The Rebellious Omega
Chapter 55

King Braedon POV

I was supposed to be doing paperwork but all I could think about was Blair and what she was up to. Was she really going to be okay doing training with her heart condition? I frowned down at the papers littering my desk, without even seeing them. I was worried about Blair but not wanting to admit it to myself or to my Beta who could read me like an open book. "She's going to be fine," James said calmly from his own seat opposite me "Stop glaring at the desk."

"I wasn't thinking about that" I lied and he gave me a knowing grin as I scowled at him.

"Whatever" I muttered and then gave James a sharp look "Did you look into all the members of patrol that night and how the rogues managed to get onto our territory?"

I was determined to find out who was responsible for what could have proved to be a potentially deadly threat intruding onto our territory.

James sighed. "You're not going to like this," he said grimly.

My eyes narrowed. I stared at him, he tightened his lips. He clenched his jaw. "I did carry out an investigation and we have a traitor in our midst," he said finally.

Somehow the notion did not surprise me. The way the rogues had attacked, going for myself and Blair, it had been too organized and well thought out. Normally they would have spread out in search of food. It was as though they had known we were there. I was angry though, to think a pack member would have allowed those disgusting miscreants to step foot on my land or go near my mate. I fought back the snarl that wanted to come forth and instead looked hard at James. "How can you be so sure?" I asked quietly.

I didn't doubt my man for a second. James was as honest and trustworthy as they came, but I wanted concrete proof. The paperwork lay forgotten on the desk. This was far more important. James folded his arms across his chest and scowled, his expression dark. "One of the patrol members was only young, 19 years old. Jack was supposed to be at his post but at first glance, it looked as though he abandoned it" he exhaled, shaking his head.

"At first glance?" I asked, knowing there was more to the story.

"It took me some time to find his body," James said tightly "It had been dragged into a cave no bigger than the size of him."

"Was it done by the rogues?" I was puzzled, rogues normally didn't leave anything fleshy behind as disgusting as that sounded.

James's expression was grim. "No, in fact at first glance it was impossible to tell how he'd died. There were no marks on him, no injuries, nothing. Rigor mortis had set in, so it had been more than a few hours." "Definitely suspicious," I said slowly and James nodded in agreement.

"Yes. I didn't trust anybody, so I personally took his body to somebody I trusted to examine. He died from a fatal dose of a sedative and poison" he said, his eyebrows creasing together "and it was not a pleasant death, but it also left no trace unless you looked for it."

"So he did not betray me" I murmured feeling regretful "Make sure that the family is taken care of and that there is a proper burial for him. We must find out who the traitor is without alerting them to the fact we know about them."

"Easier said than done. There are so many pack members it's going to be difficult to discern who it might be. Let alone how the poison was ingested. It had to have been someone that Jack trusted, but then he was so young, he might have trusted anybody that belonged in the pack" James said heavily.

He was right. My memories of Jack were of an intelligent, bright boy who was also awkward and naive. He wouldn't have been suspicious of a pack member bringing him something to eat or drink. He wouldn't have had any reason to be. Damn the bastard that had done this to him. I growled in frustration and glanced out the window. What was taking Blair so long to come back from training? I fought the urge to go and get her, remaining seated with difficulty. I was becoming highly possessive and protective of my mate and James smirked at me, enjoying my discomfort.

"Would you like me to fetch her for you?" he teased.

I glowered at him, even though I was tempted to ask him to do just that.

He chuckled and then glanced down at his folder. "You have an Alpha Cody from the Midnight Moon Pack arriving tomorrow for a treaty negotiation," he said smoothly, changing the subject and wisely avoiding any further wrath from me. "The midnight Moon Pack from memory is only a small one that is south of the border from here. But I don't recall an Alpha Cody being the Alpha" I said in confusion.

I was certain it had been an Alpha of a different name. James nodded "Yes, Alpha Cody took over when his father died last year from a rogue attack. He is doing extremely well in strengthening his pack and was one of the first to disband the breeding program before you made it illegal" he said, sounding pleased.

I was impressed by that. James wasn't finished "By all accounts Alpha Cody is a mature, kind, and compassionate Alpha who seeks only to protect the members of his pack, including the omegas. Something that is remarkable considering most packs think omegas aren't worth a damn" he added stiffly.

Hmmm, this Alpha Cody was very intriguing. "How old is he?" I asked with interest.

"23, perhaps that is why he is so amenable to change," James said nonchalantly "instead of set in his ways like the older Alphas are" he added with a scowl.

