Page 44 of Redeeming His Omega Mate

I looked up to see two boys standing toe-to-toe, their faces scrunched in anger. One of them, the same kid who had called me out earlier, was gripping a half-formed mud brick while the other clenched his fists at his sides.

“I didn’t steal it! Yours fell apart, so I made a new one,” the second boy argued.

I was a little lost. When did they turn forming bricks for the garden bed into a competition? Weren’t we all just laughing a moment ago?

I turned to see Tala wiping her hands on her clothes and standing on her feet. She stepped over to them, placed a hand on each of their shoulders, and said, “Now remind me, boys, what did I say about working peacefully?”

“But I didn’t do anything! He stole my brick.” The first boy insisted.

“No, I didn’t! Just admit I’m better at molding than you are.”

Both boys started talking at once, their words overlapping over each other as they argued. Tala didn’t interrupt. She just listened, nodding here and there until they finally ran out of things to say. Then she crouched down to their level.

“I get it,” she said.

She did? Because I had been listening the entire time and still had no clue what just happened. The whole thing seemed too ridiculous to grasp.

“You both wanted to prove a point to one another. But look around.” She gestured to the half-built garden beds. “These bricks aren’t yours or mine. We’re building something together, something for the whole pack.”

The boys shifted on their feet, glancing at the unfinished rows.

Tala smiled softly. “Okay, how about this? You make a new one together. That way, it’s stronger, and we don’t waste time arguing. Sounds fair?”

The first boy looked at the second and then huffed. “I guess.”

“Fine,” the other muttered.

“Good.” Tala gave their shoulders a small squeeze before stepping back, watching as they reluctantly started working together.

I leaned back on my heels, watching the scene unfold in front of me. She handled them calmly and patiently and yet commandingly. It was beautiful to watch how she managed to get the situation under control easily. She didn’t force them to listen. She made them want to.

As she returned to building the bricks, she caught me staring.

She didn’t look away this time. Instead, she smiled, just a small thing, barely there, but it stirred something inside of me.

My wolf stirred, restless, mirroring the frustration tightening in my chest. Lately, regret had been creeping in, reminding me that I had her once, and I let her go. I still told myself it was the right choice at the time, but that didn’t make it any easier. The way she kept her distance felt like a quiet reminder of what I’d lost and like I had no right to want her. And damn it, as much as it infuriated me, that only made me want her more. More than ever.

The work carried on until evening. I spent the entire day with the kids working on the garden. By the time we were done, it was full of life, vibrant with colors, and utterly beautiful. I used what Aria had taught me to plant some flowers, and for a moment, I wished she was here to see it. She would have loved the sight of it.

As the last of the supplies were handed out, the crowd slowly began to disperse. The outreach was coming to an end. The artisans returned with updates about how they had restored electricity to several homes, patched up buildings, and even had Omegas watching them work, eager to learn. A deep sense of fulfillment settled over me.

We weren’t where I wanted us to be. Not yet. But today proved that maybe we were finally moving in the right direction.

After the successful outreach, I found new ways to immerse myself and the Omegas in pack life, to prove my dedication to the cause I had begun, and to show that I was not all talk. The Harvest Moon Festival, an annual event to honor the hard work of the farmers and hunters, was just around the corner, and this time, I decided the celebration would be held in the slum.

For as long as I could remember, the festival had always taken place in the pack’s headquarters, territory that, unsurprisingly, belonged to the Betas. By bringing the festival to the slums, I could bring the pack with it, Omegas would finally be able to take part in a celebration that had long excluded them, and Betas would have no choice but to step into a world they rarely acknowledged.

I had sat with the members of the Omega community to arrange this. While most of the Elders were open to the idea, some still hadtheir doubts. I wanted them to see that this festival belonged to everyone, including them, and that they, their farmers, and their labor mattered to the pack and deserved recognition just as much as anyone else.

On the day I arrived in the slums, I was taken aback by what they had managed to create. Of course, I had sent down resources—food, supplies, whatever they needed to bring the Harvest Moon Festival to life—but seeing it all come together was something else entirely. Lanterns lined the streets, ready to glow as the night stretched on, casting a warmth over the carefully decorated space.

I turned to find Tala, a satisfied smile tugging at her lips as she took it all in. Beside her, Aria practically buzzed with excitement. She looked much better than she had two nights ago when she’d woken up from that terrible nightmare. I was relieved to see that whatever had haunted her then hadn’t dimmed her brightness.

The day unfolded in great style. And, most importantly, peace. There was another communal feast, and once again, I found myself sitting with the children. The girl had gathered her friends, just as I had asked, and we shared the meal together. Aria even joined us, her presence adding to the warmth of the moment.

There were no interruptions, just the hum of happy conversations that filled the air. At one point, an Omega stood up and began singing. Soon, others joined in, drumming on tables with cups and spoons. The rhythm grew into a beautiful melody that enveloped the crowd. Before long, the children were pulling me out of my seat, urging me to join them. I found myself dancing, caught up in the joy of the moment.

By nightfall, the festival was buzzing with even more energy. It felt like everyone had found new strength. I saw a few Betas join in, though it was still just a handful. The crowd had definitely grown, and I figured some of those who’d said they wouldn’t come had changed their minds.

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