Page 57 of Sins of His Wrath

Mansa made a noise in the back of his throat. His head titled as he looked at her legs. “What is your name, young Omega?”

Akoro almost roared. How dare he speak directly to Naya. Swallowing, keeping his face passive and his breathing calm. He had to control himself or Naya would be in danger. He lowered to his seat.

Thankfully, she couldn’t answer because she couldn’t understand him. “She hasn’t spoken since we caught her,” he said. “You see how she trembles. She is scared.”

Mansa’s eyes still roamed Naya’s body, then his eyes flicked up to Akoro’s. “Have you seen her face?”

“No.”

Behind Soge Mansa, Soge Otenyo rose from his seat and walked to the center of the stage to join him, displeasure on his face as he took in Naya. “How young is she?”

“I don’t know. My staff guess about fourteen.”

“That’s old enough to know the law,” Otenyo said.

“Is this the normal size for a fourteen-year-old Omega?” Mansa asked. “She has a lot of… shape.”

“No one would know.” Akoro forced himself to keep the bite out of his voice, but he wanted to roar with his entire chest. “And it doesn’t matter.”

Mansa was quiet for a moment. “Since she is out of the forest and away from the other Omegas, I say we keep her.”

Everything in Akoro stiffened. “Keep her?”

Mansa shrugged. “I wouldn’t mind taking her to my district. This is a rare opportunity?—”

“No.” Akoro spoke so forcefully, Mansa hastily straightened, as though suddenly realizing who he was talking to. He held his hands up. “No offense, great King Sy. I’m simply offering to punish her as needs be.”

“She doesn’t need to be punished,” Akoro shot at him. “Did you hear anything I said?”

“She cannot be allowed to cause such terror and get away with it.” Soge Otenyo’s voice was low and forceful. He stood glaring at Naya’s hood, cheeks hollow, his mouth tight with controlled anger.

“I agree,” Mansa said. “It is rare to capture an Omega. We should punish this one to ensure our message is clear to the others.”

Akoro ignored Mansa and kept his eyes on Soge Otenyo. Known for his raucous sexual appetite and the depravities it led to, Akoro could already tell what Mansa wanted. If Naya wasn’t covered in the protective mud, Mansa would already be trying to fuck her.

But Otenyo’s interest was unexpected and alarming. A fierce Alpha who reveled in cruelty, Otenyo was dangerous. His dark eyes were full of malice, a snarl curled on his lip.

“She came into Onn Kkulma and killed many of your people,” Otenyo said sharply, dragging his eyes away to meet Akoro’s. “How can you not want her dead?”

Otenyo's words hung in the air, and the weight of every eye in the square pressed upon Akoro. The heat of the day had grown oppressive, the sun beating down on the gathered masses until sweat gleamed on their foreheads. But it wasn't just the heat making his blood simmer.

Otenyo continued, his harsh voice carrying across the crowd. "Death is what our ancestors would have demanded. A slow death, beneath the desert sun—an offering to the Voices." His fingers curled into fists at his sides, knuckles white with barely contained rage. "Let her writhe in agony as our people did when thennin-eellithitore through our streets."

The crowd shifted uneasily, a new ripple of whispers spreading like wind through grass. Akoro sensed their fear, their anger, their desperate need for justice, but beneath it all, threading through his veins like molten steel, was the primal urge to tear Otenyo's throat out for daring to threaten what was his.

He forced his voice to remain steady, measured, his words resonating across the crowd with the authority his people preferred. "The laws regarding Omegas were written in blood and sealed with the signatures of the remaining Dynasties. They must be returned to the forests, unharmed. This is not a matter for debate."

Otenyo's lips curved into something that wasn't quite a smile. "Times change, great King Sy. The old ways, the old rules, the old Dynasty..." He spread his hands wide, encompassing the crowd, the city. "They failed to protect us, didn’t they?"

A dangerous murmur of agreement rippled through the gathering. Akoro's jaw clenched, a quiver jumping beneath his skin. Was the crowd's loyalty wavering, threatening the balance of power? Otenyo had chosen his moment well.

"Then let the people decide." Otenyo's voice rose, carrying to the furthest edges of the square. "Let them choose whether to cling to laws that leave us vulnerable, or forge a fresh path with their own justice."

The suggestion sent a chill down Akoro's spine despite the scorching heat. Not only did letting the people decide put Naya at serious risk, but Otenyo was openly challenging Akoro’s authority in front of his people. It was offensive. Akoro observed the soge, trying to see if this was some kind of manipulation to challenge his rule. However, if that was the goal, it didn’t seem like it. There was no calculation or manipulation in Otenyo's eyes, just fury. Maybe his anger was causing him to be reckless, to push the boundaries.

"A vote?" Akoro's voice was sharp. "This is an unusual request, Soge Otenyo. Am I to think you’re trying to undermine the foundations of my governance?" He rose from his seat and walked a few steps onto the stage, letting his height and presence expand.

Prillu stepped forward. “Soge, this isn’t an appropriate time to make such suggestions.”

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