UNCLAIMED, THE MOON OMEGAS

Chapter 6

Week four. Days still set to Lathan’s schedule. Mornings for training with the bonded Alphas. Usually, the king’s second. The Commander Ky. A fellow soldier I had formed a friendship with while he was in the company of my queen. I looked forward to my time with him. Despite the growing feeling of guilt that marked me the traitor I was. From there, I would shower and spend time with the Rosemarye. Lathan using his mother’s gentle and pleasing demeanor to teach me etiquette and court politics, assaulting my heart with arrows. The aging Omega was loving and patient with me, which, in and of itself, was a war tactic — only reinforcing the fact that I was unsuitable. I’d never wanted to be a part of this deceitful and malicious conquest of another’s power or kingdom. I was not comfortable or capable of doing what my queen was demanding of me. Only adding to the true and dreaded reality of my relationship with Lathan the Alpha king, whose body and bond were rapidly breaking me down. This man, his mother, this place was becoming vital and precious to me. The truth was I needed to leave, and soon. My heat was a dark spot threatening my view. If I stayed and bonded with Lathan during my heat, I’d be...broken. If I had any hope of protecting my heart from irreversible heartbreak, and saving them from my queen, I needed to escape. In the long run, I saw a future that despite my pain would protect them all. If I defected, I would not betray Lathan, his mother, or his kingdom. I could not be used to harm anyone. My path was clearly marked. I had made peace with this decision days ago. A plan I had already acted on. I breathed deeply gathering myself before I knocked on the queen’s door.

“Neisa dear, come.” I smiled brightly back at the fragile little woman who greeted me as I entered. “What news do you have for me today?” She asked me enthusiastically.

“Let me see.” I pretended to be deep in thought. “I have already upset your son, the Commander, and most of the staff.” All of which were true statements.

“How did you accomplish all this by such an early hour?” I laughed.

“To start with, I have not fallen headfirst into estrous, which is a fact that has greatly offended your son. Apparently, I didn’t get the memo that he is the epitome of the Alpha species, and demands I immediately comply. Ky is moody because he misses his mate, and the staff wants to care for me like they would a newborn.” I told her. The woman I’d grown very fond of laughed robustly.

“Oh Neisa, I don’t know how you have managed to frustrate, outwit and create chaos as effortlessly as you have.” I smiled back and shrugged my shoulders.

“We all have hidden talents. Chaos is apparently mine.” I told her, sitting across from Rosemarye. “How are you feeling today?” I couldn’t keep the worry out of my voice. The older woman had been battling colon cancer for years.

“Very well. I took a page from your playbook dear.” The sound of mischief in her voice was intriguing and worrisome at the same time.

“Which page would that be?” I asked her.

“The good doctor keeps pestering me about my cursed bowls. Always asking me about private things.” The queen adjusted herself in her chair, sitting up straighter and taller. “I told him if he needed precise records, he could damn well sit in the bathroom with me. Or I could defecate in a bucket and send it to him. Either way, I left him speechless.” Well, it wasn’t a true Neisa play it was very off-the-cuff for this prim and proper queen. I could not help but laugh.

“So, if I see Sadie marching around with a bucket that bears the family crest, I won’t ask her to bathe me.” I teased. Rosemarye giggled.

“A bucket with the family crest. How entertaining.”

“You know I already catch a lot of grief from your son. If he finds out that I’m a bad influence on you, he may yet ship me off.”

“Oh, that’s horseshit.” The queen proclaimed. I froze, looking shocked around the room. Confirming it was just her and I in here before I burst out laughing.

“I’m so screwed.” I howled with laughter.

“You are, my son is head over heels in love with you.” The queen said. Fear killed my humor instantly. “I’m sorry.” I shook my head. “I don’t think I heard you.” I tripped all over myself.

“Which part, dear. The part about being screwed or my son being in love with you?” She asked me. I felt the look of panic stain my face. I blushed bright pink from head to toe. The old queen found my speechless state amusing.

“I don’t think that is the case,” I said, trying to regain some state of composure.

“Don’t you think I know my son Neisa?” She asked me.

"Of course, you do. It’s just. He doesn’t know me.” I stammered. “I find it hard to believe he feels more than… instinct for me. Love seems… Like an emotion that requires time.”

“Isn’t that what love is, instinct? The instinct to protect, care, and nurture. Time is meaningless without instinct.” She offered me her point of view.

“I can’t really say. I never spent time with any Alphas, or men really.” I told her truthfully.

