by Zoey Ellis
The mountain contact nodded, but Thorec had already turned away.
Picturing the entrance to the palace, he stepped through the portal after his Omega.
Chapter Five
THOREC
“So the Omega is somewhere in Ashens or somewhere around Lox Palace, intending to cause mayhem.” Commander Torin stared at Thorec with his steel-grey eyes. His eyes were lighter than Thorec’s, but no less stern. “Is that the gist of it?”
Thorec growled. “No, Commander. I am responsible for her. I intend to bring her back to Ariyon. I just need the support of my fellow warriors to stay out of my way as I search for her, and not harm, frighten, or fuck her if they find her.” He spoke in a controlled and tight tone, but frustration roared up inside him, threatening to burst at the idea that any of those things could potentially happen to his Omega.
“This is not something that you should have left your post for, General,” Commander Torin said. “The wayward Omega can be dealt with by me. You should have reported it.”
“She is my Omega,” Thorec said.
Commander Torin’s eyes narrowed. “How can she be your Omega? You met her a couple of days ago.”
“I just know she is mine.”
Torin’s expression was hard. “You were with her?”
“Yes.”
“So you took this Omega within a day of meeting her,” his commander said sternly. He shook his head. “If you had been attending any of the many pairing events I invited you to, you would have the training to control yourself.”
“Training would have made no difference, Commander,” Thorec growled. “I still would have known she is mine. It’s in her scent and in her beauty. It’s in the way she looks at me, and the moments between us when we are together.”
Torin stepped forward, his face darkened, until he was inches away from Thorec. “You already know the emperor has made assurances, Thorec. Not only to his empress, but to the Omegas and to the people. The pairing events exist for a reason. You cannot just take an Omega whenever you happen to come across one.”
Anger gripped Thorec. “She is not just any Omega,” he thundered. “She is mine. Just because I didn’t meet her in a fucking matching event does not mean she belongs to me any less!”
Torin’s eyes flicked to his neck. “I don’t see any claiming bite on your throat, Thorec,” he said bitterly. “If this Omega were asked if she’s yours, would she say yes?”
Thorec’s fingers twitched, and Torin became unnaturally still.
“It doesn’t matter whether she agrees or not,” Thorec said evenly. “Instincts cannot be denied.”
Torin watched him carefully for a long moment before he spoke again. “The Lox will retain her,” he said finally. “You will not get involved. If you insist on interfering, you will be detained. Is that understood?”
Thorec roared, exploding with the anger that had been building up. “You have no right! I found her. She is mine. Whatever Alphas she is here to seek will be destroyed by my hand. If you insist on interfering, you will be destroyed as well!”
Disappointment and anger jumped into Torin’s face. “You would give up your position as general?” he asked harshly, his voice low. “You would risk everything you have gained, all the respect you have earned by refusing me on this?”
“Respect?” Thorec almost spat him. “What respect? I’m a babysitter for obstinate recluses, tucked away in the rural farmyards of Ariyon, where nobody else wants to be unless it’s to stare at magic rocks.” His anger thrashed as he snarled. “This is my life now! The life of the warrior who was one of the first to give Drocco his support, who was once crucial to your strategy meetings, planning how to siege cities and towns and villages. My ability to fight, and train, and strategize was once essential to you and the emperor, and now I am little more than a fucking tour guide! Tell me exactly what I’m giving up?”
Toric frowned. He remained quiet for a long time and then turned away, scratching his stubbled chin as he paced across the room. Stopping by the window, he clasped his hands behind his back as he looked out, speaking but not looking at Thorec. “You are not a babysitter, Thorec. You are the most experienced general we have in the Lox. You are one of the few who understand the true purpose of the Lox and why we must unite the Eastern Lands under the empire.” He turned to look at Thorec. “Not every general has the insight you do. Not every general would be able to see the big picture and understand why the Ariyon mountains and its people are important to the rest of the lands.” Torin’s eyes softened slightly. “Many who joined the Lox joined to fight, but it is a different time now, Thorec. We are no longer at war. We are trying to build a new life for everyone who lives in the Eastern Lands, a life that follows the principles that we all agreed to when we join the Lox. None of us are doing what we used to do when the Lox was young and exciting, when we were overcoming battle obstacles and scenarios that we never thought we would overcome. It is difficult to adjust to that idea, but adjust you must.”
“I have adjusted the best I can,” Thorec snapped. “I have not complained since you told me I had to manage Ariyon, nor have I ever asked to be reallocated. And I will continue to manage it for the rest of my days if that’s what you want. But not without my Omega.”
Commander Torin said nothing for a few long moments, but Thorec held his eyes, glaring at him fiercely.
“Wait here,” Torin said, before exiting the room.
Thorec let out a harsh exhale, clenching his fists together. His life was full of frustrations, and the only time they had ceased recently was when he encountered Ria. His raw anger about her disappearance had transmuted into a harsh smoldering burn in the middle of his chest. He still couldn’t believe that she had been seeking an Alpha the whole time—that she potentially belonged to somebody else when he’d claimed her! The thought was abominable. If any other Alpha felt strongly about her as Thorec did, he would gladly duel him to the death. There was certainly no point in living his disappointing and frustrating life if he could not have the Omega who belonged to him. Dying at another Alpha’s hand to win her was the only way it made sense. By the end of this whole ordeal, he would either have Ria back in his arms, in his bed, and on his cock, or he would be dead.
