Chapter Forty

Kiandra

I had donned a lightweight jacket over the simple top that barely covered my breasts. Cartan had insisted I wear something more concealing before allowing me to leave, and even then, he preferred me to be in the tent, unclothed and ready for him. Despite being his Omega, I believed in contributing to the community's well-being, just as everyone else did. Work was a shared responsibility that ensured happiness and safety for all. However, on this particular day, I had some damage control to address.

I made my way from Cartan's territory to Kylos's, accompanied by Mara, as Cartan preferred me not to move alone. Many eyes followed me, but none dared hold my gaze for long. It was a strange sensation, one that left me slightly bewildered.

"Is something amiss, High Omega?" Mara inquired, carrying her infant son with her.

"I can't help but find it ridiculous that no one dares to look at me," I sighed.

"You're a unique presence," she responded.

"No, it's Cartan they fear, not me."

Mara walked alongside me, saying little. I smiled to myself, slowly turning to her.

"Cartan told me his story," I revealed.

"He did?"

"I can see why you're all so loyal to him. He's an extraordinary Alpha," I commented, my smile growing as I spoke of him.

"He is, and now he has a worthy mate by his side. No Alpha or Beta woman would ever have sufficed, though many tried," Mara teased, causing me to roll my eyes and chuckle.

I didn't concern myself with Cartan's past. We were building a future together, and that was all that mattered. However, as we entered Kylos's section, I wasn't sure where to find the High Alpha.

"Do you see him anywhere?" I inquired, placing my hands on my hips.

"He's probably working somewhere," Mara speculated.

"Probably, but where?"

"He has a fondness for crafting weapons," she explained. "Let's check the forge."

We headed to a larger tent with a gaping entrance, smoke billowing from the top. Inside, a small group of Alphas was diligently forging metal into weapons for their use. The largest among them, Kylos, stood at the far end, hammering away at glowing metal. All eyes turned toward me the moment we entered, and I offered them a warm smile before approaching Kylos. He glanced up as he heard my footsteps, shaking his head. His bare chest was drenched in sweat, and loose strands of dark-brown hair clung to the sides of his face.

"Do you wish me dead, Omega?" he teased as he plunged the searing metal into cool water, causing it to sizzle and emit steam.

"Fear not, I've spoken to my Alpha, and you're on the ‘good Alpha' list," I joked, prompting a chuckle from him.

"Only because he doesn't see me as a threat."

"If you're thinking it's due to your preference in mates, I don't believe that's the case," I explained.

"No?"

"It might play a part, but Cartan and I recognize your honor. You're the one who treated me with the least hostility, and I hope to forge a friendship with you."

"Really?" he asked, sounding somewhat incredulous.

He set aside his tools, crossed his arms, and scrutinized me with a smile. "I'm not so different from the others. I simply don't see the point in fighting for something I have no interest in. But I concur with the rest of them. It was selfish of Cartan to let you mark him and consequently lose the other princesses. They were promised Omegas and should have them. So, tell me again if you're still interested in forming a friendship with me."

"Do you think they deserve Omegas?" I inquired.

"I do."

"Even Peros?"

"Even Peros. He may appear harsh, deeply rooted in the old Alpha ways of this region, but you haven't witnessed the good he's done or the sacrifices he's had to make to become the High Alpha he is," Kylos explained.

I contemplated his words, unsure if I shared his perspective. However, a voice of reason reminded me that while I initially regarded Cartan as a beast, I had come to understand him better through his past. Perhaps there were hidden facets to Peros that I had yet to discover.

"Very well, I'll take your word for it," I conceded, noting the surprised expression on Kylos's face.

"You will?"

"You know these Alphas better than I do, and the first time I met Cartan, I didn't think much differently about him than I do about Peros now," I explained. "But don't view Cartan as selfish. I marked him."

"But he allowed you to. If he had been vigilant enough, he wouldn't have permitted it."

"I marked him before he had a chance to object."

"As an Alpha of the Black Desert, he should have been vigilant, and I believe he was. His instincts craved it. Every Alpha desires an Omega's mark. It's a great honor. Therefore, he was selfish."

"I'm not entirely sure I agree," I shot back, crossing my arms.

"Little Omega, it's not that we don't understand why it happened. Even if you hadn't marked him, and he had brought you back for us to decide, it's obvious you would have belonged to him. You share a true bond, don't you?" Kylos questioned.

"I believe so."

"When did you realize it?" Kylos asked.

