Chapter 2 Chapter 2

Logan

My hands tightened in irritation as I recalled the reason members of The Circle, and a few warriors were present in the first place. I'd received a message that a rogue had been caught trespassing. And as demanded, they had to face a trial.

In truth, trespassers were hardly spared. 

Especially rogues. 

Twenty four hours after they'd been brought to the throne room, they usually ended up with their lives taken from them. I dished out punishment as I deemed fit, and had no one question it. Not even members of the Inner Circle, which essentially referred to the Beta male and female, Gamma male and female, and the pack doctor.

The door to the throne room pushed open, my attention moved to it as Kael strode in with a sharp expression on his face. He was the pack’s beta male, the second member of The Circle. Elise the pack doctor followed behind. Elise hated the trial the most. 

But not for the same reason. 

Kael saw trespassers as the most annoying of inconveniences, which I had to agree was nothing but the truth. The trial always ended the same way; with me passing an order for their execution, but it was still something that had to be done each time a werewolf was found trespassing.

I wasn't about to prolong the trial.

I met Kael's gaze, feeling my irritation at the situation grow already. “Handle it. I won't waste my time on such trivial matters”  

“They’re already bringing her here,” He replied. 

My fists tightened. Damn it!

I should be resting after my trip from the neighboring pack, but If the warriors had already begun making their way to the throne room, then it went without question that I was expected to pass an official order.

Still, I didn't have the strength to deal with it. I looked at him, drawing in a slow breath. “I don’t have time for this. Kill them and be done with it.”  

He hesitated for a while that I doubted anyone currently standing in the throne room had caught it. But I had, and I didn’t like it. The tone of his voice lowered. 

“It’s an Omega.” He informed me. I raised an eyebrow, almost asking that they be killed twice. "And she's female."

The word hit me like a warning bell. Female. 

Around me there were sharp intakes of breath. 

When was the last time an Omega had been foolish enough to stumble into Lycan territory? Much less one that was female? 

The only ones reckless enough to cross my borders were warriors, spies, or wolves desperate enough to risk death. Never Omegas. They weren’t foolish enough to come here by accident… they knew they certainly wouldn’t leave alive.  

Something wasn’t right.  

“An Omega,” I said, testing the words. “And yet, you thought she was worth bringing here instead of disposing of her at the border?” Kael didn’t answer right away and his silence only heightened my anger. He was my Beta for a reason. What duty did he have, other than to take care of the less important matters of the pack? 

I wanted to scream that out to him but I swallowed the words.

The fact that he'd deemed a female Omega worthy of trial sat wrongly with me.

I didn't need him getting soft.

It didn't matter that a female was involved. Rules were rules, and whoever broke them deserved the punishment that was supposed to follow. 

Before I could dismiss them, movement from the entrance of the hall caught my attention. Boots thudded just outside the entryway, faint sounds of struggling reaching our ears.

I rose to my feet, just as a scent hit the back of my throat.

A sharp soothing scent that made my wolf restless instantly.

The warriors moved closer, dragging the rogue with them. The scent slammed into my chest like a sledgehammer. My breath caught. My wolf froze for a second before going completely nuts.

The scent wrapped around me, igniting something raw and primal as it went.

My claws pricked at my fingertips, my wolf pushing forward with a need I couldn’t control.  

No. No, this couldn’t be possible.

I took a step down the stairs of the throne, and then another until I was standing at the same level as the rest of the wolves in the room. I curled my hands, putting a leash on my emotions. 

Has the room gotten hotter? 

The trial should have ended long ago. I should have dismissed everyone by now, like I'd intended to after realizing I was dealing with a female Omega, a rogue. She was supposed to be nothing important.

But suddenly, I couldn't say the one word that could decide her fate.

My heart pounded in my ears, matching the sudden shift in my breathing. Members of The Inner Circle and the warriors in the room would probably mistake my reaction for anger. Which was completely fine by me. 

One word echoed through my mind, an undeniable truth I didn't want to accept.

“Mate.”

I had imagined my mate countless times and each time I had pictured a strong, powerful warrior, a woman who could rule beside me without faltering. But the figure before me… She was too small. An Omega. One who should have known better than to cross into Lycan territory. Which clearly showed just how foolish she was.

The words of the prophecy echoed in my mind. But looking at the omega in front of me, she's nothing like the woman spoken of. 

My jaws clenched as I forced my wolf back down, masking the violent need clawing at my insides. 

How could the goddess play such a ridiculous trick with me? I didn't want to accept the reality but even my wolf was excitedly reacting to the sudden pull between us.

My lips dragged into a smile, if this was a way to mock me…present me as the Lycan Alpha with a weak omega as mate, then this was going to be even more interesting.

I turned to Kael, my voice deceptively calm.

“Remove the blindfold.”