We reached the house and Cole produced the key from her pocket.
“Pack Sandstorm doesn’t have many omegas, does it?” I asked, but it was obvious by the way Sara was scared of how my presence would impact Sandstorm Pack members.
“We have no omega wolves; we haven’t since we began keeping records. What do you mean you don’t shift?” she answered and asked again.
“None,” I said, recognising what that meant.
During the Omega Trials, when omegas were denigrated as the cause of weakness, sickness, and conflict within packs, and we were forbidden from marrying and having children, Sandstorm must have effectively rid itself of all omega lineage.
“Answer the question,” Cole demanded, pulling me back to the conversation as she hung her coat up and turned to take mine from me.
“I meant what I said; I don’t shift. Not since the first time. It isn’t safe for omegas to shift with the rest of the pack,” I explained and handed over my coat.
Cole hung up the coat and ran her hand through her curls.
Her eyebrows scrunched in confusion.
“I want to make sure that I understand what you’re saying. You are saying that you have only shifted once in your life?” she asked.
“Yes,” I answered.
“And when was this?” she asked.
“Just over three years ago. I was twenty when my first shift happened. Since then, I use wolfsbane tea to prevent the shift,” I answered.
“That’s not possible. You haven’t shifted for over three years?” she asked.
“I don’t understand why you’re so hung up on this,” I said.
“It’s not safe to go more than a year without shifting. Everyone is given free access to werewolf-friendly national forest parks for that very purpose,” she told me.
“Omegas are different,” I told her.
“No, you’re not,” she answered.
“It’s not safe for me,” I argued. “Shifting with the pack once was almost enough to put me in the ground.”
Cole stepped closer to me, frustration in her eyes and the tightness of her lips.
“The scars?” she asked.
I stepped back from her. She reached out and gripped my wrist.
“You were attacked during your first full moon shift,” she stated.
“Yes,” I answered. “You’ve seen why I can’t risk that again.” I pulled my wrist free from her grip and walked towards the staircase.
Cole took hold of my upper arm, spinning me back to face her.
“You’re going to shift this full moon,” she told me.
“No, I’m not,” I told her.
“I wasn’t asking you; I was telling you. You’re going to shift this full moon. With me. I won’t let anyone harm you. You’ll be safe. You’re shifting,” she said like a declaration.
“You can’t make me,” I told her, hating how childish I sounded.
She pulled me closer to her.