"Probably the moment I marked him. I'm sure you understand I had different reasons for doing so, but everything in me told me it was a good choice. Now I realize my Omega side chose him because he was the perfect fit for me. It was, in some way, about survival, as it always is for Omegas. I just didn't realize how deep it went," I revealed.

"But your instincts knew."

"Yes, and with time, I came to see it too. But you must understand we've been taught how dangerous it is for Omegas out there. Our own mother fled her home because she was promised to a brutal Alpha she knew she could never love," I informed him, and Kylos nodded. "I freed my sisters, thinking their fate might be the same. Now I do worry if I made the right choice."

"I appreciate your honesty, little Omega, but hopefully, we find your sisters before anything happens to them."

I nodded. "I hope so too. I never realized how wonderful this is, but the four walls of the library were sort of all I knew."

"And you can't learn everything from books."

"Debatable," I teased, making him chuckle before we walked out of the tent together.

"Has your Alpha provided you with enough to read, or are you interested in more?" he questioned.

"Do you have something for me?"

"Well, if we are to form a friendship, it's about give-and-take, right?" he pointed out.

"I think just give," I teased, seeing him smile as we walked to a tent located further away from the working tents.

Like Cartan's tent, Kylos's was stationed on the outer skirts of the territory, marked by the blue circle around the top, representing the color of his pack. However, as I was about to step inside, Kylos held out his arm, not touching me but signaling me to stop.

"What?" I asked.

"You can't come inside, Omega," he chuckled.

"Why not?"

"Because Cartan might have allowed us to talk, but if you enter my tent, I'm certain he does not care about my preferences. He will kill me," he informed me, and I tilted my head to the side.

"I don't see why."

Kylos didn't offer further explanation. He simply walked inside, laughing, which piqued my curiosity. I wanted to see how his home was decorated and how different it was from the rest of the territory. I could already observe variations in clothing and hairstyles among the pack members. Many of the males had long braided hair, often with just one braid, while the women wore leather dresses instead of two separate pieces. They adorned their single long braids with stones and jewelry. Kylos also had one long braid, with the sides of his head shaved, giving him a distinctive rugged appearance. I appreciated their unique style and wanted to see more.

I took a step closer, but Mara reached out, grabbing my arm and holding me back.

"High Omega," she scolded.

"What?" I asked, feigning innocence.

"You can't. High Alpha Kylos is right. If High Alpha Cartan found out you had entered his tent, he would burn the whole territory to the ground."

"It can't be that serious."

"Were you not taught anything about Alphas?" she questioned.

"I was taught about the dangers they pose."

"Then you must know that entering his tent would be a grave offense against your Alpha," she reminded me.

I sighed, crossing my arms, but then Kylos emerged from his tent, carrying a few books. Excitement welled up within me, and as soon as he offered them to me, I snatched them from his hands, making him chuckle.

"Oh, Cartan doesn't have these!" I exclaimed.

"They are books about our history, and that one is about the former Omegas who resided in the Black Desert," he explained, pointing to a white book with browned edges. I eagerly flipped through it, feeling my heart race with excitement, as some of the Omegas had also been depicted. It was a feast for my mind, and I turned to Kylos, who was smiling at me. Then, to his surprise, I wrapped an arm around his neck and hugged him.

"High Omega!" Mara exclaimed, terrified, and she pulled me away.

"What?" I asked. "It's a kind gesture between friends."

Both Kylos and Mara shook their heads, and Kylos turned to Mara.

"You saw I didn't hug her back," he told her, and Mara nodded.

"I'll come by tomorrow as well. Then you can show me more about your pack," I informed him.

"I'm guessing the books are more interesting at the moment."

I smiled teasingly at him before waving goodbye and walking back to Cartan's section with Mara.

***

Cartan

I returned to my Omega, finding her in the tent amidst a sea of furs and sheets, and the unmistakable scent of Kylos clung to her. It provoked a deep growl from my throat as I snatched the book from her hands.

"No!" she complained, attempting to reach for the volume as I held it just out of her reach, almost taunting her.

"Why do you smell so strongly of Kylos?" I demanded.

"He gave me some books."

"I can see that. This one is not in my collection. The Omegas of The Black Desert," I read aloud, comprehending why this book held such fascination for my Omega. However, it did not explain why she reeked of Kylos.

I leaned in closer, burying my nose in her hair and neck, and the scent grew even more potent. I growled again and wrapped my hand around her throat.

