My Mate Is An Omega
Chapter 35

Caitlyn POV

"Are you sure you're gonna be fine here on your own?" my mate asked for the third time, apprehension written all over his face as he stared at his Gamma.

The day had finally come for our visit to Ninebark Pack. Although I was always excited to return to my old home, I had to constantly remind myself this was an important business trip that could define the future of Diamond Tempest. After having breakfast together in the private dining room, we were now standing beside the limousine. Lance and Luke were both wearing business casual outfits - button-up shirts paired with trousers - while I had picked one of my new executive dresses. Jasper would be staying behind with Sasha as his mentor - but honestly, we all knew she was more like a babysitter.

"You really think I'm gonna burn the pack house to the ground, don't you?" The ginger boy scoffed, casually fitting his hands inside the front pockets of his jeans. "While I can give you an 85% guarantee that won't happen, it is likely the main building will be turned into a brothel."

"Haven't you done that already? I've been seeing women leaving your room all day and all night." Sasha frowned.

"What have you been standing outside my room for? Waiting in line?"

"Ha! In your dreams." She rolled her eyes at him before turning to Lance with a smile. "Don't worry, Alpha." She startled him for a second; we still weren't used to having our friends call us by our titles. "Rest assured the pack will be safe. You can focus on getting us a deal."

"Thank you, Sasha." My mate smiled before intertwining our fingers. We exchanged looks, our hesitation evident as we got into the car. Our Beta was the only one who didn't seem the least frightened by the situation.

Throughout the ride, Lance kept fidgeting with his hands as he stared out the window. His restlessness was understandable; less than a week after suddenly becoming a leader, he was already faced with a huge challenge. Despite how kind Cedar was, he wouldn't offer his assistance to anyone. Since we didn't have much to give, our chances of succeeding mostly relied on whether my former Alpha would be convinced by my mate's skills and potential. James had spent the last few days preparing us for the occasion, but it wasn't enough to make us feel confident.

Still, I knew part of my job as a Luna - and a mate - was to emotionally support my Alpha. I caught his attention when I took my hand in his, while also gently massaging his thigh. He showed me a small smile as a sign his troubles were starting to lessen. In an attempt to lighten up the mood, I started a conversation with Luke, telling him more about the lands I had grown up in. Lance soon joined us, sharing stories about the times we visited my best friend and how crazy she was for a good party.

As they say, time flies when you're having fun. Before we noticed it, our driver stopped the car right in front of Ninebark's packhouse. A chill ran down my spine as I hopped out after my mate, with Luke following right behind me. My insecurities vanished the moment Cedar greeted us with a warm smile. He was standing beside Beta Lyall, who also seemed quite happy to see me. Their energy was so different than that of Diamond Tempest's ranked members, which made sense; they didn't know what loss was, and I could only hope they would never find out. In such dark times, their liveliness was relieving.

"Alpha Lancaster Stark, it's an honor to have you." He stretched his hand out to my mate, who promptly shook it.

"The honor is all mine." Lance smiled.

Cedar's smile momentarily faded as he went on. "I'm very sorry for your loss. Alpha Dario was a wise man, and I have no doubt he made a wise choice by passing his title on to you. Congratulations on the Alpha position." The Stark uttered a low "thank you," nodding at the man who soon turned to me with an even bigger grin. "Can't say I'm surprised about you though, Luna Caitlyn." He winked, opening his arms wide to hug me briefly. "I always knew you were meant for greatness."

"I guess you are never wrong, Alpha Cedar," I chuckled.

The leader's attention then fell on the blond man beside me. "I'm afraid we haven't been acquainted yet."

"Beta Luke, Sir. I believe you've met my father."

"Oh, of course. Send James my best regards." He shook the young man's hand before gesturing towards his second in command. "This is my Beta, Lyall, by the way."

Once we were done greeting each other, we engaged in a casual conversation while a couple of Omegas approached us to move our luggage from the car to our rooms. Lance and I would be sharing one of the guest Alpha Suites, while Luke would be staying in an adjacent room. It was nice being reunited with the ranked members of my old pack; it reminded me of my simple days, when I didn't have a care in the world. Back when there were no wars, no major responsibilities. It helped me escape from the chaos of the past few days for a while.

