My Mate Is An Omega
Chapter 5

Caitlyn POV

The second my eyes landed on the handsome warrior in front of me, I couldn't hold in a surprised gasp. At around 6'2", he was tall and very muscular. I never considered myself someone who would openly ogle a complete stranger, but right now, I couldn't help but stare at his abs through the thin fabric of his white shirt. His fair skin was slightly tanned, and his lips looked so soft I had to fight back the urge to kiss them. He had light brown spiked hair, shorter on the sides, and a delicious light stubble beard. The way his exquisite light green eyes locked on me, so full of hunger, made my heart beat faster.

The scent I had tracked definitely did justice to this magnificent god in front of me. Never taking my eyes off him, I allowed myself to take another breath, ravishing his mouthwatering fragrance. It was tropical and terrine, which reminded me of burning oak in a cozy fireplace. It made me feel safe, like a shelter; a warm hut in the forest that protected me from the freezing snow. It also had a hint of tanginess, and breathing it in set my insides on fire.

I was so lost in him, I completely forgot about the world around me. Until I heard a voice I had learned to dread. When I turned around, I quickly recognized the Gamma, who was wearing a sinister grin that now haunted me in my sleep. All of my happiness was replaced by fear as I shrunk inside my overcoat. I hadn't seen Caleb for the past three days; why was he here all of a sudden? Then, I remembered we were just outside the packhouse. He was probably walking around when he witnessed the scene, and he couldn't miss the opportunity to humiliate me another time.

"This makes a lot more sense. An Omega for an Omega!" He laughed, making me shake - I couldn't tell whether it was out of fear or rage. To my surprise, Faye was growling loudly at him inside my head as he started to approach me with his head held high. I wanted to run away, but I was completely frozen. "The Goddess must have been delirious when she paired me with you. Thankfully, I made sure to fix her terrible mistake."

"Who the hell are you?" In less than a second, the handsome warrior was standing between us, shielding me behind his own body. As weird as the situation was, I somehow felt safe with him.

"Not some low creature like the two of you," Caleb scoffed.

"Say what you want about me. But if you speak ill of my mate one more time..."

"What, Omega? What are you going to do?" the Gamma challenged, already showing his canines.

"Enough!" Cedar yelled, his Alpha tone causing Caleb to stand down as he pushed both men apart. "If I remember correctly, you rejected Caitlyn. She is no longer part of your life, and if I see you harassing her or her mate again, I won't hesitate to punish you." His aura was so scary even Faye had lowered her ears in submission.

"A-Alpha-" Caleb stuttered.

"I said, enough!" our leader repeated. "You have embarrassed our pack in front of our guests. Leave, now. And you better stay out of my sight until I figure out what I'm gonna do with you!"

The Gamma's gaze shifted between his Alpha and me a few times, as if he was considering what to do. He sneered at me one last time before he thankfully chose to respect his superior's orders, turning around to disappear inside the pack house. As soon as he did, I felt a warm hand gently brush my cheek.

"Are you okay, beautiful?" There was a hint of concern in the stranger's eyes, but his warm smile melted my heart.

"Don't think you are free to go just yet, boy!" The unfamiliar voice was as powerful as Cedar's. "I didn't allow you to come so you could disrespect Ninebark's ranked members!"

"It's alright, Alpha Dario." Cedar nodded at the older man, whose frown was immediately undone. "I apologize for my Gamma's behavior. He was the one who started the situation. Besides, you shouldn't punish your warrior for protecting his mate." He winked at me, and I smiled in gratitude.

"Is that so, son? Is this lovely woman your mate?" Alpha Dario was trying to maintain his emotionless semblance, but I noticed the shadow of a proud smile threatening to light up his face. The man beside me nodded in response.

"Perhaps we can allow them some time to get to know each other while I show you the territory?" Cedar suggested. "You are aware of how... passionate recently found mates can be. I doubt they would be able to sit through the meeting."

"I agree," Alpha Dario replied at once, showing his warrior a small smile. "Is two hours enough?"

My mate and I exchanged looks before he nodded at his Alpha. "Yes, Sir. Thank you."

"It's settled, then." Cedar clapped his hands, approaching the guests. "Alpha Dario, Beta James. Please, follow me."

