“I understand. I may not like it, but I understand.” Laura sighed. She knew he was right; these precautions were for her safety. What really bothered her was that she needed protection at all. Who would have anything against her?
“It will be okay, my love. I promise,” Dedric whispered so only she would hear. “I will never let anything happen to you. I love you.”
“I love you, too. I believe you will keep me safe, but remember I have a few defensive abilities of my own,” Laura teased.
“I want you to use everything at your disposal to protect yourself if necessary. Never hold back. Promise me,” Dedric demanded, and Laura could see the fear in his eyes.
“I promise to use deadly force if necessary to protect myself or to protect others.” That was an easy promise to make. There was no way she’d allow anyone else to be hurt, especially while defending her.
Dedric pulled Laura close and they walked the rest of the way to the Mallory house. When they reached the porch, Laura quickly released Dedric’s hand and ran for the front door. She was so excited to see her friends. Once inside she searched until she found Ceva in the kitchen.
“Ceva,” Laura shouted as she took her friend in a big hug. “I’ve missed you.”
Lothar laughed from the other side of the room as Lily and Gabi joined in hugging Ceva. Her pregnant belly protruded between them as they hugged her tight.
Laura pulled away from a smiling Ceva to see King Leonidas sitting at the kitchen island and immediately reined in her enthusiasm and curtseyed before the king.
“I’m sorry, Your Highness.”
Lily and Gabi were quick to follow. How could I completely forget the king was here? For Fenrir sake, he’s the one performing the ceremony.
“Don’t worry, young ones, this is a joyous time and we should be celebrating. Not standing on formalities.” With that, King Leonidas brought out a bottle and placed it on the island. “Before we open this I need to have a conversation with you and Alpha Dedric.”
“Of course, sir,” Laura replied calmly, though on the inside she was surprised. What could they have to discuss? The ceremony was straightforward.
“Yes, Your Highness,” Dedric stated before leading them into the empty solarium. Her mate pulled out a chair for Laura and as she sat, he ran his hands up her arms in comfort. He must have sensed her confusion.
The king smiled reassuringly before sitting across from her. “Don’t look so worried, Laura. There’s nothing to be concerned about, but I do have a promise to keep.”
“A promise, sir?” Dedric asked.
Laura reached for her mate’s hand and held on tight. What could the king have made a promise about that involved her?
“Yes,” the king answered. “You knew that your mother and father were close to Queen Alexandra and myself.”
“We spent a great deal of time at the palace visiting; that’s when I became friends with your granddaughter Helena,” Laura couldn’t help but smile at the memories of when they were children playing in the palace.
Her heart hurt thinking of them. She’d been at the palace during the Omega Celebration when her home was destroyed and her family and friends killed. Her parents hadn’t come to the Celebration with her that year because her younger sister had been ready to give birth to her first child. Laura hadn’t minded considering the increase in the number of stillborn babies being delivered throughout the packs; she understood why they wanted to be close to their daughter.
“I don’t want to upset you, Laura. Your parents loved you and I know your family will be with us tomorrow,” King Leonidas’s eyes held sadness. “Do you remember your grandmother?”
“No, she passed away when I was young.”
“She was omega like you,” Leonidas explained.
“My mother talked about grandmama sometimes. She said she was special.”
“Omegas run in your family line. Chances of you having a child with omega abilities are high.” Leonidas stated with a smile.
Laura turned to Dedric in excitement, and her mate looked so happy. “We are truly blessed.”
“Now I know your parents would have wished to be here to explain the rest to you but that honor now falls to me.”
“The rest? There’s more?” Laura asked. What more could there be?
“Yes, your legacy,” Ceva confirmed as she walked in.
“Legacy?” Laura was beginning to worry. Why all this now on the eve of the mating ceremony?
Ceva placed a small box on the table and sat to the right of the king. “You see, my dear Laura, your grandmother was a special woman and a close friend of mine. We used to travel around to the packs together, wherever she was needed.”
“Needed? What was she needed for?” Laura asked.
“To bring healthy pups into this world. Her omega gift included the ability to ease the labor and births of our children. Many were brought into this world with her help.”
“Why are you telling me this now?”
“Because after you are mated you will be blessed with the same gift as your grandmother,” the king explained.
Laura was stunned. She’d be able to save their babies? There wouldn’t be any more pain and suffering at the loss of another newborn. She knew the statistics had been getting worse, and every year more newborns were lost. This would be a tremendous gift to their people.
“Are you sure?” Dedric asked as he held her hand tighter.
“Yes,” Ceva answered with a blinding smile on her face. “You’re the exact image of her.”
Laura still had questions. “Why wasn’t I told before this?” She thought of all the years she spent not choosing an alpha when she could have been saving lives. She felt guilty when she looked at Dedric. Would she have mated another alpha she didn’t love just to be able to save children? Yes.
Ceva smiled as if she knew exactly what Laura was thinking. “Your grandmother wanted you to have the freedom to pick the man you loved before you knew of your legacy. She made everyone, including your parents, swear to keep this secret until you found the alpha you wanted. I think we all know what you would have done to save the children if you knew earlier.”
