Page 35 of The Other Omega

I looked at her, confused. “What’s what?”

“What made you smile just now?”

“Oh.” I chuckled. “Lysa left so quickly, I think she actually ran.”

Eleanor gave a soft laugh. “She may have. People tend to become remarkably efficient around me.”

“I think you’re right.” I laughed. “You have such a sweet face and such a gentle voice, but you only have to tell someone to do something, and they just… move.”

“Such is the power of an Omega,” she said in a light, singsong voice. “You’ll see. When you have a household of your own, people will run to do as you please too.”

My smile faded a little. “I don’t know if I’d be half as good as you.”

“Oh, sweetling.” Eleanor reached for my hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. “It’ll come naturally. Trust me on that.”

She let go, and some of the amusement left her expression. “Elowen, your fathers need to speak with you.”

Something about the way she said it made my stomach tighten. “Is something wrong?”

“Nothing is wrong.” She rested a hand on my arm. “There are simply matters that need to be addressed, and I’m afraid I can no longer delay them.”

A faint sourness crept into my scent, and she reassured me. “I’ll be with you. If at any point you feel uncomfortable or no longer wish to continue the conversation, you need only say so. We’ll stop and come back here.”

“Can you just tell me what it’s about?”

“I think it’s best you hear it from them.” She offered me her arm. “Come, sweetling.”

I slipped mine through hers and let her lead me from the bedroom. The farther we walked, the tighter the knot in my stomach became.

The house had felt bigger since Mireya left, as though there was more room to breathe and more light, even though nothing around me had changed.

Eleanor kept our arms linked on the way to Cedric’s wing, matching my pace without commenting on how quiet I’d become. I was grateful she didn’t expect me to talk. My mind was busy coming up with increasingly awful reasons for all three men needing to see me.

By the time we reached the dark wooden doors, I could feel my pulse in my throat. Eleanor gently tightened her fingers around my arm, and the guards opened the doors.

Cedric’s office was enormous, with a high ceiling and tall, arched windows that filled the room with desert light. Dark wood covered one wall from floor to ceiling, with shelves full of books, ledgers and objects I didn’t recognise. A huge woven rug lay over the pale stone floor. At the far end stood a polished desk big enough for a family dinner, making everything on it look strangely small.

Cedric stood behind it, one hand resting beside a neatly arranged stack of papers. Samir and Matthias waited near the tall windows to our right, Samir with his hands clasped behind him and Matthias with his arms folded across his chest. Finding all three of them waiting for me didn’t seem like a good sign.

Cedric looked me over carefully. “Elowen.”

“Father.”

His expression softened slightly at the sound of it. “Make yourself comfortable.” He gestured towards the chairs in front of his desk.

I looked at Eleanor, who gave me a reassuring smile and a small nod before leading me to the two cushioned chairs. I sat beside her, folded my hands in my lap, and sat a little straighter. Samir stayed near the windows, Matthias leaned against a cabinet, and Cedric settled behind his desk.

“We’ve asked you here to discuss a matter of importance, Elowen, both to you and to our Pack.”

I glanced at Samir and Matthias, hoping one of them might give me a clue about what was going on. All I got were reassuring looks, which made me even more uneasy.

“That said…” Cedric leaned back in his chair. “By unanimous decision, we’ve agreed that this Pack will support whatever choice you make, no matter the cost.” His gaze held mine. “Do you understand?”

I nodded. “I understand.” Oh my God. What is happening?

“Your examinations are complete. You’re in excellent health, and although your memories haven’t returned, there’s no concern regarding your state of mind or your ability to make decisions for yourself.” He paused. “Which brings us to the matter at hand. There’s no medical reason preventing you from fulfilling your legal obligations or from travelling.”

My leg began bouncing faster, and Cedric noticed.