Chapter 16 Poppy #3
Rorik shot a knowing glance over his shoulder at Saffron, who shifted to human form and bounded over with a friendly smile. As he caught up with Rorik, the blond alpha slipped an affectionate arm around his bear’s shoulders.
“Hi! Nice to meet you,” Saffron greeted.
Sorrel’s hackles rose for a second before smoothing. “H... hello.”
The other omegas stared in awe as Sorrel interacted with the dragon, who was now a grinning human with an obvious love for Rorik. They saw Saffron for who he was: a stranger, yes, but a normal shifter, just like them.
I was deeply relieved that Jade had disobeyed Viol’s request. I’d been gone from the tundra for so long that I may as well have been a ghost in the clan’s eyes, but Rorik was not.
They’d grown up with him, trusted him. Even though Rorik’s failure was supposed to inspire contempt, it clearly didn’t.
I could imagine the omegas’ grief when the alphas lied and said Rorik had died on his mission.
That lie had been their downfall. Now Rorik’s presence was a blessing—and I think it was slowly turning the tides.
From the corner of my eye, I noticed Sheba backing away with a frustrated snarl. Control was rapidly slipping from her grasp, if she still had any at all.
As Sorrel spoke with Rorik and Saffron, Viol strode to my side and arched his neck down in a comforting nuzzle. I closed my eyes, allowing myself to share a quiet moment of relief with my mate.
“The clan alphas are losing their grip,” Viol murmured in my ear.
I sensed it, too. “Yes,” I whispered back.
“What should we do? Want me to chase ‘em off?”
I turned to see the state of them. The two bears stood away from the omegas, as if separated by an invisible barrier. Sheba bristled with frustration as the clan crumbled around her, but Knox remained withdrawn. Neither of them appeared willing to fight for the remaining scraps of the tundra clan.
“I don’t know if that’s necessary,” I admitted. “All the omegas know they’re liars now. And I think the fact that we showed up with dragon reinforcements spooked Sheba halfway out of her fur. I doubt she can regain her old authority.”
“But what about the omegas?” Viol asked, casting a concerned look at the small crowd.
“Jade must have a plan,” I assured. “He wouldn’t show up without one.”
That mollified my mate. “That’s true,” Viol murmured, then snorted fondly. “That snake always has a few tricks up his sleeve.”
Motion from the corner of my eye drew my attention. Knox turned his back on the omegas, muttered something to Sheba, then began to walk away in the opposite direction. Sheba caught up with him, arguing all the while.
“What are they saying?” I asked Viol, who had a higher vantage point.
He squinted as he focused in on their conversation. “Knox is saying... there’s no point in staying. They lost everything when Konrad died. They’ve wasted all these years tending to his memory by keeping the tundra clan alive, but now it’s dead and rotten. He’s saying it’s time for them to move on.”
I watched their body language as the two bears loped away.
Sheba was upset, but I could imagine she didn’t want to lose Knox, the only family she had left, even if it meant abandoning the smoldering wreckage of Konrad’s memory.
Within minutes, the alpha polar bears rounded the side of the mountain and disappeared.
“Where did the clan alphas go?” Sorrel asked as he padded up to me. He’d been so distracted speaking to Rorik and Saffron that he hadn’t even noticed the alphas’ departure. I was grateful for that. It meant he was already moving on.
“I have no idea,” I said truthfully. “But I don’t think they’ll be back.”
Charon walked up beside Sorrel. I noticed how close the omega bear stood to him, so that the tips of their fur brushed together.
“What do we do now?” Charon asked. “I... I don’t want to stay here.”
Sorrel frowned, looking uneasy, but his voice hardened with determination. “Me neither.”
Sensing his presence was finally needed, Jade stepped forward. He shifted to human form so as not to frighten the omegas who were still wary about dragons.
“Hello, everyone. My name is Jade. I’m Viol’s older brother, and family to Rorik as well.”
When the omegas sought Rorik’s confirmation, he nodded. His confidence in Jade was clear in his proud expression, and that confidence reassured his old clan mates.
Jade smiled calmly at the group. “Whether you wish to stay or leave, the choice is yours. I’ve arranged options either way. Please come speak to Rorik and I to discuss them.”
It took a few awkward beats, but Charon and Sorrel broke the ice by leading the way. As they began talking to Jade and Rorik, many others joined behind them.
As I watched the scene with growing calm, a speck of motion suddenly caught my eye.
A snowy owl flew low in the sky, its white wings as silent as they were beautiful.
The owl suddenly caught my gaze, its yellow eyes piercing and intelligent.
Emotion tightened my throat. It was a silly thought, but I couldn’t help wondering if it was a descendent of the snowy owl we’d helped all those years ago.
The owl flew away, and I turned my attention back to my brother and the other omegas. I breathed out in relief. The weight of the world felt like it had been lifted off my shoulders.
But I wasn’t alone. A draconic purr rumbled in Viol’s throat as he nuzzled his face against my cheek.
“It’s all right. They’ve got this under control,” he promised.
I nodded gratefully, too tired to speak.
“You did good, Poppy,” Viol murmured.
Tears brimmed in my eyes for what felt like the millionth time today. I rested my head against my mate, comforted by his mere existence. I couldn’t have done any of this without him.
“Thank you, Viol,” I whispered. “For everything.”
His eyes flashed with emotion. In them I saw a love shining brighter than any star. He didn’t need to say the words for me to hear them.
Let’s go home.