My Mate Is An Omega
Chapter 31

Caitlyn POV

Before lunch, Lance mindlinked his new Beta and Gamma so we could meet in the Alpha's office. Everything was happening too soon; one night, we're living carefree in our little house near the border, the next we're turned into the most important couple of the pack. Aside from the announcement, we hadn't even been properly introduced to the wolves we were supposed to lead. Like us, they weren't allowed to choose, and it made me uneasy not knowing their opinions. Although most members already treated me with respect when I was an assistant, I wasn't sure how they felt about having two unprepared Omegas at the top of the hierarchy. I could only hope they would trust and respect the decision made by our late leader.

It was a lot to take in - everyone's grief, all the changes being made, the weight of our new responsibilities crushing us. I knew my mate had it a lot rougher than me though, both because the pain he carried was a lot heavier, and because the expectations he had to meet were a lot higher. All I could do was stay by his side, offering him all of my support as a Luna should. Thankfully, the former Beta was with us through every step of the way, guiding us with patience and a steady hand.

"I know this is all very rushed, but Dario believed you were the best fit to lead us, so I will trust him," James started. He was standing right behind my mate, who now occupied the glamorous Alpha chair. I took my seat by his side, while Jasper and Luke sat in front of us. "I take it you didn't have time to check the pack reports I gave you yesterday?"

"Actually, I did," Lance replied.

The old Beta was exceptional at masking his emotions, but I could catch a glint of surprise in his golden eyes. I had to smile proudly at my mate; even in the face of great difficulty, he strived to manage his new responsibilities. Despite his pain and exhaustion, he still stayed in the office past midnight trying hard to learn as much as he could in the short amount of time he had. He couldn't see it yet, but it was clear to me why Dario was so sure he would make a great leader - there was nothing he couldn't do once he set his mind to it.

"Alright. So you understand how delicate our current position is," James went on, pacing around the room as every pair of eyes followed him attentively. "Half of our army was killed in yesterday's battle, which leaves us highly vulnerable both to our current enemy and new ones. We were able to take down most of the bears, but some were still able to run away. Including Dario's murderer." I swear I could see flames dancing in my mate's eyes. From what he had told me, he was extremely close to getting rid of the beast. He still blamed himself for not being able to finish the job. "I don't expect them to try anything soon, but the fast growing pace of their army is something we should be aware of. Also, the fact that they managed to sneak up on our Sentinels proves our defenses aren't good at the moment. Cordelia is already examining some of the bodies to try and figure out what kind of spell they used to mask their scent - they wouldn't be able to get so far without being noticed otherwise." He took a quick break, clearing his throat. "The point is, we need to be prepared for another attack."

"There's no point focusing on defending ourselves!" Lance growled, clenching his fists. His unusual anger was proof of how stressful the subject was to him. "At this point, it has become clear they won't stop no matter how fortified our borders are. We don't know what they want, but we definitely have something that caught their attention for some reason." He glanced at me before turning to James with a mix of rage and determination. "The only solution is to get rid of them before they can attack us again." "Although no formal ceremony has been performed yet, you are already the Alpha of Diamond Tempest as far as the Elders are concerned. You are the only one who can make the decisions now. I can guide you, but I can't call the shots for you," the former Beta observed, leaning over the table to stay at my mate's eye level. "So, what do you suggest we do, Alpha?"

He was thoughtful for a moment. "We need alliances. If we can make one with an actual sleuth, it would be our best option."

"Indeed," I chimed in, finally feeling as though I had a relevant contribution to make. "However, I'm not sure we have the means to form a new alliance at the moment. Back when I was still working as Dario's assistant, I was allowed to be present during an important meeting where the pack's financial situation was discussed. I'm afraid we don't have any money to offer in exchange for another leader's aid."

"It's true," Jasper confirmed. "I was checking Diamond Tempest's funds with Sasha yesterday. We barely have enough to keep the pack running." There was concern in his tone, but to our surprise, the laidback stray had an interesting suggestion to make. "However, money is not the solution for everything. There are other reasons why alliances are made. I'm sure our pack has a lot of benefits to offer to a possible ally, we just have to figure out what."

I didn't know a lot about treaties, but I had learned a thing or two during my time as an Alpha's assistant, and I knew Jasper was right. Still, what could we possibly give in exchange for military aid? The most commonly traded assets were warriors and money, both of which we didn't have. Additionally, it was possible to offer access to hunting grounds or food itself, but Diamond Tempest didn't have the proper lands to catch large amounts of prey. Lastly, yet very rarely, some leaders would offer to teach a secret battle technique they were well-known for using - which, again, I didn't think we had.

"We have Caitlyn." Luke's voice pulled me from my thoughts. All the men turned to me with questioning looks on their faces.

"Me?! What about me?"

