My Mate Is An Omega
Chapter 57

Caitlyn POV

After I discovered Dario's notes about Lance, everything started making sense. I was happy with him, so I never questioned the strange occurrences revolving around him, but deep down, I knew he was too strong to be a simple Omega. Although I had no concrete evidence, I was quite sure my mate was part bear.

It would explain how he managed to become the best warrior of the pack so quickly, and how he was on the same level as the strongest of shifters. If I was right about his bloodline, it could also be the reason why our enemies had been attacking us relentlessly for months. Maybe the blood test couldn't detect his hybrid genes because they hadn't awakened yet; considering he had Atlas as his counterpart, it was clear that his wolf side was the dominant one. I wondered if he knew about it, or if he would be just as surprised as I was.

But quite frankly, it didn't matter- he was still my Alpha, my mate, my fiancée, and the father of our pup. Nothing in the world could change my love for him.

Either way, I didn't have time to dig further into the matter. My priority was still to get Lance back home; I refused to stop until I did. In the span of twenty-four hours, we had already been able to trace a more specific area to search, yet it was still too slow. I had hints of him being half bear, but I still couldn't be certain of why he had been taken, which meant I didn't know what they planned to do with him and how much time we had left.

Throughout the day, my friends insisted I should get out of the office and rest, at least for a bit. However, I don't think I would be able to get any sleep in the suite I shared with Lance, and I couldn't keep my eyes closed for too long when I tried to lay down on the bed of a spare guest room. After a while, I just gave up, and they were satisfied with leaving me to do my research, only coming in to check on me every half an hour or so. Most of the time they were busy with the tasks I gave them anyway.

At around two in the morning, I was still flipping through the pages of one of the books I had found in the library. It was mostly about shifter wars and their outcome. I hadn't been able to replace a lot of relevant information, though it did give me a few ideas for strategies we could use in the future. Reading helped calm my nerves down, but I wasn't really expecting to learn any more useful details.

Until I started a new chapter, and the title of the first topic caught my attention.

My heart skipped a bit as I ran my eyes over the next few chapters, quickly comprehending the central idea of the text. Out of instinct, I closed the book abruptly, holding it under my arm as I rose from my seat to head downstairs. This was it - this could save us so much time. Did she not know about it? No, she had to. As I walked through the hallways of the second floor, I couldn't help but feel slightly angry.

I banged on the door to her room, not caring about how late it was. It was her fault we couldn't have done this sooner.

"Caitlyn?" The witch arched an eyebrow at me, clearly confused. "What are you-"

"You knew! You knew how we could replace Lance faster, yet you kept your mouth shut!" She stiffened at my accusation. I probably sounded a bit crazy, but considering my grief and sleep deprivation, it was the best I could do.

"What did I know about?" There was genuine confusion in her semblance.

"The tracking spell that mates can use to replace each other!" I finally reveal. To my surprise, her eyes widened.

"There's a reason why I didn't tell you about it."

"Oh, it better be good! Because I'm starting to doubt your loyalty to us!"

She rolled her eyes at me, crossing her arms. "You wolves are so crazy about loyalty. And if anything goes wrong, blame the witch!" She scoffed, causing me to back down a little. I could see it in her eyes that she wanted to say something else, but she saved it, sighing instead. "Look, I knew you would ask me to perform the spell at all costs if you learned about it. However, it's not that simple. Especially not considering your... condition."

"My condition?" I flashed her a quizzical look before I noticed she was staring at my belly.

"In order to make it work, it will be necessary to make a cut on your brachial artery," she clarified calmly. "Depending on how much you bleed, it could be extremely dangerous for your pup."

I gasped, instinctively moving my hand over my stomach; I didn't want to risk harming the most precious treasure my mate and I ever produced together. They hadn't even been born yet, but I already loved them unconditionally. Just the thought of losing them made my heart ache.

But then, I remembered I couldn't afford to lose Lance either. To say I was torn was an understatement. I closed my eyes for a brief moment, clenching my fists. When I turned back to Cordelia, I had made up my mind.

"Do it."

"But-"

"Do it!" I repeated louder, a hint of pain behind my eyes. "I won't be able to keep going without him."

She remained silent for a moment. Her eyebrows were pulled down flat and forward over the bridge of her nose, denoting sympathy. "Alright. When would you like to do it?"

"Now."

***

An hour later, we were all gathered at the Alpha's office, ready to perform the spell. Even the pack doctor, who Cordelia insisted I should call, was present; he had brought an emergency kit in case things went wrong. At first, I felt guilty about waking everyone up in the middle of the night. They had been working a lot due to everything that was going on, so they were certainly tired. However, all they showed me was concern.

