Page 32 of Omega Sanctuary

It worried me. She laughed at something Nova said, and I turned to her, like rainwater finds a river. Her cinnamon colored hair looked brighter in the firelight, her round mouth open with joy.

Her body curved in the light, and blood rushed to my groin. I grimaced and tried to push the rushing desire away. She didn't need me pawing all over her. The girl was trying to get to a safe place after some business with a clumsy alpha.

I had at least a decade on her, and she deserved someone who could give her the world. I could give her nothing, not even a vow to always stay by her side. My oath to the Order of the Silver Lion could only be broken by an omega's bond.

She deserved to feel safe, not harried. I pulled away, continuing my circuit.

If I didn't know better, I would have thought we were being hunted. But that was impossible. No one knew we were traveling to the Sanctuary.

Another tickle at the end of my awareness. Someone was out there.

I wasn't going to be caught off guard, not ever again. I glanced at my charges, my hand going the pommel of my sword.

Not when the cargo was so precious.

The next day we made better time. Nova was still hurting, but the medicine seemed to help. The day was clear, the birds were singing, the spirits were dancing, and I sat with my back in the corner so I could see Valens and Nova.

A loud pounding startled me. At first I thought it was thunder, despite the clear day.

Valens swore under his breath. He pulled the cart off to the side of the road. Reins in one hand, he had the other on his sword.

Around the bend in the road rode four men on horses. Soldiers judging from the beige color of their tunics.

My stomach dropped.

The man in the front had an unfortunate goatee. He pulled his group to a stop, and scanned us.

"Hello travelers." He locked eyes on Nova, and then looked at Valens and me. His expression didn't change, but his energy shifted. Suspicion.

I threw an arm around Valens's shoulder and grinned. "Good morning."

"Everything okay?" The man gave us an aww shucks grin. He zeroed in on Nova.

Valens tensed.

"Well enough," I said. "My sister isn't feeling well. My husband and I are taking her—"

"—to Ronahim," Valens said. "To her alpha."

The soldier looked at Nova. A flash of concern and then something warmer. "Are you alright?"

"My husband was traveling. It should have been fine..." She trailed off. "I asked my sister and brother-in-law to take me to him.”

"The Temple couldn't help?" the soldier to the left asked. His tunic was bright and new, like it was his first day wearing it.

"I didn't want to wait for them to send someone out and then turn around and take me back," Nova said, her tone indicating it was a stupid idea.

"It's no trouble," Valens said. "Business kept her alpha busy."

"Not often an omega travels without her alpha," Goatee said.

"It should have been a fast trip," Nova snapped. "But with the winds this year, the ships were delayed."

Nova was good at this. I would have been rushing to give them all sorts of details, praying they believed me. She just put on her omega façade and didn't deign to explain such things.

"We'll accompany you to Ronahim." Goatee said, looking at his troop.

"It's not necessary," Valens replied with a stony look.

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