To Seduce an Omega (16 page)

Queen Sylvie leaped to her feet. “Leave her alone. She’s been through enough.”

“Sit down,” Caleb ordered. “Okay, Jilly, if you’re their captive, how come you turned up out the blue and demanded to see Titus?”

Jilly hung her head. “Because they said they’d hurt my sons if I didn’t persuade him to toe Zebadiah’s line. It suits them to have their own pet alpha offering up potential victims.”

King Caleb studied her for a moment. “And what will you do now that Zebadiah’s dead?”

“Anything it takes to protect my sons,” she whispered.

Sylvie crossed to her side. “Enough. Jilly, we needed to know the truth, but I swear no one will hurt you here.”

Beneath her tan, Fleur’s complexion turned so white she could have gone haunting. “They said the same to me. I know you’re angry, but if you need to punish anyone, punish us, not our sons.”

Titus growled. “I don’t hurt children. I’ve already told you those boys are pack.”

King Caleb ground his teeth. “Didn’t you hear me say those boys are coming home? Jilly, for the sake of your sons, is there anything else we should know?”

She looked around as if waking from a bad dream. “Nothing. I swear it. Titus, you’ve been so kind despite everything that’s gone wrong between us. I’m sorry you got caught in the crossfire.”

Titus breathed a sigh of relief. “Don’t be. When I first saw you, I was young, romantic, determined to be the first of my friends to find my mate. I think the Fates paired me with a child to stop me from making a monumental mistake. There’s nothing left between us. But me and my Viola, we’re going to make sweet music someday. Let’s agree to start over and stay friends.”

Jilly sniffed and struggled to hold back a fresh barrage of tears. “When the Fae and Lykae rescued me, I hated the lot of you for separating me from my boys. I had to go back to my cubs even if it meant putting up with the sphinxes’ nightly visits. I won’t abandon my sons.”

Fleur studied her hands rather than meet Titus’s gaze. “They said if I seduced you into letting status quo continue, they’d let my Dion go free. I’m sorry I pawed you as I did, but do you mean Viola, my half sister? When did that happen?”

Titus grinned. “From the moment I saw her, she turned my world upside down. I just haven’t had an opportunity to tell her how special she is yet.”

For the first time, Fleur’s smile crinkled around her eyes. “Be good to her. She’s had a tough time, and she deserved better than the way Pops treated her.”

Titus gave her a sheepish smile, uncomfortable talking about his emotions. “Yeah, she does. I’m no prize, but when this is over, I intend on doing everything I can to win her.”

King Caleb held out his hand to his queen. “I’m sorry I snapped, but I couldn’t let them lead our warriors into a trap.”

Ignoring his outstretched arm, she moved in close and settled on his lap. “The sooner we bring our cubs home the better. I suggest we rough out a rescue plan tonight. In the morning, we can thrash out the details.”

The tension finally flowed out of Fleur’s shoulders.

Jilly started to tremble. “I can’t believe you’re helping us, but thank you.”

Behind them, stretched out on the sofa, Iris yawned. “I can’t wait to meet my nephew.”

When King Caleb closed his arms around his true-mate, Titus grimaced. He wanted to hold Viola that way and have her nestle against his chest. Instead, he did his duty as Rock Prowler alpha, reassured these terrified women, and plotted to help their sons.

As if he’d read Titus’s mind, King Caleb flashed him a smile. “Missing her, T.? Thanks for coming straight to me with this. In the morning, go see your hedgewitch. Ladies, I’ll never forgive myself for not stepping in sooner. My first task tomorrow is to have Zebadiah’s tower kitted out for our cubs. I want it bright, sunny, and welcoming. A home, not an institution. We’ll give them a few days to settle in before I send over a tutor.”

For the first time, Titus objected to the Lykae king’s plans. “Those cubs are pack. They will attend classes or nursery with the rest of our children. I don’t want them thinking we’ve segregated them or that they’re not welcome.”

Caleb nodded. “You’re right. You’ll make a great alpha if you decide to stick around. Ladies, I suggest you spend the night here, and in the morning you go with my queen to inspect the tower while I liaise with the Fae king. He’ll be furious if we don’t include him in our plans.”

Queen Sylvie sat forward, reached across the table, and clasped hands with the abused she-wolves. “I’ll stay with you in Prowlerville and ensure things happen quickly. Meanwhile, I’ll have the housekeeper to show you to your suite.”

