Dagger ran over, ripping a strip of leather from his jacket. “We need to set it, Your Majesty, before it starts to heal.” He knelt beside Zelene and I snarled a low warning. My wolf didn’t want him touching her.
“Hey! Hey, you! Get away from her.” Tavia’s shrill voice pierced the air and she came running over in her human form, naked from her shift. Her fists were clenched as she stared down at Dagger. “Leave her alone.”
“I’m trying to help,” he argued, shifting his gaze away from her body.
“Haven’t you helped quite enough?” Tavia swept her arms wide. “Look at this place. Look what they’ve done to our home.”
“Your home is in the city now,” he snapped.
“The Badlands is my home. It will always be my home.” She lifted her chin. “I am omega.”
I watched as his expression changed into something I’d never seen before. Some mixture of regret and bloodlust and resignation. Like he was fighting an internal battle and losing.
Tavia knelt beside Zelene, pushing Dagger out of the way. “It’s going to hurt, sister. Like the time you broke your arm, remember?”
Zelene nodded, pressing her lips together.
“I’ll make it fast. One… two…” With a swift jerk, Tavia straightened the broken leg.
Zelene let off a strangled cry before swallowing down the agony she must be in. I held her hand while Tavia used a broken branch and Dagger’s fabric to tie it off.
“The Queen is hurt. The King fought for us. No, he fought for himself, for her. The Queen risked her life for the Badlands. Lord Dagger fought for us. Lord Dagger is a traitor.”
I heard the rumblings around us. The omegas were confused and shaken. My men were as well. The monstrous wolf mutants weren’t a foe we were used to dealing with. It was my job to reassure them. To build their trust the same way I did with my mate. The same way I would continue to do, from now until my days as King Alpha came to an end.
I eased Zelene back to the ground and stood to address our people. My people. All of them.
“The humans have done something abhorrent to our omegas. Those missing from the Badlands. Your brothers, your friends. Even family. The humans turned them into those vicious beasts. Turned them into weapons to use against us. They did this, knowing our pack was divided, knowing that they could use that division to their benefit. Well, no longer!” I roared. “From this day forward, the Weren are one. One pack, one people, under the protection of the King and Luxoria.”
An uneasy cheer rose from the crowd. Like they weren’t sure if it was a trick. I looked to my alpha soldiers to see many of them nodding in agreement, and I knew things were already moving in the right direction.
But was it enough?
I stared at Dagger. His expression was all over the place. Guilt, sadness, fury. I knew the man. He was my friend. And if I had to guess, I’d say he was sick over what had been done to the Badlands. Once upon a time, he’d taken pride in how strong and resilient the omegas were. None of us had known it was because they could shift or that their unity strengthened them beyond belief. And now, he was partly responsible for what had happened here.
I nodded to myself, understanding what needed to be done. For him, and for the omegas. To redeem his mistakes, and to prove to the Badlands that the kingdom would protect them.
“Dagger.” He walked forward, bowing slightly when he stood before me. “You will go in search of the other missing omegas, and bring them home.”
He lifted his gaze to mine as shocked gasps arose from the people.
“Your Majesty—”
“You will bring them home before they are turned into the slobbering beasts we fought away today. You will do this… and when you do, you will regain your title. Until then…” I reached forward, ripping the medals from his jacket. “… you are no longer a King’s General.”
He narrowed his eyes in understanding and bowed his head, submitting to my demands. “Very well, my King.” He turned to the omegas he’d been in charge of. “I have let you down,” he admitted, his voice hard as rock. “Now, I will see your missing returned.” His promise rang into the dark desert night, and I knew Dagger would keep his word or die trying.
I found Zelene’s gaze and held it with mine. See, my Queen? I will choose you, choose us. Every fucking time.
She nodded, as if she heard me, and her eyes shone with love. A million enemies couldn’t crush what I felt for her. But let them try.
Chapter Sixteen
Zelene
Tavia threw up her hands and shook her head when she walked into my bedroom. “You can’t stay still, can you?”
I’d only gone from the bed to the chair. No lie, I was going a little stir crazy, and at least from the chair I had a view of the castle gardens. Everything slowed down when I watched the Joshua trees sway in the breeze in time with the gorgeous blooms below them. The desert roses that made me think of Adalai.
“When was the last time you spent all day in bed while people waited on you hand and foot?”
Another shake of her head, and she gave me one of those looks only sisters could give each other. “Let’s see...never.”
“Exactly. And let me tell you how much you’d suck at it.”
“You’re supposed to be recovering. And if you keep hobbling around on that broken leg, it won’t heal right.”
Taking time to heal was a luxury that we’d never been afforded in the Badlands. Good thing our inner animals could expedite the healing process. If I didn’t have a leg in a cast, I’d take serious issue to having Tavia wait on me, like she was still a servant. But the truth was, my broken leg hurt like hell and as a brand new queen with mutant wolves on the loose, I didn’t feel comfortable slipping away from reality for long. I’d even refused the painkillers that were offered to me.
