My Mate Is An Omega
My Mate Is A Virgin Chapter 22

Andromeda

POV

I was a little frustrated by my tour of the castle with my mate being cut short, but I soon realized I would have many other opportunities to show him around. Besides, I hoped Jasper would feel more comfortable discussing his future in the clan before the

huntresses joined us again.

Honestly, the outcome of their first meeting left me surprised. I knew Kindra definitely wouldn't get along with him straight away, but I surely wasn't expecting most of the other girls to accept their future king so fast. The only one I was sure wouldn't have a problem with him was Alula. Marina and Calynn were very loyal to me, which is why they probably didn't immediately question a werewolf's capability to lead our clan. I thought Mackenzie would deny him just to get to me, and seeing how she really reacted, I caught myself wishing she would have. Either way, I was glad the situation itself turned out better than I had imagined.

Once we walked through the tall doors of the royal dining room, I realized the large table hadn't been set yet. It made sense though; since we would be discussing private matters for now and would be waiting for the others to start dining, the servants responsible for the banquet should arrive later. My mother was sitting at the head of the table, with my father, our current King, by her left, and her second-in-command by her right. They were the only ones present.

After briefly introducing my mate to my father and the right hand, I joined them at the table and gestured for him to take his seat beside me. For the first few seconds, the King studied my Prince with judgemental eyes, clearly sizing him up, but since the Queen was supportive of our union, he had no right to speak his mind. If my mate noticed, he didn't show it.

"The huntresses will be joining us shortly," my mother announced, breaking the silence. "Have you become acquainted with them yet, Prince Jasper?"

"Yes...mother." I held back a small chuckle as I realized how reluctant he was to address the Queen in such an intimate way. Wolves value family more than cats do, so it probably felt weirder for him than it actually was for us.

"Good. Since you will be leading them alongside Princess Andromeda soon, it's important for you to gain their trust. Most males have to prove themselves to the Team of Huntresses at some point in order to be accepted by them..." Mom explained. For some reason, I realized her explanation made my mate feel more relieved than stressed. "Which brings us to our first topic of discussion." Her stern gaze finally landed on me. "Andromeda, you will be in charge of preparing Prince Jasper to officially take over as Snow Pelt's new King in a month."

"Yes, mother." Honestly, it was more time than I was expecting. Judging by the way the former Gamma relaxed in his seat, I could tell he thought the same.

"You must make sure he will be familiar with our customs and traditions by then, as well as in proper shape to defend the clan and his title," she continued. "I'm sure the uniqueness of your union will come with some challenges, but we should all trust in the Goddess, for she knows better than any of us."

From the corner of my eyes, I caught a glimpse of confusion in my mate's expression. Although I wanted to clarify what she meant, I knew now was not the time. There was a lot I would have to brief him on over the course of the next few weeks, but I didn't want to overwhelm him by throwing a lot of information at him at once. In an attempt to tranquilize him, I caressed his hand underneath the table before locking our fingers.

"Secondly, I wanted to remind you of the upcoming hunt, which will happen in two days."

I widened my eyes as a soft smile spread over my lips. "I had completely forgotten about it!"

"I imagined so." My mother frowned. It was hard not to roll my eyes at her. "While you were away, the huntresses couldn't venture to further territories to find larger prey. The whole clan has been eagerly awaiting your return, and they expect you to bring home a real feast."

"Of course. Genevra and I are ready. We won't disappoint our subjects," I replied confidently, exchanging smiles with my mate. The Hunt was a topic he was familiar with, both because of his studies, and because I had mentioned more than a few times how badly I missed joining the girls on our weekly hunts.

For the next half hour or so, we continued to discuss the details of the future King's arrival, as well as everything I would have to take care of following my return to Snow Pelt, until the other guests arrived. The huntresses all bowed before us, the royal family, before taking their reserved seats at the table. Mackenzie sat between our father and her fourteen year-old brother, Jackson.

Noticing the look of confusion in Jasper's face, I leaned closer to his ear. "My father's second wife and chosen mate, Mathilda, is my half-siblings' mother. Since she technically isn't part of the royal family, she usually doesn't join us for official dinners." I made sure to keep my voice low in order not to draw attention to our quiet conversation.

"Her being married to the King doesn't make her royalty?"

I shook my head. "Kings are allowed to have as many mates as they please, but the clan will only ever recognize one Queen, the one who was born to lead them. That would be my mother." When Jasper smirked, I immediately frowned. "Don't even think about it." "I didn't say anything." He chuckled.

Before I could start an argument, two voices sounded in unison, distracting me. "Sister!"

"Aiden. Caiden." A soft smile lit up my face as I turned my attention to the two blonde little monsters standing beside me. "Did you behave in my absence?"

"Yes!" the twins promptly replied.

"Don't lie to-"

"Woah! Is that the future King?" Caiden's eyes widened as he noticed my mate.

I giggled at their reaction. "Yes. This is Prince Jasper. He used to be the Gamma of Diamond Tempest Pack."

