Omega and the Witch: A Fated Mates Werewolf Romance

Chapter One

Aiden

As I picked up my phone sitting on the desk in my office, I drew in a deep breath, released it in a deep sigh, and then cleared my throat as I prepared to make a very important phone call. It had been a while since I had to call the council with less-than-great news. I’ve taken a few lives in my lifetime. Some, as pack master, but it was the first time that I had taken another alpha’s life after he challenged me.

Gemma was my mate, and I was going to protect her even if her dad, who was an alpha, challenged me. I should’ve called the council a lot sooner about what had happened. Instead, I let a few weeks pass by. I figured that once I explained the details of the incident, all would be forgiven, including my tardiness in reporting the events. Not only was I newly mated, but I also had my pack to consider as most of them were suffering from moon sickness because of me.

“Councilman Richards, I hope you are well,” I said cheerfully once he answered the phone. “I am Aiden McKinney, alpha of the Northwest US territory.”

“Pack Master Aiden,” he drawled in his southern accent. “What do I owe the pleasure of this phone call? I heard rumors that you have finally mated. I’m guessing your rutting season is over and you wished to inform us? Hopefully, you were successful in planting an heir.”

“Yes, Councilman Richards. I believe I was very successful.”

“That’s good to hear,” he said in a cheerful tone.

“I also have news of the loss of one of your alphas,” I said, wanting to get down to business.“Pack Master Smith from New York. Sadly, he had challenged me, and I had no choice but to accept. I also killed his second-in-command, Foster. Foster had kidnapped my mate and my brother. He had threatened to force himself on her and attacked my second-in-command.”

“I see,” he said with a sigh.

The tone of his sigh told me that he wasn’t pleased, and I was dreading what my punishment would be, if any. Death challenges were becoming fewer and fewer as we began to update our laws with the times. My father was the pack master before me and he handed me the role when he felt that he could no longer be the alpha and lead our pack. No challenge was needed even though that was the way it was done. My father believed in modernization. He wanted to protect the supernatural kind from the human world as much as we could as our numbers were sorely depleting. Keeping up with the times was one of the best ways to do so.

The Council encouraged modernization for the same reason. However, some of our old ways are still held in place as a formality, so I knew that I wouldn’t be punished severely for what transpired. However, it was the timing of my report that could have landed me in hot water.

“Although I’m not too happy to hear about all of this, I’m honestly not too sorry that it was Smith and Foster who lost their lives. Smith had been quite troublesome for some time now, breaking a lot of the pack laws as well as a few human laws that he began to create problems between us and the human world.”

We had given him far too many warnings and were looking at replacing him and his officers. Now, you have taken care of him for us. Though, I’m sorry to inform you, that you cannot take charge of two packs unless they are within the same region. Have you named your successor?”

“I named my brother John as a temporary alpha,” I said, even though I was sure he wouldn’t be viable to be an alpha.

“Would that be your pack’s omega?”

“Yes, sir,” I replied. I knew from his question that he was not happy with my choice.

“An omega may not be feasible with this pack. I fear that they are beyond an omega’s help at this point. They need a dominant wolf to sort this pack out as they are ruthless and would tear an omega to shreds.”

“I will send my third to accompany him for cautionary measures. He’s dominant enough to step in should he need to.”

“That sounds doable. Be ready to announce their replacements in case something goes wrong,” he warned.“You will need to announce a better successor or one will be made for you.”

“I do have another wolf in mind. He’s alpha material and would be a great pack master.” I didn’t plan on having John take over completely. I truly did have someone else in mind. My cousin Vince. However, I had yet to reach him and convince him that he was in fact, up for the part as pack master whether he knew it or not.

“We would need him to select his officers straight away and get the pack up to modern traditions. I recommend that his officers aren’t part of the original pack to refrain from any setbacks. Is he on his way?”

“I gave him a deadline to decide,” I lied. He wasn’t going to let me down. He had no choice. Though he decided he wanted to be a rogue wolf, he was still a part of this pack and needed to come back and take up the role placed upon him by his alpha.

“You have three weeks. That’s all I can afford you. After that, if you haven’t named your successor, we’ll have no choice but to name one for you.”

“Understood.” I didn’t have to say anything else as Councilman Richards had hung up on me.

Smith’s pack was on the east coast and mine was on the west coast. I had no intention of taking over their pack. Per law, I couldn’t because of geographical location. However, I had gone out to meet and greet the pack and Councilman Richards was right, they are an unruly bunch. I already had a few attempted challenges, but they hadn’t followed through. I was still on edge as my mating ritual was cut a little short and I was still trying to take care of my own pack. Following through with an actual challenge would prove careless on their part and they could sense it.

I owed my brother a lot. It was a rough time for me and my pack and he helped me get through it with his gift. Brokenhearted and stubborn, I blamed myself for not being able to protect my pack from what occurred. That was on me. John used all of his energy to keep me from being stuck in my wolf form.

He also found Gemma and helped me to see who she truly was. Once we were finally mated, you could feel the relief from the pack as they were able to shift back to their human form. Everyone came around to congratulate me and to thank John for protecting their alpha. Now, I feel that our bond has only strengthened.