Still, I couldn't help but notice they behaved differently in front of me. The Alpha and Beta had always treated me kindly despite my position in the pack, but now... it was as if they truly respected me. It was shocking to realize just how important titles were for our society.

"Alpha Lancaster, allow me to show you around. Our gardens look much more beautiful in spring than they do in winter, although the colors are always brighter in early April. It'll be your first tour as well, Beta Luke." Cedar switched his gaze from my mate to our friend before his eyes landed on me. "You are always welcome to tag along Luna Cait, though I'm sure you already know these lands far too well."

"Thank you for the invitation, Alpha Cedar, but I think I will go check on my mother while we're here," I politely declined. "It's been a while since I last visited her."

"We had coffee together the other day. She's doing well, but she misses her daughter dearly." He chuckled. "Well, we will be waiting for you to start the meeting."

"Thank you." I had to fight the urge to bow my head to him; Lunas shouldn't submit to other Alphas, but it was a hard habit to break. With a curt nod, I turned around to leave.

It was roughly a ten minute walk to the cottage I used to share with my mom. I texted Megan on the way there to inform her of our arrival. She would be free to meet us by sundown after she was done with work. However, judging by how she was bombarding me with messages, I doubted she was truly busy. I giggled as a thought crossed my mind; some things might change, but some of them would always stay the same.

A few feet away from the small house near the border, I could already sense the smell of delicious homemade food. It was too early for lunch, so the warm fragrance of freshly baked cookies was probably what was left of my mother's breakfast. I almost knocked when I reached the door, but then I remembered it was most likely unlocked. My suspicions were confirmed as I easily managed to push the door open.

The older woman was sitting on the couch, watching some classic TV show when I walked in, catching her by surprise. A gasp left her mouth as she stood up abruptly, running her hands over the fabric of her old faded yellow dress. I couldn't help but laugh at her reaction.

"Caitlyn! I wasn't expecting you! Had you told me you were coming sooner, I would have put on some better clothes." In her rush, she looked around the small house. "Oh dear, this place is a mess!"

"Mom, it's okay!" I stepped closer, holding her at arm's length. "It's just me, your daughter."

"It's not just you!" she argued. "You're a Luna now!"

"I might have a new title, but I'm still the same as I was before," I reassured her, finally hugging her.

"I'm so proud of you." She smiled brightly after pulling away. "Where is your mate?"

"Alpha Cedar took him on a tour around the territory."

"Of course. Let the men take care of business." She chuckled. "Why didn't you go with them? My sweet son-in-law needs your support."

"I'm sure he's fine." I laughed, sighing soon after. "I came here because I wanted to ask you something."

"Well, spit it out, my dear." She gestured for me to sit on the couch, and I obliged.

"Since I'm a Luna now, I have the power to bring new members to our pack," I started shyly. "Would you like to come live with me in Diamond Tempest? I'm sure Alpha Cedar will agree to letting you come back home with us."

She flashed me a sad smile before looking away, and my heart fell. "I would love to be closer to you, Cait. I miss watching you grow through my own eyes, but..." She made a brief pause, measuring her words. "You know I can't leave. This home... this is the only memory I have of your father. Every time I think about leaving, it feels like I'm abandoning him. I'm sorry-"

"It's okay." I assured her, taking her hand in both of mine. "I understand, Mom. I will try to visit more often then."

"Omega or Luna, my door will always be open for you." She smiled, pulling me in for another hug. I enjoyed our mother-daughter moment for as long as I could, but I knew I had other responsibilities to take care of.

"I need to go now. I'll come back as soon as I'm done so we can chat a little more."

"I'll be waiting for you this time." She chuckled.

After we said our goodbyes, I started making my way back, only in a bit more of a rush - I didn't want to be late for my first meeting. A great Luna should always be punctual, especially when I needed to convince Cedar my mate and I were reliable leaders. Making the most out of my walk, I kept playing the strategy we had discussed in my mind to make sure I wouldn't forget anything. Distracted and in a hurry, I momentarily stopped paying attention to my surroundings, which was a huge mistake.

Unlike our territory in Vancouver, Ninebark didn't have many trees, except in the area near the borders. As I walked closely past one, I felt something abruptly pull me by my arm. Before I could even understand what was happening, I was pushed against the large tree trunk, gasping as my back hit the wood hard. I opened my eyes to see a familiar face; all of the air immediately left my lungs.

