The Orphaned Omega

Chapter 4

[Ian's POV]

The anticipation of tonight has been killing me. I couldn’t wait for my father to officially announce me as the new Alpha. I’d been training and planning and waiting for this my entire life, and I was beyond thrilled it was finally here. I had a lot I wanted to do with this pack once the reigns were officially mine, starting with solidifying some shaky alliances in our area and cracking down on warrior training. Things had been quiet lately, and I think my father had gotten lax as he neared retirement. I planned to change that.

I adjusted the lapels of my suit, looking at myself in the mirror. I smirked, turning slightly each direction, and watching as my white button-down shirt stretched tight over the muscles of my chest. The black jacket also fit snugly on my arms, and I was a little worried if I moved too quickly, I may break the seams. I ran my comb over my hair a final time to ensure it was in place before going to grab the tie laying on my bed. I was just finishing getting the knot adjusted when there was a knock on my door.

“Come in!” I said, turning to see who it was.

My mother popped her head in, smiling when she saw me. She opened the door fully and walked in, latching the door shut behind her. “Oh, look at you – my baby boy all grown up!”

“Mom, stop,” I laughed, shaking my head.

She grinned and took hold of my shoulders in her petite hands. “You look so handsome. The Moon Goddess will be thrilled to accept you tonight.”

I swallowed, my Adam’s apple bobbing. “I hope so,” I said. I knew our pack would accept me as their new leader without issue, but part of the Ceremony was that the Moon Goddess bless your title. If she didn’t…I didn’t even want to think about what would happen.

“Well,” my mom said, dusting lint off my shoulder. “I know so.”

I smiled softly. “Thanks, Mom.”

She nodded, looking up at me. She was so small compared to Father and me. Even Bailey was a couple inches taller than her. But I knew better than to judge my mother based on stature alone. She’d been a general’s daughter before mating with my father, and I think she may fight even better than he does. “I hope you find your mate tonight.”

I snorted, shaking my head. “I have more to worry about than that.”

“I know, I know,” she said. “I just think it would be the icing on the cake!”

My mother had been going on and on about the benefit of a mate for the past six months as she planned the Alpha Ceremony. I knew where she was coming from – being mated would make me stronger as an Alpha. The pack would be thrilled to have their Luna so soon too. Plus, it didn’t hurt that both my father and grandfather had found their mates the night of their Ceremony. It was basically tradition, and I think most of Dark Pine was anticipating me finding mine tonight too. I wasn’t opposed to it, and my Lycan – Thorin – was even excited about the possibility.

‘She’s right, you know.’ Thorin said in my head. ‘It would be nice to find mate tonight.’

‘You keep saying that. But it’s going to be enough work prying this pack out of father’s hands. We don’t need to add getting to know our mate into the mix.’ I replied.

‘Fine. I get you. Just, please…don’t sleep with anyone else now until we find her.’ Thorin was such a hopeless romantic. The first time I’d slept with a girl, he’d whined about it and even gave me the cold shoulder for several days. He had given me a twenty-minute monologue on how important it was to wait for our true mate. But I was a teenage boy, for crying out loud! I had needs and desires. It was old school to expect me to wait until my mate came along. Besides, what if I didn’t find her for years?

I chose not to reply to him and was actually glad when my dad walked into the room. He was just barely starting to gray along the edges of his temple, and his beard was salt-and-pepper now. Somehow, it just added to his already severe look. He gazed at me with dark, impenetrable eyes; his expression was unreadable. Father and I didn’t truly get along behind closed doors. In front of the pack, we made sure to put on a united front. But in reality, the man was stone cold towards me and never showed an ounce of pride for my accomplishments. A few years ago, I’d even overheard him telling his Beta that he didn’t want me taking over. I couldn’t fathom why he hated me so much. He seemed to adore my younger sister and praised her every chance he got. But everything I did had to be beyond perfect or else he would find some way to punish me.

Thorin growled in the back of my mind at the look my father was giving us, and I had to bite the inside of my cheek to keep from letting the noise out myself. “Father,” I greeted, breaking the tense silence.

He dipped his head in acknowledgement. “Don’t embarrass me,” he said shortly before ushering my mother out of the room. She glanced over her shoulder at me apologetically as she followed him.

I let out a slow, controlled breath to give myself time to reel in my anger. Nothing I ever did would be good enough for that man. I adjusted the tie on my neck and popped in a few breath mints before heading for the door. I glanced at the clock just before leaving my room. 11:30. In just 30 minutes, I’d officially turn 18. I stepped out into the hallway and headed for the stairs. I caught sight of my sister greeting my parents at the bottom of the stairs. I watched the three of them from the landing for a moment. Bailey had a huge smile on her face, like normal. The girl never seemed to be in a bad mood. Sometimes, I was jealous of her for that. She didn’t have the same pressure on her as I did and was more or less free to just live her life. If I so much as stepped a toe out of line, I risked my entire future. I was just itching for the Alpha title to officially be mine so I could relax a little bit.

