My Mate Is An Omega
Chapter 7

Caitlyn

POV

My last night at home was also the best in my entire life. I had no idea the simple act of sleeping beside my mate could be so revitalizing; his body was softer than the mattress, and his heat kept me warm better than any blanket. My mother was still sleeping when I woke up, and Megan was busy with warrior training. So, in Lance's company, we set off to work on the last thing I had to do before leaving in a few hours.

The meeting with Cedar had been scheduled for seven o'clock in his office. It felt weird roaming through the hallways of the packhouse, knowing it would be a long time before I set foot here again. At the same time, I squeezed my mate's hand tighter as anxiety took over me. Ever since Caleb rejected me, I hadn't been able to relax inside the large building, but I was even more scared of replaceing him after what happened yesterday. If there was one good thing about leaving Ninebark, it was that I would have a chance to start fresh with someone else who really seemed to like me for me. Someone who didn't turn me down because I was weak.

"Being an Omega doesn't make you weak, Cait," Faye distracted me as I was about to knock on the door.

"It does, actually," I retorted. Werewolf society valued power, which was passed down by blood. There was a reason why I was at the bottom of the hierarchy. "Physically, yes; but strength isn't only about muscle. You should know that by now."

"What do you mean?"

"You know exactly what I mean. You're not stupid, Cait. Quite the opposite," she chuckled. "You've known it your entire life, and everyone else around you sees it too. Which is why the Alpha chose you to be his assistant instead of allowing you to cook or clean like the others."

Putting an end to our brief conversation, Cedar opened the door. "Welcome, Caitlyn. Are you ready?" He smiled fondly, waiting for my nod before turning to my mate. "You can come in as well if you'd like to."

"Thank you, Alpha Cedar." The warrior bowed respectfully as we both walked in. He only let go of my hand to sit on the chair in the corner.

"So... how do we do it?" I asked curiously, watching as the man searched through one of the many drawers in his bleached oak desk.

"Oh, I completely forgot you never witnessed one of those. It's quite simple, actually." He approached me slowly, carrying a silver dagger half-wrapped in a red velvet hand towel. "Some shifters, like dragons, have a strong link with magic. Wolves, on the other hand, are closely connected to nature, because our animal side is more feral than intellectual. However, some of our traditions and practices still rely on enchantments, which is the case of a pack bond. Elders are usually in charge of most rituals, but Alphas are also allowed to perform a few basic ones. What we are about to do is called a bond breaking spell."

Cedar stood in front of me, holding out his hand. I offered him mine and he gently stretched out my palm. He wrapped his fist tightly around the hilt of the dagger, slowly bringing it closer to my skin. When he asked if I was ready, I exchanged a quick look with my mate, who seemed just as intrigued as I was. I nodded hesitantly, and the Alpha quickly drew a line across my palm. The silver blade burned my skin at the slightest contact, causing me to wince from the sharp pain. It prevented the wound from healing while my leader repeated a few ancient words I couldn't quite understand.

In a few seconds, the scratch was completely healed; the pain was gone, and so was a huge part of me. Faye's spirit only awakened a few days ago, but our soul had belonged to this pack from the day I was born. She howled a melancholic melody as we felt our connection to the other members of our pack break. Wolves are social animals, which means we deeply depend on the interaction and cooperation with others of our species. Those who lacked a pack bond for too long would usually lose their humanity and become rogues. Thankfully, I wouldn't have to feel this emptiness for more than a few hours.

"It's done. You're a free wolf now, Cait. I hope you replace a home in your new pack," he said sincerely, drying the blood in both our hands with the help of the small towel. "It sucks that I won't have my awesome assistant anymore, though."

"I'm sure you'll replace someone else just as capable as me, Alpha."

"Yeah, I've already contacted Louise. She'll be starting out tomorrow." Louise was one of our pack's Kappas. She had been working really hard to get an important position, and was devastated when Cedar offered it to me instead of her. I was glad her time had come. "Between just the two of us, I know she'll never get as far as you would have," he whispered next to my ear, catching me by surprise. "But you will serve Dario now. I'm sure he'll be grateful to have you." Caitlyn POV

My last night at home was also the best in my entire life. I had no idea the simple act of sleeping beside my mate could be so revitalizing; his body was softer than the mattress, and his heat kept me warm better than any blanket. My mother was still sleeping when I woke up, and Megan was busy with warrior training. So, in Lance's company, we set off to work on the last thing I had to do before leaving in a few hours.

