Chapter 24

Kai

I rubbed my temples, the dull ache a familiar companion these past weeks. My mind felt like a tempest, with each wave crashing against the other, leaving me disoriented.

Another Omega found unconscious in our territory.

Granted, this one did not bear the mark of the prophecy, but she was still an unknown variable thrown into our meticulously balanced world, and it was driving me crazy trying to figure out if this was going to cause trouble or not.

She was still unconscious, which it made it even harder to get any sort of information from her that might help me figure out what was going on.

Another puzzle that I was trying to figure out was why my mate seemed to be so attached to this new girl. I could understand that it must be a relief for her to encounter another Omega after months and months of being around only Alphas, but it felt like it was so much more. It felt like there was something else. She had refused to leave the room for days now, choosing instead to sit by the stranger's bed and watch her take labored breaths.

The heavy oak door of the conference room was pushed open, and Rhys and Rowan, along with the other council members, flooded into the room. A wave of tension seemed to accompany them. It wasn't hard to guess that talk of the scent of a new Omega had already made the rounds and our decision to remain silent about it was probably more fuel to their anger.

"Welcome. Shall we begin?" I asked

"Can we start with the topic of the new Omega that you three have kept hidden in your home for the last five days?" Daniel responded and the entire room turned their attention to him.

He had been pretty quiet in meetings since the incident between us. I could tell that this new Omega had given him another opportunity to show his distaste over the decision to keep Elara within the pack.

"Let's be clear," I began, my voice cutting through the low murmur of conversation that began after Daniel spoke. "We have a situation. But it is mine, Rhys, and Rowan's responsibility to handle these situations within the pack. I respect this council of officials, as your advice goes a long way toward helping us resolve situations that arise, but I urge you to remember that ultimately, we make the decisions. You'll do well to remember that throughout this meeting, Daniel. We wouldn't want a repeat of the last time now."

Daniel was one of the most difficult council officials. Time and time again, I'd wanted him to be removed from the round table, but everyone sitting here today had earned their spot and it wasn't up to me to remove anyone.

"Shall we go on?" Rowan asked when the silence in the room stretched on for a tad too long.

"We have had another Omega turn up at the border of our pack lands. We have no knowledge about her yet because she has been in a coma since we found her, but I have called this meeting to discuss the possible actions we should take when she wakes up," I finished

"Two Omegas, Kai. Two in under six months. Both of them appearing under similar circumstances. Granted, this one doesn't bear the mark of the prophecy, but still. This is two Omegas too many. This is unprecedented. Our pack has been without an Omega for centuries, and now we have two from nowhere. It's almost as if they have come here out of thin air. It feels unnatural and it feels wrong."

A chorus of agreement erupted around the table, but Rhys beat me to it before I could speak.

"Unnatural?" Rhys echoed, his voice low and measured. "Nature itself is change, Thorne."

"But change is not always a good thing, Rhys," Thorne countered, his eyes narrowing. "Look at what has happened since the first Omega arrived. The attack on the northern border, the disruption of our hunting festival."

"Oh, get over the festival already, Thorne. That has always been an excuse to be bloodthirsty. All it does is end in bloodshed among Alpha wolves who would oftentimes lose sight of the prey and turn against each other, killing themselves in an attempt to soothe their egos. If there is one thing we should actually be thankful for, it is the cancellation of this year's hunting festival," Freya said and I fought to hide my smile.

Freya, like several other people in the pack, had met Elara personally. It was surprising that the two got along well, and although she had been one of the people who had been wary about keeping her in the pack at first, it was nice to see that her opinion had changed as the months had gone by.

"We are Alphas and we are warriors. The bloodshed is a part of our tradition. The hunt has been held every year for generations. Then the Omega shows up, and it is canceled. What good has the first Omega's presence brought to us?"

The tone with which Thorne referred to my mate made the blood under my skin boil, but I kept my cool, knowing that nothing good would come from losing it.

"Peace," Rowan interjected. "You might have not noticed, but we have recorded less violence and fewer deaths within the pack since her arrival. We might be the strongest all-Alpha pack with a reputation that precedes us, but we cannot deny that we are also our greatest enemy at times. We fight and kill each other for the satisfaction of our own egos, and we have witnessed a drastic decrease in violence since her arrival."

"Who is to say that she's responsible for this so-called peace? For all we know it might have just been a coincidence."

"And who is to say that she is responsible for the attack on the northern border? For all we know, it might also have been just a coincidence," Rhys interjected.

I continued to observe the meeting. I was starting to understand what men like Thorne and Daniel wanted. It wasn't the arrival of the Omegas that they were worried about. Our pack was well known for its strength, which not only consumed our enemies but also consumed us at times. They fed on the violence and it was obvious that they wanted to keep it that way.

"Expelling them is not the answer," I said finally. "We must find a way to coexist. To find a balance."

A murmur rippled through the room. It felt like the council was now divided, with half of them agreeing and the other half disagreeing with us.

"Balance?" Thorne scoffed. "How can there be balance when our very nature is at odds with theirs?"

"We are not at odds, Thorne." I insisted. "We are different, yes. But different does not mean enemy."

"So, what now? We invite any and every Omega that shows up in our territory?" another official asked.

"As long as they pose no threat, then, yes," I responded, and Daniel scoffed.

"We might as well open our gates to rogues then, since it really doesn't matter anymore. Or better still, we could invite Silas and his thirsty men right in, since we're wining and dining with just anybody now," Daniel said

A heated debate erupted at his words. Accusations flew, voices rose and soon I pounded the table, silencing the room. "Enough!" My voice echoed in the space.

"It's just a single Omega. How much harm can she cause in her current unconscious state? We will wait until she wakes and then we can question her. After that, we decide if she leaves or stays. This meeting has been adjourned until then."

I watched as they dispersed until only Rhys, Rowan, and myself remained in the room. I released a breath I didn't even know I had been holding.

"It's not your fault some of them are being so hard-headed about this," Rowan said, and I shook my head.

"I just don't understand how they could be so against something they don't even know anything about at all," I responded.

"I guess you have the answers already. Men like Daniel live by only two values: tradition and order. Both of which seem like they've been taken away from them. Their reaction is only expected. Give it some time, they'll come around," Rhys added.

But I didn't think so. Elara's situation had been different. She was our mate, and she also had the mark of the prophecy. It was different for this new Omega, and while I had nothing against her staying here, especially seeing how attached Elara was to her, I knew it might be harder to make the officials accept her.

Elara had managed to mean so much to me in such a short time. She had quickly become the source of calm in the midst of the chaos that I'd battled with for a long time. And while I knew little about this new Omega, to cast her out without giving her a chance felt unjust.

"We should head home. I haven't seen Elara all day, and I don't know about you guys, but I'm itching to spend some time with her," Rowan said, pulling himself to his feet as he spoke. I was about to do the same when it hit me.

Smith wasn't present at the meeting.

"Do any of you have an idea where Smith is?" I asked.