My only hope is that my brother would be able to help the North-Eastern pack. It needed a lot of work, which was why I was going to send Paul, my third-in-command. I entrusted him with my life. He didn’t argue when I made John my second even though he had every right to be mad. We had grown up together and even served a few tours in the Army together. He deserved that spot more than anyone else in my pack. I trusted him to protect my brother as he would protect me.

Now that the hard part was over, I still had one more thing to do … tell my brother about his new position, followed by making a phone call to my cousin.

John knocked twice before entering my office. “Hey, brother. How did the phone call go?” he asked as he walked over to one of my bookshelves and leaned against it.

I stared at my brother a moment, trying to find a way to tell him I was sending him to New York to manage an unruly pack in my place.

“It went about as expected,” I said coolly.

“From your expression, it looks like they aren’t too upset over the loss of an alpha, but something tells me there is something more. What is it?”

That’s what made my brother’s gift incredible. He was very intuitive and could sense things. “I’m sending you to New York to take over as alpha in my place. They’re some fairly big shoes to fill, but I know you can do it.”

“Really big shoes if you are being serious. Huge shoes.” He paused, then cocked an eyebrow once he realized I wasn’t joking. “Wait, what? Aiden, you can’t be serious. Seems I’ll be filling clown shoes if you think that I can be an alpha.”

“Look, you’re an omega,” I said calmly, trying to make my case.

“Yeah, not an alpha. Their alpha tried to kill me if you remember. So, sending me isn’t the best idea. Is that what the council wanted me to do?”

“Not really, no.”

“Not really? So, it’s your idea then?” I could hear the pain in his tone. He was doubting his capabilities.

“Yes, but hear me out.”

“This better be a good explanation. You know I will do anything for you, but that.”

John walked over and sat in one of the chairs in front of my desk. The very chair that the alpha I had killed sat in not that long ago. The same alpha whose pack John is supposed to command in my place however short it would be.

I leaned back in my chair, took in a deep breath, and then released it in a loud sigh. “The council doesn’t want you to go. Clearly, they know how ruthless and unruly this pack is. However, you’re an omega and can at least bring some sort of calm and peace to the pack.”

“I doubt that would happen. I love you, brother, but I can’t do what you’re asking me to do.”

“I’m not asking you as my brother, but as your alpha.”

“Damn you, Aiden. That’s twisting my arm. Are you getting back at me for undermining you in hiring Gemma?”

“In a way, but then I do have to thank you for helping me find my mate.”

“Some thanks I’m getting as those wolves will have my hide, literally. Can I take someone with me? You know I’ll need someone dominant enough to step in and help when needed.”

“You’re doubting your abilities as an Omega, John. And, yes, I’m sending Paul with you.”

“That’s good. He’s the best choice to take your spot as alpha though, not me.”

“I’m sure he’ll thank you for that, but I need you on this one. The council wants someone who will relieve you in three weeks.”

“Three weeks,” he scoffed.“Thank goodness for that. I hope I can last that long.”

“You’ll do fine, brother. I have faith in you,” I said with a small smile.

“And, I’m not doubting anything. I’m simply worried about how ruthless this pack is according to what your mate told us and your short visit there. Especially if The Council doesn’t want me to go, it has to be that bad. Whom do you have in mind to take your place?”

“Our cousin Vince.”

John let out a loud laugh. “You have lost your mind.” He leaned over the desk with an outreached hand and placed it on my forehead as if he were testing my temperature. “You aren’t feverish.”

He looked me over as if inspecting me as I swatted his hand away. Probably checking to see if my lost marbles were tangling from my ears. I believe they had actually slipped out long before I met with Councilman Richards when I thought about sending my dear brother.

“That alpha must’ve hit you on the head pretty hard because I know, and you know, and our dear cousin knows that he isn’t alpha material. He’s a rogue if you remember correctly. Lone wolves don’t want anything to do with being part of a pack, let alone be an alpha.”

“Look, brother. He’s the best choice so far. I need you here in my pack. You’re our omega. You’re what keeps us together. If we didn’t have you, there’s no telling what would’ve happened to the rest of the pack. To me.” He was far too valuable for our pack to lose, but I knew how valuable he could be in helping put some peace and order back into a pack.

“I know you hated me working behind your back, looking for a mate, but we couldn’t let you fall deeper into moon sickness.”

“I was close, John. Very close.”

“I know, man.”

“That’s why I need you to work your magic on that pack. The Council needs them to start following the rules.”

John stood up and released a sigh. “I’ll start packing. I’ll be sure to give your mate a goodbye kiss.” He made it to the door before saying the last part knowing that would stir me. I couldn’t help but laugh.

My mating rutting ritual had been over a few days ago, but I still have the urge to take her to bed every chance I get. Gemma was a treasure that John was lucky to have found. I didn’t know it at the time, but Gemma and John saved me and the rest of the pack.

A few members of my pack were already stuck in their wolf forms because of me. I had lost my wife and child and felt grief-stricken. My wolf was surfacing more often than he should have, coming close to taking over. I barely had a handle on my human self, but only with John’s help as an omega was he able to keep me sane just long enough to continue being the pack’s alpha.

Not every pack has an omega. They aren’t rare, however, only very few exist. They are not only submissive, but they are also the peacekeepers and keep our wolves in check. I trusted John to be able to work his omega magic. I just hoped it was long enough for our cousin to show up and take over. I had a duty to my own pack. They needed me more and I had a duty and obligation to my wife, Gemma, and any potential offspring that we may have.