"Thank you, Alpha." I bowed at him. For the last time.

"It's no problem at all. Have a safe trip." His gaze then shifted to my mate. "I trust you to take good care of her."

"I will." Lance smiled warmly at me, taking my hand in his.

He placed a soft kiss on my palm, in the spot the blade wound had once been. Since my skin was more sensitive there, the sparks I felt were even more intense, making me blush. Intertwining our fingers, he walked out of the office with me once I said the final goodbyes to my former Alpha. Just like his father before him, Cedar had always looked after me and my mother; it pained me to leave him behind. I could only hope my new Alpha would be as kind as he was.

When we made it back to my small cottage, Megan was waiting for me by the door. It had stopped snowing, but it was still too cold for anyone to casually stay outside. Of course, my best friend didn't mind it one bit, and the second her eyes locked on me, I could already see the tears in her eyes. She pounced on me like usual, only this time her bear hug was even tighter. It only seemed to dawn on me that I was leaving when I hugged her back, digging my fingertips into her back as I realized I wouldn't have her anymore. For the first time since we were pups, we would be apart.

"I'm gonna miss you so much, babe," she sobbed into my hair.

"I know." I felt the warm tears burn my skin as they streamed down uncontrollably. "I promise I'll visit, okay? Maybe you can come see me too. I bet you can replace some new hot boys to fool around with there," I joked.

"I don't want any f*****g boys! I only want my best friend."

"Megan Campbell, you are many things, and a liar is not one of them," I laughed between my sobs. "You'd never turn down a good-"

"Whatever!" She cut me off. The next second, she pulled away from me and grabbed something from the floor - only then I noticed the half-empty bottle of tequila. "I was going to finish it on my own, but Pearl told me I should keep the rest for a special occasion." "That b***h! She stole our birthday gift!" Faye growled in shock inside my head, making me laugh harder.

“Come on, have one last shot with me!" She pouted like a little girl. Before I could even reply, she turned to my mate, who had been awkwardly watching the scene. "You too, Lance! Don't be shy. Good stuff like this doesn't come around often."

"Maybe if it did she wouldn't steal it!" My wolf scoffed.

"Are you sure?" The warrior approached us shyly.

"Don't make me say it twice. There might not be any alcohol left by then." Lance laughed at her response. If only he knew she was being dead serious.

The three of us took a small sip of the remainder of tequila, and of course, Megan made sure to lick every last drop. She then wrapped us in a triple hug, but backed away the second my mother stepped outside to allow us a moment so we could say our goodbyes. "You've grown so fast!" My old lady uttered in a quavering voice. "I always knew time would come for you to leave the den, but nothing could prepare me for this moment."

"I won't be dead, Mom. I'll just give you some time to rest," I replied playfully.

"You never caused me any trouble, my dear. Since you were a pup, you've always known how to behave. I'm so proud of the woman you have become!" She hugged me tightly, hesitating to let go. "I'm happy for you. And Lance." "Thank you, Mom."

As soon as I took a step back, I felt my mate gently squeeze my hand. "Alpha Dario just linked me. They're waiting for us by the pack house." He flashed me a sad gaze, but his sympathetic smile gave me the strength I needed to turn around and leave. "See you soon, girls," I told them, unwilling to say goodbye.

"You better!" my best friend screamed at me. "And you, Lance! You better treat her like the f*****g queen she is!"

"Meg!" I scolded her.

All my mate did was laugh. "Don't worry, ma'am. I promise I'll give her the best life." He looked straight into my eyes, making my heart stop.

Wrapping his arm around my waist, he grabbed my suitcase and led the way as I waved at my family until I could no longer see them. It felt as if my heart was about to break, but somehow, I was peaceful. Lance offered me the closure I needed, almost as if I knew he would be there to pick up my broken pieces. He made me feel strong. The second we arrived at the town square, my jaw dropped. Alpha Dario and Beta James were standing in front of a huge limousine. "Cool, right?" Lance laughed.

