Page 13 of Omega Haunting

“That wasn’t a threat. It was a genuine question. Astral deserves an alpha who will. It also means you know where I’m coming from. If a threat was bigger and physically stronger than you and the only way you could save him was to do dark magic, you’d do it too. Almost anyone would. I’d do it again too if it meant I was back with Ormund again. I’d do anything to be back with him.”

“I’m sorry that you two are separated,” I said, skirting around the subject of dark magic. Everyone had their own definition of what qualified as dark and I didn’t want to know what the old wolf had been forced to do.

“Me too. It’s not forever, though. It’s not for long. Time is relative, I guess. The suitcase is all packed up for you. I’ve seen a couple futures for you two. Your matingmoon anyway. Going away is more romantic but sticking around here pays off more in the end. Besides, if you like breakfast gravy as much as you doin my visions, you’ll like it if you stick around. She cooks it with almost every meal.”

“It must be hard seeing so much all the time.”

“Not really,” Dern shook his head. “I only pay attention if it helps me. I told your omega the same thing about the spell I cast on the apple and I meant it. I don’t think he believed me. I think he will before everything’s said and done. You two being together is good for me.”

“Do you think we’re going to have your Ormund as our son or something?” I asked, trying not to sound as bemused as I was.

“I love dragons. You’re always looking for the logical answers. Trying to parse out the puzzles. No, my Ormund will not be your child or descendant as far as I know but it’s good for me that you two are together. Keep wondering about me. It’s fun, isn’t it? Just know, I’ll never hurt anyone unless they stand between me and Ormund.”

“Good to know,” I nodded but didn’t find any reassurance in his words.

“Okay. The old wolf is up to something, and that chair is definitely rocking faster than before,”my dragon chimed into my thoughts.

We’d have to talk this out later, but I didn’t want to spend anymore time away from Astral than I absolutely had to. Besides, with me by his side no dark magic wolf would ever hurt him.

Chapter Seven

Astral

Morgi was as surprised to see me as I was to be walking into his orchard alone on the same day I met my true-mate. His eyebrows rose high on his tall forehead in question.

“I don’t even know honestly,” I sighed and launched into an explanation of how I came to stand in his orchard while I really wanted to be with Marsin. I explained the story top to bottom and side to side as I made my rounds with the warding spray. The spray on its own could be used by anyone and worked fairly well but it was at its best when used by the person who brewed it up.

A six-point buck eyed us from the other side of the fence. The shitheads could jump most fences and did to get to where they wanted to be. Unlike home security wards this spell wouldn’t shock or bite the deer but literally formed a forcefield that they and their behooved brethren couldn’t pass through.

“And he thinks Dern is up to something?” Morgi asked, shoving his hands in his pockets.

“I think he’s just on edge. He’s on a strange world without any of his flight and here comes Dern with big magic and talk of all his selfishness. Dern wants everyone to think he’s dangerous but he’s not. Well, no more dangerous than my family. Probably makes him feel better as an old omega living alone. You know what they say – if you can’t kick their asses, you better make sure they believe you can.”

“Probably. So, what are you going to do? Is he going to stay here and be an alien or are you going to go be an alien?” Morgi asked.

Good ole Morgi only knew how to cut straight to the heart of the matter. Of course, he’d skip the talking of the matingmoon and even miss the chance to make a dragon dick joke to find out how this would affect him. If I was off being an alien on a Starscale world someone else would have to do his wards.

“Believe it or not we haven’t gotten that far into the conversations yet. You’re lucky he needed clothes, or I’d have sent out Mom to do your wards.”

“You’re not that evil. That woman would be here all day talkin’ my head off.”

“Serve you right,” I chuckled as we finished making our rounds of the wards.

I smelled Marsin before I saw him. His smell was warm, toasty, and made me crave marshmallows. The suitcase he carried looked like a child’s toy in his big hand. He waved when he spotted us watching him.

“He’s even bigger than before,” Morgi said and swore under his breath. “You’re going to have to climb that man like a damn tree.”

“And I plan to. Many, many times,” I nodded and waved back to my mate.

“This is Morgi. He owns the orchard here,” I introduced them. “It was one of his apples I used to haunt you.”

“How big are the houses where you come from? Can you fit through the doors here?” Morgi asked.

“Ignore him. He’s taken one too many apples to the head,” I said and elbowed Morgi. “He means well, though. I’m gonna sick Mom and Dern on him before I lock you up in my bedroom.”

“Might serve him right,” Marsin grinned politely.

His scent was off. Dern must’ve said something to annoy him. Were all dragons easily annoyed? Did they mistrust everyone they didn’t know?

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