"Here's what we're gonna do..." the witch started, laying out a huge map of our territory and the surrounding area over the floor. "First, I will make a deep cut on the Luna's upper arm. To locate the Alpha, your mate, we need blood coming directly from the heart, which is why we have to use the brachial artery. Once the blood drops onto the map, it will show us the exact location we're looking for," she explained carefully. "The thing is, the bleeding mustn't be stopped until the spell is completed, or else it will fail." My friends turned to me with worried looks, but I just ignored them, holding my head high. Cordelia held out a silver dagger, taking a few steps closer to me.

"We can start whenever you are ready."

"Let's do this," I replied assertively. No one dared argue with me.

The onyx-haired woman gently stretched out my arm once we both knelt before the map on the floor. I took a deep breath when she placed the blade over my skin, and a chill ran down my spine. She looked at me hesitantly, but as I rested my hand over my stomach, I nodded in encouragement. As scary as it was, it had to be done. I tried to remain calm, but it didn't last long.

An excruciating pain coursed through me as the dagger tore my skin open, sinking deep enough to reach my artery. My loud scream filled the room as I felt the silver burn my skin, causing everyone to come near me. Cordelia had to hold her hand up in a gesture for them to stop, which they reluctantly did.

"Sit amor invenitur," she repeated a few times, completely ignoring my pain-filled howls.

"Is this supposed to happen?!" my best friend asked. I'm sure I would be able to hear her heart beating faster if I weren't so focused on the agonizing feeling. Again, the witch dismissed her.

I tried to hold back my screams in an attempt to mollify my team, but failed miserably. The sensation got even worse as I watched the blood flow out of the newly-opened cut, running down my arm like a crimson waterfall. Once it landed on the paper, Cordelia started reciting the ancient words louder. Shockingly enough, the red liquid oozing out of my wound slowly slid over the map, resembling a snake made entirely of blood. It would be impressive if I weren't in so much pain.

"Ah!" I cried out louder than ever as my head started pounding. With the intention of minimizing my discomfort, I tried closing my eyes, only to feel even more dizzy.

"We have to do something!" Sasha argued.

"At this rate, it won't be just the pup's life that will be in danger!" Luke joined her.

"If you intervene in any way, we won't replace out where your Alpha is!" Cordelia warned.

"Screw that! It won't matter if she dies in the process!" Through my blurry vision, I noticed my Beta rushing over to me. To my surprise, Jasper stood in his way. "What the hell, man?!"

"Our Luna is strong," the Gamma observed, staring straight into the other man's eyes. "It was her decision to do this. We must support her."

Luke didn't seem too convinced, but Jasper held him off for enough time.

"It's done! This is where Lance is!" the witch announced, pointing at the map in front of her. Everyone gasped in relief as they knelt beside me.

"It will be okay, Luna," the doctor kindly assured me as he wrapped a towel around my arm, applying pressure to stop the bleeding. Only then did I realize I was still screaming.

"You did great, babe. It's over now." Megan tried to comfort me by rubbing her hand up and down my back. Slowly, the pain started to subside, and I almost moaned in relief. Following the doctor's instructions, they helped me lie down on the floor. I closed my eyes to rest, but was forced to reopen them sooner than I would have liked to. "What's wrong?" I heard Sasha ask, followed by shocked heaves.

"It healed," the doctor stated in astonishment.

I quickly lifted my head up to look at my upper arm. In the spot where the cut once was there was only a faint scar.

"A wound caused by silver shouldn't heal so fast," Jasper added in awe.

My abnormally rapid healing was the least of my concerns. "My pup..." I whimpered.

The doctor jumped up, rushing to his emergency kit. "Of course, Luna. I will check on them."

He pulled out a portable ultrasound machine, gently lifting up my shirt to rub the cold gel on my exposed skin. I was nervously shaking as he moved the transducer over my stomach. I tried to catch a glimpse of the screen, even though I had no idea what was going on. In the end, the doctor exhibited a cheerful smile; I immediately calmed down. "The little one is okay, Luna. Just make sure to get some rest now," he instructed, helping me slowly sit up. "Although your body is fine, the stressful experience certainly took a toll on you."

"Thank you, doctor." I nodded at him. I felt much more relaxed knowing my pup was safe, but there was still one last thing I needed to know. "What about Lance?"

Cordelia was smiling brightly as she held the map up. Somehow, the blood had completely disappeared, but she had circled the exact spot it had led to. "He's here."

"It's not too far away from Diamond Tempest," Sasha observed, handing me a glass of water.

"Our army can make it there in an hour or so," Jasper continued. "Now, all we need is a plan."

"I already have one," I announced assertively, taking everyone by surprise, but my eyes were focused on the witch. "Cordelia, I'll need your help one more time."

***

After I told my friends about the strategy I had come up with, they were awestruck. Of course, all of them still had more battle knowledge than I did; they suggested a few changes and improvements, but overall, they agreed it was a very good plan.

The first light of day had already started to shine once we finished working on the final details. As much as I wanted to help them prepare for our rescue operation, they insisted that I should rest, and this time, I couldn't argue with them. They took me to one of the spare guest bedrooms, where I proceeded to sleep for the next twelve hours - whether it was due to exhaustion or the calm I felt knowing we would get my mate back, I was glad that I was finally able to close my eyes.

