Page 42 of Dual Nature

"So, unfortunately, sweetheart, all of us have things that we need to deal with today," Lane started. "Would you like to stay here for the day or have us drop you off with some of the pack that work around the property? It’s up to you."

The idea of being stuck in this house didn't sit right with me, no matter how beautiful it was, but I wasn't sure I was so keen on spending solo time with the pack. "Are you guys leaving the pack lands?"

"I will be. Mother asked for me to meet her so she could introduce me to someone who spent most of their life living among the Light Elves. This kind of opportunity is too good to pass up," Zander shared, giving me an apologetic look.

"Colt and I will be close, but we have some meetings and new supernatural paramedics to train for the next two days. I know this came at the worst time, but the faster we get them on board and good to go, the freer we are to be around," Lane explained.

Elias reached over and took my hand, drawing my attention. "I will be on the pack lands, but being the only beta available to the whole pack, I can't stay with you."

"Oh, and where will you both be?" I asked, looking at the twins.

Mason scratched the back of his head as if nervous to tell me. "Ah, you see, snuggles, we got asked to be security at this shifter club last week in another town. We wanted to call them and tell them we had to cancel, but Colt said we couldn't."

"Little one, it’s more complicated than that. We’re the healthiest and largest pack on this side of Tennessee; if a smaller pack asks for our help, I feel it's our duty to help them," Colt added. "There may come a day that we need their help, so fostering a mindset of give and take is helpful to us all as a pack."

I nodded, agreeing with him on that logic. "Well, I can't plan on you guys being around me all the time, now can I? The goal is to get me more integrated with the pack anyway, right? So, no time like the present."

Colt cupped my face in his hands and kissed me soundly. "You are the most amazing mate I could have ever been blessed with. We'll make it up to you, I promise."

twenty-seven

"Where would you like me to take you?" Elias asked as we walked down the road to the main pack area. "There are groups who work in the gardens, kitchen, and with the pack’s children."

"With my skills, I could be of help on patrol," I ventured.

Elias growled at the idea and tightened his grip on my hand. "There’s no way I'm going to let you do that, not to mention if your mates found out, I might get my throat ripped out—Sentinel or not."

That had me stopping in my tracks, scowling. "So I’m never going to be able to help this pack if it puts me in danger? Elias, I'm one of the best assassins the Organization had, not to mention I've killed more people in my life than all of you combined."

"Yes, but that was before you became an omega and mated three possessive, overprotective, dominating alphas," Elias countered. "I can't say that I like the idea of you being put in any kind of danger either. We have no idea how you will react. Mason and Noah said you froze when Craig attacked. You could have been mauled or even killed if the twins hadn't been there!"

My anger spiked at this; I'd always exceeded expectations in what was asked of me, pushing myself to be the best. I’d endured decades of training that would be considered torture by most people only to have him fault me for freezing one time!

My chest rumbled with a growl as I narrowed my eyes at him. "That's not fair. I have no idea how to fight as a wolf. That's like handing a gun to someone who's never shot one before then being pissed they missed the target. All I need is someone to teach me, show me how to use my body to the best advantage as a wolf, and believe me, that will never happen to me again."

Elias' eyes widened ever so slightly at my outburst, letting me know that I'd caught him off guard. "Be that as it may, it doesn't change what the others would think."

Even though he was the most emotionally locked down of my mates, I still caught a hint of something that told me he might not agree with the others on this matter.

"You’re really telling me that my choices are no longer valid now that I have mates?" I snapped, pushing to see if he might back me up on this.

"Welcome to being part of the pack. The alpha is judge and jury when it comes to all things, especially when they’re the alpha’s mate. Add that detail as the cherry on top of the cake, and you, Finley, are now going to be living in a protective bubble."

Snarling, I twisted my hold on his hand to grab around his wrist. I jerked him to me, pitching him off balance so I could sweep out a foot in front of him, knocking him to his knees. "I might be forced to be labeled as omega, mated to the pack leaders, but I will never be placed aside to be coddled and protected from the dangers of this world."

The pain of betrayal burned in my chest, and it was then I noticed that wasn't the only thing that was scorching through my veins. There was a throb of power that pushed against my skin as if trying to break free, but it wasn't strong enough to manage it yet. The power built, causing me to gasp when it eventually had nowhere to go. I dropped to my knees, slumping into Elias' hold. He started to murmur something in my ear as he stroked my head, trying to get me to calm down. This feeling reminded me of the battle my body had gone through with that first shift. Could it be that I was closer to my birthday than any of us imagined?

"Breathe, my heart, just breathe," Elias whispered into my ear. "That's it, deep, even breaths. You need to slow your heart rate down."

It was hard to take deep, even breaths. My lungs refused to listen, making me gasp for air instead. Elias shifted me so my ear was on his chest over his heart. "Listen to mine and try to slow yours down to match. Breathe in through the nose and out through the mouth… Good, now do it again."

Once I stopped trying to force my body to listen to me and relaxed into Elias' hold, I managed to do as he asked. After I did it once, it was easier to do it again and again until I was breathing normally once more. I wrapped my arms around his chest and snuggled into his arms, more than a little freaked out at what my body had just gone through.

"What just happened?" I mumbled into his shirt.

He didn't answer right away, letting his hand rub up and down my back. "My best guess is that your elven nature peeked its head out of where it's been hiding in response to your emotions. It was clear that you were angry, but was that all that was going on in that beautiful mind?"

"I'm not a pretty bird to be put in a cage, looked at and only taken out when you feel like it. I'm a hawk, meant to fly free and hunt. Part of me is omega, but that isn't all that I am. There's a reason that I was so good at my job, Elias. It was the elven part of me—the warrior. I can't be kept in a bubble to make them feel better; it will crush me." I sobbed as I came to the realization.