My father gave Bailey a big hug, then had her twirl so he and my mother could admire her outfit. Her sparkly, floor-length silver dress caught the light of the chandelier, and it glimmered like sunlight on water. She laughed and leaned in for another hug, my mother joining in this time. The sight of them so carefree, my father so…happy pinched my heart. I would give anything for him to even smile at me some days. The three of them headed out the back door and into the garden. In just a few minutes, my parents would make the announcement to start the evening’s festivities.

‘Soon, we won’t have to worry about him. He’ll be part of our pack and will have to worry about us.’ Thorin said, trying to sound encouraging. I rolled my eyes and then straightened my shoulders as I headed down the stairs. He wasn’t wrong, but I decided to stop dwelling on it for right now. I just had to make it through this Ceremony and pray Selene didn’t reject my status. I paused by the back door, listening as my parents ascended onto the stage.

“Attention!” My father’s voice boomed across the garden, and a hush fell over all in attendance. “We are about to begin the Alpha Ceremony for my beloved son and heir, Ian. For those visiting, my wife and beloved Luna, Evelyn, and myself welcome you to our pack and to our home. I’d like to take a moment to introduce the Elders in attendance overseeing tonight’s Ceremony.”

He gestured to the three older Lycans sitting toward the back of the stage. The Elders were just that – elder members of a pack. They conducted all major ceremonies and helped ensure Lycan law was being upheld. Basically, they worked as a checks-and-balance system for the Alpha. I leaned out a little further, hoping I may find that we’d had the fortune of having a Royal show up too. An Alpha Ceremony was a big event, but it was not usually something that got the attention of the Queen. In rare cases, though, she may deign to send someone from her royal court to oversee the festivities. My heart sank a little when I realized we hadn’t had such luck. My father, naturally, had had a royal attend his Ceremony. This would just be another way I’d disappoint him.

“We have Elder Barry,” my father said. The man on the far right stood briefly and waved as the crowd applauded. “And Elder Manuel and Elder Saul.” The next two men stood as well and either nodded or waved. I saw my father turn toward them a bit. “Thank you for overseeing this Ceremony tonight. May the moon and stars bless you.”

The crowd’s applause died down and my father continued. “Tonight, will serve as a tremendous occasion for Dark Pine. It feels like just yesterday that I stood in my son’s shoes, excited and nervous to take over the care of this pack. I can assure all of you here, from our guests to my own pack, that I know Ian will lead us into a grand future.”

I grit my teeth as I listened to him speak to the crowd. There it was – the Father of the Year act. He really laid it on thick when he needed to keep up appearances. I had long since stopped believing a single word he said when it wasn’t behind closed doors. The only time he was being truthful was when he was acting like an emotionless robot. I gave myself a quick shake and jogged in place a few times to break myself out of the spiral of dark thoughts and bring myself back to present. I heard my father introduce me and the crowd’s clapping mounted again. I drew in a deep breath and headed out the door.

I walked up toward the stage, glancing out over the multitude of people. Everyone was dressed to the nines tonight, all smiling and clapping up at the stage and watching as I crossed the yard. I lifted my hand to them in a short wave, giving them my best smile. My heart began to thud in my chest, blood roaring in my ears. I ascended the steps to be next to my father and we grasped hands, shaking firmly.

Elder Barry rose from his place and came toward us. He adjusted the mic down to his height and cleared his throat before addressing the crowd. “Welcome everyone, welcome. Thank you, Alpha Harry, for inviting me to participate tonight. It is my most esteemed honor! First, Luna Evelyn will give a prayer to the Moon Goddess, and should She bless young Ian with Her approval, we will move on to the Alpha’s Oath.”

My mother stepped forward, her black dress brushing the floor as she walked. She smiled softly at me and moved to be able to take my hands in hers. She lifted her face up towards the sky, moonlight bathing her fair skin and washing her in silver. Her eyes closed and the crowd became so quiet I could have heard a pin drop. “Please join me in our prayer,” my mother started. Her voice took on an ethereal tone, almost vibrating and dancing through the air. “Our dearest Selene, we ask humbly that you join us tonight and look down upon young Ian as he asks to step into your servitude and the servitude of this pack. Will you show us a sign of your approval as he Ascends to his place as our Alpha?”

Silence loomed after her words. I suddenly felt like I was going to throw up. My mother’s hands squeezed mine in comfort, but she didn’t move otherwise. I could feel the gaze of dozens and dozens of Lycans on me, and my skin began to tingle. Seconds turned into minutes, and I felt like time was stretching on forever. Nothing was happening…Selene was going to reject me. My heart thundered like a racehorse galloping around the track, faster and faster and faster. Finally, I heard a collective gasp and then the sound of clapping from the crowd. My mother turned her face back down to me and smiled widely. I dared to look around, wondering what had happened. That’s when I realized I was glowing faintly with silver, as if a spotlight was shining up from under my feet.

