My Mate Is An Omega
My Mate Is A Virgin Chapter 23

Jasper POV

It all happened so fast. One minute I was overwhelmed with joy after being marked by my mate, the next my heart was racing in my chest as I watched the two females fighting right before my eyes.

I had fought beside lynxes before, and I knew how vicious they were. Unlike wolves, who teamed up to battle against their adversaries, these large cats could easily take down enemies on their own. It was completely different to witness my intimidating, yet caring mate in action though. Genevra had always exhibited a powerful, fierce aura, but I had never seen her look as scary as she did now. She hissed and growled as she swatted her paws restlessly at her opponent. Mackenzie's lynx was fairly smaller than Andromeda's, probably due to not having pure royal blood. She also had blonde, smooth fur with pitch black markings instead of a canadian lynx's usual gray pattern. All she could do was dodge over and over again as my mate's claws reached closer to her face each time.

The world around me seemed to stop as I tried to process what was going on. They were fighting...over me? And what triggered this? I recalled Mackenzie's last words before she shifted, and I was finally able to put the pieces together. She must have gotten jealous when she saw her half-sister's mark on me, considering that marking a king seemed like a big deal to werecats.

But what in hell made her think I would ever want to take her as a chosen mate? Polygamy might be common among lynxes, but it certainly wasn't among wolves. The mate bond was sacred, and taking a chosen mate was highly frowned upon by our society, unless in the event of not replaceing your fated mate. Was she acting this way just to get on Andromeda's nerves, or did she really think she could seduce me?

"Whatever the reason, we should stop them!" Phoenix barked. "I love to see mate fighting for us, but I can't stand the thought of her getting hurt over it!"

"What can we even do? If we shift and jump between them, they'll probably tear us apart!"

"You're the prince! You command the huntresses!" he reminded me. "Order Mackenzie to stand down!"

"What guarantees she'll even listen to us? She just went against the princess of the clan!" I argued.

"Just shut up and do something, you buffoon!"

As soon as I shook my head, I was invaded by an unexpected newfound confidence. I breathed in, focusing on the right words to say. However, as I took my first step, I felt a hand firmly grip my shoulder, stopping me before I could even act. "Don't." I recognized Adriana's voice without having to turn around to look at her. I blinked a few times, only then noticing the crowd that had gathered around the conflict. "She needs to discipline Mackenzie, or else the clan will start doubting her authority." "What if she gets hurt?" I finally glanced at her, my wolf's concern becoming my own.

"Do you not know your mate at all?" The dark-haired woman arched an eyebrow at me. She was right; it didn't diminish my worry though. "This happens once or twice every month. The delusional Barbie has never defeated Princess Andromeda in combat." "Why does she keep challenging her then?"

She just shrugged. "It's a cat thing, I guess. Disputes for power are very common...as are fights for males." She sighed, and I turned my attention back to the battle. "It doesn't help that Mackenzie has always been very jealous of the princess. She craves the throne, as well as anything meant for her half-sister. She wanted to be queen herself, even though she knows it will never happen. Aside from being the first born child, Andromeda is also Queen Nymeia's only female heir. The only thing I can't quite understand is how she hasn't given up on this crazy idea yet."

As soon as Adriana finished her explanation, the fight came to an end. Genevra had finally managed to land a blow on the other lynx's face, sending her flying to the ground. My mate didn't waste a second to climb on top of her defeated opponent. She puffed her chest before opening her mouth, showing her sharp fangs as she roared at her half-sister's face. It was both a warning and a demand - submit.

Reluctant, Mackenzie's counterpart finally exposed her neck, acknowledging defeat. Genevra proudly stepped away from her, and in the blink of an eye, they both shifted back. Adriana immediately left my side to rush over to her princess, handing her a navy blue robe, which she quickly put on. I watched her step closer to the other girl, who remained on her knees in front of her future queen. There was still blood dripping from the scratch wounds on her cheek where Genevra had previously struck her.

"How many times do I have to beat you for you to learn your lesson, Mackenzie?" Andromeda hissed with her head held high. Her powerful aura made Phoenix drool; I had to admit, it turned me on too. "Stay away from my prince. If you dare lay a finger on him, I will make sure the scar will be permanent. Now, accept my kindness and disappear from my sight!"

The defeated huntress bowed her head before rising to her feet and turning on her heel to walk away. My mate took a second to compose herself before turning to her subjects.

"There's nothing else to see here. Carry on with your day." After her demonstration of power, no one dared disobey her. In the blink of an eye, the town square was empty again. Only her right hand remained there, resting one hand on her shoulder. "Is there anything else I can do for you, sis?"

"Can you make Mackenzie disappear?" Dree rolled her eyes.

Adriana smirked. "I mean, I can't go against you. If you give me a direct order..."

"Tempting." My mate chuckled. "I'll give it some thought. For now, just enjoy your Sunday."

The second-in-command nodded before leaving, and my feet moved toward the princess. Her heartbeat slowing down after the sudden rush of adrenaline let me know she was aware of my presence, but she didn't raise her eyes to look at me. While one of my arms snaked around her waist, bringing her closer, my free hand reached for her face. Pressing my index finger under her chin, I encouraged her to look at me. When her diamond eyes met mine, they were filled with regret.

"I'm sorry. I lost my head for a second there." She sighed heavily, resting her face on my shoulder as she craved my touch and the serenity it brought her. The pull between us w as undoubtedly stronger now. "I wanted us to have a stress-free day, but-" "Hey, it's okay. It's my fault anyway," I whispered into her ear as I wrapped both arms around her, tightening our hug. "I shouldn't have pushed you to mark me." To my surprise, she just let out a small laugh. A sad, ironic laugh. "What?"

