Page 51 of Hunting Their Omega

“Someone is turning into quite the optimist,” I said, giving Wynn a playful nudge.

“Not optimism, certainty. Change is coming—I can feel it. And when it does, Hidden Creek will be ready.”

“Alpha,” a voice called, cutting through our conversation. “We wanted to know if you decided which units will attend the next Hunt.”

“We are still deciding. Now that there are new stakes, the selection process for the Hunt will be even more meticulous.”

“When will you announce your choice?” another male asked.

They were eager to find their fated mates, and I couldn’t blame them.

“A fortnight from now,” Wynn replied.

We dismissed the meeting and watched the males file out with renewed hope. I prayed it was enough to convince them to band together instead of falling apart. The last thing we needed was disunity in our pack, especially with what lay ahead.

Instinctively, I searched for Isolde in the bond. When I found her thread humming gently in my chest, my lungs expanded. She was safe and content.

A smile tugged at my lips.

“What do we tell our little mate?” Alaric asked.

“Nothing for now.” Wynn ran a hand along his jaw. “Not until we have solid answers to give her. She’s safe at the moment, but the Council has already contacted us about her breeding status.”

My heart hammered in my chest. “They’ll keep asking, and once they know she’s with child, they’ll only be more persistent.”

Alaric’s growl rippled down the bond as pain and fear pulsed between us.

I placed my hand between his bunched shoulder blades. “There’s still time.”

Alaric shook his head. “Not much.”

Another truth. If Isolde were pregnant, her scent would change in the next few days. The gestation period for shifters was only five months, which meant we had at least four to figure out what was going on with the Council. What would happen to our child if it were an Omega?

Would we stand by as it was taken to the boarding house? Would we condemn it to a fate of loneliness and separation from its wolf?

A vicious snarl shook my chest.

No, I wouldn’t—not knowing what I do now.

And that decision would be the end of Hidden Creek’s sanction. It would be considered a direct threat against the Council’s authority.

“We need to act quickly,” I said. “I know we were giving Isolde a chance to acclimate, but time is running out. We need to question her and find out as much as we can about boarding houses, Omegas, and members of the Council.”

“Do you think that’s wise?” Alaric asked.

My chest squeezed at the thought of forcing Isolde to relive painful memories, but we needed information. “It’s our only option.”

“And afterward? What’s our next move?” Alaric asked Wynn.

Wynn’s voice was firm. “Next, we recruit allies.”

Chapter 19

Isolde

I felt the shift in our bond the moment my mates returned home. Alaric and Bishop wore tense expressions, but Wynn’s stony face set off alarm bells in my head.

I wiped my hands on a dish towel and stepped toward the parlor. “Is everything all right?”

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