“How curious. Your queens effectively raised an army of Amazons.” She mused. “It’s completely normal to be frightened Neisa. A bond is already all-consuming. Love makes it precious. Even after all the years, I’ve lived without my Alpha I still live for it. Death did not weaken our bond. Know that Neisa when love finds you it’s eternal.” I tried to recover. Tried to move us on to a different subject without looking as rattled as I was. I left the queen’s chamber feeling more guilty and scared. I had already given my body to Lathan. My desire had taken over my mind. I had not taken the decided agreement to wait for my estrous to help my body accommodate an Alpha. My body so much smaller and untouched, we’d risked damage. But my instinct had taken over reason, and I had given into it. An action that had done nothing but set Lathan’s bond deeper into my chest. A fact that had instantly pulsed with gratification strong and true. Just remembering had me fluttering with pleasure. I was losing valuable time. Lathan was blowing through my defenses. One’s he knew nothing about. Early afternoon found me back at the training square. An action that would definitely be frowned upon by my Alpha. But my mind was restless and agitated. I needed to purge the troubling emotions if I had any hope of escaping. I spent an hour shooting arrows into targets. Muscles finally fatigued from stringing a bow designed for an Alpha, not me had taken the fight from me. I caught Lathan’s scent before I caught his silent approach.

“Is that Ky’s bow?” He asked me disbelieving.

“Yep.”

“He gave you permission to use it?”

“Only because he didn’t think I could string it.” Which was true, the Alpha Commander laughed at me as he handed it to me. Well, guess who’s laughing now? Me, an incredibly sore me. I changed hands, nocking an arrow, and pulled the string with great effort, bringing the bow to the correct height and position before I lined up my sights. Deep breath, I paused before releasing the arrow.

“Left-handed?” The king voiced his amazement. “A skilled Omega through and through.” The king said.

“A skilled warrior.” I corrected him.

“A warrior I don’t need.”

“Who doesn’t need warriors?” I asked.

“The king, this king in particular.” He said as he stepped in front of me taking the bow from my reluctant, fatigued hands. “You were supposed to come to me this afternoon.” He reminded me.

“Between your demanding moodiness and your mother’s dooming prophecy, I decided to deviate from your schedule,” I told him truthfully. He bristled instantly. The ever-present agitation I caused in him took center stage in his eyes along with a flash of anger.

“Two statements that will be demanding an exclamation and correction in the very near future.” The broody Alpha king warned me with a dark look that trembled me from head to toe. “Fortunate for you I don’t want to test the loyalty of my soldiers by rutting you against the weapons rack.” Lathan’s hand cupped the back of my neck. A firm grasp, expressing his unhappy mood a second before he leaned down to my ear. “Make no mistake; you’ll be corrected roughly and repeatedly.”

“Add it to the lengthy list of my many crimes against the king.” I stood unwaveringly in his distemper. “What madness has blackened your mood today, mate?”

“Your madness. I get tired of being under your overbearing, disappointed thumb.” I replied. Lathan’s hand was large enough to hold my head confined as he ran his thumb across my lower lip.

“This overbearing thumb?” He asked as he pressed it firmly against my lip. “The same one I used to rub you into heaven? If memory serves me mate you called out my name as I claimed you.” I gasped at his accurate verbal account of our morning.

“Does it make you feel powerful to talk like a vulgar, inconsiderate asshole?” He laughed.

“This inconsiderate asshole makes pleasing you his priority. Perhaps I should be less concerned with your needs. Would that help your cause?” Lathan demanded.

“Help my cause?” I asked, truly confused.

“The war you wage against me. The battle to keep me out of your heart.” I stood still under his accurate accusation.

“Greatly.” I didn’t bother to lie to him. A humorless smile turned his lips.

"Of course, it would. Another viper that has slid out from the Sea Queen’s pit” Lathan’s words hurt when they hit my heart. Mentally I recoiled with the blow they struck. It would have been easy to backpedal. To apologize and tell him the truth. The tension I had been creating would break me or help me escape. All I had to do was keep the pain from escaping. My silence sealed my fate. Lathan withdrew his hand and stepped from me. “I expect you in the council room within the hour.” He ordered me.

“Is that wise? Vipers are known to be deadly.” I asked hotly, my heart still throbbing in pain.

