Page 50 of Captive Omega
We were allowed to pass with no incident. So far, so good. It didn’t mean the Wolfsbanes would react well to what we had to say, but it was a start.
As everyone gathered around us, Luna began to speak. “For years, all of you have called me weak, an Omega. And maybe you weren’t wrong to call me that. But none of that matters anymore, because right now, we stand united for the future of this pack. I’m the only one who can take this pack forward.”
“And you expect us to just accept that?” one of the Wolfsbanes shouted. “You didn’t challenge Alpha Clayton in a fair fight.”
“No, I didn’t,” Luna admitted. “I took revenge for his cowardly attack on me. And itwascowardly. He didn’t even have the courage to come after me and my mates himself. Instead, he sent my friend, knowing I’d drop my guard around her. Is that really the kind of Alpha you wanted? I very much doubt that.”
“In any case, we’re not going to force matters,” Rowan said. “If there’s anyone who wants to take up the position, let them step forth now.” He smiled, an unpleasant twist of lips that reminded everyone of just how dangerous he was. “Of course, you will be fighting me, not my Alpha female.”
Silence fell over the settlement. It was easy to tell what they were thinking. This wasn’t an ideal solution, but the fact remained that Rufus had survived Luna’s bolt, whereas Edgar Clayton had not. That left the Wolfsbanes in a very vulnerable position.
They had already taken a bad blow during the pack war. Without a strong Alpha they could rally behind, everything would fall apart.
They did have the option of trying to kill Rufus, now that he was here and still weak from the poison. But that wouldn’t make things any better, because if that happened, the leadership of the Firewolf Pack would automatically go to Rowan. The Firewolves might not like it, but they’d accept it. Rowan had challenged Rufus several times, and while they’d never settled their dispute, he’d proven himself against the previous Alpha.
In other words, this was the last chance we had to reach some sort of compromise. But it was hard for them to accept it, to accept bending their knee to an Omega, two rogues, and a man they perceived as their enemy.
“We’ve only ever wanted peace,” I said. “If you don’t want that, that’s fine with us. You can start over by yourselves and try to save the pack on your own.”
They wouldn’t be able to do it, of course, not without Luna, the last member of the Clayton family. But truth be told, I sort of wanted them to refuse our offer.
After everything that had happened, I didn’t trust them to not stab us in the back, to not try to retaliate in some way once things were more stable. In their minds, we’d all committed unforgivable crimes against the pack. But there was still a chance to force things to change, and we owed it to Luna to try.
“We wouldn’t be in this position at all if you hadn’t killed Stuart,” Abbott shouted, confirming my fears and suspicions.
“And that wouldn’t have happened if he hadn’t tried to kill Luna, so in the end, I’d say it’s his fault, isn’t it?”
Maybe the Wolfsbanes would have continued to push. They’d have continued to hate Luna, because it was so much easier than placing the blame on their males and on their dead Alpha. But we had an advantage they didn’t.
Luna’s bond with us shone brighter and clearer than ever before. Her blood was linked to ours, and her heart and mind belonged to us. Together, we stood stronger than the Wolfsbanes could ever hope to be.
On his own, Rowan wouldn’t have been able to force the Wolfsbanes to obey him. Packs depended on the Alpha bloodlines, and despite his power, Rowan didn’t have a genuine connection to the Wolfsbanes. Luna did, and so did we. We might have left the Wolfsbane Pack when we’d become rogues, but we were still bound to it.
Rowan’s Alpha voice echoed with an authority the Wolfsbanes couldn’t deny. Those of them who hadn’t already been in wolf form automatically shifted. Several recoiled in shock, taken aback by this unexpected development. But it was only for a second, and then, they all bowed their heads in front of us, just like we’d hoped they would.
Resentment meant nothing when faced to a true pack bond. The Clayton bloodline lived on in our connection with Luna. Anger faded compared to a far more powerful instinct—that of self-preservation.
“For what it’s worth,” Luna said at last, “I never wanted this to happen. I never wanted so many people to die. But I won’t apologize for it, for finding my mates and taking what’s mine.
“We were all robbed and slighted. I almost lost my pup. We’ll never let that happen again—to anyone.”
The words held an almost vicious determination, but also an edge of softness that only Luna could pull off. She had been through so much. We hadn’t been able to help her as much as we should have, not in time. But against all odds, even if others had looked down on her all her life, she was still as kind as she’d always been. It was that gentleness that sealed the deal—not Rowan’s strength, not the steadiness of my presence or the familiarity of Sam’s temper. Luna’s beautiful smile was like an enchantment, and it had just as much power as Rowan’s Alpha voice, if not more.
Finally, the four of us lifted our heads and howled, reaching out to the Wolfsbane Pack through the unique call of our kind. This time, when the response came, there was no hesitation or doubt left behind. The others joined in, instinctively knowing this was the right path. It always had been, because Edgar Clayton hadn’t had their best interests at heart.
Several Firewolves—those who were present and not caring for their Alpha—joined in too. It was a nice surprise, and it gave us hope for the future.
The howls echoed around us forever, louder and louder. The sound crystallized into something deeper and harsher, like a claw that raked over all of us, without harming us. I felt it cling to our very souls, and I knew then that a true connection with the pack had been created.
I’d expected it to happen. We’d hoped for it, and we’d been prepared for it. Still, when it hit us, the sensation was so powerful it almost blew us away. If it didn’t, it was only because our connection was anchoring us. And in our hearts, we knew this had always been meant to happen.
Maybe this was why Rowan had always refused to be the Alpha of the Firewolf Pack, even if he’d been just as capable as his brother. Maybe this was what Sam and I had always been waiting for, even back when we’d been only guards. Or maybe even this—like everything else—was about Luna and not really about the pack itself.
Either way, the bond was our guide, and from now on, it would be guiding the Wolfsbanes too.
Even when the sensation settled and we stopped howling, the other werewolves didn’t look away from us. They waited for their first instructions from the new Alpha, and Rowan didn’t disappoint.
“Go,” Rowan told them. “The chaos isn’t over yet. Seek out your mates properly, and don’t be afraid. We’ll still be here when you come back.”