King Caleb eased her from his lap, patted her behind, then moved over to scoop the sleeping Iris into his arms. “No need. I’ll show you the way.”

Fleur and Jilly followed Caleb out the room, but Sylvie hung back. “Titus, I’m not sorry I brought Jilly to Prowlerville since she’s finally dared to let us help her. I’m sorry things didn’t work out for you, though. Are you honestly all right?”

When he thought about Viola safely back home, his smile lit the room the way the sun lit the dawn sky. “I will be. There’s this healer, you see. Her eyes are like dark pools that I want to dive into and never resurface. I’m so knocked out by her that I left a dead gazelle on her doorstep. She’s the one who saved us from the sphinxes’ dungeon. I mean to court her the way I never courted Jilly.”

The queen’s shoulders shook, and her face turned red as she struggled to contain her laughter. “Really, T.? A dead gazelle? Skin on, horns, and all? That’s…sweet.”

He shrugged. “She needed fresh meat. Next time, I’ll take her flowers and maybe a sapphire necklace to match her amazing eyes.”

Sylvie hiccupped with laughter. “Then when you win her heart, bring her to meet me. Meanwhile if you need…I don’t know, advice on suitable gifts, I’m here. I mean, honestly, a dead gazelle? That’s a new one on me.” She went up on tiptoe and kissed his cheek. “I hope she makes you happy. You deserve it. Goodnight, T.”

He flashed direct to Viola’s hut, but she hadn’t touched the dead gazelle he’d left on her doorstep. Maybe it was a sign she didn’t want him. His stomach felt as though he’d swallowed a cannonball, but he’d find a way to make things right. His happiness depended on it.

Wyverns had pecked out the dead gazelle’s eyes and bitten chunks out of its flesh. Now oversize rats nibbled at its flesh, but they scattered when Titus growled and turned primal. Even before he burst into her hut, he knew it was deserted. Once he’d checked it out, he turned back human, not wanting to startle Viola if she came home and found a primal beast had invaded her home.

The place didn’t smell of recent habitation, so Daniel and Tansy had probably taken Viola back to their apartment. Elves’ blood, he hoped so. If the sphinxes had captured her again, his well-laid plans would evaporate, and he’d tear their stronghold apart.

The general store had its CLOSED sign showing, but smoke came out the chimney. He hammered on the door, ready to kick his way in and beat the shopkeeper senseless. Foot tapping, he forced himself to stay calm until the door finally opened. “Where the hell is she?”

Daniel planted his feet and stood tall. He kept his hands behind his back so Titus didn’t spot the nervous way he extended and retracted his claws. “She left with the Fae queen right after she watched you kissing your true-mate. She doesn’t plan on coming back, ever. After the way the pack’s mistreated her, I don’t blame her.”

Titus threw back his head and howled.
She’s freaking left me just like Jilly
. At least he knew where to find her, and this time he wouldn’t give up. His inner wolves wanted to flash to the Fae palace immediately, but after all Viola had been through, he didn’t want to drag her out of her bed. Besides, he’d never set foot in the Fae court, which meant he couldn’t flash there no matter how much he needed to find her.

Tomorrow, though, after he’d met with the Fae and Lykae kings, Titus would find her and woo her with courtly gestures and expensive gifts. No more leaving dead animals on her doorstep for him.

* * * *

Viola passed a restless night. Every time she closed her eyes, she saw Titus kissing his true-mate, and her heart beat a funeral march for her future. After hours spent staring at the ceiling, dawn came as a relief. She crept downstairs to the library she’d spotted last night. After a couple of hours studying a medical textbook, she joined the Fae queen in the breakfast parlor.

Queen Meena smiled over the brim of her teacup. “There’s been a new development. We know how to find the sphinx stronghold, but those monsters been force breeding Lykae females for years. They murder any girl babies but raise the boys in the hope they’ll breed with sphinx females in a few years’ time. Fortunately, none of the cubs are old enough to have even thought about that yet. Their she-wolf mothers are killed as entertainment.”

Viola paled, and when she reached for a teacup, her hand shook so much she changed her mind.

Meena laid her hand over Viola’s. “You’re safe now. I swear it. Listen, we’re bringing the surviving women and children home at dawn tomorrow. Once they’re safe, we’ll wipe out or imprison the sphinxes. We’d have gone at dawn today, but the Lykae need me to make amulets to trap the sphinxes in human form and stop them from flashing away.”

