Page 90 of The Omega's Bloodline: Part One

The panther I recognized is close to death. No visible injuries.

Curious. “Poison?”

Haru snorted and shoved their head onto my lap.Not by the smell of him. He’s freshly matebonded to the witch.

“I suppose we’ll find out soon enough. We’ll go down early. Kendrick’s been looking for a new toy and I’d rather not let him have any of them before we figure out why your dreams wanted us to know about them.”

Haru growled in my lap and lifted their head to lick my chin.Fuck Kendrick and his toys. These ones are ours.

I laughed and held their face in my hands. “I know, you’ve been eager for someone to play with too. You’ll have to train them. Show them exactly what it means to be mine.”

Amusement flared in his gaze.If we didn’t have places to be, I would request a reminder.

I hooked a finger under his muzzle. “I’ll remind you soon enough. Come.” I nudged them off of my lap and rose, checking my hair and dress in the mirror, arranging the wine-red fabric to perfectly display the expanse of skin from throat to navel.

The hallways were bustling, but the occupants parted to let Haru and me pass. The nest was active at all hours, though we’d luckily invested in good insulation so I didn’t have to listen to it.

I wasn’t used to waiting, but it was my own fault for arriving early. Anyone coming in would be presented to us, though we typically continued whatever we were doing before our nest manager, Cora, collected us in the throne room for the presentation. I settled on my throne in the center of the dais. The plush cushion made it somewhat comfortable, but these seats were designed to display power, not to keep my ass from going numb.

Find yourself a good spot to watch.

Haru nodded and slipped across the room, settling himself next to the thick metal ring embedded in the floor. Kendrick was the first to arrive, his eyebrows climbing up when he saw I was already there.

“Bored?” he asked, sliding into his own seat. He crossed muscled arms over his chest, his dark blond hair tied in a low ponytail. “Thinking of claiming one before they’ve even been presented?”

His green eyes flashed with power, a subtle challenge. He didn’t scare me. If it came down to it, I’d eat that goddamn stag for breakfast and shit out his bones.

“What would you care if I did?” I examined my nails, refusing to look at him. “You’ve got a dozen playthings already.”

“They get boring. Good to add some new blood to the mix.” Kendrick sighed and stretched his legs out, trying to catch my attention. He’d never gotten accustomed to my indifference, or my very clear and immediate preference for Haru. “I heard one of them is half-dead already. Don’t imagine he’ll be all that entertaining. The omega should be fun, though. Can’t wait to get my cock in her.”

My nails bit into my palms. If Kendrick laid a fucking hand on her, I’d chop them off myself.

Shakti came running in, her long, black hair bound up in a braid, brown eyes glowing. “Oh, you’re both here already.”

Kendrick snorted. “Didn’t realize the newbies were going to be so exciting for everyone.”

Shakti eyed us both before taking her spot between Kendrick and me. “Have you seen them? I heard the one male is quite choice. I wouldn’t mind taking him.”

I bit back a growl. They had both claimed more than enough. So fucking greedy. I couldn’t stake a legitimate claim without all the active Protectors present.

Velda joined us a moment later, her cheeks flushed pink, blonde hair falling softly around her face. She hastily smoothed the strands, but it didn’t make her look any less like she’d been recently fucked. “Am I late? I was…occupied.”

“Not late, Vel.” I waved her over. “We’re just early.”

“Why early? Did I miss something?”

I bit my tongue, unwilling to betray anything. “No, the rest of us just didn’t have a charming gargoyle between our thighs when we were informed.”

Velda blushed.

Calliope wouldn’t be joining us while she was on bed rest for her pregnancy, so everyone whom I needed to be here was here.

I took a deep breath, preparing to piss off Kendrick and Shakti. “I’m claiming all of them.”

Shakti looked at me disapprovingly. “Allthree? That doesn’t seem fair.”

“I said all, and I mean all. I’ve made no claims since Haru four years ago. It is my right to claim them.”

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