what if I don’t care?” Naya shot back. “What if I’m happy to have that loss?”

Mama held her gaze. “To even say that so casually, I’m not sure you understand the kind of loss I’m talking about. It’s significant.” She sighed. “If you decide to give him a chance after everything, it’s not unusual and no one will blame you. Do you understand? I want you to think clearly about this.”

Naya forced herself to calm and think about what Mama was saying. Of course, it pained her to realize that all this time, her parents’ relationship had had a much darker start to it than she’d thought. And yet, with what she knew about the treatment of Omegas at that time, it seemed obvious it would have. It was also obvious now that what she’d been looking for probably didn’t exist. How could any male truly understand her position and the pressures of what she faced? Still, Akoro’s treatment of her was crueler than anything the Omegas in her lifetime had suffered. And she couldn’t forgive that. “I understand what you’re saying, Mama, but it doesn’t change anything. He is cruel and only focused on his violent takeover of our land. I know we are mates, but even if I were to consider it, I don’t see why he deserves it.”

“It is not him that deserves it, it is you!” Mama said, her voice raising. She paused for a moment, eyes locked on Naya, chest heaving. “You’re my daughter, Naya, and you deserve happiness. I don’t want you to kill your chance at having it until we are absolutely certain it cannot be had! I’m partly to blame for your expectations. I was foolish too. I believed the hardship for Omegas was over, and that your Alpha would be someone more like Lonn, because I couldn’t see how the peace and equality we have enjoyed for so long could create Alphas as terrible as before. But we don’t get to choose, Naya. We never get to choose. If you don’t know how he truly treats his mate, then you don’t know him yet. So I have to be honest, Naya, I have to for your sake, just like I tell every Omega who wants to escape their Alpha. Decide with intention instead of closing the door forever out of anger or vengeance.”

Naya pressed her lips together. “I am, Mama. I assure you. What else did you want to say about the war?”

Mama settled back into her chair, her manner shifting to a calm, brisk one. “The Southern Lands might be the ones who had something to do with whatever accusations the Sy Dynasty have.”

“What?” Naya frowned. “How?”

“One of their leaders visited the unknown Lands for an extensive period over sixty years ago. It’s possible they did some kind of damage there.”

Naya’s eyes widened. “How do you know this?”

“About twenty years ago, your friend Ka’ari’s mama went there for a brief time. That’s how we first found out about it. She’d found someone who’d been there before.”

Naya’s heartbeat increased.Akoro’s accusations weren’t lies?“What did they do there?”

“I don’t know the details, but she described it like a desert, the same way you did.”

“That’s why it’s important I attend this meeting with the rulers, Mama,” Naya said, her voice a little too harsh. “I need to know what they know.”

Mama’s brow inched up. “Is whatever we learn in that meeting going to stop the invasion?”

Naya hesitated. Of course Akoro would still want to invade no matter what they learned in that meeting. He’d insinuated that Naya already knew why he was invading.

“I noticed you let Papa brief the generals instead of doing it yourself,” Mama said, titling her head. “Why?”

Naya blinked, caught off guard by the change of topic. “Umm. I don’t know. I suppose it never occurred to me to address them myself.”

“Why?” Mama leaned forward, looking at Naya curiously. “You were so adamant that you want to lead the war. I thought you would’ve preferred to brief them.”

Naya opened her mouth, but she wasn’t sure what to say. Papa had always done it.

“This plan you’ve made, is it the plan you would’ve made if you hadn’t been kidnapped?”

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