"What are you, omega?" he asked. I basked in the attention. His gaze told me that he still liked what he saw when he looked at me. As long as his eyes were on me, he had a reason not to harm me.
"I will get to that, my lord," I said, taking a step forward. "As I said, I am from Auriyonne, the drowned town." I looked down at the floor, a sign of submission. “I spent all my life down south, until your savages took me from my home.”
“Why were you on the empire's watchlist?” I lifted an eyebrow at him.
“Perhaps it has to do with the fact that the emperor hatesmagic.”
“So youaremagic,” Alain said.
“Does that surprise you, my lord?” I asked the General. “Couldn’t you tell?”
“Don't.” He gave me a warning. “Reveal yourself.” And he gave me a command. It was better to comply, I knew that much. I closed my eyes and focused, revealing my true colours. I could see my streaky bangs give way to copper curls, more pronounced than the honey colour I used as a disguise. Red hair was uncommon in the Empire, and nonexistent in the Oaklands.
"An enchanter." Axel’s accusation reverberated through the hall. It caused an increase in both whispers and stares, which was wholly uncalled for.
"I am not!” I said. He could not accuse me of enchanting him simply because he had no self-control! He looked to his purple-clad advisor for wisdom.
"He speaks truth. Enchanters do not have green eyes," Alain told him. Alain was turning out to be my sole ally in these halls. I was surprised by how little knowledge General Axel had of magic. Although, considering there were not many of us, most knowledge would be hearsay anyway.
The General's piercing gaze was focused on me again. I could only meet his eyes for short bursts of eye contact then. It was obvious he was pulling rank on me with his arrogance, and I was not used to alphas yet.
"What are you?" he asked.
"I am a druid," I said. General Axel straightened his back at this. He looked me up and down with renewed interest.
"A healer?" he asked. "The Empire is home to more than one druid?" He was addressing Alain again.
"I am surprised as well,” Alain said. "But he is not lying, he appears to be a druid."
The General stood up and his fur boots moved towards me. Step by step he descended from his throne, until he was standing right in front of me. I was reminded once more of the stature of an alpha, especially one that is part werewolf. He was like a giant compared to me, not only because of his height. He was broad and muscular and I was small even compared to human men. It was not fair, he should not have been the size of a full-blooded werewolf when he wasn’t one.
"Acting like a threat," he all but whispered. I had to avoid his gaze. "When you are an omega healer." He said it as if it was a joke, or a lie, or a crime. I was once again being accused.
"I never said I was a threat." My voice was shaking. "You just assumed I was."
He was far too close to me now, and yet he stepped further into my space. His voice was low and dangerous. "Careful, omega." His words should have scared me, but they caused an embarrassing tingle in my lower stomach. All I could do was hold back a whimper.
"Apologies, my lord." And I looked up at his face, at the scar on his left eye, at the shaggy black hair barely grazing his shoulders. And he looked at me, at whatever it was he saw when he looked into my hooded eyes. And instead of taking a step back, I took a step forward, as he reached out to touch a strand of curly red hair.
"This creature withheld his magic from you. He cannot be trusted." It was Boris who broke the spell between us. "He remains an enemy.”
"He is not a human, nor is he any other sort of dangerous creature. He is not skilled at being an enemy, even if he is one," Alain said. General Axel took a step back, as did I. He looked over at Alain, and looked me over once more, before reaching a decision. I was sure he was not going to let me go, nor cause me any harm.
My eyes met the General’s, and I did what I could to avoid looking away. "You have to earn your keep, omega."
The way he was looking at me and the words he spoke did not bode well for me.
I remembered the lowborn omegas in silks parading through the courtyard. Seducing high-born mated alphas, accepting whatever gifts were thrown their way. I would not become a courtesan.
"I am not a whore."
“I can tell.” And he looked at me like he wanted to devour me. Like I was the pinnacle of amusement, a one-man show with a happy ending. It was an admission to that which everyone knew already. Unlike other werewolves, General Axel could tellmy innocence from my scent. Not to mention it was an entirely inappropriate thing to say to an omega.
“My Lord.” Alain’s words must have been a warning. General Axel looked at his advisor. Alain took a step back. Slowly but surely the General made his way back to his throne. He took his time getting comfortable in his chair, while I tried not to lose faith in his judgement.
He looked at me once more, impassive and perhaps even bored. It seemed as though minutes were passing without him uttering a single word.
"You’ll work in the infirmary," he finally said. And so, my fate was sealed. “But don’t use your magic.”