Laura looked over at her mate, guilt heavy in her heart. Could Dedric accept that had she known about her legacy earlier she would have mated when she was younger, not for love but to release her abilities to save their shifter young? She felt like she was betraying their love.
Dedric stood and gathered Laura into his arms and left the solarium. He took her to the nearby empty living room and sat with her on his lap. Laura looked around but found no chaperones had followed; the king must have stopped them.
Her alpha raised her chin so that they were eye to eye. “I could feel the guilt pouring from you, my love, but you have nothing to feel guilty about.”
“But I do. The first thought I had after hearing about my legacy was the time I wasted not picking an alpha when I could have been saving precious lives. I feel as though I’m betraying you by that thought alone.”
“I know you love me, but I also know how caring you are. I think it’s normal to feel this way when the lives of our pups are involved. Your whole life you’ve been caring for and helping others and to know how much more you can do is both a shock and blessing. Let go of the past and what might have been; there’s so much we can do together,” Dedric explained softly. “We will build extra housing for those who come to you for help with their births and we can travel to them if they cannot travel.”
“You’d be willing to leave the pack as often as needed to go and help these mothers deliver their babies?”
“I am hoping that a great many will decide to come to us and stay in temporary accommodations, but if need be we can travel while Samson watches over the pack in my stead.”
“You’d do that for me?”
“I’d do anything for you,” Dedric stated.
“I love you so much, Dedric,” Laura murmured before she wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed hi
m softly. “Thank you for understanding.”
“We should rejoin the others before they start searching for us.”
“I’m sure Ceva will keep them at bay, but you’re right we should get back,” Laura agreed before standing and taking her mate’s hand.
The two walked back into the solarium and rejoined the group. “Sorry for the interruption, Your Majesty, Ceva.”
“Everything all settled?” Leonidas asked with a twinkle in his eyes.
“Yes, sire. We are going to build extra housing for shifters to come and seek help with their deliveries,” Dedric explained. “We’re rebuilding the town—this is but another accommodation we can make for our kind.”
“I think that’s an excellent plan,” Ceva agreed as she stood and opened the golden box that she had left on the table earlier.
From where she sat, Laura couldn’t see what was inside and her curiosity was piqued. Ceva reached in and pulled out a thick gold collar necklace with a fine filigree design etched into the gold.
“This was your grandmother’s. It signifies your position and ability,” Ceva explained before rounding the table, walking up behind Laura and placing the collar on Laura’s neck and sealing the clasp.
Ceva began speaking in an ancient dialect Laura had never heard before and the filigree engraving on the necklace began to glow bright blue. Laura could feel it warming against her skin and reached for Dedric’s hand. A few moments later, the necklace cooled and Ceva was silent. In fact, the entire room was silent.
Gabi and Lily stood at the door, mouths hanging open. Laura reached up to touch the necklace but it was gone. “Where did it go?”
Gabi ran to the bathroom and Laura could hear her rifling through drawers. As she looked around even her warriors appeared stunned along with her mate. The only ones not shocked were the king and Ceva. Gabi ran back in with a handheld mirror and gave it to Laura. She held it up to view her face and neck and it was then that she realized why everyone was stunned. The exact image of the gold choker was tattooed to her body. It was part of her now, and the filigree still glowed blue.
“What’s happened?” was all Laura managed to get out as she began to hyperventilate while running her hand over her smooth skin where the necklace had been.
“You have released the first half of your legacy. Once the ceremony is complete it will fully take hold and no one will be able to remove it until your death, at which point it will be given to the next omega in your line.”
Laura knew this was a huge gift, but there was no way she would be able to hide this tattoo; it went partway up her neck and over her collarbone. She had expected the mating tattoo that would appear on her left arm at the end of the ceremony, but this? This was something so special she wondered if it made her appear…haughty, or vain or…superior.
“It’s beautiful, my love,” Dedric said as he pulled her close.
Laura appreciated her mate’s comforting words; he would never lie to her. She looked in the mirror again and ran her fingers over the glowing blue designs. She had to admit, it was beautiful.
Ceva moved away and back to the box. “There’s one more thing.”
“More?” Laura asked so quickly she hadn’t even thought of the question before it flew from her mouth. What more could there be?
“This is a gift from me to you in celebration of your mating and to assist you in helping our people, as well as keep you safe.” She pulled out two gold cuffs about an inch wide and placed them on the table in front of Laura.
“They’re gorgeous. What do they do?” Laura asked as she picked one of the cuffs up and clasped it around her right wrist then the other on her left.
Ceva reached out and took both of Laura’s hands. “Let me show you.”
Suddenly the solarium vanished. Laura held Ceva’s hands as tight as she could and tried not to scream. Seconds later the world stopped spinning around her and Laura found herself standing in a field of wildflowers. She didn’t recognize where they were and she looked to Ceva for answers.
“I love coming here with Lothar. It’s so calming.”
“Here? Where is here?”
“You remember Matilda and Cyrus?”
