Page 3 of A Mate for the King
“I hate being an omega,” Zara whispered, eyes shining with tears. She let out a sniffle and the sound broke his heart, but he said nothing.
Zehr understood her frustrations. Omegas were at the bottom of society, at the mercy of the alphas around them, and Zara was luckier than most to have such a powerful and benevolent alpha in her corner.
There hadn’t been a thing their late father denied her, nor would Zehr, but that didn’t mean it wasn’t hard for Zara in their world. The only thing a good number of the shifter population responded to was force and strength. But existing as an omega, a being born with softness and submission in their code, meant that their life was rough. That was the reality for his sister, even though she enjoyed the full protection of himself and his clan.
The Fireheart clan honored their link to the All-Mother. There wasn’t an alpha or beta that would hesitate in protecting and honoring omegas for their designation. It could be a leftover inclination from their direct connection to the All-Mother, who was after all, an omega.
But punishment was all life held for many omegas who didn’t have the protection and freedoms afforded to Zara. Life for those omegas could be a living nightmare. Zehr grit his teeth at the thought and glanced over at his sister. She was glaring at her feet, looking thoroughly put out at having an escort for the duration of the coronation events. He had to bite back a sigh.
Zehr knew she thought it was unfair, but Zara didn’t know she had it so good with their clan, which was entirely the point. Zehr took great pride in being able to make such a place for his clan members, especially his sister. But now he wished that Zara comprehended just how vulnerable she was on her own. She was meant to live free, but sadly that freedom needing curbing in the company of so many unknown shifters. It wasn’t safe. There were alphas who wouldn’t hesitate to impose their will on an unbonded omega like his sister.
Zehr grimaced at the thought. He’d never been one for bullies. Never one for brute force. It hadn’t been how he was raised.
We don’t rule by might,his father had told him often as a boy,we rule because it is our right.Just because one had the power to make their will reality didn’t mean they were allowed to do so without concern for their pack, or for the lives their wishes affected.
Zehr grimaced at the thought and reached for her hand, but he paused and gave her a searching look as he held out his hand to her, palm up. Zara didn’t move as he held his hand out waiting. A tense moment passed between them before Zara sighed and placed her hand in her brother’s grip.
“Fine,” she sighed, looking at her feet as Liam, a young but proven alpha with a soft spot for Zara, arrived beside them. He was the youngest of the guard and would have no problem letting Zara enjoy herself.
Liam watched on as Zehr pressed his lips to his sister’s wrist, at her pulse point, effectively marking her with his scent. There wasn’t an alpha foolish enough to step where his mark could be scented. That Zara wasn’t thrilled mattered little in the grand scheme of ensuring her safety. He reached forward, tugging her gently toward him to rub his cheek against the top of her head. He slid his wrist across her neck for good measure, and when he stepped back Zara wrinkled her nose at him.
“I reek of you.” She turned to Liam. “I’m sorry. Now you have to smell him all day.”
Liam laughed lightly and gave her a small shrug. “It could be worse.” He leaned close to Zara. “Besides, now no one will have the guts to tell us no. We can have the absolute run of this place.”
Zehr groaned at the twinkle in Zara’s eyes. “No.” He held up a finger and shook it at them as if they were schoolchildren. “I mean it. I’m still hearing about what you two got up to at the last clan gathering.”
“I suppose he means it this time.” Zara sniffed, giving her brother another pouting look.
Zehr ran a frustrated hand through his hair and gave Liam a stern look. “Keep her out of trouble and do not let her run off. I want a member of the guard with her any time she leaves our tents.”
Liam nodded. “My word on it.”
Zara pouted more, knowing Liam would never break his word, but the alphas paid her no mind. The safety of a pack member was their most pressing concern. The alphas clasped hands, and Liam nodded at the crowd of shifters bustling around them. There were vendors, stages with music, the smell of meats grilling, and laughter filling the air. It was perfect under the warm shining sun of the Tennessee mountains. It was August and there was no sign of fall in the air. Absolutely perfect.
“Go enjoy yourself.”
“I may,” Zehr said, doing his best to sound flippant, and Zara rolled her eyes at him.
“I demand that you least have some fun if you’re packing me off with Liam.” She raised an eyebrow at him. “I won’t hear of you brooding alone while you assign someone to babysit me. I want you to go get into trouble.”
“Babysit? Is that really what you think?” Liam blew out a long-suffering sigh and gave Zara a sidelong look while he offered his arm, though she only gave the pair of alphas a questioning look.
“What? What did I say?”
“I thought we were friends,” Liam huffed.
Zehr laughed at the picture in front of him: Liam appeared thoroughly put out while Zara continued to look confused. He nodded at the other alpha, who now cracked a smile at Zara as he steered her off and into the crowd, Zara chattering away. A moment later the pair vanished into the crowd.
As soon as he lost sight of the pair, Zehr turned on his heel and headed in the opposite direction, away from the hustle and bustle of the clearing. His sister was right to order him not to brood. It was exactly what he was going to do with so much on his mind. All he wanted, longed for even, was the solace of the forest.
Stepping off the path, he took a deep breath of the mountain air. It was already significantly quieter just steps off the path, and Zehr pushed forward, chasing that calming stillness of the trees with each step. Twigs snapped underfoot and branches tickled at his skin as he walked on. After a few more minutes of walking, he felt his heart soar at the calm that settled around him now that he was deep in the forest.
There were things to fear here, for sure. All shifters knew this. The fae were still far from even-tempered, though they were allies, and one couldn’t set foot in the wild without falling over some witch or warlock intent on magicing them all into an alternate universe.
Magic users were the most discontent beings he had met. No wonder there was little trust or love between the shifter world and the other denizens of the magical realm.
But worry over fae folk or temperamental witches was of little concern for Zehr. The forest was only dangerous for those without teeth, and Zehr had plenty of those.
