A chill runs down my limbs. “How do you know that?” Diala wants to keep her secrets. If she’s known to be an Omega, how hard would it be for someone to recognize her as the former queen?
“Scent.” Now he’s playing with my fingers.
“Is there any way to hide an Omega’s scent?” I muse without thinking. “Or reverse being an Omega?”
The sudden dagger of pain in our bond surprises me.
“Not for me,” I say. “For her.”
The sharpest of the throbbing dissipates, but a tender ache remains. Hunter’s face is expressionless, but he’s hurting.
“Maybe you can ask the other kings, the ones who have Omegas. Or we can talk to the other humans. I’d love to meet them.”
His bronze-flecked eyes are intent as he gazes at me.
“If the magicians can do an Omega serum, maybe they can do a reverse-Omega serum. I wouldn’t take it, though.” I put a hand to his face, stroking his cheek. “I wouldn’t want to.”
The emptiness in our bond says he doesn’t believe me.
TWENTY
The Hunter King
My little lysiaflower is still asleep when I slide carefully out of bed, tug on some clothing, and go in search of Brokk.
I’m still reeling from my last conversation with Haley. Did she mean it when she said she would remain an Omega if she had the choice?
I’m not so sure.
When she was taken by the Stone King, nothing else mattered but getting her back. Brokk, the other warriors and I were halfway to the Kingdom when I felt the shift. I cannot describe it, exactly, but the ground trembled and the very air changed.
Shortly afterward, we were approached a sea of Slythin led by Nala, the one whose fang I took all those years ago. When I tried to communicate with her, the usual invisible wall was gone and we could understand each other.
My Alphas were poised to attack, but I stopped them.
Using her mind, she told me what happened: she and her fellow Slythin had been bespelled by the Stone King, and she had been sent personally to take Haley to him.
Brokk stopped me from killing her the moment she admitted this.
Instead, I learned that she had then been sent to kill me, but that somehow the curse had been broken shortly afterwards. She and her brethren were free once again. They had come to warn me. To take me to rescue my mate. Once Nala had finished her tale, she dropped her head in invitation, and I leapt astride her.
Brokk was hesitant to ride Nala’s mate, Tax, alongside me, but I didn’t give him much choice. Once he had taken the plunge, he in turn mocked the others, who were just as afraid.
Remembering the way he called them cowards, I bite back a smile.
I find him in his chambers, still bleary-eyed. The last couple of days have been hard on everyone.
“Brother,” he says, taking the horn from his belt and holding it out.
I shake my head and drop into a nearby chair.
“Come to check on me, have you? I would have thought you’d spend the next several moon-cycles in bed with the queen.” He rasps out a chuckle.
I’m growing impatient. I need his help. I just don’t know how to ask.
“Council,” I tell him. “See Aurus.”
“Aurus?” He pushes his braid over his shoulder, thinking. “You want me to organize a council meeting with King Aurus?”