"You used to be part of another pack before you moved in with Lance," he continued. "From what I studied, Ninebark is roughly our size, but they have been thriving for years. They're a relatively peaceful pack that has more friends than foes, which is why Dario turned to their help. Back then, we had nothing of high value to justify their Alpha forming an alliance with us. But with you here, our luck might just have changed." He smiled. The confused looks soon turned into expectant ones as they waited for me to confirm the Beta's hypothesis.

"Well, Cedar is a wise leader who can definitely be trusted," I agreed, exploring the idea myself. I don't know why, but he always thought highly of me. I'm sure I can replace a way to convince him to help us, especially now that I'm a... a Luna," I completed, still digesting the words. It was so hard adjusting to my new title; I never imagined myself in such a position.

"The first issue is settled then," James concluded, clapping his hands. "Now, moving on to the next..."

***

During the rest of our first official meeting, we only discussed temporary solutions for our most urgent matters. Except for Luke, who had been training to take on the Beta position for his entire life, none of us had enough knowledge to come up with more permanent fixes to our current problems - which were a lot, by the way. With James' help, we just made a few adjustments to our defense system and adopted a different economic policy to trim unnecessary spending. Caitlyn and I weren't used to our luxurious life yet, so we certainly wouldn't be missing anything.

At the end of our meeting, I had to call my mate's previous Alpha to discuss the possibility of a business meeting between us. Once I was done explaining the recent leadership changes and our ever-growing list of problems, he was more than happy to help us in any way he could. As my best friend suggested, the fact that Diamond Tempest's current Luna was his beloved assistant seemed to play a big role in his decision. Our encounter was set to happen in Ninebark territory in five days. Honestly, I was very fond of the idea of staying away from all the mess, even if just for a short while.

The rest of the day was uneventful, which wasn't bad at all, considering everything that had happened only a day ago. Apparently, the Alpha couple could choose to have custom meals sent to their room, but Cait and I agreed we were more than fine having lunch and dinner at the cafeteria with the rest of the pack. We weren't ready to fully become royalty yet, and it felt nice to be surrounded by our friends. I spent the evening reading neverending papers, books, reports, all to try and understand more about politics. The whole time, I longed for the moment I would be able to sleep in my mate's arms.

Yet when the time came, I couldn't bring myself to fall asleep.

The night before, my body shut down due to my exhaustion. Though I was still tired, I was conscious enough to feel the weight of the world crushing me. Not only was I forced to take on a position I was never prepared for, I was also stepping in during a very hard time attacks, losses, financial problems. How was I supposed to deal with all that? All my life I felt I was worth less than everybody else, yet I had never felt as powerless as I did now - which was quite ironic, considering I had technically become the most powerful member in the pack.

After hours of tossing and turning, I finally gave up. The longer I laid awake, the more I was consumed by my troubles. In my new spacious room, there was a lot I could do to keep my mind busy; still, when I sat up at the edge of the bed, all I did was stare out the huge window. Taking in the view of the lake, the clear blue waters illuminated by the light of the moon seemed to help me calm down a little.

"Trouble sleeping?" My mate's sleepy voice caught me by surprise. I turned around to replace her lying on her side. She slowly crawled in my direction, snaking her arms around my stomach as she sat up beside me.

"Yeah," I confessed, kissing the top of her head. "Sorry. Did I wake you up?"

She shook her head. "I'm having a hard time falling asleep too."

"Really? After sharing a small mattress with me for so many nights I thought you would sleep like a pup in this gigantic bed."

"That's the point. I kinda miss our old bed." She chuckled, leaving me confused. "We used to fit perfectly in it, and now there's so much empty space it's overwhelming."

I was surprised at her reasoning at first. For the past day, I had been so focused on my own misery I didn't even realize how hard it all was for her too. I thought she would enjoy the change, but on second thought, she always seemed satisfied by the little I could offer her. Lost in my own problems, I didn't even think of how difficult it was for her; just a few months ago she had to move out of the house she grew up in, and before she could even adjust, her life took another unexpected turn. The way she had been trying to stay positive about it made it hard for me to see, but she shared the same concerns I had.

For some strange reason, it made me smile. Almost as if it let me know I wasn't going through it alone.

"Well, the empty space just means we have room to grow," I replied. When she looked at me with her glistening hazel eyes, I was awestruck.

"And I can't wait to grow with you. It seems less scary knowing I have you with me through it all."

Slowly, she let her hand travel along my chest as her lips gently pressed against mine in the most passionate kiss we had shared. No matter how many times I tasted her, I couldn't get enough. I allowed myself to get lost in her, closing my eyes as all of my troubles seemed to rapidly fade away. Delicately, I pushed her against the mattress, deepening our kiss. In a few minutes, we had gotten rid of our few clothes, tangled in a very appreciated mess of hands and tongues. Everything could change, but one thing would always remain the same - she was mine, forever.