Page 199 of The Other Omega

Grimbald rose from his chair. “Vaelor will have access to their scent records before any other House. Whatever Lord Magnus intends, that gives his Packs an advantage.”

Severin watched the exchange, his expression almost composed again.

“No House will receive scent records for the purpose of arranging matches while these people are still being identified and treated,” I said.

“You cannot reserve that authority indefinitely,” Bastian replied.

“I am asking for temporary protection. Their future will come before the Council when we know their circumstances, and they can be heard.”

“Then how do you propose to house them?” Bertram asked.

“With the assistance you have offered.”

“And who will hold responsibility for those placed in our care?”

“Responsibility may be shared. People may not.”

Bertram’s lips pressed together.

“Eryndor can provide specialist treatment, Solmere resources and Asteris secure transport. Valenne’s assistance will be needed to resolve questions of status and identity. None of those contributions gives a House priority over the people it helps. No child will be assigned to a House today.”

“These arrangements remain temporary,” Octavian said. “Any lasting decisions must follow reports from the physicians and recovery teams, with the survivors’ wishes heard.”

“Agreed,” Oswald said.

The others followed, though Bastian took longer. Grimbald returned to his seat, and I waited for the clerk to finish recording the decision before addressing Octavian.

“There is another matter, First Alpha. It concerns one of your sons.”

The rest of the conversation faded, and Octavian leaned forward.

“Which son?”

“Ignatius. The Omega contracted to his Pack had an eighty-nine per cent scent match with them. You were told she died in an accidental fall.”

“That is correct.” Octavian looked towards Severin. “My son and his Pack grieved for her. They believed they might have to wait years, perhaps decades, to find another match.”

“House Tureen wanted to prevent that mating. A scent match so high would have strengthened Ignatius’s position when he was already the favourite to succeed you. They intended to secure the position for another Alpha.”

A vein stood out at Octavian’s temple. I had not seen him struggle so visibly with his temper since we were boys.

“Their plan was to replace his Pack’s intended Omega with her C-17 counterpart, but the woman arrived heavily pregnant and soon presented as an Omega herself. They had the original Omega killed and kept her counterpart imprisoned. She gave birth to an Omega boy during her captivity.”

Octavian’s hand closed around the arm of his chair, but he waited for me to continue.

“The woman was already mated in C-17, to your son’s counterpart. Her child carries the same paternal markers that a son of Ignatius would.”

His gaze moved towards Severin. I waited until he looked back at me before speaking again.

“The mother and child were recovered today.”

Octavian drew a slow breath. “Does Ignatius know about them?”

“No. Until this meeting, our findings have remained within a very small circle in House Vaelor. The operation was conducted in strict secrecy.”

“Then I will approach House Vaelor on his behalf. His Pack had a contract with her counterpart. Their position must be considered.”

“There is more you should know,” I said. “She has claimed two orphaned Omega boys as her children. The recovery team confirms that a maternal bond has formed.”