To Seduce an Omega (17 page)

Much as she wanted Titus, they had no sort of relationship, not even a friendship. Then again, he’d left a dead gazelle on her doorstep. Her heart had leaped to ridiculous conclusions. For the first time in decades, her future had looked rosy. Now that Jilly was back, it stretched before in endless shades of gray. Surely, if Titus could play upon Viola’s hopes and desires, she could fuck a few Fae.

Chapter Sixteen

Midmorning, a Fae warrior slipped into Queen Meena’s workroom and crouched at Viola’s side. “I’m Xavier. I thought you might enjoy a guided tour of the palace.”

Meena stopped her chanting. “She’s studying, and don’t you have duties to perform? Shall I check with the staff sergeant?”

Xavier blushed and backed out the door.

Meena shook her head. “Ignore him. He came to check you out before tonight’s orgy.”

Just thinking about the coming orgy tied Viola’s insides in knots. She swallowed hard and returned to her book. The only man she wanted to screw was Titus, but he’d just reunited with his true-mate.

A few minutes later, another Fae warrior arrived with a tray of coffee and cakes. “I thought you ladies might be ready for a break.”

Again, Meena dismissed him. “Too busy, Perseus. Go away.”

The Fae warrior flashed Viola a charming smile, put his tray of refreshments on the table, and left.

Meena took a sandwich. “Clearly, Xavier’s told Perseus you were a dish. You’re going to be popular tonight.”

Viola felt like a slab of meat on a butcher’s block. Despite their muscles, good looks, and willingness to share sex, neither warrior had set her heart racing. She needed to forget about the Lykae her heart obsessed over and fuck a man who wanted her more than a woman who
things didn’t work out well with.

A third warrior interrupted them. “Highness, Princess Viola, I wondered if either of you would like a ride on my dragon.”

Meena laughed at his flimsy excuse. “And upset Lipstick? Viola, do you want to go dragon riding?”

Cheeks scorching, Viola wrapped her arms around her chest and shook her head. “Not really. I’m trying to figure out this spell.”

His face fell, but as rather than argue, he headed for the door. As he did, another warrior strolled in. Sick of the constant interruption, Meena glowered at the pair of them. “Spartacus, go away. I’m tired of warriors stopping in to check out my new sister-in-law. One more interruption, and the lot of you will be pulling KP duty for months.”

Viola closed her book with a thud. “I can’t stand this. They make me want to stay home tonight. Not that I’m that keen on attending an orgy to begin with. I know I’m supposed to fuck someone to fire up my powers, but I’m not sure I can.”

Meena abandoned her amulets and hugged Viola. “They hope you’ll turn out to be their true-mate. Bonding with their king’s newfound sister would make one of their careers. Ignore them. Just go out tonight and have some fun.”

There hadn’t been much fun in Viola’s life so far, and without Titus beside her, she didn’t see that changing. At least when she immersed herself in study, she could forget about her aching heart—maybe. “I’m embarrassed, not charmed, and I want nothing to do with any them. I wish they’d leave me to study in peace.”

“They’re harmless”—Queen Meena picked up a completed amulet and held it up to the light—”but don’t worry. There’ll be plenty of warriors there tonight. Traditionally, they wear masks to keep everything anonymous, but since a contraception spell stops anyone conceiving, no one can tell me why. Everyone just mutters that they’ve been doing it that way for years. Sometimes the Fae are too hidebound for my liking.”

Viola frowned. Masked men and meaningless copulation sounded…sordid and disgusting.

The queen studied the amulet and muttered another spell under her breath. “There. One down, fifty or so to go, but it will be easier now I’ve finished the template. I need to have them ready for when Titus leads the Lykae-only dawn raid.”

Viola turned away, unwilling to talk about the Rock Prowlers’ new alpha and the way her stupid heart wanted to claim him. “I’m glad things are moving quickly. Those cubs need to come home.”

Meena looked up, smiled, then picked up a half-formed amulet. “Queen Sylvie will be there to welcome the captives and their cubs. I’d go too, but those boys need to learn they’re Lykae. Our healers are setting up in an empty building in case the rescued she-wolves need urgent medical attention, and we’ll have a wing of dragons on standby, but I’m certain the Lykae don’t need backup. Speaking of healing, let me look at your knee.”

Last night, Meena had called herself the strongest witch out there, but Viola knew no one could fix her broken knee. Rather than hitch up her skirts and let the Fae Queen examine her, Viola slammed her book down on a side table and limped out the room.