My mother lifted one of our joined hands into the air, dropping the other so she could shift to face the crowd. “The Moon Goddess has made her decision!” she crowed. “Ian has been accepted!”

I smiled widely, my eyes scanning over the crowd. I saw no faces of disapproval. Everyone was smiling too. My mom lowered our hands, and the glow faded. I felt so relieved my knees could have buckled.

Elder Barry stepped back up to the microphone. “Congratulations, Ian,” he smiled warmly at me, and I nodded my thanks to him. “Now, I will ask both you and your father to make a small cut in your hand and allow your blood to drip into this goblet.” He raised a golden chalice from its place on a podium beside us. It was engraved with our pack’s insignia – a wolf howling with the outline of a pine forest behind it.

My father stepped up beside us and took the knife from Elder Barry and made a rough cut into the palm of his hand. He didn’t even look at me as he let the drops drip into the cup. I took the knife from his outstretched hand and proceeded to do the same.

“Now,” Elder Barry said, keeping a hold of the chalice. “Alpha Harry Weller, do you agree to step down from your role as the Alpha of the Dark Pine Pack?”

My father nodded his head. I could see his jaw was clenched tight, a muscle in his temple throbbing. He hated everything about this. “I do.”

Elder Barry turned to me. “Ian Weller, son of Alpha Harry and Luna Evelyn, do you agree to step into the role of Alpha of the Dark Pine Pack?”

“I do,” I said confidently.

“Do you promise to uphold Lycan Law and continue to lead this pack fairly and justly?”

“I do,” I repeated, confirming my words with a steady nod.

“And do you promise to protect your pack and people, even at the cost of your life?”

“I do.”

“Then, with the blessing of the Moon Goddess, I now pronounce you henceforth as Alpha Ian Weller of the Dark Pine Pack,” Elder Barry said. “Please, drink from the Ceremonial Chalice to allow for the transfer of power.”

I reached out to take the goblet from him, schooling myself to not look too eager. I glanced at my father, who was now staring at me with dead, unforgiving eyes. I looked over to my mother and sister, both of which had large smiles on their faces. I brought the chalice to my lips and let the liquid pour into my mouth. I swallowed the mouthful and as it sank down my throat, I could feel a sudden explosion of power within my body. Every nerve ending was set ablaze, and Thorin growled softly in my mind with pleasure. My Alpha aura burst out of me, and I saw the majority of the crowd bow their heads and tilt them to expose their necks in submission. I drew in a breath and felt the aura rush back to me. I’d have to get used to wielding that power.

Elder Barry composed himself and straightened, gesturing to me as if he were presenting me to everyone here. “Another round of applause to welcome our new Alpha!”

The crowd burst into applause louder than they had all night. It was a roar of noise, my pack even standing up. I faced them with a large smile on my face. A breeze picked up through the yard, carrying with it the scent from the gardens around us. I let out a long breath I didn’t realize I had even been holding, a rush of relief spreading through me. I was officially the Alpha! Finally. When I inhaled again, I could smell the myriad of flowers from the gardens, but I was also hit with the most amazing thing I had ever smelled before. It was a mix of lavender and vanilla, with just a hint of spice. Suddenly, Thorin was all but roaring in my mind.

‘Mate! Mate! Mate! Find mate!’ he crowed, over and over. I could feel him trying to press forward, and I had to forcibly push him to the back of my mind to avoid shifting while still on stage.

‘Calm the f**k down, dude. We will find her, but we need to get off this stage first.’ I chastised.

He growled but stopped trying to take control. ‘Fine. But don’t take too long.’

I stepped toward the mic to address the gathering, feeling anxious now for an entirely new reason. I couldn’t wait to get down off this stage and go hunting for the source of that smell. “Thank you,” I said. “It is my greatest honor to stand here today as your new Alpha. I promise I will do all I can to continue in my father’s footsteps and make you all proud. I’d like to take this chance to officially name my Beta and my Gamma. Your new Beta of Dark Pine is Finn Sanders. Finn, would you please stand?”

My best friend stood from his table in the front row, waving to the crowd. Finn was tall and lean, but he was a strong warrior and had been my confidant since we were in diapers. He was the general’s son, so this was technically a promotion.

“And for my Gamma, I have chosen Hudson Taylor,” I announced. “Will you please stand?”

Hudson pushed out from his seat and waved as well. He was shorter and stockier than Finn, also a good fighter but had a brain for strategy and law. He would balance our council out well. Hudson was our current Beta’s youngest son, and while everyone had expected him to be a Beta too, Hud, Finn and I had all agreed to the rankings when we were in the fifth grade. I knew there would be no hard feelings. “Now, let’s eat and enjoy the evening!”

