And,a voice in the back of my mind said,if I run into any cute omegas while I'm here, that'll be a plus...
That was a big reason I'd wanted to come here alone. After Pops told me the situation, I wondered if it'd be an all-paws-on-deck deal. But that wasn't what happened.
"Okay," I'd said. "When do we leave?"
Pops had shaken his head. "I think it's best if you go alone and see the damage for yourself. Besides, I told your Dad I'd go to him when I was done with you."
(I tried not to feel shitty that I'd upset Dad enough to throw a wrench in that familial conversation.)
"Besides," Pops said with a slight grin, "maybe this will be the big adventure you've always wanted."
My fur ruffled with excitement before I forced it to lay flat. I didn't want to get my hopes up. Where was the adventure in crappy weather and some beached rocks? Besides, why would there even be omegas here? Maybe when this was a nice beach, sure, but not now when it was desolate and stormy. If I was an omega looking for a nice vacation spot, I'd skip this place in its current state.
A strong wind whipped against me, ruffling my pelt the wrong way. I grunted as it pushed me up against the rocky wall. The gust brought a strange smell; salt and fresh water at the same time.
"What the...?"
Confused, I brought my snout down and licked the water. It was salty, but upon an immediate second taste, it was fresh.
That wasnotsupposed to happen. I'd witness Granddad changing the quality of the water on a whim before, but it was always for a reason, measured and careful, never wishy-washy like this. This couldn't be good for the creatures who depended on the water, both mute animals and shifters alike.
Grimacing, I picked up the pace, running along the sliver of beach. I didn't even know what I was looking for except any sign of Nautilus. But what sign would he even leave behind? He was a magical being who could literally disappear into the water. How was I supposed to find someone who couldbecomeliquid?
"Granddad!" I called, raising my voice to be heard above the roaring waves. "Hey, are you there?"
No response.
"Dammit."
Maybe I wasn't loud enough. The furious sound of the wind and waves was amplified by the natural curve of the coast wall. But as people were always telling me, I had a big mouth and I knew how to use it, so I threw my head back, letting out a rich howl that cut through the noise.
Still nothing. I swore under my breath.
As if sayingshut up, stupid wolf,a gust of wind slapped me across the muzzle. But after shaking it off, I realized it carried unfamiliar scents with it. My eyes widened.
It was the scent of omega. Not just one, but many.
"The fuck?" I said.
I stared in the direction the wind came from. It blew in from the far coast wall, where the rock tapered off and crumbled away into the water. How was that possible? I didn't see anyone or anything there.
But my nose didn't lie. I knew omega when I smelled it. Trusting my gut, I exploded into a sprint and ran towards the source of the scent.
My nostrils flared as the scent intensified. I was right. Therewereomegas around here somewhere, even though I'd never noticed them before. A wild idea popped into my mind: did they have something to do with Granddad's disappearance?
I'm going to get to the bottom of this.
My paws splashed into water. I grunted, looking down. The tiny sliver of beach had completely disappeared beneath the violent waves. Good thing I could swim. It was slower than running, but it would have to do during this weird storm.
Following my nose, I paddled through the current. It pushed and pulled me but I was stronger and a hell of a lot more determined.
As the edge of the coastal cliff loomed closer, I gasped. There, right around the corner, was an indent in the rock face. I'd never noticed it because of the odd angle. That was where the strong omega scent was coming from. Just like the acoustics, the naturally curved area must've prevented scents from blowing out towards the beach normally. But whatever was happening now wasn't normal.
How many omegas have been living right under my nose this whole time? There's a whole treasure trove of them right here in Granddad's waters.
What if one of them was my fated mate?
My heart raced as I paddled closer. As I turned the corner, the indent fell away into the mouth of a cavern, perfectly situated to avoid being seen from any other angle. Soft light came from inside the cavern. There were definitely people living in there.
