Bonus Scene #2
“I will assemble a council that will oversee Iceen affairs so everyone may have a say, and we will meet in the next twenty-four hours. If you have anything you wish to address, we will hold an open session to air the grievances or requests, but for now, all of you can return to your dens and celebrate the beginning of a new era for lightning cats.”
The tension in the air dissipates as everyone gets to their feet and cheers once more, stomping their feet and calling her name.
“Wow.” Echo sighs next to me. “I can’t believe all that happened.
Do you think Lila will be okay? She didn’t look so good when they teleported out.
Do you think her babies were hurt? Did she change into cat form because she’s a whisperer?
” he asks, looking up at me with wide, worried eyes, and I stifle the growl of annoyance that bubbles up at all his questions.
I too am a little worried about the Earth girl.
She did step in to take Echo’s place after all, and that lightning strike would have killed a lot of beings.
Being a whisperer explains exactly why she didn’t drop dead on the spot, but I can’t help but worry for the kraken babies she carries.
I hope they didn’t get hurt by the cowardly hit from the former matriarch.
I’m also panicked and furious about the fact that she is a whisperer.
Is that why Echo is obsessed with her? He’s mesmerized by her alpha side, and it also goes a long way to explaining why I’m attracted to her.
I must sense the omega within her. I realize now exactly how dangerous she could be for both of us.
No, returning to the circus now is no longer an option. It’s better that we stayed behind, and now we can have a clean break. We will stay as far away from the circus as I can possibly get us.
“I’m sure she will be fine,” I say, trying to reassure my omega, but I can tell by his scent that I am not particularly effective. Instead, I try to distract him. “How about we head home to our den?” I suggest, and a wrinkle creases his brow.
“Our den?” He sounds confused and looks around for the others of our former streak, but I saw Trace, Sim, and Fuse gather up both Minx and Soshi and hurry them out when my mother dismissed the crowd.
The arena is now mostly deserted. My mother still remains on the dais, and she is crowded by my family streak, but I can also see Echo’s family as well as Trace’s, Sim’s, and Fuse’s.
It doesn’t surprise me in the least. They are the five most powerful streaks right now and good friends.
It won’t be shocking if any of them are invited to be a part of my mother’s new council.
They all hold the same values as her and will work hard to make the lightning cat race great again.
My mother catches my eye and waves me over, but I shake my head and point to Echo then the exit. I want to spend some time trying to calm my omega. She frowns but gives me a nod, and I steer him away from the crowd.
“Yes, our den. When you first presented and accepted me as your mate, I sent a message to our mothers, asking them to prepare a dwelling just for us. I didn’t think you would want to continue living with the rest of the boys,” I tell him as we exit the arena, the crowd having quickly dispersed due to the raging blizzard currently battering the area.
We put our heads down and hurry through the sleet and snow, the wind blowing sharp ice crystals that sting despite our fur.
By the time we arrive at our new dwelling, Echo’s teeth are chattering, and even I feel the cold.
I hurry him inside, activating the forcefield door behind us.
Iceen dwellings are built into caves, and this one is in the same area where the rest of our families and former streak have theirs.
It’s a decent size, but apart from the nest, which I requested my mother fill with luxurious items for my omega, the rest is a blank slate.
I knew he would want to put his own touch on everything else.
He looks around the space with wide-eyed awe, and I feel my chest puff up in pride.
“Is this ours?” he asks breathlessly, and I nod.
“Yes. I know it isn’t much at the moment, but I want you to fill it with whatever you wish,” I explain as I tug his hand and lead him toward the nest, which is down a small corridor.
I point out a couple of other doorways. “There is plenty of room for cubs. Now that we don’t have to worry about Natalia or the old regime’s hate toward male omegas, I thought maybe we could start a family,” I tell him as I pull aside the drapes hanging in front of the nest with a flourish.
He gapes in awe at the sight of the huge, cozy nest filled with all sorts of soft furnishings for him to decide whether he likes them or not. The room is lit with small twinkle lights that, although they aren’t bright, provide just enough glow to lend the room a feel of romance.