Viola looked at the lavish breakfast and felt sick. Thank God she’d fired up her powers by screwing Titus. “Zebadiah knew? And he let them do that. I knew he hated me, but I never thought he’d stoop to preying on his own pack. Is there anything I can do to help?”

Meena shook her rainbow curls. “Not really, but I’d appreciate some company while I craft the amulets. Bring a textbook along and study if you like.”

Viola took some slow, steady breaths. She was done crying over a male who’d already found his true-mate—she hoped. She loved company, though, and after her solitary existence, just being in the same room as someone felt like a treat. “I’d like that.”

“And now we’ve got our day planned, try to eat something.” Meena pushed a rack of toast toward her. “Healers need to stay strong to support their patients.”

Viola buttered a bread roll and nibbled around the edges. “You’ve no idea how cunning Zebadiah could be. He’d convinced the pack that King Caleb had forbidden anyone flashing without his consent. That way no one could take their troubles to their king or rally support from another pack alpha. Eventually, people stopped arguing and concentrated on protecting their families.”

Once Viola finished eating, Meena gave her a hug and ushered her out the room. “Forget the Rock Prowlers and their alpha. Don’t worry. We won’t let Titus near you. The healer guild can’t wait to start your formal training, so go to the orgy tonight and take a couple of lovers.”

Although she said nothing, Viola trembled inside. She wished the healers had given her time to adjust to the idea of meaningless sex. Just the thought of bedding some masked Fae—in the plural, for goodness’ sake—made her want to throw up.

Meena gave her an encouraging smile as they headed to the workroom. “The more the merrier as far as our healers are concerned. After a night with a few Fae warriors between your legs, I guarantee you’ll forget about your faithless Lykae.”

Flushed, Viola fanned her hand in front to her face. Her heart stuttered, and her stomach clenched. No way could she share sex with a stranger. The only man she wanted between her legs was Titus.
Not in the cards for me. Not now he’s reunited with his Jilly.

Letting strangers screw her just so she could fire up her Fae powers didn’t sit right. What had Titus said back in the sphinxes’ cell?
This is about business, not pleasure
. That sucked, but if she didn’t fuck masked strangers on a regular basis, she’d lose the only dream she had left.

Even if she tried the meaningless sex and orgy thing, any prospective partners would back off when they saw her misshapen knee. “Me? With a string of lovers? I’m not sure I can. Then again, after everything that’s happened, I never want to set eyes on Titus again.”

To make matters worse, King Leonidas strolled into the room. “I’m delighted I’m not going to lose another of my half sisters to a Lykae male. Sylvie and Ellie are idiots to have chosen them over my noble Fae.”

If Viola possessed enough magical energy to flash back to her room, she’d have vanished. Oblivious to her embarrassment, King Leonidas dragged Meena into his arms and kissed her thoroughly. Viola thought they’d never break off, even to breathe.

Finally, Leonidas pulled back slightly and cupped his wife’s cheek. “
Querida
, I have to forge a further alliance with those damn wolves. Viola, my dear, you were right when you said the Rock Prowler pack had suffered enough. Much as I want to make them pay for how they neglected you, I will let it slide this time. As for those sphinxes… No creature that murders babies or massacres she-wolves deserves to survive. Meena, take care of my baby sister while I’m gone.”

He beamed at Viola, kissed the palm of Meena’s hand, and flashed away. His easy acceptance and warm words were unexpected and precious. Viola had found a family and a home, but to claim her dream, she needed to bed a masked warrior or three. Her eyes narrowed, and she pursed her lips at the thought.

After a tour of Meena’s workrooms, Viola settled in an oversize chair with a book. “Why not just make silver bracelets? Don’t they work on sphinxes?”

Meena blinked and pulled her attention from her spell. “Because silver burns werewolves. We don’t know if affects sphinxes, but judging by how freely they use it, I’d say it doesn’t. These amulets are designed to trap anyone wearing them in human form, whatever their species.”

Viola rested the textbook on her knee and tried to study. As long as she kept her brain busy, she could keep her tears at bay. No way would she sit here and mope after Titus. At least, that was the lie she told herself. The wretched man invaded her brain on a minute-by-minute basis.

The words on her page blurred. She considered her time in the sphinxes’ jail. The way Titus had growled and refused to fuck her until he realized their lives depended on it shamed her. Hard as she tried to lose herself in her book, the more she thought about screwing strangers, the more she struggled not to throw up.