“The unicorns in Black Ridge?”
“Yes. This was their original home. Their parents had been killed so I brought them from this plane of existence to ours to be cared for,” Ceva explained with a brilliant smile on her face.
“We’re on a different plane? How?”
“Lothar and I can do it naturally with my powers. This time it was you who took us. I merely directed the way.”
“I did this? How?”
“Your cuffs. I have given you the ability to teleport. Now when an expectant mother needs you, you can go there if they can’t make it to you. Also, I’ve been told about the attempt on your life, and I wish to ensure you always have a way out.”
“How does it work?”
“That I will teach you, but for now we must return. Your mate is becoming rather irate at your disappearance. Think of your mate and how much you want to be with him. Picture the house.”
Laura did as directed and the world around her began spinning again until she found herself back in the Mallory house. Before she had a chance to get her bearings she was whisked up into her mate’s arms and taken to the other side of the solarium.
“I’m fine my love. It’s okay.” Laura tried to calm Dedric but his eyes had turned golden and his wolf was ready to let loose.
“Dedric, I apologize for causing you any worry,” Ceva explained. “She was completely safe at all times.” The apology didn’t seem to help.
Laura poured calm into the room and held Dedric close, whispering words of love into his ear. Slowly the gold bled from his eyes.
“You took my mate from me.”
“I should have known better. I’m sorry. I was excited to show Laura her gift.” Ceva leaned against Lothar, who was rubbing her lower back. Laura realized that Ceva was in some sort of pain.
“Are you okay?” Laura asked.
“Absolutely. It’s normal pregnancy stuff. You’ll find out that it’s not easy carrying around another person inside of you.” Ceva smiled.
Dedric was still growly but his eyes were normal again, which was a good sign. She thought he needed a little soothing. “I’m sorry, Dedric.”
“Why should you be sorry? You did not know what was going to happen.” Dedric squeezed her hand before demanding answers. “What exactly did happen?”
“Come sit, my friends, and Ceva will explain everything to you,” King Leonidas urged from the other side of the room. Laura was a bit surprised he hadn’t made it an order. A sure sign of respect toward Dedric.
With one more look at Laura, Dedric moved forward and sat back down in his chair. He didn’t release her, and she guessed he wasn’t sure if she’d disappear again so he wasn’t taking any chances.
“I promise you I’m fine and the gift will be useful,” Laura murmured as she rubbed her mate’s chest in calming circles.
Ceva and Lothar sat down and the room was finally calm, all lethal undertones gone.
“My gift to Laura is the ability to teleport. This will keep you, her and your future children safe. By touching Laura when she teleports you will be taken along. As I’ve already mentioned to Laura, the two of you can go anywhere to help expectant mothers if they can’t reach you in time. Laura will be able to home in to wherever the person is calling from and teleport there. If she is in danger she can teleport away.”
Laura felt Dedric’s tense muscles begin to relax with every word Ceva spoke. “Thank you for giving Laura such an amazing gift. But may I suggest next time you explain before you disappear.”
“Noted,” Ceva agreed with a grin, and the last threads of fear and anger vanished.
“Now that that’s settled, I brought a bottle of champagne from the palace wine cellar to celebrate your union,” King Leonidas announced.
“We’ll get it and some glasses from the kitche
n,” Gabi offered as she dragged Lily, who had been staring at General Jensgar, out of the room.
Both Ceva and Lothar didn’t fail to notice the interaction but only smiled in response. Laura wondered if the king would give his blessings to Lily and Jensgar. King Leonidas had always been fair in his dealings, and the law was clear Lily could choose whomever she wanted. The only real wild card here was the general, who currently stood against the far wall, seemingly oblivious to the little omega’s attentions. Laura would do anything to make her friend happy but in the end if Jensgar didn’t reciprocate her feelings there was nothing anyone could do to save Lily from a broken heart.
Chapter Six
The morning of her mating ceremony was upon them. Pack members were racing around with final preparations, but Laura, Gabi and Lily had been sequestered at Rayanne’s house. The pack wanted to surprise their new omega as much as possible, so Laura wasn’t allowed to peek. Rayanne had left early that morning carrying two large bowls filled with fruit and hadn’t returned.
Laura had already paced the entire house ten times; her excitement kept her from sitting still. The ceremony was to take place at two in the afternoon, and every minute felt like an hour.
“Laura, sit down and eat,” Lily ordered. “Food will make you feel better. It’s going to be a long day, you need to keep up your strength.” Her stern tone shocked Laura. Lily had always been the timid one of the three of them. Laura was surprised to learn Lily could be a spitfire.
Laura sat and began eating her early lunch. On their way back to Rayanne’s house last night they’d run into a few older pack members who seemed to recognize her new necklace tattoo. Laura came to find out that her grandmother had brought a few of the older pack members into the world.
She had figured that by now most of the pack had heard of her legacy. The glowing blue filigree continued to be something she would have to get used to, especially since there was no way she could hide it. She knew the gift was more important than her own self-consciousness and she did her best to push it away. Considering her gown was strapless, she’d better get over it fast.
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