By sundown, our multispecies army was gathered near the border of our territory. I was proud of how my team managed to organize everything in the short amount of time we had. It was stressful to work against the clock, but I would do anything to get Lance back. I would gladly tear the world apart to save him. I might not be a fighter, but I could finally understand what Faye tried to tell me a few times; strength comes in many shapes and forms, and my intelligence made me powerful as a Luna should be.

On my command, the shifters headed out towards the location pointed out by the spell we had performed earlier. It was my first time joining the warriors, but I wasn't the least nervous; I had a clear goal in my mind, and I was determined to achieve it. For once in my life, I had absolutely no doubts.

Our army stopped as soon as we spotted the first werebears guarding the entrance to their territory. For the first time, seeing them made me relieved instead of worried; it meant we were on the right track. However, I knew there was still a lot we had to do before we could celebrate.

First off, we had to make sure we would be able to sneak in. Bears had an even more sensitive sense of smell than wolves, which is we all used potions to mask our scents. The fact that the guards didn't stiffen upon our approach proved it had worked. With that confirmation, the werecats lunged forward, skilfully taking down the Sentinels to open the way for the rest of our army. Now was when the real battle would begin.

The further we got into their territory, the more bears we were able to replace, but they didn't see us coming. Well, not until it was too late.

While I was researching battle strategies, I learned that camouflage was an ancient technique used to give the attacking side an advantage. Lynxes blended in with the Canadian lands naturally due to their white coat, while foxes were small and silent, thus allowing them to move without being noticed. Wolves, on the other hand, had none of those traits - which is why I asked Cordelia to make amulets that turned the werewolves' coat white as snow. By the time the bears realized they were under attack, we had already been able to slay a good number of them.

Howls and growls echoed through the snow-covered fields as the battle raged on, but all I could do was watch from my improvised hiding spot behind a rock. As much as I wanted to help them, I knew I had a different role in this mission. After a few seconds, Cordelia - who was right beside me - threw a cloak around me, catching my attention.

"You must be quick," she whispered, staring straight into my eyes. "I haven't completely restored my energy after bewitching the amulets, so the cloaking spell will only last for about ten minutes. You have to replace Lance before then, or else-"

"I will," I replied adamantly, already standing up.

"Stay safe, Caitlyn." I nodded at her before I rushed out to replace my mate. Time was ticking, but then again, it had already been that way for the past two days.

The battle consisted of a good distraction, allowing me to venture deeper into the main part of their territory without any issues. I only stopped when I reached a huge building, very similar to a pack house, which was located right beside a ginormous cave. For a moment, I wasn't sure where they could be keeping Lance, but I couldn't afford to make the wrong decision. I closed my eyes and focused on the mate bond, hoping it would show me the way.

"The cave!" Faye soon answered, and I didn't hesitate to follow her instincts.

I moved with caution once I entered the rocky structure, careful not to be noticed. It seemed to be mostly empty though; the bears were probably too busy dealing with the attack to bother guarding their prisoner. As I moved through the darkness, I relentlessly tried to reach out to my mate. My heart skipped a bit when I finally heard his weak voice.

"Cait?"

"Lance!" I had to fight back my tears. It seemed like years since the last time I heard the melodic sound.

"Where are you?" There was hesitation in his voice.

"Close. I'm coming for you," I replied happily, but he didn't seem to share my excitement.

"No! You need to leave! Now!"

"What?"

"It's a trap, Caitlyn! They want to-"

Our connection was cut when I stumbled upon someone I didn't expect to see. What was he doing here? My heart started beating faster as a million thoughts crossed my mind, each of them worse than the last. His icy blue eyes were locked on me, making me freeze. I had to fight back my urge to scream; as long as he couldn't see me, I would be fine.

"Caitlyn?" he whispered in awe, and my eyes widened in horror.

No! I must have run out of time!

"W-what are you doing here?" I stuttered, even though I already knew too well.

He was behind all of this. He had to be.

But to my surprise, there was only worry in his semblance.

"s**t!" Hearing his hoarse voice sent chills down my spine. "You shouldn't be here! You have to get out before-"

"Ah, Luna!" An unfamiliar voice, much more intimidating than Caleb's, caused all of the air to leave my lungs.

A tall figure stepped out of the shadows, his yellow eyes piercing right through me. His aura was incredibly powerful; I immediately knew he had to be the Alpha bear. Filled with horror, I almost didn't notice the much shorter man following him. There was a sinister smile on his face as he inched closer, and I instinctively found myself stepping away. Stay calm, I reminded myself as I searched my mind for an escape plan. How was I supposed to get out of here?

"Who would have thought..." the bear went on. "All of this time we were after your Alpha, when the real Original was you."

Never in my life had I been so scared before. I had no idea what he meant, but I knew it couldn't be good.