"A pack? As in a wolf pack?" Aiden's mouth turned the shape of an 'O'

"You're a wolf?!" Caiden whisper-yelled at my mate, his eyes glistening with amusement. "Do you have fleas?"

"Not that I'm aware of." Jasper laughed at the unexpected question.

"Aiden! Caiden!" The boys stiffened when they heard the Queen's voice. "Where are your manners? Stop disturbing the future King at once and take your seats! You are keeping everyone waiting!"

"Sorry, mother." Their gazes shifted between my mate and I for another second before they decided to follow Mom's order.

"Big family, huh?" Jasper asked with a gentle smile on his face.

"Yeah. These little brats are my twin brothers," I clarified. "They're only six years old, but they can wreak havoc when they're inspired."

"They're cute though."

"Maybe when they're sleeping," I joked.

Once everyone was seated, the servants walked in to set the table and fill our plates. As we all started eating in silence, I noticed my mate staring confusedly at the silver tableware. He even lifted the fork to study it as if it was an alien object. "What?"

"Where are the other forks?" He whispered in a tone of bewilderment.

I arched an eyebrow at him. "What do you mean?"

After a long silence, he finally put the fork down and uttered, "...Nevermind."

I kept staring at him for a while longer before I shook my head. I don't think I will ever understand what goes on in this man's complicated head.

***

Once dinner was over, and my mate was formally introduced to the most important members of our clan, we returned to the Princess' Chambers to rest. With how chaotic the previous twenty-four hours had been, we were so tired we fell asleep almost immediately. I thought my first night back at Snow Pelt would be amazing, but I couldn't rest well.

Through the bond I shared with Jasper, I could sense his heavy emotions. Even in his sleep, he was troubled, and it made me feel bad. I had experienced a little bit of what it felt like to leave my life and family behind to stay at a place where everyone is a stranger, but I could only imagine how terrible it truly was for him. I knew it would take time for my Prince to feel welcome here, yet it still broke my heart that I had taken him away from the only home he had ever known.

I couldn't help but wish I had been more patient instead of pushing him to move away before he was ready.

I woke up as soon as the sun rose on the horizon, lighting up the room. Not too long after, I watched Jasper shift in bed as he slowly opened his eyes. He swallowed his feelings to show me a small smile before leaning closer to plant a kiss on my forehead. "Good morning, My Princess." He sent goosebumps through my skin as he leisurely ran his fingers up my arm.

"Good morning," I replied, taking his hand to hold it with both of mine. As I stared into his beautiful blue eyes, I considered whether I should address the issue that was bothering me. Part of me thought it would be best to just give him time to adjust, but another part knew too well I wouldn't be able to rest until I made sure he felt more comfortable. "Ready for your first official day as the Lynx Prince?"

"Yeah." His voice cracked a little, like it always did when he was lying.

I offered him a reassuring smile. "You don't feel like you belong here, do you?"

"Why? I thought it was a good thing that I only made two enemies so far," he joked. It was the only way he knew how to deal with his problems. "Well, three if you consider Tigger."

"Ti- Are you talking about Wade?" I laughed, momentarily forgetting about the question I had asked him, but it didn't take me long to remember. I brought my hand up to his cheek, caressing his light stubble with the back of my fingers. He leaned into my touch, closing his eyes. For a second, I could feel his troubles wash away, but I knew it wouldn't be long before they were back. "Anyway. You can talk to me, you know. I felt like an outsider when I was staying at Diamond Tempest, so I know what it's like." He sighed, reopening his eyes. He took my hand, placing a soft kiss on the back of it before holding it close to his heart and turning to face the ceiling.

"It's alright. It's just...a big change."

"It is. But you will learn." I tried to tranquilize him. "You went from Omega to Gamma, and you handled your new responsibilities just fine. This time, it'll be no different."

"Let's hope you're right." He smiled at me.

"When was I ever wrong?" I said playfully as an idea crossed my mind. "How about we shift and go for a run? This way, you can get familiar with our lands, and hopefully relieve some stress."

"Don't you have a lot to take care of now that you're back?"

"Yes, but I'll only start tomorrow. No one expects me to work on a Sunday."

"If that's the case..." He brought his face closer to mine, making my heart stop as our lips brushed. "I would love to, My Princess."

We cuddled for a little longer before finally rolling off the bed. I ordered room service so we could fill our stomachs in private. As soon as we did, I held his hand and led him outside. Since it was still quite early in the morning, there wasn't a lot of movement on the castle, which helped my mate feel even more comfortable.

It was a cold morning, as it usually was in October, but neither of us were too bothered by it. The sun shining in the blue sky helped keep us warm as we crossed the snowy field of our territory, walking past many houses in the village until we reached the forest near the borders, where we shouldn't come across other lynxes.

Genevra had interacted with her wolf mate a few times back at his pack, but she still momentarily dropped her powerful posture whenever she saw him. Similarly, Phoenix turned into a puppy whenever he was around us. I had yet to see him look as menacing as the King he would soon become, but I knew he would waste no time to turn into a monster if need be.

