The Archer: Lost Omegas Book 1

Quitar

DEIMOS

"Your mate is a thorn in many sides, Deimos." Laran said harshly, pacing in the meeting tent. He glared at Deimos and ignored the Raposo Commander, who was sitting quietly observing the King's agitation. "I need to know where she sent my omega! The trackers have found little. There is no way a woman with no abilities other than those of a healer could have eluded them. Someone is helping her, there is no other explanation. And only your mate knows the truth." Deimos had failed his king in not forcing her to tell him where she sent this other woman- a healer by the name of Galena he had discovered. He had no idea how the two women knew each other. But Laran had sent out nearly every damn tracker they had in search of her. Yet as each day went by, with no news of her discovery, his king grew more impatient and frustrated.

"My mate has some strange notion of duty in this matter. No amount of pain would loosen her lips. I would not tolerate seeing her permanently damaged. We will find your woman, Laran. The trackers simply need more time. She likely sent her to one of the Leads in the Skulk. We only need to discover which one. Then she will be found," Deimos reassured his king.   

The Commander spoke suddenly, "We will call a council for all the Raposo Leads, under the guise of discussing the final invasion plans into the Serpe territory. They would all gather in King Brone's village. The King would order them to divulge any information about this woman. You would also be able to question them individually if no one comes forward. Whoever is hiding her is dangerous to us as well. She would have shared what she knows. I need both found, and dealt with."

Laran nodded at the Commander's plans, "call your council then Commander. We will return with you to Siwili." He returned his glare to Deimos. "You need to tame your woman, Deimos. She is particularly defiant. But you are a particularly strong alpha. You can break her of this behavior. She needs to learn her place. Her willfulness is encouraging the others." Deimos understood the warning. Several omegas attempted escape last night. It was a pathetic attempt. None succeeded. Now they are all sporting bruised bottoms from the thrashing they received in punishment.

"I will keep her away from the others until we are back in our own lands." Deimos interjected. Even now, he had Cyrene bound inside his tent while the healer treated her.

"The warriors are still demanding her punishment for shooting me," Laran sighed. "Especially now that others are following her example of bad behavior. They want an example to be made of her in front of the others, to prevent any further rebellious behavior. They want their mates to be submissive, obedient. Not following your woman's path of defiance and insubordination."

"I will not see her whipped. She does not learn with pain," Deimos responded, "it would only meet the warriors' need for retribution for her crime. It would not teach her obedience or submission. She would repeat the same behavior. Pain would not entice her to tell us anything about your woman. This punishment would only harm, it would not help anyone." Prior to the claiming, he had been certain that he would be able to carry out her punishment. But the idea of whipping her sickened him. This would not be a thrashing with a belt- or his hand across her ass. This would be 20 lashes with a horse whip. She would bleed. It would be in front of the warriors, a public affair. But he knew, that it would not teach her anything. She would not change her behavior. She would merely accept the pain and fight all the harder.

"Lord Deimos is correct, King Laran," the Commander added. "She has always been stubborn, I had to punish her many times in the Skulk. I whipped her, starved her, beat her, yet nothing was ever successful in changing her behavior- save one thing."

Suspicious, Deimos asked, "And what was that one?"

"Threatening her duty or honor. I threatened to beat her men in front of her, or starve her archers. She always caved. Once, when she defied my order, I threatened to remove her as Lead and break the fingers of her dominant hand so she could not draw the bow. She never defied me again. Until now."