* * * *

Titus had spent the night curled in natural wolf form in Viola’s hut. Being surrounded by her things calmed his beasts, and he dreamed of claiming his true-mate—of claiming Viola. When he woke, he overflowed with nervous energy. Today, he’d track her down and woo his true-mate.

He breathed deeply, pulling Viola’s essence into every cell of his body. For a moment it felt as though she’d just stepped out the door. It hurt when he remembered she’d left with the Fae queen. Worse, it was his own stupid fault. If he hadn’t been so stunned to see Jilly, he’d have never let her kiss him.

Rather than kiss her back, he’d thought about mouthwash and mints—anything to remove Jilly’s taste from his lips. He couldn’t even be angry at her for coming on to him. She’d done what she needed to save her sons, and if he’d stood in her shoes, he’d have done the same. He hoped he could make Viola understand, but he’d have to find her first.

He’d never been to the Fae court, so he couldn’t flash there to woo her. He’d take her jewels, buy her a mansion, do whatever it took for her to forgive him and give him a chance. Caring for his mate meant everything to him, but he had a rescue-the-Lykae-cubs meeting to sit through and the Fae king to approach. Hopefully, once Titus explained everything to King Leonidas, he’d visit the Fae court and woo Viola. Considering the fiasco with the dead gazelle, he might take Queen Sylvie up on her offer of dating advice too.

He flashed to Zebadiah’s keep, took a quick shower, then hurried to the bell tower that dominated the building. Uncaring about rhythm or cadence, he yanked on the bell pull and roused the pack. Two more pulls for luck, and he flashed into the castle gateway.

Someone yelled, “Three cheers for the new alpha!”

Titus raised a hand to acknowledge their greeting and tried not to look uncomfortable or embarrassed. Although most of the Rock Prowlers didn’t know him yet, they’d taken him to their hearts. In return, he would care for each and every one of them—even the ones he hadn’t spoken with. The depth of his alpha bond amazed him. With every breath he took, his determination to do right by his pack hardened.

The outer ring of stalls remained permanently in place, so he leaped atop one. “Today, the Rock Prowler pack can win back their pride as we welcome our missing cubs home.”

The crowd exchanged puzzled looks, but he waited until the chorus of
what, why
, and
who
died down. “Our missing she-wolves have been abused, raped, and massacred by sphinxes. Their loss leaves a hole in the pack’s heart that will take a long time to heal. Some of their cubs survive, and tomorrow at dawn, we will bring the cubs and any surviving she-wolves home.”

A collective howl seared the pack’s throats as they mourned their females. Every wolf would die to bring the captives home. One would-be warrior forced his way forward. “I can fight. Those bastards took my sister. It’s my right to fetch her home.”

Inwardly, Titus marked the wolf down as a possible lieutenant. “Agreed. Anyone else who needs to join the raiding party can see me at the base of the bell tower, but there’s no shame in staying home. In fact, I need some willing volunteers to prepare Zebadiah’s tower since it’s to be the cubs’ temporary home. We need beds, bedding, books, and toys to make the boys welcome. If you think of anything that will comfort the surviving women and help them recover from their ordeal, then bring that too.”

People started shouting. “I’ve got spare bedding.”

“I’ve got some toys my son’s outgrown.”

“I can paint walls or woodwork. That’ll help make the place more welcoming.”

Titus held up his hands for silence. “Thank you. You make me proud to be pack. Later, we will need foster families for the boys who have lost their mothers. For now, let’s just welcome them home.”

The crowd went wild, cheering and crying at the same time. After years of Zebadiah’s harsh rule, they united behind their new alpha—a wolf who was
proud to be pack.

The market square emptied quickly with families hurrying off to collect goods to make the tower a child-friendly zone.

Titus sought out Daniel. “As of today, you are the pack’s quartermaster. Catalog everything the pack donates. I’ll buy out the entire contents of your store too. Get Tansy to help you if you need an assistant. Just make a note of anything we can use. I’m sure other packs will rally around once they hear of the Rock Prowlers’ troubles. I’ll send their representatives to you. Keep a list of the things we need handy.”

Overwhelmed, Daniel caught hold of Titus’s arm. “I’ll do what I can, but you should put Tansy in charge, not me. Her business head along with her spreadsheets and inventories have doubled the store’s profits.”

