Page 74 of Redeeming His Omega Mate

“I know everyone is eager to jump into the fun part of this merger, the feast and celebration, but I have one more announcement.”

I gestured to Tala, who stood at the edge of the gathering with Aria, to bring her forward. Aria grasped my hand, beaming up at me, completely unbothered by all the eyes now fixed on her.

“To facilitate this unity I speak of, the Moon Goddess has blessed us with the awakening of the spirit of the Lunaris Custodes.”

A stunned silence swept through the crowd before gasps followed, heavy with disbelief, as they tried to process the impossible—that the Lunaris Custodes, thought to have been wiped out, still existed.

“The Lunaris Custodes were created by the Moon Goddess herself to preserve balance among us. Their purpose was to ensure that no rank was abused, that power never became tyranny, and that strength was always tempered with wisdom.”

I let my gaze sweep over the crowd, meeting eyes that ranged from wary to astonished to disbelief. I turned to Aria, whose bright eyes stared into the crowd. She looked unshaken, with no fear, as though she had always known this moment would come one day. Thankfully, she’d stopped having those nightmares that kept her up. “Through my daughter, the blood of the Lunaris Custodes lives again. She is a child now, but in time, she will be what the Moon Goddess intends, a beacon of balance, a force to guide us, to ensure that everyone, both Betas and Omegas have a place amongst the pack.”

A ripple of understanding passed through the crowd. Then, a howl, low and deep, filled with reverence, came from an elder in the front. Others followed, first hesitantly, then in growing numbers, until the air vibrated with the voices of my pack, our pack, howling in acknowledgment of a new era.

I met Tala’s eyes across the sea of people. There was pride in them. When she first told me about the Lunaris Custodes spirit awakening in Aria, she had been afraid, afraid that it would make our daughter a target, just as those before her had been, and that even with Serena exiled, she might one day return for revenge. But I had assured her that Aria was safe. She didn’t just have us. She had her uncle. She had Ryker and his army of rogues, who were no longer outcasts but protectors, sworn to defend the pack and its people. And she had more than that, she had the strength of Stonehart and Silver Fang behind her.

The celebration carried on with a feast, bringing everyone together to mark this new milestone. It was a beautiful sight, one that filled my heart with warmth and joy. A part of me wished my father were here to see that power could be wielded differently, that authority didn’t have to be built on fear, and that a world of peace and equality could thrive. But then again, if he had been here, none of this would have ever been possible.

As the pack’s celebration faded into the night, Tala and I slipped into the pack house to enjoy a quiet moment away from the noise.

“It’s incredible what you’ve done, Damian,” she murmured against my chest as we lay in bed together, her fingers tracing the rough scruff along my jaw. “You’ve built a history no one could have ever dreamed of. You’re a good man, Damian. A good Alpha. A good father.”

“I want to be a good husband, too,” I said.

I felt her body tense as she lifted her head to look at me. I held her gaze and continued. “Fate gave us a second chance to regain what we lost, and I do not intend to waste another moment. None of this would have been possible without you. We made this history together, Tala. And I want to keep making more, with you as my Luna.”

Her expression was unreadable, and for a moment, an unwelcome feeling settled in my chest. Was it too soon? Maybe she wasn’t ready.

But then, she smiled.

“Oh, Damian,” she whispered, cupping my cheek. “I would love nothing more than to be your wife.”

Relief crashed into me. I pulled her in, my arm curling around her waist as I crushed my lips to hers.

She responded by wrapping her arms around my neck, pushing me into the bed as she settled on top of me. Tala broke the kiss, her gaze locking onto mine. I saw the raw emotion, contentment, and the unmistakable flicker of desire in her eyes.

“You are so beautiful, Tala. Did you know that?” I murmured, pushing myself up just enough to cup her face. “And in that dress… you’re absolutely breathtaking.” I rested my forehead against hers, breathing her in. “But I want to take it off right now.”

She giggled as I rolled us over, pulling her beneath me. “Damian,” she laughed, breathless. “We should probably get Aria to bed. It’s way past her bedtime.”

“She’s allowed to stay up late tonight,” I said, pressing a kiss to her temple. “I bet she’s having plenty of fun downstairs.”

Tala laughed again. “Are you saying that just so we don’t have to leave?”

I pulled back, grinning. “Of course not.”

My fingers found the zipper at the side of her dress. As much as I loved that yellow dress on her, the way it hugged every curve, teasing me all day, right now, it was just in my way.

I helped her out of it, letting the fabric slide down her body before I climbed out of bed to strip off my own clothes. Tala chuckled, watching me struggle with my pants, and I shot her a playful glare.

Once I was free of them, I settled on top of her, capturing her lips again. Her hand trailed down between us, wrapping around my cock, and my breath hitched at the first slow stroke. She was teasing me, drawing it out, making me impossibly hard.

When I’d had enough, I caught her wrist and pinned it to the bed, smirking against her lips before moving lower. I kissed my way down her body, from her mouth to her breasts, down her stomach, lingering at her thighs before settling between her legs.

I paused, watching her tremble in anticipation. I hadn’t even touched her yet, and she was already shaking.

The second my tongue met her clit, she gasped, her back arching. I buried my face between her thighs, worshipping her with every flick and stroke of my tongue, savoring the way she writhed beneath me.

Her fingers threaded in my hair, pulling me closer as her moans filled the room. She was close. I could feel it in the way she tensed, barely holding back the scream on the tip of her tongue.

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