The reminder sent a pang of grief through me but I’d been ready for it. I turned toward my fellow shifters and bowed. “Thank you, everyone, for everything you have given me, for all the moments we shared, good and bad. Thank you for making the Wolfsbane Pack stronger and for serving my father, Alpha Edgar Clayton. With all my heart, I wish you the very best, and I will continue doing so even when I become a member of the Firewolf Pack. May the moon shine brightly on your path and may the chaos bless you every step of the way.”
My father shifted into his wolf form and howled. Everyone else followed his example, and the echoes of their voices reached into me, the strength of the pack settling over me like a comfortable blanket.
They might have been dismissive of me because of my Omega nature, but they had still loved me. The knowledge brought tears to my eyes. I shifted too, more determined to honor my pack than ever.
Andrea and I were the only females who’d be going to the Firewolf Pack today. My father would take his second beta, Cuthbert Dixon, with him, while Ellery stayed home to monitor the pack in our absence. We had two large groups of guards with us, as my father had taken no chances with security. They already had their portable equipment strapped to their backs and paws, an obvious threat for all to see.
With another howl, my father directed us out of the settlement. He took the lead in the run, like he always did, but this time, he asked me to join him. It was an unusual honor. Omegas always ran at the back of the pack, no matter what. But maybe that was his way of saying he’d miss me too.
We moved together like one being, like a single wolf hunting for its prey. I was slower than everyone else, but I didn’t feel like I was dragging them down or anything like that. Maybe they were running a little more slowly than they usually did. Either way, we made good time. The ceremony would take place shortly before dusk, and we were already entering Firewolf territory. I certainly wouldn’t be late for my own mating.
There was no real natural border between our lands and those of the Firewolves. For as long as I could remember, we’d fought over this side of the Bloodmoon Lake, killing one another over our natural rivalry. I knew better than to think the hostility would vanish just because I was mating the Alpha of their pack, but it was a step forward.
Still, as we got closer and closer to the settlement of the Firewolves, a strange feeling of tension rushed over me. It was different from my anxiety. Up to a point, it felt alien, like a bizarre power was trying to crawl its way inside me.
The others felt it too, as they grew increasingly agitated. Finally, my father ordered us to a stop. “We need to all be aware that there may be tensions in the Firewolf Pack. If something happens, I expect you to remain clear-headed and protect one another. Remember, if you choose to use your weapons, do so only when you are certain your fellows aren’t in the line of fire. As long as we stay together, nothing can beat us.”
The words didn’t hold any information my father hadn’t told them countless times before, but not everything was about information. An Alpha Command pulsed in his voice, one that anchored everyone and chased away the strange tension. It even worked for me, although it seemed less efficient than it had been for the others.
Maybe my father realized that, because he turned toward me and nudged me with his snout. “You’ll be fine, daughter. I believe in you. We all do.”
Yes, I already knew that. But it wasn’t just about belief any longer. Something was going to happen. I could feel it.
Distant memories flashed through my head, of a different night, when my brother had broken my body and had branded me as forever inferior in the pack. Even if those flashes were blurry and strange, the emotions persisted. Why did today remind me so much of that night?
I wanted to ask my father, but I didn’t get the chance. Howling, he guided us to start running again. I complied, but the heavy feeling in my heart didn’t go away. What were we truly heading into?
* * *
Luna
After all the buildup and tension of the past couple of days, our arrival at the Firewolf Pack was almost anticlimactic. The Alpha himself welcomed us, but he spoke only to my father and didn’t say a word to me. Before I could even try to approach him, the females of the pack came to take me away.
They herded me into a tent erected underneath the giant tree in the middle of their settlement. Another female was inside, and the moment I walked in, she pinned me with a look that held more poison than all the arsenal of the Wolfsbane Pack put together. “You must be the Omega who wants to mate my son. I’d love to say I expected more, but I didn’t, not really.”
So, this was Alice Savage, Rufus and Rowan Savage’s mother. Her hostility didn’t surprise me, and I wouldn’t let her get in the way of my goals. Straightening my back, I forced myself to smile. “My name is Luna Clayton. I know you might deem me inadequate or inferior, but I hope I’ll be able to prove you wrong, in time.”
The other female sneered at me. “I very much doubt that. Make no mistake, child. You’re not going to be Alpha female here. The only thing you’re good for is to spread your legs and provide pups.”
Her words cemented my insecurities, but I did my best to not let her get to me. “I look forward to being a mother and to raising my pups. I think that’s a good thing.”
Much to my surprise, Alice laughed. “Do you really think you’ll have that chance? Stupid child. As soon as you recover from a birth, you’ll be required to carry another litter. You won’t have the time or the energy to care for the pups.”
“Plenty of pregnant females care for their young,” I replied, clenching my jaw in frustration.
“Yes, but they aren’t Omegas. And it’s beside the point, anyway. Rufus and your father already have an agreement. Some of your pups won’t even be Firewolves at all.”
My blood froze at her words. “W-What?”
“You must have known this would happen. Your father needs pups too, and you’re the only one who can provide them.”
Yes, I’d known that was a possibility. My father didn’t have other heirs, and as far as I knew he wasn’t considering taking another mate. My mother’s death had hit him badly, and he’d never recovered. But even so, any female werewolf was supposed to raise her pups. The bond between mother and pup was very important in the first years of the pup’s life.
Anger erupted through me, and I took a step forward, clenching my fists. “You can’t just take my pups away from me!”
“I won’t be doing anything, Omega. Your Alpha made this decision, not me. And he wasn’t wrong. If you want to blame anyone for the future loss of your pups, blame yourself. You’re the one not good enough to raise a family here.”
“I’m good enough to be your son’s mate,” I snapped back.
