“A true mating bond is what Ivy and I had together.”
A tear of sorrow rips through me at the reminder of his loss and I burrow my nose into Rogue’s throat, breathing in his scent for reassurance as his hand tightens on me.
“I told you when the government ordered the forced detainment of omegas, many of the alpha packs went crazy. This was because a lot of these packs had true mating bonds with their omega.”
Curiosity thrums through me as I remember his words upstairs. I know that the bitemark is a type of bonding. It forces the omega to bend completely to the will of the alpha, offering them greater leverage and control. This doesn’t sound like that though. I notice the pack sitting up straighter and listening intently.
“A mating bond develops over time. It can’t be forced, and it doesn’t happen for every pack. There is no clear checklist of what you do to induce a mating bond, although there are some typical steps that you might expect. It just…happens. It starts with being drawn to each other, and if given the attention it needs, then a true bond will form. Call it, love, fate, whatever you like.” Ezra smiles, a touch of sadness in his expression.
“As the bond develops, the omega and alphas involved start to exhibit certain behaviors. Alphas become more prone to aggression outside of the pack, highly protective of their potential mate and very alert to their needs.”
I meet Ace’s wide-eyed glance and we both look down at the blanket.
Ezra continues. “Omegas, on the other hand, can see quite dramatic developments. Their scent deepens and they become very prone to nesting, wanting quiet, contained spaces. This becomes a crucial omega need when they move into a natural heat.” I flinch and Ezra shakes his head, answering the question that sits on the edge of my tongue.
“Not an artificial heat,” he clarifies softly, and my pack growls in unison at the reminder. “A natural heat is just that – completely natural. Omegas used to have heats fairly regularly, normally a few times a year, but only when the mating bond was complete. This would normally be when pregnancy would occur. The final step of establishing the mating bond is a mutual bite during heat. Alphas place their bites on their omega, and the omega places their bite on the alpha, creating the final strand of the bond and linking the two together.”
My eyes widen as I imagine my pack wearing my bite.I want that.
“The bond also causes changes to hormone levels for both alpha and omega. They can find themselves acting irrationally, to say the least. You must remember that omega biology is different to a beta. Theyneedto connect with their alphas. If this need is not met, it can cause physical pain and damage to an omega. It can be incredibly dangerous, particularly during a heat.”
I sink back against Rogue, thinking over this new information. Devlin leans forward. “Ezra, how does the creed fit into this?” I flinch slightly at the mention.
Ezra grimaces, his hands tightening on the arm of the chair. “The government took everything that was pure and natural about the mating bond and bastardized it. The rules of the creed take their origins from the true bonding process. Any mention of the mating bonds was wiped out after the omega war. It didn’t fit their narrative.”
I imagine omegas stolen from their homes and forced into compounds, ripped from their children and families, and forced to obey a set of rules that made a mockery of everything they lived for. “That’s so cruel,” I breathe, and Ezra nods in agreement.
“The omega creed was the final nail in the coffin for mating bonds,” he says softly. “It made it almost impossible for any bond to take root and grow. How could it, when the omegas were being abused so badly? Bonds need affection, love and support to grow. It relies on the alpha meeting the needs of the omega. The creed stripped all of that away. Of course, that was the whole point. It allowed the Government to share omegas as they pleased, either through gifting them to packs or through the heat nests. So much easier for them without angry packs and bond mates coming after them.”
Ace shifts. “Ivy – my grandmother. You were bonded mates.”
“We were,” Ezra says. “When the bond was complete, I felt her inside me every day we were apart. We could push emotion to each other in much a similar way as you can through your pack bond.” Ace nods.
“It also meant that I knew the moment she was no longer on this earth. There is no pain like it,” he finishes quietly.
We fall into silence for a few minutes, each of us deep in thought. Desperation pulses through me at the thought of a bond like the one Ezra has described. I want to be joined to this pack in that way.
“And you think that this might be on the cards for us?” Gabe asks.
Ezra peers around at us in surprise. “On the cards?” he says. “You’re already well on the way. It’s quite clear from your behaviors.”
ChapterThirty-Nine
Harper
Amating bond. My hand slips down to my chest as the pack lets out simultaneous expressions of shock and surprise.
I should be shocked, but I’m not. This feels…right. Like it was always meant to be. I glance around at them and see everybody looking at me.
“I… this doesn’t feel like a bad thing to me.” My voice comes out too high. Maybe it does to them? A spike of fear stabs into my heart. Maybe they don’t want a mating bond with me.
I suddenly feel like I’m trapping them. My eyes drop to the ground, emotion creating a lump in my throat. Tears spring to my eyes and I let out a sniffle. Knees appear in front of me and I glance up at Devlin as he slides his arms around me. “What is it, princess?” he asks urgently, searching my face worriedly. “Do you not want this?” Rogue growls behind me.
“I do,” I whisper, staring at him. “I want this, Devlin. With you. With all of you.” Devlin’s finger catches a tear from my cheek. “Then why the tears?”
“It’s so much to ask,” I say quietly. His brows lower in confusion, so I explain. “You’ve already done so much for me. With the compound, and the creed. This just seems like it’s too much to wish for.”
Dev’s arms tighten around me, and he growls. My back snaps straight as he barks at me, my eyes flying wide. Devlin ispissed.
