Page 26

Staying wrapped around Axel was very tempting, but reality was intruding in a very real way. My phone, now charging on the dresser, kept buzzing with calls and texts. I got out of the warm bed, put on some soft pants, and took my phone, heading for the kitchen.

Our family and friends had checked on us. A wellness check, Axel had said. The provisions they had left had been useful since neither of us particularly liked to spend much time cooking and often ate dinner at the main house with the pack. Something that was more important now that Blake was down to mostly spending business hours there then retreating to the safety of the home he shared with Kade and his children. Axel being there kept the hierarchy in place. Deke and Chase also played their part in keeping the single alphas and betas in line while Blake was absent.

Sure we were okay, they soon left us to enjoy what remained of Axel’s heat. They were ecstatic for us. Over the moon that Axel was finally an omega.

I sighed as I looked at my phone. These calls and messages were just the reminder that we couldn’t ignore the real world forever.

The door rattled with a knock. Someone had replaced the broken glass and cleaned up the mess for us, for which I was thankful. My new alpha instincts did not want to think about Axel cutting his feet on the broken glass, or how the house had not been safe the first night because it was open to the elements.

“Ax? T? I’m coming in. Be decent or whatever!” Chase’s cheerful voice came only moments before the door opened. He came barreling in, arms full of fresh cut flowers and a basket likely laden with food.

I met him in the kitchen, relieving him of the burden. He gave me a one armed hug and went to the bedroom to wake his brother, who I hoped was putting some clothes on.

One thing I had to become accustomed to was that with mating Axel, I had Chase in my life too. These brothers could not be separated, they shared too deep of a bond for that. It helped that I truly liked Chase. His energy was different, yet complimentary to Axel’s.

Together, they were an unstoppable force, especially with Chase’s ability to detect lies. Blake used them well, never taking advantage of the weapon he wielded in them. Chase being the shield, Axel the sword. Though I did wonder how life was going to change for Axel now that he was an omega.

Their conversation drifted toward me. “Are you happy, Ax?”

“Never been happier.” Even I could tell that was the truth. No special ability needed.

“What about being Second? There’s already been talk. The alphas aren’t happy.”

From my place in the kitchen, I heard Axel’s sigh. “I knew there would be. Blake and I talked about it before. You will take over being Second—“

“What? Me? No!”

“Chase, we’ve been sharing the job since I started it. You know what needs done.”

“But—“

“No. You’re the only one who can do the job unless we pull Deke as Head Enforcer and promote an alpha for his job. That job needs an alpha, we can’t step in there, not that the enforcers would listen to an omega anyway.”

“Hey! That’s not true. Melody would. She’d get the betas onside.”

“Yeah, but I’d never have the alpha power needed to control unruly betas or alphas. They’d walk all over me. So you have to step in as Second.”

“Larken could be Head Enforcer.”

“Too much of an unknown. The other alphas don’t trust him enough to submit. Plus, do you want Deke talking to other packs?”

They both laughed, erasing the tension in Chase’s voice.

“Okay, fair, but you can’t just abandon me to the job.”

“I would never!” Axel said playfully.

Sounds followed of them rough housing. I feared for our furniture, so I entered the room. “Coffee?”

They both nodded and, thankfully, stopped their tussling. Chase rested his head on Axel’s stomach, seemingly happy to be petted by his twin.

I returned to the kitchen and found my phone, deciding it was best to return calls as I put together breakfast for us. Since he had called the most, I started with ívarr, who answered my call quickly.

“Tearlach, is it true? Have you bonded to Axel?”

“I have,” I answered warily, picking up on his panic.

He let out a weary sigh. “Goddess help us. I thought it was a false rumor.”

“I’m afraid not. What is the issue?”

“My sources say parliament is deeply troubled by this news. They do not sanction this match. I hate to suggest this, my friend, but perhaps it is best you dissolve it—just temporarily, until you gain permission from your mother at the very least. It has weakened her rule.”

This was alarming news. My alpha side balked at the idea of ending my bond with Axel, even for a short time. At the same time my elven heart felt ashamed I had not gained approval from my mother. My shifter instincts would not allow the thought of it. I was at war with myself.

At the end of the day, it was disrespectful to her, and Axel, to go without her blessing. Despite having a shifter side, I was still an elf. She was still my queen.

“I will discuss this with Axel before I make any decisions.”

Axel was rational. I knew we could discuss it. There was likely very little we could do to fix this with parliament. They had been against us all along. My mother was the one who deserved an apology.

