Cassiel
When I arrived at the corridor leading to the throne room, I spotted Eamon leaning against one of the walls. His face was scrunched up, and he was deep in thought.
When he saw me, he straightened.
"For a moment, I thought you were not going to come," he said quietly, looking past my shoulders.
"I'm here now. I had a lot of business to attend to," I replied.
"And does this business concern that Omega?" There was a hint of mockery in his tone. "I didn't think you had the fetish for people like that. Maybe you want to take advantage of her heat and…"
"Be careful what you say to me, Eamon," I turned to him, my eyes flashing with annoyance. "I will not hesitate to have you hanged for speaking to me like that."
"All because of an Omega?" he snickered then came to stand before me, meeting my gaze squarely. "It's her. Isn't it? The girl you always talked about? The one you quarreled with a few days ago?"
The annoyance that had slowly been building inside of me started to dissipate. Eamon was more than a Beta to me. He was my best friend. I didn't want to answer at first, but his glowering stare forced me to nod once, slowly.
Eamon blinked. "Seriously? An Omega? You couldn't fall in love with anyone else? Of all the women in the realm, it's an Omega. And worse, one with uncontrollable heat. If your father finds out…"
"I am not a child who is afraid of his father. Sooner or later, everyone is bound to know. So, yes, he will find out at some point, but for now, he won't unless you plan to tell him." I gave him a pointed stare.
Eamon stared at me in disbelief. "That's not the reaction I was expecting, Cassiel. You're playing a dangerous game. Have you forgotten who you are and who she is?"
"I'm not playing anything," my voice dropped to a whisper. "Imani is the only woman who has ever loved me for who I am. She didn't care about my title or rank when we first met. She loved the man, and what are the odds that someone like that is my fated mate…"
"Oh, no…" Eamon shook his head.
"She is my mate, Eamon. Caelum confirmed it, and so did her wolf. I'm sure everyone would understand when the time comes that I had to follow the bidding of the Moon Goddess…"
"Not on this occasion, Cassiel." Eamon's expression hardened. "Omegas are not meant to be mated by people like you. They're only meant for pleasure, nothing more. I didn't make these rules; it has long existed before we were born, and you won't be the one to end it."
"I might just be," I retorted. "I have no intentions of rejecting her."
"Well, you might as well start unloving her. Fast. She is a tribute chosen by the Wise Woman. She's not just an Omega, Cassiel. She's a defect and must be sacrificed. You know how this works. There's nothing you can do or say that would change that."
Before I could reply to him, the hallway filled with footsteps. The four Alphas of the Northern Territories had arrived. We exchanged pleasantries before they entered the throne room, and Eamon and I had no choice but to follow suit.
My father stood by the window of the throne room, his tall frame leaning against it, gazing out at the palace grounds. The elders sat nearby, each with a grim expression.
"Father," I greeted as I entered. "You're back so early. I didn't think I would see you until next month…"
The elders and the Alphas all rose to their feet to acknowledge my presence.
My father looked away from the window and turned to me with a smile. He waited for me to come to him, and we exchanged hearty half-hugs as greetings.
"Your mother came down with the wild water flu, and we couldn't find a good healer in the Eastlands who knew about curing such ailments, so we had to return early. How are you doing? How did you and your men deal with the rogues that appeared suddenly some days ago?"
So, like my father. He was always more worried about the kingdom's welfare than of me.
"We squashed them all, and I'm well, father. I sustained a few scratches, but they healed up nicely."
"Good."
I nodded and moved to sit on the throne. "What was so urgent it couldn't wait for tomorrow's morning assembly? You even had to trouble these Alphas to come."
"We were in the capital for the Lunar Eclipse Rite, Alpha. Don't worry," Alpha Jared of Shadowbrook Pack said with a placating smile.
He was one of the Fours that I had a strong dislike for. I couldn't place my finger on the reason, but whenever I see him, I feel irritated.
I nodded and turned to my father. "So, what is it?"
He moved from the window to his seat on the same platform as the throne. He was still my adviser and regent until I passed the trails. Invariably, he was still the Alpha King.
"Is it true?" he held my gaze. "Is it true that Rhaziel Ashthorne – the Dragon King has returned? In flesh? Are you sure?"
I sighed in exasperation. I had expected a different problem. "C'mon, father, don't tell me you're worried about that lizard?"
"This is not a joke, Cassiel," my father snapped. "A Dragon King reappearing after over a century is not something to be taken lightly. He's bad news."
"He's a sick god with no one left to rule; some king he is. Our fathers before us wiped them out. The only thing left of him is a shadow of his glory, but who remembers him anyways? Give it a few days, and no one will remember that he existed. He's not a threat."
"If he's sick, how did he manage to live this long?" my father asked again before turning to one of the elders. "How old should he be now?"
"He was twenty-one years old during the Great Purge; he should be a hundred and twenty-one years old now. This Lunar Moon completes it."
"Exactly," my father folded his arms. "Plus, there are the Dragonborn settlements. I'm sure news of his return must have reached them. They might start regrouping. What if he came back for revenge?"
"He didn't come for revenge, Grand Alpha," Eamon said, stepping forward and bowing first to my father before facing the others.
"His dragon burned one of our finest soldiers," an elder snapped. "I saw it with my own eyes."
"Yes," Eamon nodded, "but just that. They came for one of the tributes that was supposed to be sacrificed. He said his dragon wanted her."
I tensed, glaring at Eamon.
"Strange," my father murmured. "And?"
"Nothing," I cut in with a cold tone. "The girl is our prisoner. Did you expect me to hand her over?"
"She's an Omega. I'm sure no one would miss her," my father said.
"Omegas have families, friends and lovers. Besides, she's my subject. And as the Alpha King of the Northern Territories, every life under my rule is important."
"She was a tribute," another elder spoke up. "Why didn't you just give her away?"