As soon as everyone else was gone, our eyes met again, fresh mint diving into sweet milk chocolate in a delicious unlikely mixture. Time seemed to stop as we both took each other in. For an instant, my mind was peacefully calm, but it didn't take long for it to be flooded by questions. A crazy wave of emotions was keeping me uneasy - confusion, happiness, surprise, anxiety, fear. Just three days ago I was rejected by someone I considered a dear friend, and today the Goddess blessed me with a second chance mate. My heart hadn't completely healed yet. Was I ready for another shot at a relationship?

"What's your name, beautiful?" His euphonic voice made my heart flutter.

"Caitlyn De Bruin," I replied, completely hypnotized.

"Caitlyn," he repeated, and I noticed the way the green in his eyes intensified for a second. Faye purred in euphoria at the way he called our name. "I am Lancaster, or Lance, for short."

"Just Lancaster?" I asked, intrigued.

He turned away for a second, his smile becoming shy. "Strays don't have the luxury of an extravagant surname. I hope you won't turn me down because of it." A hint of pain crossed his face, and I was reminded of my own hurt.

"As long as you don't mind me being a simple Omega," I retorted playfully in an attempt to light up the mood. Thankfully, it worked.

"Just by looking at you, I know there's more to you than meets the eye... Caitlyn." He seemed to enjoy saying my name way too much; I wouldn't complain about it. "I'd love to know more about you. Why don't you show me around?" He slowly leaned forward, whispering into my ear, "Maybe somewhere more... private?"

"Yes! Take him home! Claim him! Mark him!" My she-wolf cheered frantically. "Then, we can pop a bottle of tequila to celebrate!" I couldn't help but laugh at her mischievous plan. Yet, I'd be lying if I said I was comfortable with it. Well, except for the last part. "Sure," I replied shyly, taking his hand in mine without thinking.

The moment I did, I stiffened in surprise. A simple, innocent touch caused electricity to run through me as if I had been struck by lightning. Before I could comprehend what was going on, Lance intertwined our fingers, deepening our contact. He squeezed my hand reassuringly, and soon I felt confident enough to start walking again.

At first, I thought I was strolling aimlessly through the snowy fields, until I realized where my feet were taking me. It didn't take long for us to arrive at my favorite spot, the ninebark garden on top of the world. To my surprise, my mate was awestruck by the beauty of the place; it had its charm, but it was far from being an outstanding scene. Could he see the greatness behind the simple view, like I did?

We sat together at one of the wooden benches, and Lance brushed my cheek for the second time. "I'm not your first, am I?" He asked cautiously.

"What do you mean?"

"I'm your second chance mate," he observed. Before I could confirm, he continued, "The Gamma... he was your fated mate, right?"

I lowered my head, hiding all of the pain behind my eyes. "Yes."

"I should thank him later." I immediately looked up, arching an eyebrow at him. "If it wasn't for his stupidity, I wouldn't have the chance to hold you in my arms," he said smoothly, pulling me closer. He had a way with his words... or was it the mate bond talking? "Not only did he let go of such a beauty, but I take it you must be quite intelligent, too. The Alpha's assistant?"

I shrugged. "I just started, when I turned eighteen."

"And when exactly was that?"

"Three days ago."

Lance's face fell, probably realizing how fast it was all happening for me - being rejected, then having a second chance mate. I expected him to be shocked, mad even, but all he showed me was sympathy. Tenderly, he brought my hand up to his lips, placing a soft kiss on it. Easy as that, the butterflies in my stomach were back.

"What about you?" I tried to change the subject. "Who is Lancaster Stray?"

"That's really all there is about me - I'm a stray." He shrugged. Could he be just as insecure as I was?

"Well, you were so sure I was someone special. Does the same not apply to you?"

Lance grinned. "Fair enough. I'll tell you exactly who I am." He rested his hands on the bench, letting his head fall backwards. "I have no idea who my parents are, why they left me, or if they're still alive. I try to focus on the future rather than the past. I was only a few months old when I was adopted into Diamond Tempest pack.You could say I'm a fearless warrior with a dying wish," he joked, lifting his head back up to look at me. But for some reason, I took it seriously. "Would you stay alive... for me?" I looked straight into his eyes, not believing the words coming out of my mouth.

"Would you give me a reason to live?"