Before I could agree, Dario stepped closer to me. His powerful aura made me freeze, but his sweet smile soon relaxed me. "Are you ready to go, Caitlyn?"

"Y-yes, Alpha Dario." I bowed my head at him.

"Good. Don't worry, my boy will take good care of you. Won't you?" He glared at my mate.

"For the thousandth time, yes! Why does everyone keep asking me that? Do I look like a monster who's gonna eat her or something?"

"Certainly not." The Alpha scoffed, touching my shoulder as he leaned down to whisper, "I have a feeling you will be the one taking care of him." I couldn't help but giggle at his remark. Lance just rolled his eyes before pulling me into the car with him. The ride to Diamond Tempest Pack took almost two hours. Along the way, my nervousness slowly washed away as I got to know my new Alpha and Beta better. Through his stern semblance, Dario was a sympathetic man who deeply cared for his people. He seemed like the kind of leader who could enjoy a good joke despite being serious when the situation called for it. He chatted with me throughout the ride, explaining about the origins of the pack and their common traditions. On the other hand, James was a little quieter, but he was just as polite.

Lancaster rolled down the windows the second we crossed the borders of my new pack. Unlike my old one, which was located on a hill with little vegetation except for ninebark bushes, this one was hidden among tall pine trees. My mate carefully showed me the most iconic spots of the territory as we drove past them, and I watched attentively. They had an artificial hot spring, where a few wolves could swim despite the cold, as well as a small frozen lake which was used as a skate rink. The closer we got to the main part of the territory, the more houses and buildings I could spot.

The moment we stopped in front of the pack house, I was flabbergasted. It was a large three-story building shaped in the form of a crescent moon. It was entirely white, perfectly blending in with the snow around it, and it had a few well placed windows which conferred a modern look to it. Right behind it, there was a huge deep blue lake. I only noticed the others had already stepped out of the car when Lance squeezed my hand reassuringly.

"Home sweet home!" the Alpha chanted, stretching his back before he turned to his Beta. "Go check on your warriors, James. There's one last thing I need to do before we go back to work." Then, his calm gaze fell on me. "Would you follow me, Caitlyn? I'm sure you want to get settled and have some private time with your mate, but we should accept you into the pack as soon as possible."

"Of course, Alpha Dario. Thank you for your time." Honestly, I agreed with him; it was strange to feel so hollow, and I knew it would only go away once the ties with my new pack had been established.

As the older man turned on his heel to lead the way, I looked at Lance. He showed me a warm smile which let me know he would accompany me throughout the process, and off we went. The inside of the building was quite spacious, and just as modern. It still followed the cold snowy theme of the outside, with white marble floors and blueish-gray walls with velvet touch texture. There were beautiful landscape pictures in silvery frames, as well as a few marble statues decorating the tall hallways. It was a huge contrast with Ninebark's packhouse, which was a lot more rustic.

"Dario has a degree in architecture," Lance explained. "He designed this building himself just a few years after he took over the pack."

"It's so beautiful here," I replied in amazement.

"I'm glad you like it. This is your new home, after all," he chuckled.

We took two flights of stairs to the top floor and walked into the first room on the left. I quickly realized it was the Alpha's office; it was spacious, with some guest chairs and a large black desk. It was decorated with a few portraits, a diamond chandelier, and a few plant vases hanging from the walls. The floor to ceiling windows had a perfect view of the lake.

I was still getting used to my surroundings when Dario walked up to me with a silver dagger and a hand towel. "Shall we?"

I nodded shyly. The Alpha repeated almost the exact same ritual I had witnessed Cedar perform earlier in the morning - only this time, the man also sliced his own palm. He held my hand in his for a moment, our blood mixing and dripping over the navy blue towel. Then, I gasped as I felt a bridge being built between my soul and the other pack members' souls. Lance brought a chair for me to sit down and caressed my hair as we waited for my brief dizziness to go away. Once it did, I took a deep breath and stood back up, immediately feeling Dario's hand on my shoulder.

"Welcome to your new home, child." He smiled.