It’s already been a horrendously long day by the time I get to Omega Seminar that Wednesday night. I was tempted to skip the class entirely, but I’d never hear the end of it from our instructor, Leigh. She knows my heat cycle well enough that I can’t even beg off for that.
I’m just setting my stuff down when I hear it.
“New laws aimed at limiting the rights of omega mages have just been passed by the Council of Nine,” a news anchor says, the sound drifting from Bitsy’s phone.
The junior omega is sitting backward in one of the chairs in the omega lodge, focused on the small screen.
One by one, we gather around her, watching over her shoulder.
“This is some bullshit,” she mutters.
Leigh swoops into the lodge and sets down her bag, calling our Omega Seminar to order. “Miss Jordan, off your phone, please.”
“The Council of Nine’s first session since the horrific attack has seen a surprising package of new laws, sponsored and passed by Councilor Holden,” the anchor announces.
Leigh pauses, but nods for Bitsy to let the news play.
“The Council has banned omegas from casting certain spells, any infraction of which will lead to the omega’s magic being locked. This rare process makes mages unable to cast. Further, any omega caught using combat magic of any kind will be tried in court and put to death.”
Leigh gasps as our murmurs cycle through the room.
I know what this is. A witch hunt. The Soldiers and their puppet of a councilor are trying to weed outwitches—a slur used against omega mages they’ve deemed unseemly. Dangerous. But taking away their magic for casting certain spells? Putting omegas to death for defending themselves? It’s worse than a witch hunt. It’s eradication, omega by misbehaving omega.
It’s a new slant to Project Halcyon, all with the same aims.
My magic has already been taken away once. I know the pain of having it just out of reach, unable to cast. Magic has truly been freedom for me, just as I told Cora. I won’t let my magic be taken again. Saints, I’d sooner die.
Bitsy swears a blue streak and pockets her phone. “I’ll say it again. This is some bullshit!”
Leigh doesn’t bother chiding Bitsy for her language like she normally would. “Itissome bullshit,” our instructor echoes, her voice strained. “Girls… I’m frightened. This… No packs can protect us from this. I have a good pack, but even I…”
So, she finally realizes it. We’ve all muttered about Leigh not understanding the real plight of omegas in today’s world, but I can’t even quip that I told her so. That wealltold her so. I don’t have the fight left in me, not for her. Her despair is plain in the lines etched on her face.
“I encourage you all to be careful,” she whispers, voice shaking. “Don’t fight. Behave. It could be life or death now.”
Behave? No. I can’t behave when my magic is on the line,when the magic ofallomegas is on the line. I’ll fight for my independence until my last breath. And I will never let my magic be locked again.
When I leaveafter a very subdued session of Omega Seminar, Marcus meets me outside the omega lodge, and part of me wants to go into his strong arms and seek the comfort of his winter-wind-and-pine scent. Before I found out about his lies, I wouldn’t have hesitated. I would have let his comfort wash over me, soothing me and smoothing out all the jagged edges in my heart.
But I don’t go into his arms. Not this time. I stalk past him, ire rising in my chest.
Marcus grabs my hand, and I whirl around to face him, a glare on my face. I want nothing to do with him right now. His betrayal has denied me the comfort I once took in him. I want my pack, and he isn’t part of it.
“What is it, sweet-tart?”
“Don’t call me that,” I snap.
In my black mood, the last thing I want to hear is endearments from Marcus Haley. Not after all the lies. Not when he isn’t my mate.
He flinches, river-rock eyes going wide. “Juniper,” he protests. “What’s the matter?”
“Everything is the matter,” I snarl. New laws aimed at the eradication of omegas—new laws I break every time I train. I’m plagued by brutal memories. My father has forced barbarous images into my head that I’ll never forget. And if it’s not my memories or my father’s influence, I have my visions to contend with. Despite the grim things I’ve seen, I seek them out again and again just so I can know more about a cruel future we may not be able to escape.Omegas will die. Saints, an omega already has at my father’s bloodthirsty hands. And what if she wasn’t the only one? What if she was just the threat my father used to scare me?
Marcus tries to close the distance between us, but I turn on my heel and race away from him, needing to get to Cassian and Simon, to bask in their comfort and heal in their arms. They were studying on campus tonight, waiting for me to finish classes before we all drove back together. I need them, their arms around me, Cass’ scent in my nose.
“Juniper!” Marcus calls. “Slow down!”
He jogs to catch up to me and grabs my shoulder, but I slip out of his hold with practiced ease. After all, he’s the one that taught me the maneuver while teaching me self-defense.
