Page 40 of His Bonded Omega Mate
“Hey, so I’ve got a lot going on today. I’ll just get the council back on the call,” Blake interrupted.
The call was nothing more than what Kade had asked us the day before. Checking out our marks, which were healed over but still as clear as the day before. They asked us to describe the bond link and how it worked. We also went through the bonding process with as few details as possible. Not that Hiroshi was embarrassed, he was all too happy to share. I just didn’t want to discuss something so intimate with these other shifters.
While I’d spoken to most of the shifter council during my time as Kade’s assistant, I only knew a few of them well. Councilman Ford had been my contact during my punishment. Though the more distant I got from that life, the more I appreciated it was a way to earn a place in Kade’s life, more than an actual sentence. Guarding him had been an honor.
Blake’s phone rang as the video conference was winding down. “Excuse me,” he said, picking up the phone. He glanced at me with worry as he listened. “Bring him through.” He put down the phone and took a deep breath. “Roan, your father is here. He wants to see you.”
There was a sudden burst of tension in the room, but everything was muffled as I tried to work out what I wanted to do.
My father had been my idol growing up. Mother had died giving birth to another pup, my sister, who had been too early for this world. Father had done his best and quickly rose in the ranks of the Hayes pack, soon becoming Rincoln’s second. He’d been proud when I was picked as Kade’s betrothed and had impressed upon me the duty to our pack.
It was because of him I’d stayed longer than I should have. Gave Rincoln the benefit of the doubt he didn’t deserve.
“Roan? What do you want to do?” Hiroshi asked.
“I guess I better see him. I just… how did he know where I was?”
“When did you last see him?” My mates crowded around me, trying to give me strength. Hiroshi’s tone was gentle, having sensed my conflicting feelings.
“Nearly six years ago now. The morning of the day it all went to shit in my old pack.”
Tate sucked in a breath, and Asher put a comforting hand on his shoulder.
Xavier Stewart burst through the door, a harassed Dalton chasing after him. “Sir! There’s protocol!”
“It’s okay Dalton. Roan, I’m going to head to the living room. Once you’ve caught up with your dad, you and your mates can join us. Xavier too, if all goes well.” Blake pushed Dalton ahead of him and closed the door firmly behind him.
We stared at each other for a full minute, cataloging the changes our six years apart had wrought. Dad had changed little. He was still tall and imposing, with the same vibrant green eyes that gave away our shifter heritage, as mine did. He was just me, but older. I’d heard he had been running what was left of the Hayes pack. Leadership suited him. I just prayed that he wasn’t following in Rincoln’s footsteps.
“Son… you look good. I heard you’d been hurt. Then you met your mate. Then I heard some ludicrous story that you had more than one mate. Betas, too!” The anger in his tone was clear for us all to hear.
“Dad… I…” Fuck. This was turning to shit too quickly. “I was hurt protecting baby Elliotte. My mate, Hiroshi, is a healer here. He’s new to the pack. I hadn’t met him before then. Hiroshi was part of a triad, and I was open to trying to bond.” I was trying to keep my tone upbeat. Dad was giving off bad vibes. He wasn’t happy about this situation. The little boy in me yearned for his approval. At the same time inside, the adult me was pissed off he had the audacity to judge me.
He rounded on my mates getting up in their personal space like the bully he could be. “Hiroshi? So this is your fault! What kind of omega makes their alpha serve them?”
Hiroshi curled in on himself. His fear ran down the bond. Tate and Asher moved closer, hiding him from my dad to protect him.
The sight of Hiroshi cowering before my father had my alpha instincts roaring to protect our mate. “Back off!” I growled, stepping closer to him. I had maybe an inch on him in height, though he had more bulk. “Hiroshi, Tate and Asher are my mates. We have a bond that our goddess endorses with a bond link. I went into this knowing what could happen and I’m happy with my choice.”
“It’s not natural!” he stuttered. Xavier Stewart was a force to be reckoned with when he was in a temper.
“I’ve not seen you in six years and the first thing you do is criticize my fated mate, and the fact I have more than one mate. You don’t get to do that!” I realized I was yelling, likely making things worse for Hiroshi, who was trembling against my back. I needed to get him out of there. “Let’s go. We don’t need this.”
My mates followed me past my stuttering father. I ignored any pleas to stop and listen. “Dad. I respect the man you were that brought me up alone. This man I don’t recognize.” I marched my mates out of the door ahead of me.
Dalton was waiting at Dakota’s desk, looking pensive. “Everything okay, Roan?”
“No. We’re going home. Please take Alpha Stewart to Alpha Sweetwater.” I was ultra formal, giving Dalton a clue about how things went. The soundproofing wards were likely still in place.
“Of course, Roan. See you soon?”
“I’ll be back in a few days. We can catch up then.”
I didn’t look back into the office, just rushed to catch up with my men.
Struggles
Asher