Truly, I wanted my sister here with me. She made the transition from omega to royalty feel normal, and she was still feisty enough to ask the questions I might have missed.
“I’ll be back in heels in no time,” I assured her. “Have you thought about what you want your new role to be once you don’t have to take care of your invalid sister?”
She grinned, and took the seat across from me. Her gaze was drawn out the window too. The riot of color would never not be special to us. “It’s an honor to take care of the queen, no matter what my status is. It’s even more important now, because we have power. If I may presume that Her Majesty will listen to counsel.”
I rolled my eyes. “I’m still Zelene, no matter where I live or what my job is.”
“I know that, but some conversations have to be had with the queen. This is one of them.”
“What’s wrong?” I wasn’t naive enough to think once we secured the city from mutant threats, and the missing omegas were safety returned to the Badlands, we’d be able to rest. Even if there were no more threats to the city, we had so much healing to do. So much to learn about each other. It was why it was so important to have Tavia and the rest of the ladies here with me. Not only would they keep things painfully real, they’d never let me forget where I came from.
When it was just Adalai and me, it was easy to get lost in the clouds.
Tavia braced herself. Her shoulders curved forward, and she folded her hands together in her lap. Whatever she had to tell me made her nervous.
“I’m concerned about Dagger being assigned to bring the omegas back.”
“You’ve always had a problem with Dagger.” She’d been in opposition of his Badlands leadership for years. I always worried that her strong opinions would get her in trouble. Now I was certain of it. “Adalai disciplined him, and if he didn’t think he was capable of doing the job, he wouldn’t send him to do it. No alpha knows more about the Badlands and what happens there than Dagger.”
I knew that wasn’t enough for my sister.
“Adalai won’t give him back his title until the Badlands are safe. Even if the wellbeing of the omegas isn’t important to him yet, we know his title matters a lot.”
“You think that someone should go with him.” I thought about how I’d propose sending a babysitter along with Dagger. Even though Tavia often jumped to the worst case scenario, she was right. Dagger needed a skilled team, and I’d suggest Adalai send an omega representative with him. There were things that we saw every day that alphas would miss because they would never have that sort of familiarity with the Badlands.
“I’m going with him.” Her gaze met mine. She wasn’t asking permission.
“Like hell you are, Tavia.” I swore to myself I’d never pull the queen card on any of my girls, but that promise faded as soon as my sister declared she intended to co-lead a revolution with Adalai’s very skilled, very disgraced, and probably very pissed off right-hand man.
“What should I do, stay here and play dress up with you while I do something meaningless in the castle and pretend our people aren’t disappearing and being turned into mutant lab animals?” Her mouth settled in a hard line. “The view is gorgeous here, Zelene, but it doesn’t change the fact that beyond these flowers, people are suffering. You used to be one of them. If you weren’t the one wearing the crown, you’d be out there on the front lines, demanding justice for every omega in the Badlands.”
That was a punch to the gut. “I will be out there on the front lines, every day, for all the people of Luxoria. Minutes ago you were begging me to take the time to heal. This is new to me. I’m doing the best I can.”
“I know.” Tavia stood and rounded my chair, and picked up my hair. I loved that. It was how she’d calmed me down so many nights, when the Badlands was hell on earth. When I was the one with the crazy ideas, and she had to talk me out of them. “You’re doing an amazing job.”
“So what’s your plan?” I turned back to catch her face light up when she realized I was going along with it, whatever it was.
“Not sure yet, besides holding Dagger accountable at absolutely every turn.” That grin was wicked. “And making sure that everyone in Luxoria and beyond never forgets how powerful omegas can be.”
We startled when the door opened. We weren’t expecting company.
“Apologies, my rose. Tavia.” Adalai nodded at my sister. “I’m still not used to having someone waiting for me when I come home.”
That turned me into a puddle of goo. Even Tavia softened. Someday, she’d learn to trust the alphas. Maybe sending her to accompany Dagger would be good for her too. She’d have to work with him, and maybe she’d stop thinking of him as an enemy.
Tavia curtsied to Adalai. “Her Majesty is healing nicely. But she’s having a hard time staying in one place.”
Adalai grinned. “Our queen has never been one for following rules.”
“I can hear you guys,” I groaned.
Tavia gave me a quick peck on the cheek. “I’ll leave you two alone. I’m sure you have plenty to talk about.”
Right, like the fact she’d just installed herself as Dagger’s right-hand woman. But I had news too. Something I had yet to share with anyone.
Adalai waited until the door clicked closed, and then turned to me with an amused grin. “What are the two of you cooking up?”
I placed my hand over my heart and feigned surprise. “What would ever make you think we were up to something?”
“I’d be more disappointed if you weren’t.” He was down on one knee beside me, and our lips met in a kiss. A surrender of all that once was.
“Tavia wants to go with Dagger to find the humans that are turning omegas into mutants.” I said it fast, when he was still drunk from the kiss.
Adalai didn’t reply right away. “It’s not a horrible idea.”
Maybe I was the intoxicated one. “Really?”
