My Mate Is An Omega
Chapter 9

Lancaster POV

The first scent I smelled in the morning wasn't the melting snow, or the ashes in the fireplace. It was the sweet and spicy fragrance of my precious mate, which immediately made me smile. She was also the first thing I saw when I opened my eyes - and what a sight to see. I had her wrapped in my arms, her back pressed against my chest. Her head was so close to my face I couldn't resist the temptation of diving my nose into her smooth chestnut hair, inhaling the intoxicating scent I could never get enough of. Mine. She was all mine.

As I noticed her shift in the small double bed, I loosened my grip to allow her to move better. She slowly turned her head to look at me, and the second my gaze fell on her beautiful hazel eyes, I was awestruck. How could a stray like me have gotten so lucky to end up with such a gorgeous, brilliant she-wolf? I always knew I was a nobody, but with her, I felt like someone special. She gave me life. She gave me purpose. "Why are you looking at me?" She chuckled. What a heavenly sound.

"I'm sorry. It's just magical to wake up beside a goddess. I couldn't help but stare," I answered playfully, delicately moving my hand up to stroke her face with my finger. Her skin was so soft... I wanted to memorize all of her. Her scent, her taste, her texture. "You slept with me yesterday!"

"I know, and it was just as amazing." I lifted myself just slightly using my elbow so I could properly cup her cheek. "However, this is different. Now you're in my bed. In my room, which recently became our room. And I love having you here."

Feeling the magnetic pull between us, I slowly lowered my face to get closer to hers. She was still sleepy, so I gave her a little time to process my gesture, our noses brushing in an electric touch. When my lips finally captured hers, a fire exploded in my chest. It was hard to keep our kiss passionate when I desperately wanted to devour her. As if she could read my thoughts, she gently bit my lower lip, causing me to groan inside her mouth. Before my wolf could hijack my body, I pulled away. "Don't tease me, beautiful." I smirked. "There's a beast inside of me fighting for control, and I don't think he will be as gentle as I am."

She laughed, instantly making Atlas purr. "I'd really like to meet your wolf, actually. He's my mate, just as much as you are." Her words caught me by surprise, and my counterpart howled cheerfully. "What's his name?" "Atlas," I replied, pushing him away so I could properly focus on Caitlyn. "What about yours?"

"Faye."

"Such a beautiful name. Just like yours."

"She's dying to meet Atlas, you know..." she revealed, making my wolf even more excited. "When can we make it happen?"

"Now! Let me out! Mate wants me!" my lovesick beast yelled frantically, pushing forward. Fighting him gave me a headache.

"Believe me, he really wants to meet Faye too. And you," I told her sincerely, never looking away from her shiny eyes. "But I'm afraid I have to leave for training now, and I have work in the afternoon. How about tomorrow? Sundays are my days off, so we won't have to worry about time."

"Sounds good to me." She smiled sweetly. Yet, I could spot a hint of concern in her semblance. "When will you be back from training?"

I immediately knew what she was worried about. Even though she had met my friends yesterday, I was pretty much the only person she actually knew around here. Aside from the natural anxiety caused by being away from her mate, she also had no one to keep her company while I was out. Which is why I made sure she wouldn't be alone during her first day in Diamond Tempest.

"It only lasts two hours. We can have breakfast together as soon as I'm done," I informed her, relaxing as she seemed to do the same. "By the way, Sasha should be here soon. I linked her yesterday, and she agreed to be your guide for the day." I winked playfully at her.

"Oh, no, it's fine! She's probably busy, I don't wanna cause her any trouble."

"Don't worry, she will be happy to spend some time with you. She usually doesn't have a lot to do in the morning, and she doesn't have many friends aside from us."

"Really? The Gamma's daughter?" Caitlyn arched an eyebrow at me.

"Believe it or not, she's the one pushing everyone away." I shrugged. "She says she has no interest in fake friends who only surround her because of her title." "It kinda makes sense, I guess."

"She's a peculiar girl." Checking the time on my phone one more time, I realized I was running late. I finally stood up, grabbing a pair of training shorts before I turned around to give my mate a quick peck in the lips. "Alright, gotta go. You two have fun, and link me if you need anything."

"We'll be fine," she reassured me.

With one final smile, I was out the door. As I headed towards the gym, I couldn't help but count the seconds until I could be with her again.

***

Caitlyn POV

As soon as Lance was gone, my heart sank. It was bizarre how much I loved being with him, and how lost I felt in his absence, even for a short amount of time. It should probably get better once we completed the mating process, but I didn't feel ready yet. Every inch of my body craved him, and I couldn't deny that I wanted him as well. Still, the experience I had with Caleb made me insecure, preventing me from completely opening up to Lance. Despite Faye's desire to be one with her mate, she was very understanding and respected my decision to wait.

In an attempt to get rid of the solitude, I got out of bed so I could take care of my morning routine. I only had time to take a quick shower and brush my teeth when I heard a knock on the door. Lance wasn't kidding when he said his friend would be arriving soon. I expected Sasha to jump on me like the day before, but to my surprise, she was a lot calmer.

