Chapter 30 #2
“But it is precisely because she is an omega that complicates things,” Katreena continued. She then tilted her head. “Do you know why the courtship takes sixty days?”
Darion’s jaw tightened. “Tradition.”
“Tradition born from necessity,” she corrected.
Silence spread through the hall.
“Omegas are scarce, and alphas long ago discovered that mating a beta she-wolf alone was insufficient by comparison. Alliances failed, bonds fractured, alphas strayed, and beta mates grew resentful. A clan is nothing if not one large pack, and if the father and mother are in discord, it trickles down to every last wolfkin. Don’t you agree? ”
Her gaze wandered toward Fern before continuing.
“So the rites were created to encourage attachment before the ceremony sealed the mating bond. The shared meals and hunts, scented tokens to be worn throughout the day, sleeping in the same furs… all performed in the hopes to approximate the strength and depth of the connections alphas and omegas develop without any effort at all.”
Fern felt the room’s eyes on her and could feel the question forming in their minds.
What connection had she developed with Darion?
And knowing the answer only caused her greater anguish, because there was no connection to speak of. If it was truly so easy, so effortless, then why did he make it seem so difficult?
Kyntha’s mother folded her hands neatly.
“And now you divide those instincts between my daughter and an omega.”
Darion did not respond, but his shoulders dropped ever so slightly, and a defeated exhale breathed through his nose.
“So what do you propose?” Alastair asked.
Katreena looked towards her mate again, handing the discussion back to him wordlessly, as though they’d already planned this conversation before arriving.
“While I can’t say I’d choose any differently were I in Darion’s place,” he began, “Surely you can agree, Alastair, that this arrangement is disadvantageous for all parties.”
Darion’s muscles tensed, and his hands twitched.
“I think the solution is rather obvious, don’t you? I mean, to have an omega serve as a Naravekh at all is below her station. She should be properly mated, and with three young, strapping, mate-less alphas in this very room—”
“No.”
Darion’s voice cut through the room quickly and efficiently, killing the idea before it could escape.
Katreena gave a quiet sigh. “Don’t you see, Alpha Darion? You have already become more attached to the omega than any alpha should be to his Naravekh when the mere mention of her mated to someone else causes such a reaction.”
Alpha Darion gritted his teeth and then spat back as he stood, palms flat on the table. “And so what? I marked her, bound her to the clan, and claimed her as mine. All within my rights, no matter the timing or order.”
He gestured towards the two women on either side of him.
“Kyntha will be my mate and bear my heir, and the omega will bear the others needed to fill my Council. If anything, an omega Naravekh will take the pressure off Kyntha entirely to conceive more than is required.”
A lone tear fell down Fern’s cheek, her eyelashes fluttering as they closed to keep the rest from joining.
She knew he saw her as nothing more than a broodmare. Had said so himself the night he’d claimed her.
But it still hurt every time she was reminded of how little she meant to him.
And then Kyntha burst into tears, sobbing pitifully. “B-but what if I want to bear all of your pups?”
Who is stopping her? Fern thought.
Her wolf similarly rolled her eyes.
Darion moved at once to comfort her, cupping her face and whispering in her ear when her father snapped. “Kyntha, compose yourself.”
The tears and sniveling stopped almost immediately, and Darion looked at Dane, confused and irritated. He kissed her on the cheek and sat back down.
“Cyran,” Dane said. “Tell me what you’ve just observed.”
The young alpha, who’d been reclining in his seat, sat up straight with a small groan, running his hand down his face as he inspected Kyntha, Darion, and Fern in succession.
“Both my sister and the omega were in emotional distress. His instinct led him towards my sister.” Then he shrugged.
“Either the pull of an omega isn’t as strong as the history books suggest, or the courtship rituals have done what they’re supposed to do.
His loyalty is towards Kyntha, his future mate. ”
Then he inspected Fern again, more closely this time. “And if so, it stands to reason that it won’t be such a hardship for him to concede his claim to me so I can take the omega as my own.”
Darion growled low, a warning that Fern felt all the way in her bones.
But Cyran merely grinned. “It appears it would be, then.” Then he turned towards his father. “The connection is there, but the one with Kyntha is stronger.”
“How dare you try to analyze me like some sort of—”
“Enough!” Alastair bellowed. “Darion, we’ve discussed at length the precarity of your arrangement, and I will not risk either our alliance with the Ironcoats nor the well-being of an omega because you are too proud to admit you cannot manage both.”
The look in Darion’s eye was murderous as he stared at his father. “It is my right…”
And then Katreena held out her hands. “Alpha Darion, I can see how deeply you care for the two she-wolves. It is no wonder you cannot imagine losing either one of them.”
Darion took a deep breath, the tension in the room slowly fading.
“I think I have a solution, then, if you wish to have both.”
When all eyes were on her, she blinked slowly, and said, “I think it would be best if the omega were placed into isolation until after the ceremony, when Alpha Darion and Kyntha have had their mating bond properly secured. That way Alpha Darion will not spend the rest of the courtship divided by competing instincts.”
“That will not happen,” Eidan said quickly. He shook his head, scoffing. “My brother forced her into that already, and it nearly broke her.”
Murmured whispers broke out, and Alastair’s eyes widened in shock. “Already? What do you mean?” He turned to Darion. “You told me she was well, that she had agreed to spend the time alone. Was this a lie?”
Darion did not answer, so Alastair looked to Fern next. “What really happened?”
Fern looked at the table, her body beginning to shake. She wanted to answer truthfully, but if she did…
“Let’s not put our little Fern on the spot and ask her to speak ill of her alpha,” Reinn interjected, giving her a pitying smile.
“But like a flower needs the sun, an omega needs companionship to thrive. Keeping her away will only cause her harm, perhaps even permanent damage. Unless that is your goal, Aunt Katreena?”
He smiled, watching as her face twisted quickly from rage to shock. “I would never suggest we harm an omega!”
“Oh, thank the gods!” he exclaimed, wiping his brow. “You had me worried for a moment. I mean, you do know so much about them, I was almost surprised you suggested such a thing.”
Arnet snorted a laugh into his cup as he drank, and Katreena’s eyes narrowed before turning into something slightly more sympathetic. “Now that my nephew mentions it, prolonged isolation can have negative effects on an omega’s constitution.”
She tapped her chin as though she were thinking of a new proposal, but Fern had a sinking suspicion it had been chosen long before this meeting even began.
“I think I have an excellent idea…”