"Why do you smell of him? Did you enter his tent?"

"No, I wasn't allowed to," she explained, a teasing smile playing on her lips as if she relished seeing me so on edge.

"Then why?"

"I hugged him."

"You what?" I exclaimed, then tossed the book aside.

"Hey!" She pushed my hand away and tried to reach for it, but I swiftly encircled her waist with my arm, keeping her pressed against me.

"You reek of him," I snarled.

"It was just a friendly hug."

"No one touches you," I stated and reached for the string on her skirt.

She began rubbing her backside against me, desiring me as well and recognizing the need to appease her Alpha after touching another male and bringing his scent back with her.

"Technically, I touched him," she teased.

"Then you do not deserve the pleasure of my touch," I informed her, hearing her whimper her protest.

I unwrapped her from her skirt and discarded the material before pushing her forward, causing her ass to arch up in the air. I swiftly lowered my pants to free my throbbing cock. I tantalizingly brushed my cock against her wet entrance, letting the tip become slick with her juices. She moaned and pushed back, eager to take me inside her, but I withdrew and began to stroke myself.

Kiandra turned her head, observing me as I teased myself, and I knew it infuriated her Omega side, which longed to be the one bringing me pleasure. She tried to rise, but I placed a hand on her back and continued to stroke myself, watching my beautiful mate. Her pussy clenched in desperation for me, and she hissed when I persisted in denying her my thrusts. Her act of defiance only served to quicken my impending orgasm.

A guttural grunt escaped my lips as I ejaculated, my hot seed spurting all over her ass and lower back. I smeared it across her skin, covering her in my scent.

"Please, Alpha," she pleaded, shaking her ass as she presented herself to me. I responded by smacking her rear, causing her to gasp.

"You brought another Alpha's scent in here. Why should I reward my Omega for that?" I taunted her, a devious smile playing on my lips as I savored her desperate and vulnerable state.

Her juices trickled down her thighs, her pussy aching for my cock. All she yearned for now was to please me after having teased me, but I wasn't granting her that satisfaction, and it was clearly frustrating her.

"Well?" I questioned, delivering another swat to her ass, causing more of her slick to drip from her.

"It was just a hug," she panted.

"You do not go near other Alphas. They have not earned the privilege of your perfect touch," I growled before I leaned down and spread her thighs wider.

My tongue traced up along her right inner thigh, then I swept it over her delectable spot. She cried out, arching her back to seek more, but I withdrew.

"Gods! Please!" she begged.

"It isn't the Gods you should be praying to," I taunted.

"I'm sorry, Alpha. I won't do it again. Just please," she moaned.

I licked over her wet skin once more, causing her to shiver and have a small climax. While I relished teasing her, driving her utterly wild for me, her enticing scent began to fill the tent, and I couldn't resist the allure of my mate's body any longer. I positioned myself and thrust inside, making her gasp as I filled her completely. I gripped her hips roughly, taking my mate hard and punishing her with her own pleasure for even entertaining the thought that another Alpha deserved her touch. She belonged to me and no one else.

"Oh, Gods!" she cried out again when she climaxed around me, her inner walls contracting and squeezing me tightly.

I groaned, trying to maintain control. I wanted her pleasure to border on exquisite agony, and when she came again immediately after the first climax, she attempted to reach back to slow me down. However, I continued to pound into her through her orgasm, reaching my own release just as her screams neared a higher pitch. I roared as I knotted myself to her, experiencing an explosive climax.

We both panted as we came down from our peak, but my mate had gone utterly limp, her body still trembling beneath me. I smiled at the intoxicating sight and began leisurely teasing her clit.

"Please, Alpha," she moaned, not yet ready for a third orgasm.

"Will you go and reward another Alpha with your sweet touch?" I asked.

She shook her head, her desperation evident.

"Who is the Alpha deserving of you?" I inquired.

"You!" she cried out, shaking her head in her desperate state. "You are, Alpha."

"Will you tease your Alpha like this again?" I asked, deriving immense satisfaction from her acknowledgment of my worthiness.

"No! Please!" she pleaded.

Her body trembled once more, and I granted her another wave of pleasure, causing her to clutch at the furs and let out a small scream. I gradually slowed down, and she looked over her shoulder with such a ravished expression that my desire for her surged to new heights. I leaned closer, claiming her lips, and she moaned into my mouth.

"My touch, my scent, my body—everything you need is right here," I whispered, and she mewled in agreement, affirming my words.