A’rath?” a dangerously deep and smooth voice invited, making her squeak and jump.
She looked over Rath’s shoulder to see a host of dangerous looking aliens behind him, the one in front the Overseer himself. She’d seen his likeness on banners and posters enough to know who he was.
Fear rolled through her, making the alien’s nostrils flare, and she drew closer to Rath instinctively. The movement made Lord Tane’s eyes narrow.
“My master at arms is quite right, little omega,” he rumbled. “You are safe here. No harm will come to you. On this, you have my word.”
Rath inclined his head, turning so she was sheltered behind him, protected from the others. The Lord Overseer might have assured her safety but the tension running through Rath’s body said otherwise.
“My lord,” he murmured, fist clenched over his heart in salute.
“Explain to me why you have an omega with a claiming mark when I specifically stated that no omegas were to be claimed?”
“He saved me,” Savannah managed to push the words through her suddenly too tight throat.
“Savannah is mine, my lord. Her scent calls to me. I cannot describe it.” He thumped a fist to his chest. “I feel it.”
“That seems to be going around,” Tane intoned dryly.
“You. Omega. What did my Master at Arms save you from?”
“Alphas. Raiders. They raided our village. I think they took all the women. Not just omegas.”
“The L’crav, my lord. They did this.”
Fury twisted the Lord Overseer’s features into something terrifying and Savannah hid behind Rath again.
“Your quarters. Now. Bring the omega.”
The omega. Savannah didn’t like the sound of that at all. She took a deep breath and stepped back into view. “I belong to A’rath of the H’thor.”
She felt Rath’s small intake of breath as the Lord Overseer’s dark gaze settled on her. “What did you say, little omega?”
For a moment fear crawled up her spine, locking her into place. Then she lifted her chin, her decision made. She was in the middle of a nest of vipers, and her only security was the mark Rath had put on her neck.
“I am not a little omega,” she said clearly, looking him in the eye. “I am Savannah, and I belong to A’rath of the H’thor.”
7
His omega had confirmed his claim in front of the Lord Overseer himself. Pride swelled Rath’s chest even as he hoped Tane was in a forgiving mood. The Lord Overseer was rarely addressed directly, and almost never by a female.
“Very well. Master at Arms, bring your omega to your quarters. Immediately.”
Rath brought his fist to his chest in another sharp salute and then turned to Savannah. “You’ve walked more than enough on that leg already. I will carry you.”
She nodded. “Yes, please.”
Scooping her into his arms with care, Rath cradled her against his chest and began to parth. His lovecall soothed her, and within a few steps Savannah pressed her head to his chest and parthed back, her lovecall rolling through him like a song only he could hear.
Feeling ten feet tall, Rath walked behind the Lord Overseer, aware of the interest from the small group that tried to follow them. Tane growled and motioned them away, until only he and the healer accompanied Rath and his omega.
That was good. Savannah needed to see the healer. T’kinn would know why her wound hadn’t healed as it should. And maybe he could explain why his omega was no longer in heat. It should have lasted for several long, glorious days that could end with her carrying his child. He wanted to see her round and full and fertile, providing him with sons and maybe even a daughter. His grip tightened at that possibility—a daughter of his blood.
It didn’t take him long to reach his quarters, and he swept in behind Lord Tane, making straight for the couch in front of the windows. It was long and low, comfortable enough for his omega, and had the added advantage that he wouldn’t have to suffer the scent of another male in the bedchamber around his omega. It was bad enough they were here in the outer rooms.
“Shhh, shar’ai,” he murmured when Savannah complained at being separated from him. “You are safe. I am here.”
Soothing her filled him with male triumph, both at the fact that she automatically turned to him for comfort and that the other males had seen her. She was his. His claim was undeniable. No one would challenge him.
“She was injured escaping from the raiders who took her. I have treated it, but