He shakes his head like he can’t believe what he sees. “Babies?” he asks, turning his attention to me with a small frown on his face. “What about the circus? We can’t return to the circus if we have babies.”
My heart sinks as I scent all his confusing emotions. There’s joy, but it is muddied by sadness, bewilderment, and worry.
“I thought maybe we would stay here and let the others return to the circus on their own,” I tell him gently, not wanting to express my concerns over Lila’s new whisperer status and how she must have bamboozled him with it. The farther we are from them, the better.
“Oh,” he says, and he hugs his arms around his body like he’s trying to self soothe.
“Come on, let’s go to bed. It’s been a long day, and I’m sure our families would like to see us tomorrow before the council meeting.
” I encourage him to step down into the nest. After a moment, he does what I asked and slowly sinks into the softness.
I watch with pride as he starts to sort through all the stuff our mothers procured for him, keeping or discarding things as he rubs his face over them and decides whether he likes how they feel or not.
After five minutes, a small purr of delight comes from his chest, and I heave out a sigh of relief.
This is going to work. I just need to keep him distracted long enough so he forgets about our previous life with the circus.
I wonder if I can get him pregnant with his next heat.
It’s quickly approaching, and having cubs will go a long way in making my omega happy.
If it has the additional bonus of making him forget about the little Earth girl, then I’m not above using it as an advantage.
Echo finally gets the nest how he wants it, and I kneel next to it and put my hands on my thighs. “May I enter your nest, my omega?” I ask him, and he turns his hooded eyes to me and smiles like I gave him the sun.
“Please, I need it to smell like us too.” He holds out his hand, and my heart swells. I step down into the nest for our first night in our new home, sure my plan is going to work.
The following morning, I get a message summoning us to the council meeting this morning.
My fur bristles, and a rumble barrels out of my chest before I can stop it.
Why is my mother summoning me to a council meeting instead of seeing us informally?
It makes me irritable, and Echo picks up on my feelings as we walk through the thick snow that fell overnight to the council building once more.
“Why do you think the council wants to see us?” I hear worry in his voice, and my anger ramps up.
How dare they upset my omega so soon after yesterday’s drama?
Can’t they just leave us alone? Haven’t we suffered enough with everything Natalia put us through?
I just want to settle back into life on Iceen before we invite any more drama into our lives.
“I don’t know, but I’m sure it’s nothing to worry about.
” I try to reassure him, but I know I’m not successful when he still smells stressed.
I’ve worked myself into a rage by the time we arrive at the council building.
My tail flashes with lightning, and my fur bristles as I slam the doors open, bursting into the council room.
There were no guards at the doors to stop me, and I’m in no mood to be polite.
The throne Mazlan used to sit on has been removed, and in its place is a large table with seating for ten.
My mother sits at the head of the table, and next to her is one of my fathers, Eriko.
Filling the rest of the seats, just like I expected, are representatives from the other four strong families, including Echo’s mother, Jalin, and one of her partners, Masi.
“Maxsim, Echo, welcome to a new era for the Iceen lightning cats.” My mother smiles serenely, gesturing to the gathered group. “You know everyone, yes?”
I look around the table and nod. “Yes, we do, and congratulations on your win,” I say gruffly, still annoyed at this impersonal summons.
Why does she need to see us in front of the council?
Echo is huddled behind me, his tension practically radiating from his body.
My mother’s serene smile falters, and she sighs.
“Maxsim, I’m sure you are wondering why we summoned you,” she begins, but before she can go any further, Jalin jumps to her feet.
“Domo is missing,” she announces, the terror in her voice hard to miss.
“What?” Echo steps from behind me and moves toward his mother, who is wringing her paws. Masi murmurs words of comfort, but they don’t seem to help.
“Yes, he was taken early yesterday morning. Mazlan’s cronies raided their den in the early hours and dragged him from his nest.”
“What are you doing about this?” Echo cries, his distress joining his mother’s and father’s.