“As you should. Teagan suggests you visit the omega bear, Janet, before you do anything else. Janet often speaks for The Luna. Perhaps she will have an explanation that will satisfy parliament and prevent this situation from getting worse.”

“That is a good idea. Please, thank Teagan for me.”

We made our goodbyes and ended the call. This would not be an easy talk, but I knew he would have an idea of what we could do.

The cabin which housed the ancient omega bear was in the center of the omega area of the compound. Janet had joined the pack from the bear sleuth when they rejoined the pack and the Alpha retired to be closer to his children. Blake had decided to ensure Janet’s safety by putting her in the heart of the compound where the other omegas could watch out for the blind elder.

As such, it did not take us much time to reach the cabin. Axel’s hand tightened on mine. Though he had agreed to temporarily ending the bond, I could feel his reluctance. Only my duty as prince to my people kept me from disagreeing with ívarr’s plan. Axel had seen the wisdom in it, yet I had seen how it stung his fragile heart to even think of it.

His new omega instincts took this as a rejection. I felt it from his wolf who was slowly adjusting to their new omega status. My owl wasn’t taken with the plan either. He thought this was a mistake, showing weakness to those who did not matter when it came to our bond.

On Axel’s other side, Chase stood with a grim expression on his face. Truthfully, he had fought against the plan far harder than Axel. Our bonding and Axel’s transformation into an omega meant as much to him as it did his twin, he was just more vocal with his opinion.

“Enter, boys. I want to meet this elf.” We were barely at the door when the old voice spoke.

I blushed. It was embarrassing to admit my failures. I had been remiss in my introductions to the pack. For the last year I had been on Sweetwater lands, I had only visited the omega compound a handful of times and never Janet.

“My apologies,” I said as I entered and approached the elder. “I should have visited well before now.”

“Yes, you should have. I could have saved you a lot of heartache. Well, maybe not. The Luna only tells me things when she is good and ready.”

“Has she spoken to you lately?” Axel asked warily, perching on the sofa next to me.

“Oh yes. Plenty of things. Now come sit so I can tell you. I don’t have much time left.”

“You don’t? Where are you going?” Chase looked alarmed as he took the offered seat on the sofa on the other side of Axel.

“Pour me a glass of that sweet tea, darling.” Chase grabbed the glass and jug. The liquid sloshed over the rim of the glass when she spoke next. “I’m dying. The Luna calls me home. Just a few things to do first.”

Janet said it all so cheerfully it was hard to grasp what she was saying.

“You’re dying?” Axel asked, his face pale, eyes wide.

“Well, we all are darling, but I’m going sooner than most. I’m very old you see, you might not be able to tell.” She winked one of those milky white eyes.

“You will be missed in the pack,” I said. “Everyone speaks so highly of you.”

“Of course they do!” She laughed, the sound ending with a cough. Janet took a sip of her tea and smiled. “Candace makes the best tea. I shall miss all my omegas, especially you, Axel. I am so grateful the goddess gave you your wish before she took me home.”

Axel’s eyes filled with tears. “I am too.”

“Now, get rid of that silly plan for an unbonding potion. Won’t work, darling, since you and the hybrid are fated.”

“Hybrid?” I asked, stunned by the news the old shifter was imparting.

“Fated?” Axel gasped.

Janet grinned. “Oh yes, our prince is just the first to come of the elves who can shift. It’s a return to the old ways, after all. And you two, didn’t you both feel that pull as soon as you met? Axel, when your eyes met Teárlach’s, didn’t you feel that spark?”

“I did.”

“There you go! That was your latent gene telling you your match was near. Teárlach just had to love you enough to gain his other form.”

“So there’s no undoing our bond?” I had to know. To hear the words properly.

“None.” The voice that left Janet was not her own. It resonated out of a dream. There were flashes of a woman. A tree. “You are fated mates, never to be torn apart.”

My eyes met my mates’. I could hardly believe it, we were fated. Nothing, no one, could tear us apart. The relief was staggering, it nearly brought me to my knees right there and then. Unable to hold back, I turned to Axel and kissed him sweetly.

I love you, my mate.

I love you too. While I love you calling me mate, I prefer dear one. Nothing has changed for me.

Then I shall always call you my dear one.

“Be grateful you can’t see them, Janet. They’re disgustingly in love.” Chase made an exaggerated grimace.

“Oh, I can feel them darling. It’s very sweet. The goddess knew giving them a choice was a risk, but she is glad they chose love over duty and dreams. Who knows, she might reward them further down the line.”

There was a twinkle in the elder shifter’s milky eyes, which suggested that reward was closer than we could guess.