When the door opened again, Torin re-entered, followed by the emperor and empress.
Thorec straightened, assuming the position of attention in the presence of the Leader of the Lox, but he was wary about what he was going to say.
“At ease,” Emperor Drocco growled.
Thorec relaxed but kept his eye on him. The emperor was clearly already agitated. With a larger warrior’s build than most Alpha’s, the emperor was a force to be reckoned with, even before he became emperor. The empress was much smaller, with curly hair and worried expression.
“Thorec,” Emperor Drocco greeted, gravely. “I hear you are putting us in a difficult position.”
“That is not my intention, emperor,” Thorec replied. “I simply want my Omega.”
“She has not claimed you,” the empress said. “What you are asking us to do is to betray an Omega. Once we betray one, the others will become concerned about the promises we made that they would be safe here.”
“She has yet to recognize me as her true mate,” Thorec conceded. “But we have spent little time together. She hasn’t had the chance to make that choice.”
“Hunting her down will not earn her favor,” the empress shot back.
“She will not be hurt. She will simply be retained and brought back to Ariyon.”
“And what if she doesn’t want to go?”
Thorec’s jaw hardened at the idea. “She needs time with me. It’s possible she doesn’t understand what I’m offering her because of how… instinctual things were between us. She must come with me to decide, even if forced.”
The empress shook her head in annoyance, and the emperor, who had been still and listening quietly stepped toward him.
“And what of the Alpha she is looking for?�
�� he asked, observing Thorec. “What would you have done with him?”
“If he has touched her, then he needs to die!” Thorec’s eyes flashed. “There is no reason he would not smell me on her.”
The emperor growled and shook his head. “I can understand what you are saying, Thorec, but you are being unreasonable. If this Alpha she is looking for is a Lox warrior, that is a lot of Alphas to go through. She could be here for days, and she will most likely wash you off her. Another Alpha cannot be blamed for her interest in him.”
Thorec’s anger surged, but Torin stepped forward. “How do you intend to capture her?”
“I don’t know how she expects to find the Alpha she’s looking for,” Thorec growled. “I need time to observe, to analyze, to see where she’s been. And then maybe I can find her.”
“Why are you doing it this way?” Torin asked. “The Lox can find her easier.”
Thorec shook his head. “It has to be me, Commander. I can’t explain it. I need to be the one to capture her.”
“I will authorize this on one condition,” the emperor said.
Everyone in the room turned toward him, watching expectantly for what he was going to say.
“You may capture her however you need to,” he said.
“Drocco,” the empress said, irritated.
The emperor held up his hand. “But you will not take her from this palace unless she agrees to it. You will need to prove it to her. Prove to her you are her mate, prove to her why she should claim you. If you cannot do it, if there is nothing between you but this enjoyment of each other’s innate experience, then she should be free to mate another, and find a home wherever she pleases.”
Thorec growled, clenching his fists and taking a step forward. It was the most aggressive move he’d ever made in the presence of the emperor, but he didn’t care. “I was with you, Emperor Drocco.”
The emperor frowned. “When?”
“I was with you when you traveled across land and sea for your Omega. When you were prepared to kill anyone who would stop you from bringing her home. I fought at your side in honor of the philosophy that we are Alphas who need our Omegas. Alphas who sometimes need time to convince their Omegas that they are treasures to us and not what history has led them to believe.” He held Drocco’s gaze. “So I will be taking my Omega home when I find her. If you wish to stop me, kill me now.”
It was as though the entire atmosphere had sucked sound from the room, or as though everyone had stopped breathing. Emperor Drocco and Thorec held the gaze between them and like time never existed, but in Drocco’s eyes, Thorec saw the ruler’s understanding.
“Pick one Alpha to assist you,” the emperor said finally.
“Drocco,” the empress gasped.
But the emperor’s eyes never left Thorec. “One Alpha to help you and who will be honest with you if you are on the wrong track with this Omega. An Alpha you will listen to.”
Thorec clenched his teeth, but he couldn’t deny that it was a reasonable request. “Roclan.”
The emperor nodded. “Good luck, General. I wish you well.”
He turned to his empress, who stared at him in disbelief, and lifted her into his arms. She immediately slipped her arms around his neck as though it was an automatic position that he held her in frequently. She pressed her forehead to his, but her expression was still one of shock.
“I trust him, Cailyn,” Drocco murmured to her as he walked to the door and left.
Chapter Six
RIA
The city of Ashens was busy, beautiful chaos.
Ria had only been there twice before--once before the Lox had taken over and the other afterward, while the city was still rebuilding from battle. It had been redesigned to look sturdier and more powerful than the previous design but was no less impressive. The people were bold and bright, just like their clothes, and the environment was positive and happier than either time she had been there before. The market hadn’t changed, though. It hummed and bustled so vibrantly that Ria felt invisible among the crowd. Exactly like she wanted.