Yes, I had noticed that the older Alphas did not like change or the traditions being disbanded. They clung fiercely to them as though letting go was impossible for them. It was sad in a way. They needed to embrace modern times and learn that we needed to change with the times. We could not afford to stay set in our ways.

"Is he mated?" I asked James with interest, although part of me suspected I already knew the answer.

James shook his head. "He has not yet found his mate" he commented "and like you, he does not want to take a mate but wants his fated one. I imagine with his reputation that it will not matter if it's an omega or even a wolfless one."

Interesting. Not a lot of Alphas thought that way and until I met Blair, I hadn't been one of them either. I liked the sound of this Alpha more and more.

I agreed. A knock sounded on the study door and I smelt Blair's delicious scent, along with the smell of apples. She must have showered and washed her hair, I thought bemusedly. "Come in" I called, trying not to sound too eager to see her and sound more like the strong and powerful Alpha I was.

James just looked away smiling to himself. The door opened and Blair came sailing in. She was smiling and I relaxed after noting there were no bruises or injuries on her. Malcolm must have gone easy on her after finding out she was my mate. Thank god. "How did training go?" I asked her, standing up and moving to kiss her on the forehead.

James made a whipping motion behind her back and I glowered at him. He blew me a kiss and smirked. I scowled. He was a dead man when I got my hands on him.

"It was fun" she enthused as I sat back down behind the desk "I'm going to train every other day and it was fine," she said shooting James a dirty look "Malcolm was a very good instructor."

I relaxed. So she had enjoyed herself then. It almost made being stuck in this small space with James worth it. Come to think of it, I could use a training session, I thought grumpily. I eyed James. Maybe I could take my anger and frustration out on that bastard. He sensed my eyes on him and gulped. Blair just beamed at me. She seemed to be radiating with happiness. "So did you meet any other pack members?" I asked and she nodded quite happily.

"I met a pack member called Josie and she's invited me to go dancing tonight at a club. I'm to meet her tonight and she's going to pick me up" she said blithely.

f**k no. I was not going to let her go dancing in a club. The thought of men, ogling her, and staring at my mate while she was scantily dressed was enough to make me gouge a chunk in the table. My wolf let out a roar of anger. Blair blinked at me innocently. I fought to control my temper. James looked worried now, his eyes darting between me and Blair.

"You can't go," I said without thinking.

Okay, even I knew that was a terrible way to put it, but it was too late to take it back.

She scowled and folded her arms across her chest, her eyes flashing in defiance. Great. Another argument was brewing on the horizon. I should have put it more delicately, I thought with a groan. Still, I was stubbornly going to stick with my statement. She was not going and that was final.

"I don't recall asking your permission," Blair said evenly, her eyes narrowing as she looked at me with fury.

"I'm the Alpha King and I forbid you to go," I said, standing up and towering over her "Do you have any idea what could happen? Your drink could get spiked, you could get taken advantage of, you could get drunk and your so-called friends could leave you there. It's not happening Blair" I sniped.

She rolled her eyes "First off, I'm' not a f*****g child Braedon" she griped and I flinched from the venom in her voice "Two, I'm aware of what could happen and I will take the necessary precautions. I'm not going to miss out on having fun with the new friends I've made because you're being paranoid and overly possessive. I have a right to have a life and I am not going to spend it, locked away in the pack house" she said heatedly, her chest rising up and down rapidly.

f**k. Was she going to have an attack? I tried to keep calm. Exploding at her would only make her even angrier. "Blair, I just want you to be safe" I protested.

"I could get hit by a bus tomorrow, or have an attack that kills me" she snapped "I want to have fun while I'm young enough to do so. I came in here as a courtesy to tell you and now I regret doing it" she snarled.

I flinched. She swept her hair back over her shoulder and turned, James, stepping back quickly to avoid her walking into him "I'm going and I'm going to have a fabulous f*****g time" she quipped, glaring over her shoulder at me.

I slammed my hand on the desk, my own anger boiling over but she merely walked away, leaving me staring at a cracked and broken desk, her footsteps fading away in the distance as I seethed. I had never been so openly defied before and the fact that it was coming from my own mate made it even more annoying.

"Get a guard to keep an eye on her" I muttered between gritted teeth "and if they lose sight of her I will rip their head off their shoulders. Make that very clear" I hissed and James nodded, immediately beginning to mind-link one of the warriors as I sat there and scowled, my mood turning even more foul.