After playing for a bit, the two creatures engaged in a play chase that soon turned into a full run through the tall pine trees. As the wind brushed through our fur, I started feeling a lot lighter, and I knew my mate felt the same way.

Genevra was faster than Phoenix, but around thirty minutes into our run, she finally let him catch up to us. The black and auburn wolf pounced on us, sending us rolling on the snow-covered ground. My lynx ended up on top of him, pinning him to the ground to announce her win. Judging by his wagging tail, I guess he wasn't the least worried about it though.

I was surprised to hear Genevra purr as she lowered her head, rubbing her face against our mate's soft fur. He did the same, also licking us to cover us in his scent - and his slobber. He even let out a few excited whimpers, clearly enjoying our proximity. He was such a puppy.

"Phoenix is wondering when you're planning on giving us your mark." At first, I was startled when I heard Jasper's voice ringing in my head. It was the first time we were communicating through mindlink since he marked me. Finally, we were able to talk to each other in animal form.

But his question also took me by surprise.

"I...hadn't thought about it, honestly."

Phoenix lowered his ears as he whimpered. "Do you not want to claim us?" My mate's tone sounded hurt.

"No, it's just...female cats don't usually mark males, since it's common for them to have multiple mates."

"We don't care. There will only ever be one woman in our life." I was stunned to see the sincerity in Phoenix's blueish-white eyes.

"You really want me to?" The wolf barked in agreement, letting his tongue stick out. I laughed at his silly gesture. "Alright, where should I place my mark? Cats usually claim their mates by biting the back of their necks, but it doesn't seem fitting."

"Well, wolves often place marks on their mate's shoulder or neck...but you can mark me wherever you'd like." I could see Jasper's smirk on his animal counterpart's face.

I felt my stomach turn in nervousness. It was a big deal to claim my Prince, and I wanted to make sure I would mark him on the perfect spot. But was I ready for it? After giving it some thought, I was ready to disappoint him and tell him I wasn't sure I could do it, until an idea crossed my mind.

"Hm, I like that," Genevra agreed with me, reading my thoughts.

"Good. Now, let's do this before I lose my courage."

With a deep breath, my lynx bared her fangs at the wolf beneath us. Wasting no time, she sank her teeth into his wrist, purring as we tasted his blood. Phoenix winced at the pain, but it didn't take him long to start howling in excitement. A rush of excitement consumed me as Genevra pulled away to look at the mark she had just placed on her mate. After proudly analyzing it for a few seconds, we proceeded to lick the wound to clean it.

"That tickles." Jasper chuckled, causing Genevra to stop. I swear I could see hearts in the wolf's eyes as they pierced through us. "Why my wrist?" he asked curiously.

I hesitated. My lynx immediately removed herself off Phoenix, allowing him to sit back up. "It's stupid," I uttered, hoping to brush him off.

"No, it's not." The wolf approached us slowly, rubbing his muzzle on our neck. Damn, his touch felt even better now that I had placed my mark on him. "Please, Dree. Tell me," Jasper insisted as his wolf whimpered in agreement.

How could I say no to those puppy eyes? Damn wolves and their tricks.

"Fine. But promise you won't laugh!"

"I would never."

I made Genevra look away, knowing I would never be able to face him as I revealed my stupid reasons to him. "I was the first person you ever felt comfortable enough around to wear your heart on your sleeve. I...I wanted my mark to symbolize that."

For a moment, there was only silence. My heart started beating faster, and my anxiety finally pushed my lynx to turn her attention to our mate again. I expected him to find it foolish. Instead, I noticed his eyes were misty, full of emotion. The next second, he wrapped his head around our neck in an animalistic embrace. Phoenix had never held us as tightly before.

"I love it. I love you." His sincere voice echoed in my head, making me lose my breath. Genevra closed her eyes as she pushed her head under our mate's chin, deepening their hug.

"Goddess. I'm supposed to be a fierce Queen, but look what you do to me!" Was I really scolding him for making me love him?

"The same thing you do to me." He laughed.

We let our counterparts spend some more time with each other, but after our emotional moment, we were eager to be together in human form as well. An hour later, we shifted back and put our clothes back on before returning to the town square. I was so distracted by his presence that I didn't even notice my half-sister standing in front of the castle until I heard her voice. "What did you do?" Her tone was a mix of accusation and shock.

When I finally turned to her, I realized her eyes were locked on our hands or better yet, on the mark I had just placed on my mate. "None of your business." I glared at her. I intended to walk past her, but she stood in my way, blocking our path. "You weren't supposed to mark the future King!"

"I'm the future Queen. I can do whatever I please," I countered, losing my temper.

"You can't lay your claim on him! What if he chooses to take another female?" She scowled.

Genevra hissed at the thought. "Like who?" I raised my head to stare defiantly into her eyes, daring her to answer.

And as foolish as she was, of course she did. "Like me!"

Whether it was her disobedience or my newly-discovered possessiveness over my mate, I saw red. A second later, pieces of my torn dress floated in the air as Genevra took control.