"So, how was your first night here? Sleep well?" the black-haired girl asked, taking a step closer. She started to sniff the air around me, making me stiffen. Then, she looked at me with shock in her eyes. "I can feel his scent on you, but it isn't that strong. Goddess, that man truly is a saint." "Uh, what..."

"Sorry! That was a weird thing to say." The Gamma's daughter immediately backed away, shaking her head as she sighed. "Sometimes I have no filter, but it only happens when I'm excited about something. And trust me, I'm really glad Lance has found you. I'm hoping we can become good friends."

"Friends?" I repeated, blinking a few times in surprise. Back in my old pack, Omegas were always treated with respect, but I wasn't expecting ranked members to behave the same way in other packs.

"Yeah. You seem like a nice person, Cait. I like to surround myself with wolves like you," she clarified, and I instantly remembered what Lance told me earlier - she avoided people who clung to her just to share a bit of her status. Gammas were usually the smartest members of the pack, and they were notorious for their impressive observation skills. Could she sense I had no interest in using her? "Come on, I promised your mate I'd take care of you today, and I intend to do just that." "Are you sure? You don't have to..."

"Of course! I'd be happy to help you figure out your new role in this pack," she insisted, pulling me outside. I almost forgot to lock the door, as my mate instructed me - in Ninebark, we didn't have such a habit. "I was thinking I could show you around a little while we talk. Just the main hangout spots; I'll leave the secret ones to Lance." She winked.

"I'd love that, thank you." I smiled at her, taking a quick look at our surroundings for a second. It was a sunny day, which meant we most likely wouldn't get any snow, and it wasn't as cold as yesterday. I should be fine in my light brown sweater. "So, what positions are available for Omegas right now?"

"Whatever you want. I'm in charge of making sure you get a position that suits you. Don't worry about vacancy." She waved me off. "Let's pretend I'm your interviewer. What are you good at?"

"My mother used to be a cook. I helped her for a couple of years." I shrugged.

Sasha stopped walking to analyze me for a second. "Nah, I don't think you belong in the kitchen. What else?"

"Well, my best friend Megan is a warrior. When she started training, I considered becoming one but..."

"Hold up! You said your friend is a warrior and a girl?" She was stunned.

"Oh, right. My former Alpha allowed women to join warrior training," I explained. Having lived in the same place my entire life, it was hard to remember other packs had different rules.

"Really? That's so cool! I'd love to meet her someday." Sasha smiled brightly. "My dream was to become a warrior. My wolf Topaz and I always enjoyed the thrill of a good fight. Sometimes the boys hold small tournaments so our counterparts can have some fun, and they let me join. However, Dario thinks girls would be easy targets on the battlefield, and my father stands with his Alpha. So I just gave up." She shrugged.

"I'm sorry," I told her sincerely. I always thought wolves of higher blood had everything they wanted; maybe we weren't so different after all.

"Don't be. Maybe I was just born in the wrong pack," she joked. "But this isn't about me. Neither is it about your mom, or your friend. I wanna know what you are good at. What qualities does Caitlyn have?"

"Well..." For long seconds, I was thoughtful. I never saw myself as someone particularly great at anything. "I've always been a good student. I like reading, and I'm capable of solving problems quite fast. My former Alpha was training me to become his personal assistant."

"Jackpot!" The girl clapped her hands cheerfully. "This will work perfectly! Since our Luna passed away, our Alpha has been taking care of pack business pretty much on his own. He could definitely use an assistant! I'll speak to him later today."

Once the main issue was solved, we were able to switch the topic. While Sasha took me on a tour around the town square, the conversation flowed naturally and we got to know each other better. Honestly, we didn't have a lot of common interests, but we still got along well. I was also surprised by how similar she was to Megan; I had no doubts the two of them would instantly click whenever they met. I made a mental note to call my best friend later to tell her about my new pack. In the middle of the move, I hadn't yet had the chance to update her on everything.

By the time the Gamma's daughter was done showing me the main buildings, the boys had already left training. We gathered at a small picnic table right outside the cafeteria, and like the gentleman he was, Lance offered to fix me a plate. My heart fluttered at the sight of my mate; it felt like we had been apart for an eternity. He inched closer to plant a soft kiss on my cheek before we sat down, causing pleasant tingles to course through my body.

"Geez, get a room! Feels like I'm watching porn here," Jasper scoffed playfully. I turned around just in time to see him get smacked on each of his arms by both Luke and Sasha.

"Can you never stop being jealous of me?" Lance joined the teasing, offering me his hand to help me sit. As the three other wolves engaged in a conversation, he turned his attention to me. "How did the search for a job go?"

"Good. Sasha thinks I should become the Alpha's assistant; she'll talk to him later to see what he thinks."

"Dario is a wise man. I'm sure he'll see your potential." He shrugged before leaning in my ear. "I'm already proud of you, and I know you'll continue to impress me. You're amazing, Cait. I'll never say that enough."