“It will show anyone who questions our union, and the end of The Division, that we’re serious about equality.” Mischief flickered in the king’s eyes. “And she’ll definitely teach Dagger a few lessons that I can’t.”
That was what I loved about Adalai. He was able to admit that he was only as good as his team. “You’re going to make an amazing dad.”
His eyes widened. I slapped my hand over my mouth and then pulled it away fast. “Did I say that out loud?”
“You did.” He moved in front of me, careful not to bump my leg as he took my hands in his. “My rose, are you pregnant with my child?”
My grin couldn’t be contained. I nodded, accepting his lips on mine. This kiss was pure celebration. Adoration. A war could rage right outside our window, and those beautiful blooms could turn angry and violent, and I would feel safe because I was in his arms.
“Soon we’ll have a prince, and he’ll never know a Luxoria that was divided.” It was the perfect fairy tale I wanted to read to my children. “He’ll only know love, acceptance, and opportunity.”
“And he’ll be strong and brave because his mother is the queen who challenged everything.” He gave me another kiss. “The one that returned Luxoria to glory, as our own mothers knew it. They’re smiling on us, my rose. They’re proud.”
I’d never been surer that I’d done the right thing, sneaking into the party that night. It seemed like another lifetime. I would make everyone proud, especially my king, no matter what it took.
As he kissed me again, I knew this was exactly where I was meant to be. Who I was meant to be.
His.
His queen.
His forbidden omega.
And he was mine.
*******
Thank you for reading HIS FORBIDDEN OMEGA. We hope you enjoyed Adalai and Zelene’s story as much as we enjoyed writing it!
Read on for a sneak peek of Dagger and Tavia’s story, the next book in The Royal Omegas series, releasing September 2019! It’s available for preorder now!
Chapter One
His Defiant Omega
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Dagger
I stood in the middle of The Badlands—what was left of it—and let my gaze take in the reality before me. It was in ruins. The bright desert sun gleamed overhead, highlighting every demolished shanty, the charred fences, destroyed goods that inhabitants had tucked away for desperate days. With or without the sun, my eyes couldn’t avoid the people who milled about, seeming lost.
Lost. Did I look lost to them too?
This land that bordered Luxoria to the south was home to the omegas, the lowest class of shifters among the Weren people.
No. Not the lowest. Not anymore.
Not since King Adalai took an omega as queen and declared The Division null and void.
No more segregation, no more pack divided. We were now one. Alpha, beta, and omega alike.
I should have been happy about it, like so many others were. Like Evander and Cassian. Even Solen wasn’t pissing in the king’s mead over this. And there was a certain feel among the city these days. Lighter, even if omegas were still getting side-eyed.
But I wasn’t happy about any of it.
There was a place for everything and everyone. The omegas’ place was in The Badlands. Mine was… used to be… at the king’s side. Commander of the Southern Border. Overseer of The Badlands. Not anymore. With my title stripped, I was just another alpha vying for a place in this world. I had nothing and no one now.
Except my mission.
King Adalai was sending me on a quest to find the omegas who had been abducted from the Badlands over the past years. I was no stranger to hearing of these missing persons complaints, but I’d never taken them seriously. The Badlands was… well, bad. It made sense that desperate shifters might try to leave in search of something better. They wouldn’t find it. Anyone with any sense knew that beyond the desert there was only more desert.
And humans. There were humans who wanted things from us. Wanted to exploit our abilities and experiment on us to their own gain. Humans who wanted our technology so they could thrive in the world as it was now, after the Great Dust Storm that sent humanity into chaos.
Luxoria was an oasis everyone wanted a piece of. It made sense that the desperate omegas who called The Badlands home, might have gone in search of another place like it.
I knew now, that wasn’t the case.
Omegas had been taken, one at a time, for years by the humans who turned them into living weapons. Twisted versions of their former selves, half shifted beasts who drooled acid and sliced wolves in half with their claws.
They had come to destroy The Badlands, and did a pretty fine job of it. The only good thing about that night was that none of the mutants returned to the humans alive.
But the number of missing omegas was nearly in the triple digits. Which meant there were plenty more mutants—or soon-to-be mutants—in the humans’ arsenal. It was up to me to find them before they met that fate.
It was part punishment for my role in the Badlands destruction, part rescue mission. The alpha in me bucked against taking any ounce of blame, but the king and others felt I’d neglected my duties. Easy for them to say, when they were in charge of betas and other alphas. I’d been tasked with policing the omegas. The lawless, the forgotten. The trash no one cared about. No one could understand the situation my assignment put me in.
If I’d cared too much, my loyalty to the crown would have been questioned.
If I cared too little… well, that was where I was at now.
The balance I’d had to keep was narrow and impossible, but my true feelings laid somewhere in the middle. At times, I related more to the omegas than my own class. At times, I hated the alphas as much as they did.
Hated myself.
For living on the other side of the gates while people suffered, deservingly or not. For knowing children starved while the royals ate their fill. For never reporting these things to the king, whether he would have cared then or not.
His Forbidden Omega (The Royal Omegas Book 1) Page 12