The blonde man was standing right in front of me, both of his arms holding my shoulders firmly to make sure I wouldn't run off. His once vivid blue eyes had lost their color and were filled with affliction as if they belonged to a caged animal. His light golden hair had become dull, as if the sun decided to stop blessing him with its rays. His arms and chest weren't as buff anymore, the muscular build of one of the strongest warriors of the pack had almost completely vanished. If it weren't for the tribal tattoo on his shoulder, I probably wouldn't have recognized him. Did he really change, or did I just not find him attractive after our bond had been broken?

"Caleb?" I uttered out of confusion.

"Caitlyn." He closed his eyes, leaning closer. His nose almost touched my neck as he took in a deep breath, grunting in delight. I tried to back away, but was reminded I couldn't. "It's been so long."

He was right. The last time I saw him was on the day I met my mate, my warrior, my Alpha. And I was completely fine with never having to see his face again. The memory of him once pained me, yet now all I could feel was disgust. I tried to get him off me, reluctantly placing my hands on his chest to push him as hard as I could, but it was no use. Even though he looked much weaker than he used to be, he was still stronger than me.

"Let go of me!" I demanded in a high pitched voice, failing to hide my fear. He probably could hear my heart beating fast anyway.

"Shh... there's no need to scream." He looked straight into my eyes, making me freeze. "I made a mistake, and I realize it now. You always belonged to me, Caitlyn. Just let me take care of you." His face was coming dangerously close to mine, and for a second, I thought there was no escape for me.

"You're a Luna now, Cait! Make him submit!" Faye growled inside my head, offering me the strength I needed. "f**k, even if you were still an Omega, you would have to put him in his place!"

In the blink of an eye, my fear was gone as rage took over me. A low growl escaped my lips; if I couldn't run away, all I could do was face him. Instinctively, I headbutted him as hard as I could, making him groan as he finally released me to bring his hands up to his forehead, which was now bleeding. Fighter or not, I still had the heightened strength of a werewolf. There was a mix of shock and confusion in his eyes when he glanced up at me.

"I wasn't good enough for you when I was an Omega, but now that I'm a Luna, you suddenly want me?" I jeered, holding my head up high as I spoke to him. "I was with you when no one else was! I took your pain as if it were my own! But that wasn't enough for you, was it?" "C-caitlyn..." he stuttered, stunned by my aura.

"It's okay. I'm actually thankful to you." His eyes widened in surprise as I lowered my voice. "Because when you rejected me, I found someone who truly wanted me. Not because of my rank, but because of me. And guess what? We accepted each other, as mates should." I pushed the sleeve of the dress off my shoulder. There was pain in his semblance when he noticed my mark. "f**k off, Caleb! Now I am too good for you," I spat before turning my back to him; I knew he wouldn't try anything else. At least not for now. As I continued on my way, my feet were moving fast, my hands shaking because of the adrenaline in my veins. They couldn't see me like this, especially not Lance. He already had too much on his mind; I wouldn't add another concern to his ever growing list. It could ruin our already slim chances of making an alliance with Cedar.

"The situation has been taken care of already. You handled it pretty well, like the Luna you are." Faye tried to placate me, and to my surprise, her words actually helped. "Don't let that bastard torment you anymore. Just breathe in, and breathe out... you can do this." I followed my wolf's instructions in hopes it would calm me down. In a few minutes, I was feeling a lot better. Clearing my mind, I tried to forget my interaction with my first mate; like Faye said, he was in the past, and I would be damned if I let him haunt me. This is probably why he did it anyway - to destabilize me. There was no way in hell he could truly want me after the cruel way he rejected me. I was determined not to let him lure me into his stupid games anymore. With one last deep breath, I straightened my posture and forced a smile, slowing down to mask my rush. When I arrived, the two leaders and their Betas were waiting for me in front of the pack house.

As soon as their eyes fell on me, I blurted out the excuse I had prepared. "I apologize for being late. My mother was so excited to see me that she tripped and fell to the ground. I stayed a little longer to ensure she hadn't broken anything."

"Is she alright? I can send a doctor to check on her." Cedar kindly offered.

"There's no need to. She's fine," I insisted.

For a while, they all remained silent, but they seemed to buy the story I had come up with. The Alpha of Ninebark smiled fondly, turning around to lead us towards his office on the top floor. I was about to follow him when my mate snaked one of his arms around my waist, holding me in place. He furrowed his brows at me, and for a second, I was afraid he had been able to smell another male's scent on me, but I tried my best to keep a straight face.

