Chapter 8
Eight
Callum
Five days. We’ve kept our omega in her chambers for five fucking days, knotting her , feeding her, caring for her. Making sure the bond settle and she understands she’s ours.
But this morning, she surprised us.
“I need to see Snow White,” Hilda announced over breakfast.
Baylin growled immediately. Arkan tensed. I just studied her face.
“Why?” I asked.
“Because I owe her an apology.” Hilda met my eyes steadily. “I’ve been making her life miserable ever since died.her father died, I summoned you to kill her. She deserves to know she’s safe. And that I’m… different now.”
She is different. The cold, bitter queen who gave me that order is gone. In her place is our omega…still sharp-tongued, still regal and sassy, but softer. Warmer. Happy.
“We go with you,” I stated.
“I know.” She smiled, rolling her eyes.
Now we’re walking through the castle with our omega between us.
The entire court is staring. Every single person we pass. Servants, nobles, guards, knights. Can’t blame them.
Five days ago, their queen was mean and terrifying, always dressed in formal gowns, hair perfectly styled, radiating icy power.
Today she’s wearing a simple dress…beautiful, comfortable. Her hair is loose around her soft shoulders. And she’s flanked by three massive wolf shifters who very obviously claimed her. The bite marks on her throat and every patch of exposed skin, visible. She’s not even trying to hide them.
She looks… relaxed.
A servant drops a tray when she sees us. China shatters on the marble floor.
“I’m so sorry, Your Majesty!” The girl scrambles to clean it up.
“It’s fine,” Hilda says gently, when days ago she would have snapped at the girl. “No harm done.”
The girl gapes at her.
We keep walking.
“They’re shocked,” Hilda murmurs.
“You’re different,” Arkan says. “They’re not used to it yet.”
“Good different?” she asks quietly, a tiny frown marring her gorgeous face.
“Very good different,” I confirm, squeezing her hand.
I wink at her, and she smiles, looking relieved.
We find Snow White in the gardens. Fuck, she’s young…seventeen, maybe eighteen…and beautiful in a soft, innocent way. Dark hair, pale skin, red lips. I can see why the mirror called her the fairest. Cute kid.
Snow sees us approaching and goes very still. Her big eyes dart between me, Hilda, and my brothers. Looking like she’s calculating escape routes.
Smart girl.
“Snow,” Hilda says gently. “I need to speak with you. Alone.”
We all growl.
Hilda sighs, shaking her head. “You can stay close,” she amends. Then turns back to her stepdaughter. “Please. Just… a moment.”
Snow nods slowly. “All right.”
My brothers and I move back…not far, just enough to give them space. But we’re watching. Listening. Ready to stand by our omega.
“I owe you an apology,” Hilda starts.
Snow blinks. “What?”
“I was cruel to you. Jealous. Bitter,” Hilda’s voice is steady but I can feel her nervousness through the bond. “I let something poison me.”
“The mirror,” Snow says quietly.
“Yes. The mirror.” Hilda glances back at us, then continues. “But that’s no excuse. I treated you terribly. And I summoned a huntsman to… to hurt you. I’m sorry.”
Snow is silent for a long moment, observing our mate. Then she says: “You’re different.”
The queen nods. “I am.”
“Because of them?” Snow looks toward us.
“Partly.” Hilda touches the bite on her throat. “They’re my mates. My pack. They showed me what I was missing. What I actually needed.”
“Which was?”
“Not to be alone.” Hilda’s voice cracks slightly. “To belong to someone. To be wanted for who I am, not what I look like or how much power I have.”
Snow studies her stepmother. “The mirror is gone?”
“One of my mates put his fist through it.”
A small smile tugs at Snow’s lips. “Good. It was evil.”
“It was.” Hilda takes a breath. “I want you to know you’re safe.
You’re free to live your life however you choose.
If you want to stay in the castle, you can.
If you want to leave, you have my blessing and my support.
And if anyone ever tries to hurt you…” She glances back at us.
“Well. You have three very protective wolves who will handle it.”
Damn right we will. Our omega cares about this girl. That makes her pack-adjacent. We protect what’s ours.
Snow is quiet for another moment. Then she does something unexpected.
She closes the distance between them and hugs Hilda.
Our omega freezes, clearly shocked. Then, slowly, carefully, she hugs the girl back.
“Thank you,” Snow whispers. “For apologizing. For letting me go. For… being honest.”
When they separate, both of them have tears in their eyes.
Snow clears her throat. “A prince has been visiting. He’s from the neighboring kingdom. He’s… kind. And he asked if he could court me.”
“Do you want him to?” Hilda asks gently.
“I think so,” the girl replies with a shy smile.
Hilda doesn’t hesitate. “You have my blessing and my wishes for your happiness. If he treats you well, if he makes you happy, then I’m glad for you.”
Snow smiles big and bright. “Thank you.”
They talk for a few more minutes…about the prince, about Snow’s plans, about the future. It’s… strange, watching our omega make peace with the girl she wanted dead less than a week ago.
But it’s right. This is who Hilda really is, underneath the poison. Kind. Caring. Generous.
Our perfect omega.
When they finally part, Hilda returns to us. I immediately pull her close, needing to touch her, to reassure myself she’s safe.
“That went well,” she says quietly, still smiling, eyes welled.
“You did good, omega,” Arkan says, kissing her temple.
“She deserved the truth.” Hilda leans into me, resting her head on my chest, letting me carry her weight. “And I needed to say it. To let go.”
Baylin nuzzles her other side. “Not the Evil Queen anymore.”
“No,” she agrees softly, smiling. “Just the queen.”
“Just our queen,” I add.
We start walking back toward the royal chambers.
More people stare and trip on their feet as they bow when we pass them. Word is spreading. The Queen has changed. The Queen has mates.
“They’re going to talk,” Hilda observes, letting out a small, unsure laugh.
“Let them,” I reply. “You’re ours. They can adjust or fuck off.”
This time her laugh is loud and full. “Very diplomatic.”
“I’m not a diplomat. I’m your mate.” I stop and turn her to face me. “And I don’t give a fuck what anyone thinks as long as you’re happy.”
Through the bond, I feel her emotions: joy, love. So much fucking love.
“I am happy,” she whispers. “For the first time in… I don’t even know how long. I’m actually happy.”
“Good.” I kiss her, deep and claiming, right there in the hallway where anyone can see. “That’s all that matters.”
When we finally make it back to the chambers, I can smell her arousal. Our omega needs her alphas again.
“On the bed, omega,” I command.
“Callum…”
“Now.”
She goes, her omega responding to her alpha’s command. Arkan and Baylin are already stripping, already hard.
“Spread your legs,” I tell her as I remove my clothes. “Show us that pretty cunt.”
She does, and fuck, she’s dripping. Fucking drenched with slick, ready for us.
“Please,” she whimpers.
“Please, what?” I climb on the bed, settling between her glorious thighs.
“Please knot me. Fill me. I need…”
“We know what you need, little one.” I slide inside her in one thrust and she cries out. “Your alphas always know what you need.”
I fuck her slowly, thoroughly, while Baylin and Arkan touch and kiss every inch of her they can reach. After, Arkan takes my place. Then Baylin.
We keep her full and claimed, and satisfied for hours…
Later, when we’re all tangled together in our massive bed, sated and fucked out, Hilda says quietly, “Thank you.”
“For what?” I ask running my nose along the side of her lovely face.
“For claiming me. For showing me I didn’t have to be alone.” She traces the scars on my chest. “For giving me this. A pack. A family. Home.”
“You’re ours,” I reply simply. “That’s all the thanks we need.”