Chapter 3 The Omega Heir

The bells were still ringing.

Elnira stood at the entrance of the dining hall, gazing over the backs of the hurried guards that scurried across the courtyard beneath her.

The Alpha delegation was silent.

Even Aurelian, who had been relatively relaxed since his arrival, was fixed on the doors.

Then they opened.

A group of men filed into the manor.

The clothing and demeanor of these strangers were far more elegant than what was expected to see among the Alphas. Rich creams and browns were embroidered with golden thread, and every movement was smooth and deliberate.

A young man came up to the front of the group.

Golden-brown hair framed his angular face, hanging just a breath past his ears. Warm ambers eyes were shadowed by an unexpected sharpness hidden behind the amiability of his gaze.

He smiled at the sight of Elnira.

Not a courteous smile.

A proud one.

He approached to stand a few paces away and gave a sweeping bow.

"Lady Elnira Wolfsrein."

Elnira narrowed her eyes.

"You're the Omega heir."

"Cassian Aurelis."

At ease, the young man gave her a charming smile.

"I was starting to think I'd missed your birthday."

"You're late."

"I prefer to think of it as dramatic timing."

A couple of the guests chuckled.

Aurelian, however, did not.

Elnira caught this.

Cassian caught it as well.

His grin widened.

"So, this is the infamous Aurelian Veyr?"

Aurelian's gaze did not change.

"Cassian."

"Still as charming as ever, I see."

"We've never met."

"Yet you already look disappointed."

Elnira almost laughed.

Cassian turned back to her.

"I apologize for interrupting your meal."

"You don't seem the least bit apologetic."

"You're right."

Elnira's breath caught in her throat.

Cassian chuckled.

"What's with the pretense?"

Elnira studied him.

Where Aurelian was a locked door. Cassian was an open window.

The problem was she didn't know what lay within.

Her father stepped forward.

"Lord Aurelis, your family was expected to arrive tomorrow."

"We changed our plans,"

Cassian shifted his gaze to Elnira, "because I heard that the Alpha family had arrived already."

Aurelian's expression darkened.

Cassian continued, "I didn't want them to get too comfortable."

A few members of the Omega delegation tittered in amusement.

Elnira exhaled.

"This is what the next six weeks are going to be like?"

Cassian looked her in the eye.

"Probably."

"Wonderful."

The meal resumed.

Cassian seated himself at the empty chair across from Elnira.

Aurelian was several places down the table.

For the next few minutes, the men said nothing at all.

Elnira forced her attention back to her plate.

She failed.

She could feel their eyes on her.

After a long pause, Elnira looked up.

"Is there something on my face?"

Cassian chuckled.

"No."

"Then stop staring."

"I was admiring your necklace."

Elnira ran a finger over the moon quartz pendant her boyfriend had given her as a gift.

This?

"An Alpha gift."

Cassian's gaze drifted to Aurelian.

"Interesting."

Aurelian calmly picked up his glass of wine.

Cassian returned his attention to Elnira.

"You should be careful with Alpha gifts."

"Why?"

"Because Alphas rarely give something without expecting something else in return."

Aurelian put the glass down.

"Coming from an Omega, that's surprisingly considerate."

Cassian gave Aurelian a charming smile.

"And yet, you know I'm not wrong."

Elnira studied the two men. "Do all werewolves talk like this?"

"Only when your around, Aurelian," Cassian replied.

"I could say the same for you,"

Elnira groaned.

"Please not start brawling at my birthday dinner."

Neither of them responded.

Elnira jabbed a finger at the two of them.

"I'm being serious."

Cassian waved his hands in mock surrender.

"Peace."

Aurelian merely continued eating.

Elnira shook her head.

They were the heirs of the most powerful werewolf bloodlines. They acted like hormonal adolescents fighting for the last piece of cake.

Cassian leaned in closer.

"May I ask you a question?"

Elnira nodded.

"Do you actually want this?"

Elnira paused.

The world around her seemed to fade away.

What?

"The mate selection."

He lowered his voice.

"Do you want to choose one of us?"

Elnira glanced around the room.

No one seemed to be paying attention.

Elnira leaned in.

"I don't know."

Cassian studied her.

"That's an honest answer."

"Most people don't care if you like it or not."