Titus grinned and slapped him on the back. “You have one hell of a true-mate. Okay, Tansy’s running the show, but you’re her second in command. Right, I’ll leave you in peace, but if you need anything, let me know.”

He turned and headed off toward the bell tower and the small group of would-be warriors. After the way Zebadiah had squelched the pack’s spirit, their desire to stand up for their own delighted Titus. If they could follow orders but use their initiative when it mattered, there was hope for his pack. “Gentlemen, ladies, I’m delighted that you’re willing to stand up and fight for our pack. I assume you’ve all served the standard your two years in the Lykae army?”

The would-be warriors stared anywhere but at him. Finally, one woman spoke up. “Zebadiah forbade it. The career sergeant in charge of recruits visited sometimes, but he’s old-time Rock Prowler and had too much respect for our alpha. Zebadiah convinced him the pack needed every member to stay home and work the land, or we’d starve.”

“I wouldn’t be surprised if money changed hands,” one of the men added.

“I’d have been proud to serve,” another woman called.

Titus nodded. “Every Lykae owes two years’ service. As alpha, it’s my duty to make this travesty right, but your recruiting sergeant’s military career is finished. Okay, form a circle and sound off clockwise. I want your names and your fighting skills.”

Titus listened carefully as the pack named their skills. The last thing he wanted was to wound their pride, but he wasn’t willing to put rookies in any real danger.

One woman announced, “I’m Cecily. I always kept a low profile, but now Zebadiah’s gone, I want to train as a soldier. I’m sharp-eyed and have keen hearing. I’ll make a good lookout.”

Titus looked around the circle and deliberately met everyone’s gaze in turn. “In the future, pack will bring their problems to me or my lieutenants when I choose them. No one need suffer in silence or stay home when they want to travel. Pack is about supporting one another, not putting people down. My job is to make help the Rock Prowlers reach their full potential. National service will be reintroduced as soon as I’ve conferred with King Caleb, and anyone who needs to learn new skills will be encouraged to do so. Cecily, thank you. Who’s next?”

One of the would-be warriors hadn’t filled out from his final growth spurt yet spoke up. “I’m Jethro. My sister disappeared just over a year ago. Today would have been her seventeenth birthday. If she’s alive, I want to help fetch her home. If those bitches have killed her, I might have a nephew or niece out there.”

“Nephew,” Titus corrected. “I didn’t want to rub the pack’s noses in it, but the sphinxes slit the throats of any girl babies.”

The wannabe warriors gasped and fell silent, appalled that anyone killed children, whatever their gender.

Aware that King Caleb and Queen Sylvie would arrive soon, Titus came to a quick decision. “I don’t normally split people by gender, but this time it is necessary. Ladies, Fleur has been much maligned to the pack. Like many of the pack’s females, she was a victim of Zebadiah’s twisted schemes. Her cub lives with the other youngsters in the sphinxes’ stronghold, but if she didn’t do her father’s dirty work for him, he threatened to have the boy killed. Once our preparations are made, you will join with Fleur and Jilly—the woman who arrived with the Lykae Queen yesterday. They need our support as much as anyone.”

A few of the she-wolves looked ready to argue, especially since Zebadiah had forced Fleur to act like a first-class bitch. Titus saw their unhappy glances. “We can’t do this without Fleur’s help. If anyone can’t work with her, then they should leave now.”

No one moved, but some of the women looked sheepish and muttered apologies under their breath.

Titus looked them over carefully. “We figured Lykae women would be more familiar to our cubs than our adult males. We don’t want the boys freaking out and raising the alarm.”

“So what do we do?” Cecily demanded.

Impressed by the woman’s fighting spirit, Titus nodded. “Fleur and Jilly know the surroundings. At dawn they will flash to the boys’ dorm, each taking two Rock Prowler females with them. Our she-wolves will each grab two boys and return here. Then when they flash back for more, they will take two more females with them. Fleur will fill you in on the lay of the land. I wish we could flash more than two people at a time, but we have to work within our limits. Ladies, for now, you are dismissed.”

Eager to rescue the pack’s cubs, the women warriors drifted away in small groups, Titus turned back to the male wolves. “Gentlemen, you will fight alongside the Lykae army when we confront the sphinxes, but you will follow orders to the letter. Everyone, and I do mean everyone, outranks you. For now, I suggest you go assist Tansy and Daniel. I will send someone to find you after I’ve spoken with King Caleb.”