She navigated to the stall she’d visited yesterday and waited.
“I have it,” the merchant said as soon as he saw her. He picked up a folded pile of fabrics and handed it at her.
Ria examined them. “The same uniforms they wear in the palace?”
“Identical in every way,” the merchant said proudly. “Every servant uniform in the size you asked for. We are the best at custom orders, Miss, you won’t find any fault. Recommend me to your friends.”
Ria shot him a dry smile as she tucked the fabrics into her bag and paid him.
She kept her head down as she hurried out of the market square and toward the tavern to meet her next contact. She had no reason to believe that General Thorec knew she was in Ashens, but he definitely would know by now that she had left Ariyon. The thought of his reaction twisted her nerves in an unsettling way.
She shook the feeling off as she entered the tavern. The general didn’t own her, and the short time she spent with him didn’t mean anything. Annoyingly, her body seemed to think it did. The two nights she’d spent in Ashens so far had been filled with thoughts of him—his rough chuckle, his look of pleasure, his mouth... She wasn’t sure how he’d managed to contaminate both her body and her mind, but the way he touched her and the things he said to her were burned into her memory from the moment she lay down to sleep. They revolved in her thoughts until she was slick between the legs and trembling with desire.
In the mornings, she managed to force them away by thinking of what she came to do. She was back on task now. The mountain people had been extremely useful and helpful once she understood what was important to them, especially when she explained that she had no allegiance to the Lox and did not want to upset the treaty. All she had to do was keep going, and her experience with General Thorec would eventually fade from her mind. She hoped.
She slipped into the tavern and headed to the back. A Beta woman with short black hair sat at a table in the corner, eating heartily from three large plates. She barely looked up when Ria sat down, but she said, “Payment?”
Ria looked over the tavern for anyone watching them, then set two handfuls of coins on the table.
The woman took a few moments sucking meat off a bone before she even glanced at the coins. “Backroom. Top left shelf.”
Ria frowned. “What? Why can’t you give it to me here?”
The woman went back to her plate. “It’s too risky to carry around that amount of parchment with that kind of sensitive information on it. You have to collect it from the back room.”
Ria’s mouth tightened. “This was not what we agreed.”
“If you don’t want it, take your money back.”
Ria glared at the woman, but she didn’t even pay her any attention as she delved into her stew with her bare fingers. Standing abruptly, Ria headed to the backroom, keeping her eyes open and staying alert. She tried to avoid back rooms in taverns at all costs. They usually only had one way in and out, and it was a dangerous place to end up alone, especially for females. The only reason why she didn’t protest too much was because this tavern’s backroom had a window, and at least magic was fully functional in Ashens. It wasn’t a completely disastrous idea to risk her safety for the information she was after.
She slipped into the back room quickly and quietly, then searched for the shelf. Finally finding a large packet with the sheets of parchment she needed, she tucked the parchment into her bag, when a glint by the door caught her eye. She back away in shock as strands of magic gathered, weaving and merging together until a rippling portal beamed in the tiny backroom blocking her from the door. Ria called on magic, preparing to fight if anything dangerous came through. Panic jumped into her throat realizing she was trapped and inched backward toward the window. Feeling along the windowsill, she tried to see how easy it would be to open, but as her hand reached the lock, a figure stepped through the portal.
The woman w
as dressed in a sophisticated silk tunic that was cut to accentuate her curves. Her curly bronze hair had been twisted up expertly, and she wore beautiful jewelry encrusted with colorful gems. As she stepped forward, another woman stepped out of the portal behind her. This one was dressed like a Lox warrior, except her entire outfit was in red.
Ria readied herself for an attack. “What do you want?”
“I am Empress Cailyn,” the small woman said, “the Omega empress. Apologies for trapping you in here, I wanted to speak to you privately.”
Ria did not change her stance. “How can I help you, Empress?”
“I came to warn you. Your Alpha came to see us at the palace. He intends to recapture you.”
Ria’s eyes widened. Relief, fear, and irritation battled for dominance within her. “General Thorec is in Ashens? Already?”
“Yes. He knows you’re here to find another Alpha, and he is not happy about it.”
“He doesn’t have any say over me or what I do.” Ria scowled.
“You are here to search for another Alpha when you already have one, my friend,” the empress said, a little amused. “That would annoy all Alphas. And probably all Beta males as well.”
“He is not my Alpha nor my mate.”
“Oh.” The empress seemed surprised. “But when I said your Alpha was here, you knew who I was talking about.”
Ria flushed. “Y-yes, but… It wasn’t—” Damn it. She closed her mouth and started again. “He kept telling me I was. So I knew who you were talking about.”
“I see.” The empress nodded thoughtfully. “You don’t want him, then?”
Ria tried to snap out a strong and resounding, “No,” but it didn’t come.
A knowing look entered the empress’ eyes. “If you don’t know yet, that is fine,” she said lightly. “I wanted to make sure that you were aware and prepared, but it seems I didn’t need to worry.”