"That's because most people think you're the key to six-hundred years of power."

Elnira was surprised.

He wasn't joking.

You understand that, don't you?"

"Of course."

"Then why are you here?"

Cassian's gaze never left her.

"Because I want to see what kind of woman is capable of making four families fight over her."

Elnira's heart skipped a beat.

That's not exactly reassuring,"

"It wasn't supposed to be,"

He smiled.

Before Elnira could get a word in, a loud crash echoed throughout the great hall.

A glass had been shattered.

All eyes were on the Alpha warrior who stood a few feet from the door, his hand clutching at a bleeding wound.

He was staring toward the windows.

"What happened?" Aurelian demanded.

The warrior turned to face him.

"There's someone outside."

All the werewolves in the room tensed.

Elnira stood.

"Who?"

"I don't know."

Aurelian was already walking toward the doors.

Cassian was right behind him.

Elnira watched the two of them leave.

For once, the rivalry between the young men had vanished.

Something had frightened them.

The courtyard was shrouded in darkness.

Aurelian stood near the large gates, flanked by Alpha warriors.

Cassian stood beside him.

Elnira forced her way past her protesting father and into the courtyard just as Aurelian was looking toward the trees.

"There's no one there,"

Cassian shook his head.

"That's not true."

Aurelian glanced at him.

"What are you sensing?"

"Rain,"

Aurelian frowned.

"That's all?"

Cassian's expression tightened.

"No."

Elnira came closer.

"What is it?"

Neither of the men responded.

Then the trees shifted.

Not the branches.

Something in between.

A shadow passed through the darkness.

The warriors instantly drew their weapons.

Elnira felt a strange sensation in her chest.

Her Wolfsrein senses were tingling.

There was someone near by.

Someone powerful.

Aurelian pulled her behind him.

"Stay in the back."

Elnira narrowed her eyes.

"I don't take orders from you."

"This isn't the time."

Cassian came to stand on her other side.

"For once, I agree with him."

Elnira turned to glare at both men.

"I can take care of myself."

"We know,"

Cassian's gaze was still focused on the trees.

"That's why we're worried."

A howl echoed through the trees.

Every werewolf in the courtyard froze.

It wasn't the howl of an ordinary wolf.

It was a strange, distorted sound that almost resembled a human wail.

Aurelian's expression tightened.

Cassian muttered something under his breath.

Elnira couldn't hear what it was.

"What?"

Cassian turned to her.

"Nothing."

Elnira didn't believe him.

Neither did Aurelian.

The howl came again.

Closer this time.

Then... silence.

A few seconds later, a black wolf entered the courtyard.

It came to a stop near the front of the gates, its golden eyes glowing in the darkness.

Elnira stared at the creature, transfixed.

The wolf looked her directly in the eye and then suddenly lowered its head.

Not to Aurelian.

Not to Cassian.

To her.

The entire courtyard fell silent.

Elnira's heart pounded against her ribs.

She took a step forward and the wolf instantly backed away, vanishing into the trees.

Aurelian turned to face her.

"What did you do?"

"I didn't do anything."

Cassian studied her closely.

"Maybe that's the problem."

Elnira frowned.

"What are you talking about?"

Cassian didn't answer.

Aurelian did.

"The wolf recognized your blood."

Elnira turned her gaze toward the trees.

"That's impossible."

"It's not,"

Aurelian said quietly.

Later that night, Elnira stood on her balcony.

The manor had finally fallen silent.

The moon hung over the forest.

She traced the pendant that hung from her neck.

The Alpha gift suddenly seemed far heavier than it had moments before.

She couldn't stop thinking about the strange wolf.

It had bowed to her.

Why?

A knock came from the other side.

Elnira turned to see Cassian standing in the doorway.

"You're still awake."So are you."

He came to stand beside her on the balcony.

"I wanted to apologize for coming in and causing trouble."

"For what?"

"For arriving and causing the trouble with the wolf."

"You didn't cause the wolf to appear,"

"No,

but I think someone did."

Elnira gave him a confused look.

"What are you talking about?"

Cassian's expression darkened.

"The four families didn't come here only because of the covenant."

Elnira's stomach twisted into knots.

"Then why?"

Cassian looked her in the eye.

"Because something is happening among the werewolves."