"Are you okay, Cait?" he whispered, turning his head to look into my eyes. It was so hard to lie to him, yet I had no other option.

"Of course. Why wouldn't I be?" Lance's gaze lingered on me. I knew he could tell something was off, but thankfully, he seemed to remember we had more important issues to take care of. He tightened his grip on me as we walked inside.

Somehow, I managed to stay calm throughout the meeting. Most of the time, I just listened to their negotiations, occasionally pointing out something my mate forgot to mention. For an entire hour, we explained our situation in detail until Lance finally proposed an alliance between Diamond Tempest and Ninebark. All I could focus on was trying to mask my anxiety during the long seconds Cedar studied our proposal. His eyes scanned the documents we had brought, and a haze covered his eyes more than a couple times as he discussed the issues with his Beta via the mindlink. In the end, he sighed; after knowing him for so long, I knew it wasn't a good sign.

"I'm truly sorry about your situation, but I'm afraid I can't help you," he confessed.

My mate's face fell as he looked away. He tried his best, yet it wasn't enough. It filled me with sadness to see him in such a state, although he was trying his best to conceal his disappointment. I, on the other hand, wasn't doing a good job at masking my emotions. I clenched my fists, not ready to give up just yet. My mind was going a million miles an hour, my gaze shifting between the two leaders. In a blaze of madness, I had an idea; it was our last resort.

"Alpha Cedar, I understand our proposal isn't ideal." All eyes turned to me with surprise as I spoke. "Diamond Tempest once thrived, but we've lost too many resources due to the waging war we're facing. However, I know you are an honorable leader known for always putting your people first." He arched an eyebrow at me, intrigued. "We have no idea what the bears are after, but if they succeed in wiping out our pack and taking our lands, I'm afraid they won't stop there. They are growing in number, building an army." "What do you mean, Luna Caitlyn?" my former Alpha asked, leaning forward on the table - his gesture was proof I had managed to catch his attention.

"I mean if we don't stop them now, they might become a problem to our species as a whole. Whistler isn't too far away from Vancouver, and there are more bears living near Ninebark's territory. What if they decide to come here next?"

"It's a possibility, I suppose." He shrugged. "But I can't close a deal based on a hunch."

"As a Luna, I certainly understand." I sighed; this was the moment. All or nothing. "Which is why I would like to offer you fifty percent of our monthly income for an entire year. Diamond Tempest has always been a wealthy pack; we will have no trouble rebuilding our economy once the war is over."

Luke and Lance both looked at me in disbelief - or was it concern? I was offering Cedar a lot more than we had initially agreed on, but if the bears succeeded in destroying us, would it even matter how much money we managed to keep in our banks? The black- haired Alpha exchanged looks with his second in command. He knew it was a risky deal, but high risks came with high rewards. I knew the man too well to be sure he understood what was at play.

Cedar eventually nodded at his Beta, letting me know he had made up his mind. "You know I am very fond of you, Luna Caitlyn, but as a good Alpha, I can't make emotionally based decisions." He cleared his throat before continuing. "That being said, I am much more comfortable helping Diamond Tempest with the new proposal you made. It's still a risk, but one I can afford to make." He smiled before turning his attention back to my mate, who was flabbergasted. "What do you say, Alpha Lancaster? Do we have a deal?" My Alpha had to blink a few times to process what was going on. He then looked at me from the corner of his eyes, a huge smile lighting up his face before he stretched his hand out to the other leader.

"We have a deal, Alpha Cedar."

For the next hour, the two Alphas prepared and signed the documents for our treaty. It might be too soon, but I allowed myself to feel just a little more hope. There was still a lot we had to do, yet this was a huge victory definitely worth celebrating. Once we were done, Beta Lyall left the room to take the papers to the pack's Elder who would make our deal official, and we followed right behind him. As we stood outside, Cedar was informing us about holding a special dinner to formalize our alliance when we were suddenly interrupted.

"Stray!" Caleb yelled from a distance. A fire burned in my chest, my anger rising both because of what he had done to me earlier, and because of what he called my mate. However, as I heard his next words, all I felt was shock. "I'm here to challenge you for your Luna!"