“The clock is ticking Neisa.” The king warned me as he left. The shower drowned out my crying. Heart-wrenching sobs that dropped me to my knees, I needed to leave. Time was a factor. In less than four weeks Lathan King of the Silver Mountains had broken me. Proving I was nothing but a weak-minded, duty-bound, instinct doom Omega, doing nothing but confirming the depravity of my breeding. I was only an Omega, not the skilled, determined assertive warrior I had trained to be. And once I left him, I would be even less. I dressed and headed to the Council room. Grateful to find it occupied with more than just Lathan

“Queen Neisa.” Ky addressed me formally. “How are your arms feeling?”

“Amazing, why did you want to arm wrestle?” I asked him. And he laughed.

“You won’t be feeling so amazing tomorrow.” The Commander informed me.

“I don’t know about that, Commander,” I replied.

“I look forward to sparring with you in the morning.” He smiled at me. I nodded in response. I wandered into the back of the room. I looked at the old leather-bound books that lined the shelves, knowing damn well that none of them would hold my interest today. Grabbing one without reading the title, I walked to the window. Oblivious to the knock on the door and muted conversation.

“Neisa did you summon an herbalist?” Lathan asked me. I turned to see the Beta guard Neil standing by Lathan.

“Yes, your mother suggested it,” I said, having total forgotten about this appointment.

“For what purpose?” Lathan’s hard eyes demanded an answer.

“She said the herbalist could help with estrous,” I replied not bothering to keep this private conversation from being heard by his men. “But since you have decided that I am a viper, and you’re an Alpha, I won’t be needing her after all.” I stood, placed the book on the seat, and buzzed with my own victory. “I will go apologize and send her on her way.” I ignored the shocked looks from Lathan’s men, and Lathan’s eyes altogether.

“Stop.” Lathan barked, snapping the room to attention. Effectively stopping all of us. The dominant Alpha rose from his chair. Angry and agitated his scent altered with warning. “Gentlemen, please excuse us for a moment.” The words cleared the room instantly. I remained where I stood. Not at all worried. I needed to keep my emotional armor on. “Come here.” The king ordered me to him.

“Should I slither or walk?” I jabbed him. Boiling brown eyes told me he was not impressed with my sarcasm.

“Walk.” He said, not the least bit amused. I apparently felt very spiteful because I curtsied.

“Thank you, your grace.” I walked to the side of the table, where the angry Alpha stood stalking my approach.

“The herbalist how did this meeting come to be?” Lathan asked, trying to control his temper.

“I told your mother about your repeated bitching about me not toppling into your bed like a hormonal nymphomaniac. She offered advice.”

“Forgive me for my eagerness to solidify my claim to my treasured mate. According to my returned men, they clearly remember your Alpha starved sisters falling into estrous within days. Yet you’ve managed to be unaffected.” He sounded almost accusatory.

“Again, you should’ve gone with option one.” I reminded him sharply. Lathan interrupted me.

“I swear to all things sacred, if I ever hear you say that to me again, I will not be responsible for the punishment that befalls you.” Lathan’s eyes burned with black outrage.

“Punish me for your bad choices. Why?” I asked the thick, headed Alpha.

“Why can’t you fathom or reason that I wanted you from the second you crept into my tent. You were going to be mine.” He said enunciating each word as he burned me with his eyes.

“Because it doesn’t make any fucking sense. If you’re a king looking for a queen, you start in a castle, not in the barracks.” I verbally lashed out. Lathan slammed his hand down on the table with such force I jumped. Big hands shot out and snatched me up. Lifting me up and throwing me over his shoulder. “Really?” I demanded. Pissed off that he was acting like a caveman. Lathan ignored my question and the curious looks of his men as he walked us out of the room and to our chambers. He kicked the door shut, tossing me on the bed. I was alone for a nanosecond before he pinned me down with his hard body. Completely and irrefutably confined. I was forced to look at the pissed off Alpha that radiated nuclear hell. His scent angry and aroused was filling my body with need. I wanted to deny it. But my body wasn’t in agreement. My body wanted him to take me. To prove to me, I was his Omega. One he had chosen of his own free will. To remind me physically, I had won the Alpha king’s claiming marks. That I alone anchored this man’s body and bond. All my desires and my fears. One last time, I wanted to remember this as the most gratifying rutting of my life. “I get it you’re stronger than me.” I broke the weird silence. “Am I? Truly Neisa, am I stronger than you?” Lathan demanded. Dammit, he was good. Turning and changing tactics, throwing me off track.

“I don’t understand?” I lied.

“Before you leave this nest you will understand.” Lathan rose up far enough to be able to grab my clothing. Shredding whatever material, he came in contact with. “You will know why I chose you.”