The clapping started up again, but I made for the stairs to get off the stage. I was about to duck off into the crowd after the source of that scent, but Bailey came out of nowhere and attached herself to my side.

“Big brother!” she squealed. “Congratulations!”

“Thanks, Bails,” I said, giving her a squeeze.

She smiled. “C’mon, lets go eat.”

“I—” I couldn’t say no as she dragged me toward our table right off the side of the stage. The smell of steak and potatoes wafted toward me. Usually, this would make my mouth water. But instead, I was just frustrated that it was interfering with the smell of my mate.

‘I knew you wanted to meet our mate just as much as me!’ Thorin said smugly.

‘Oh, shove it, you big dog. I can’t help it.’ I snorted. It wasn’t my fault. If I’d had my way, I would have shoved this moment off for a few years. Maybe a decade. But now that I had smelled that sweet scent, I wasn’t about to just let her run off. I settled into my seat, resolving to play nice with my family and the Elders for a bit, and then find her once dinner was over. My eyes scanned over the tables near us, hoping to catch a glimpse of her. I saw Kelsey was staring intently at me. Hope swirled in her eyes. I knew she was really hoping that she’d turn out to be my mate, and from a strictly social perspective she wasn’t a bad choice. She was a Gamma’s daughter. My dad may even have approved if she were my mate. I didn’t really have anything against her – I have slept with her after all – but part of me was relieved when our eyes met, and I quickly realized she wasn’t my mate. I quickly looked away from her. I didn’t want to deal with letting her down quite yet.

I kept looking, craning my neck a bit to try to get a good look at the tables where visiting pack members were seated. No one I saw seemed to be my mate. Frustrated, I turned to my dinner and attempted to immerse myself in the small talk.

‘Eat faster,’ Thorin grumbled.

‘Shut. Up. I’m doing my best to hold it together here, and you are not helping.’

‘Just get up on that stage and call out for her!’

‘Absolutely not. Don’t make me lock you in there.’

‘Doubt you have it in you.’

I ground my teeth together, but let it go. I didn’t like fighting with Thorin, and I knew he was just on edge as he waited impatiently to be able to go find our mate. The remainder of the dinner seemed to drag on. Everyone’s voices buzzed in my ears, but I couldn’t concentrate well enough to understand any of the words coming out of their mouths. When dinner and then dessert were cleared away, I went to get out of my seat. I was thwarted yet again when our former Beta came over to congratulate me himself. Hudson trailed behind him, and I saw Finn getting up to make his way over to me too. I spoke with them for a few minutes before my friends ditched me to go dance with some she-wolves from another pack.

Before long, a line had formed of people that wanted to shake my hand and speak to me. I lost track of the names and faces that came by. I was hopeful that when our neighboring packs began to come up one of them would bring her. It quickly became apparent that that wasn’t the case. I wanted to excuse myself and go on the hunt, but I knew I had to stay rooted in place and play nice. All of these packs were our allies, and it was important I continued to be polite and accommodating so I didn’t burn any bridges.It was all such a blur, and I barely could remember their faces, let alone match them to names. It didn’t help that all the while, Thorin was barking in my head to just tell them all to get the f**k out so we could go find her.

Finally, a short, beefy man walked up to me to shake my hand. His arm muscles were thick, and I had a feeling he could choke me out with one arm and do bicep curls with the other at the same time and not even break a sweat. “Alpha Ian,” he greeted cordially, smiling at me.

“Alpha Scott,” I said, shaking his hand. Alpha Scott was the Red Moon pack’s Alpha, and our closest ally. “Its good to see you. Thank you for joining us.”

He nodded his head. “Absolutely. Here, I want you to meet my family.” He gestured to the people behind him. “My lovely wife, Valerie. My son, Cameron, and my daughter, Shelby.”

“Its my pleasure to meet you all,” I said, shaking each of their hands in turn. I could feel Scott’s eyes on me, and even my mom’s from somewhere behind me, when I shook Shelby’s hand. I think they were hoping she’d be my mate. She was beautiful, with waist-length red hair and a tight little body. Her bright blue eyes blinked up at me demurely and she smiled shyly. I gave her another brief nod as I let go of her hand. She would have made a good Luna, but she wasn’t her. When I looked back at Scott, I could see him quickly masking the disappointment on his face.

“Well, we’ll have to get a meeting on the books soon,” Scott said. “Ensure our alliance is up to your standards.”

I chuckled. “Sure. Just tell me where to sign – I don’t have any desire to chance our current alliance.”

“Good, good,” Scott laughed. “I’ll let you go enjoy the festivities.”

I dipped my head in farewell as he corralled his family away. I let out a sigh of relief and turned to slip into the crowd. It was time to hunt down my little mate.