"I did the exact same thing to you," she observed. She shifted a little in my embrace, lifting her face to stare at me. "I don't regret it though."

"Pushing my limits?" I joked.

She shook her head in disapproval, still smiling. "Marking you." Her hand slid down my arm until they landed at my palm. Lacing our fingers, she lifted my hand up to take a good look at her art. Her sweet smile turned into a proud one. "I like how you wear my mark..."

"On my sleeve?" I teased, bringing my lips closer to hers. She immediately pushed me away though.

"I swear to the Goddess, if you tell anyone..."

I grabbed both of her hands, drawing her closer again. "I won't. What you said was meant for me only, and this secret will die with me."

She finally allowed me to kiss her lips. The moment I did, I couldn't contain a groan. She tasted even sweeter now, yet an accentuated hint of spice also lit up a fire inside of me. I wanted nothing more than to devour her until we both ran out of breath, but much to my displeasure, she held onto her control. When did we switch roles?

"We still have some time before lunch. Let me fetch some new clothes, then I can show you my favorite spots around here," my princess suggested, caressing my cheek with the back of her fingers. "You can wait for me in the lounge. I'll meet you there in a minute." She planted a soft kiss on my lips before disappearing into the castle. I did the same a few seconds later, ready to follow her instructions.

Thankfully, I didn't run into any more trouble. Two of the huntresses were clearly not my biggest fans, but most of the lynxes in the clan seemed to be unbothered by my presence. The few ones I came across on my way to the lounge either walked past me with their heads low, or bowed and wished me a good morning.

But I should have known my peace wouldn't last long.

As I was sitting alone on the couch, patiently awaiting my mate's return, I noticed the lynx I disliked the most pass through the lounge. I knew he had seen me too, because he immediately stopped and took two steps back as he did a double take. He blinked a few times before glancing around me. I knew exactly what he was thinking; he had been lucky to replace me when neither Andromeda nor the queen were around. And much like a shark who had just found his next meal, he floated my way with a sinister snicker. "Is the Princess tired of the stray already?" he teased.

I returned his smirk. "I believe you should address me as Prince Jasper. Or should I tell Queen Nymeia about your...disobedience?"

"I believe you have more interesting topics to discuss with her, don't you?" His smile grew. "I heard you already wreaked havoc this morning. Sparking some rivalry between the two sisters, huh?" I frowned. Damn, rumors spread faster here than they did back at my pack. "Not only that, but it seems the huntresses have mixed opinions about you. You do realize that if they start fighting, Snow Pelt will collapse, don't you? A clan's stability relies on the harmony between the team of Huntresses." "Your empty threats don't scare me, Tigger." I shrugged.

"What the hell did you call me?" he growled, approaching me. I finally stood up, standing face to face with him.

"I have been adapting and adjusting my whole life. It'll be no different this time," I assured him. "The two Goddesses of the Moon have chosen me to be king, and that's what will happen, whether you like it or not."

"You're right about one thing: it's not up to me." He laughed. "It's up to the Huntresses. If they all don't deem you as worthy of your future title soon, they will kick you out."

Technically, the king was higher than the Huntresses in a clan's hierarchy. They were supposed to serve him. However, according to my studies, their union held a lot of power. Much like an Elder Council in a wolf pack, they could go against the king's authority, should they all agree that he isn't fit to lead anymore. The only one they absolutely couldn't disobey was their queen.

But could Andromeda really hold back the eight strongest warriors of the clan if they decided they wanted me gone?

"You know it's true, don't you?" Wade's voice, full of amusement, sounded again after my long silence.

Before I could think of a response, another person joined us. "What the hell do you think you're doing?" When I turned my eyes away from the bastard, I noticed Adriana standing right behind him with her arms crossed. "You might be my brother, but it's still my job to make sure the Prince is respected!"

"We were just having some casual conversation," he argued, the yellow smile never leaving his face.

"Apologize. Now." She frowned, irresolvable.

The man sighed in annoyance. "I'm sorry, Prince Jasper." When he didn't bow, Adriana quickly smacked the back of his head, forcing him to. "Ouch!"

"If I replace you harassing him again, the queen will be the one dealing with you. And I'm sure her punishment will be far worse!" She pushed him towards the exit, turning to me one last time. "I'm sorry about him. Much like Mackenzie, he's always been sorta obsessed with the throne."

"It's cool," I reassured her, forcing a smile. She nodded before leaving me alone with my thoughts again.

"Don't let him get to you." Despite Phoenix's words, I could sense his hesitation.

"I won't," I answered at once, running my fingers through my head as I let it fall backwards. "But he's not wrong."

"Respect is earned over time. You should know that by now. After all, you went from stray to Gamma," he pointed out. I couldn't help but be reminded of my pack's heartwarming goodbye. "Cats are a lot more independent and distrustful than wolves, but we will convince them of our worth."

"I'm just worried about how much time we actually have to impress them." I sat back on the couch as an idea crossed my mind. Phoenix's ears shot up in a sign that he didn't replace it bad either. "Maybe we should start working on showing them what we learned during our time as Gamma..."

"I'm back!" My princess' sweet voice pulled me from my thoughts. I turned around to welcome her back with a warm smile. "Did I keep you waiting for too long?" "Not at all."

At first, Andromeda seemed ready to take my hand and lead me outside again, but when her gaze fell on my eyes, she probably noticed something different about them. She came closer to study my reaction. "What's on your mind?" She smiled curiously.

Okay. It's now or never, Jasper.

"I was wondering... Can I ask you something, my Princess?"

"Anything, my Prince."

They say all it takes is a brief moment of madness. A second where reason gives way to instinct.

I took a deep breath, staring into her eyes as I let the words slip out of my mouth. "I would like to accompany you and the huntresses on your hunt tomorrow."