30. Runa
Runa
Isit up and look around the empty bedroom. What the hell just happened?
Thank you for your service, Omega.
I pace his bedroom. When I left the nest this morning, I thanked him for his service, but Ash… I think he wants more than just to service me. I mean, after our conversation just now, I know he wants more. We can have two weeks but no more.
And if he likes me, he would find it offensive that I thanked him for his service. To be fair, an alpha male like Ash isn’t a service male, but I didn’t know what else to tell him. Bye, bitch would’ve been far worse.
How was I supposed to know he didn’t mean to just service me? It’s not like we’re dating. It’s not like we even planned to spend the fire moon together.
I snap my fingers. This is why he’s behaving the way he is.
I offended him, and he retaliated by washing the blankets we had fornicated on together with his shirt. He expected me to see it, since I told him I was on the last day of my chores.
Ash is petty.
He cleaned up but wouldn’t wash my cum from his mouth and showed up that way to eat breakfast with my family. So very petty of him.
I punctured a hole in his ego, and he didn’t like it. Now he’s paid me in kind by calling me a service omega. I admit my pride is bruised too.
He’s playing games. Petty ones, but games nonetheless.
These types of games are a part of our courting traditions. Is that what he’s doing? Courting me?
If that’s the case, we’re in trouble. Alpha males are notoriously possessive creatures. They’re also obsessive and curious about the unknown. I’m the unknown. He can’t figure out what’s happening with us, but he knows he has no control over it.
And neither do I.
Maren and Sven are already a problem. My parents will lose their minds. The only saving grace is that Maren and Sven are packing to leave soon. I might join them, so that will help with my parents not noticing Ash and me have a thing going on between us.
Since Ash occupies the baths in the tower, I use his bathroom to wet a cloth and wipe myself. I undress and roll my clothing up so that when I shift into wolf, I can carry the bunch between my teeth straight out of his bedroom and all the way to mine.
Maren lets me in, and I shower immediately, tucking the clothing that smells like Ash in the hamper. I’ll wash it right away.
“Showering again?” Maren asks from the door as I step under the stream.
“Yeah. Did you need something?”
“No. Just asking.” Maren walks away.
I finish and throw on a robe, then wrap a towel around my hair. The windows shake under the onslaught of a new wind gust. I hope the glass holds. Just as I think it, the window shutters slam shut, casting the room in darkness. The bathroom lights turn on, but I leave, and they turn off.
“How many—” I stop at the sight of my brother in the room. Soren’s hands are crossed over his chest, his water element a murky gray-blue tide within his eyes.
Maren sits on the bed, her own eyes wide, appearing scared.
“What’s going on?” I ask.
“Sit down,” Soren barks.
Fuck. I sit next to my sister.
Soren’s gaze bounces between us, landing on Maren first. I count my blessings that she’s older and always gets in trouble first.
“You,” he says, “must tell me who was in this bedroom last night. Because it wasn’t Ash Fireborn.
And before you lie, you should know that I spoke with Ash after breakfast and got a whiff of a peculiar female scent.
It took me a while to identify the scent, but I’m in disbelief over it.
” Soren gags. “While I ate breakfast with my family this morning, Ash ate with me while my sister’s pussy was all over his fucking face.
Unless Ash forced himself on you, I can’t think of a reason why either of you would jeopardize the treaty. ”
“Are you saying he wasn’t in my bedroom but somehow ended up smelling like me?” Maren asks.
“He didn’t smell like you,” my brother says, then turns to me.
Maren gapes. “Is that true?”
Should I fess up?
“Tell me!” Maren shouts.
“It was a…a mistake. It won’t happen again.”
Maren laughs. “You hit it. Woohoo!”
Soren isn’t impressed. “Don’t sound so heartbroken, Maren.”
“So what if I’m relieved?” Maren says. “I didn’t have to sleep with a male I didn’t care for.
I won’t have to ever spread my legs and sell my body for the greater good, because the greater good is only good for us while we serve the human agenda.
The moment they have no more use for us, the moment their alchemists figure out what makes us live longer, they’ll force us to labor and die for them even more than they’re doing now. ”
I expect Soren to push back on Maren’s doomsday predictions, but our brother crouches and gathers her hands into his.
“This treaty is so much more than just a peace signing. Our pack numbers are dwindling. The Fireborns are gaining on our territory, and humans are taking over our pack functions. We’re being squeezed on two ends.
We have no choice but to proceed with the treaty.
If Ash breaks the treaty”—Soren looks at me—“for whatever reason, the humans will put out a call and draft every able-bodied werewolf to go fight against Ash’s pack.
And before you know it, the Fireborn Alpha will become our Alpha too, or the humans will have taken over the entire pack.
Either way, we will lose our sovereignty. ”
“We lost that the moment Father signed on with humans,” Maren counters.
“You talk like a Fireborn wolf,” Soren says.
“Say what you will, brother. I studied civics and politics so I could one day marry whichever alpha the people picked for me. I understand our history and the bed we made when we opposed the Fireborns.”
“It was the only way to stop Ash from burning down the world.”
“Then, my brother, perhaps you should ask yourself what he’ll do now if we don’t let him take the omega he wants.”
“What do you mean?” I ask.
“Guys, his actions speak for themselves. He wants you. The question you should be asking yourself is, do you want him back? And if not, if he was only a service male for you, we should consider the possibility that Ash will want us to honor the treaty with Runa.”
Soren starts to pace. “Which isn’t acceptable. You two are not interchangeable. We agreed on Maren, and humans won’t accept any changes. They’ll consider it a challenge. The treaty can’t be altered without severe consequences.”
“Oh no,” I say. “What did I do?” Tears cloud my vision.
Maren puts a hand on my shoulder. “You just got some alpha dick. That’s all you did. Nothing wrong with that.”
Maren’s heart pounds in her chest. She’s scared, but if someone comes for me the way our brother is doing now, my big sister will stand in my corner.
Soren sits on the other side of me and puts his head in his hands.
“I’m sorry,” I say, then rub his back, trying to comfort him.
“I’m sorry too, Soren,” Maren adds, and just when I think she might spill about Sven, I pinch her. I think our dear brother has had enough of our boy issues.
“We should tell Dad about this before the humans get here,” Soren says.
“I’ll console our mother,” I offer.
“I’ll smile and pretend everything is fine,” Maren says.
Soren rises and removes his rings and his bracelets. “I’ll kill Ash Fireborn.”
“What?!” my sister and I screech in unison.