Omega

Chapter 18

I woke up in my bed. As my eyes opened, I realised that I was not alone. The figure was shadowy at first. Standing at the window, looking out at something.

Focus found me and I looked at Konrad. He had a few scratches from what I could see.

Realising that I was awake, he turned and offered me a vague smile.

"She's awake," he said softly. "No doubt feeling awful."

"Yeah."

"Don't move. You've been positioned in a way that will allow the stitches to heal quickly. Undo that and you'll have Alec in here complaining."

"And that we don't want,"

Gus walked in, offering a hearty smile despite the sadness in his eyes.

"Well, I must say that it is good to see you awake."

He pulled a chair over and sat down, offering a grim look.

"Brian took off once we turned up. We've already sent out the dead wolf notice to the surrounding packs, going as far as Midland Peak. If he turns up looking for entrance into their packs, he will be refused."

I nodded, wondering if it was enough. A dead wolf notice was essentially a document from a pack that a wolf and their family had been ex-communicated and demanded that the recipient of the notice adhered to it. A pack could refuse. There was nothing to stop them, aside from being shunned when it came time for the mate summit at Midland Peak.

The mate summit was an opportunity to let go of the issues and search for a mate outside of the pack. If a pack was shunned, they'd have to go elsewhere or look within their own pack.

"Your wounds aren't deep and Alec believes you'll be healed by the time that you want to go to sleep. However, there may be scarring for a while."

With a soft pat on my hand, Gus gave me a warm smile and left me alone with Konrad. He sat down, looking a little lost.

"Why didn't you change? You could have beaten him easily."

"And if he pinned me down?"

Konrad seemed a little stunned. Maybe he hadn't thought that this was a possibility.

"If I was in my shifted state and he pinned me to the floor, what do you think would have happened?"

"He would have,"

Konrad's voice was raw and a whisper that I could barely hear. He turned away in an attempt to stop me from seeing how much it affected him.

"Thank you,"

He turned back. The glassy red eyes said more than I thought they would. It was surprising to see him so affected.

"For what?"

"Saving me."

Konrad nodded silently, his head lowered slightly.

"Doesn't change anything though."

"I didn't think it would."

"However, it does grant you assurity that I won't consume your pack or your land. Can you grant me the same assurity?"

Smiling, he nodded at me.

"Yeah, I guess I could give you that."

Getting up from his seat, Konrad leaned over and kissed me gently.

"But I'm no quitter and if you remember, I was quite clear on the kind of wolf that I am. I always get what I want. One day, I'll figure out how to make you love me back."

With that, he stood upright and walked out of my bedroom. I was stunned into silence, unable to figure out what to say or think.

Beyond my room, I could hear Konrad talking to the elders and saying goodbye. The conversation continued once he left. Laughter filled the room, not mocking but something caused by the conversation.

I smiled because the elders were out there. They were in my home, happy with everything, including me, their leader.

I proved them wrong when they said that I could not lead them or that I was not as good as Stephen. I made mistakes but I still managed to stave off a leadership battle. I am a leader.

I was an Omega but now, I am an Alpha.