For a few seconds, we got lost in each other's gaze as he slowly leaned forward, closing the distance between us. There was a magnetic pull urging me to have him close; I closed my eyes in delight as I momentarily gave in to it. The sparks, the warmth, the passion... the way he made me feel was heavenly. Then, the recent trauma came back to my mind, causing me to abruptly open my eyes. The pain, the humiliation, the betrayal. I wasn't ready to compromise yet.

Allowing my insecurity to consume me, I pulled away. "Should we keep going?"

His eyes were filled with hurt, and it broke me. But soon they were back to their usual bright green hue.

"Whatever you want to do. I'm yours for the next two hours, and for an eternity to follow, if you so desire," he answered sincerely.

***

Lancaster POV

The way Caitlyn pulled away when I was about to kiss her broke my heart, causing Atlas to whimper in pain at her rejection. He had been begging me to make a move since we first laid eyes on her. At this point, most mates would have already marked each other, but I felt like we were a million miles apart. She was scarred and needed time to heal. I wanted to help her, but the best way to do so was to move slow; allow her some distance. As excruciating as it was, I had to let her set the pace. And honestly, I would wait an entire lifetime for her.

I couldn't tell what it was yet, but there was something about her. Something about how her eyes twinkled when she talked about her ambitions. Something about the way she seemed too wise for her age, as if she had lived a thousand lives. I couldn't quite figure her out yet, but I would wait as long as I needed to learn about her mysteries. Once I did, I would move on to getting to know her magnificent body. I shook my head; it would be impossible to control myself if I kept having those thoughts.

But how could I not? Her whole being was so enticing.

As we crossed the land together, I could feel her slowly letting her walls down. And the more she did, the harder it was to hold back my desire to claim her. However, it oddly brought me peace as well. The sound of her laughter, the shine of her smile... they calmed me down like nothing else in this world. When I was by her side, I felt powerful, which was quite uncanny for me. I always heard that the mate bond is supposed to make you stronger, but I wasn't aware of just how strong an Omega could make me feel.

At some point, I noticed we were heading towards a small cottage right by the border, hidden between the tall pine trees. My eyes widened as I realized it was probably Caitlyn's home, and she was taking me inside. Atlas howled with joy, and I had to push him back to the depths of my mind to keep his loud dirty thoughts away. I always found it hard to control my emotions, and a noisy horny wolf didn't make it any easier for me.

My mate suddenly stopped by the door, blushing shyly. "I wanted you to meet my mother," she muttered, shattering all of my expectations.

Too soon, I reminded myself, fighting the urge to face palm at my damn hormones.

"Too soon?" she asked, and for a second, I was afraid that she had just been able to hear my thoughts. Then, I realized she most likely noticed the disappointment in my semblance. "I'm sorry, it was a stupid idea. We just met, of course you're not comfortable-" "I'd love to meet her," I replied honestly, smiling at the way she blushed. "I'm just surprised. In a good way."

"Okay." She returned the gesture before pushing the door open.

I was a little confused when I noticed her house was unlocked, but it only lasted a few seconds before my attention turned to the rustic interior. It was small - smaller than my cottage - but it had such a cozy feel to it. The whole place smelled like biscuits and a warm fireplace. This was exactly what I imagined the aroma of a grandma's house to be. Then, my gaze fell on a lovely lady preparing some tea in the kitchen. Her eyes widened as soon as she noticed me.

"Caitlyn! I would've prepared something if you told me you were bringing a friend over," the woman stammered apologetically as she approached me. "Who is this handsome young man? I don't think I've seen him around before." "This is Lancaster from Diamond Tempest Pack, Mom," Caitlyn replied at once. "And he is not my friend..."

"Oh, Goddess!" The lady brought her hand to her lips in shock. "Don't tell me you have been blessed with a second chance mate!" she chanted happily, hugging her daughter. "My dear, that's wonderful news!" "It's a pleasure to meet you, Mrs. De Bruin." I stretched my hand out to her.

"Please, dear, just call me Claudette." My mate's mother shook my hand. "Welcome! Please make yourself at home. You're staying for dinner, right? I'll be cooking something special to celebrate the occasion!" "Of course, Claudette. But I don't want to cause any trouble."

"Nonsense! I love cooking." She waved me off.

"We'll be here, Mom," Caitlyn reassured her before turning back to me. "But now, we have a meeting to attend. I'm afraid our two hours are coming to an end."