by Zoey Ellis
Roclan digested that for a long moment. “So what happened with the general? I know you didn’t kill him, Nyan.”
“I killed him.” Nyan’s mother rose to her feet slowly.
“Mama!” Nyan exclaimed, horrified. She turned to Roclan panicked. “She doesn’t know what she’s saying; she’s just protecting me.”
“Nyanna, you will not continue this any longer,” her mother said sternly. “I will not lose my last remaining daughter and my granddaughter.”
“We already talked about this, Mama,” Nyan said hotly. “You agreed—”
“That was before you came here soul-bonded to Lox General Alpha!” The older woman scowled, and Roclan was shocked at how much he saw Nyan in that expression.
“Tell me what happened,” he said, interrupting them both.
An awkward silence drifted in the air while both women shot each other meaningful looks and each took a breath.
“General Freydon started charging me a tax for each time I traveled between the territories,” Nyan began.
“That is illegal,” Roclan growled.
“I know. He wanted me to become a Lox medic because my reputation was strong and many citizens across these territories preferred me. I had a long list of people who wished to become patients.”
Roclan smiled, of course she did.
“But I wanted to help people who couldn’t afford or easily get to a medic.”
“The nearest medic is in Ashens,” her mother interjected. “We need some here in the southwest. It would have been good if she did it.”
“Mama,” Nyan said irritated. “You know he would have wanted me to treat only Lox members and whoever he told me to. Not the people who need it.”
Nyan’s mother pursed her lips and leveled a look at her, but then nodded in agreement.
“The more I refused, the more he taxed, and the more he harassed.”
Roclan stiffened. “Harassed?”
Nyan nodded. “He began to harass others to persuade me. My patients, my suppliers.” She took a breath. “Then he found this house and my mother. And Vi.”
Roclan remained quiet, though he was furious that the general had abused his authority in such a way.
“He was offended by Vi’s existence and wanted to get rid of her, out of these Lands,” Nyan’s mother said. “He arranged for her to go to traders across the White Ocean.”
“Traders that deal in children?” Roclan made a face in disgust. “Such a thing exists?”
“The ships that arrive from across the White Ocean with exotic goods and specialist supplies also come with very special people too,” the older woman said, dryly.
“The general was trading with them,” Nyan added. “People as well as goods. I don’t think Lox Palace knew anything about it.”
“Did the general of Jynora?” Roclan asked sharply. Maybe this was one of the benefits he was referring to.
“I don’t know,” Nyan shrugged.
“How come you don’t know?” Nyan’s mother asked him. “You’re a general, aren’t you?”
Roclan shot her a look. “Tell me about the general’s death.”
“He summoned Nyan to his base, but he’d already collected and imprisoned Vi,” Nyan’s mother said, her voice tight. “He forcibly took her from here. I followed and demanded he give her back to me. When he didn’t, I attacked him, and we struggled. And…”
“Mr. Nyan?”
Roclan jerked in surprise. Vi was standing in the living area with them looking at him expectantly.
“It was me, Mr. Nyan. I killed the general.”
Nyan’s mother cried out and rose to hush her, but Nyan sat quietly, likely knowing that Roclan could feel her deep sorrow of the truth in the bond.
“Come here, Vi,” Roclan ordered.
Nyan’s mother began to sob as the girl stepped forward, her eyes on Roclan and her hands clasped before her. From her expression and the tightness of her body, she was clearly fearful, but it was strange not to scent it from her.
Before he could say anything, the girl said, “My name is Vimora. Gramma and Nyan think I’m a child, and they try to protect me all the time, but I’m not a baby. I will take the punishment for what I did. Nyan didn’t give me a chance to at the general’s base, and I was shocked, but I want to now.”
“No, Vi,” Nyan’s mother said, her voice thick.
“Why did you kill him?” Roclan asked.
“He was hurting Gramma,” the girl said, nervously. “He was shouting and saying horrible things and… he was angry. He hit her over and over, and had his hands around her throat on the ground.” She swallowed. “She still hurts from that day. She thinks I don’t see that she’s suffering, but I do.” She paused and glanced at her grandmother, whose sobs renewed. “I picked up a bottle that was on his desk and hit him with it until he stopped.” She lifted her hands, and they were covered in scars. “I didn’t realize the bottle had broken until Gramma stopped me.” Her mouth trembled as tears welled in her eyes. “I didn’t mean to kill him, Mr Nyan. I didn’t mind going with him if it would help Nyan. I know I’m different… I just wanted him to stop hurting her. He was killing her.” Tears began to stream down her cheeks, but she tried hard not to sob. “Gramma was alone for a long time when Nyan and my mama were away, Mr. Nyan. She just wanted to keep me with her, that’s all. He didn’t need to hurt her.”
The older woman reached out to grab and hug the girl while Nyan sobbed in Roclan’s arms. He held her tightly, finally understanding why she was so adamant about dying for the crime.
Under Lox principles, if a child committed a crime in self-defense, there was no real threat to the child by the Lox system of justice. But if Vimora’s dynamic was discovered, it could potentially put her in immediate danger and cause problems beyond what Nyan and her mother could control. Based on Roclan’s own reaction to her, the attitudes of others would be extreme, and she may not have even survived if she’d been found with the general’s body, even though she was about to be a victim of child trading.
“I cannot give her up,” Nyan said into his neck. “If she has to be taken in or experimented on or sent away, it would destroy me, Roclan. I won’t be able to live with it.”
“I know, Nyan,” he murmured as he cuddled her into him, purring as loudly as he could to soothe the distress in the bond. “I know.”
Chapter Seven
ROCLAN
The room was silent.
Roclan stood as still as possible, waiting for Commander Torin to say something. Nyan fidgeted by his side, but that was to be expected. Her nerves overwhelmed their bond, and he couldn’t guarantee how this was going to go. He’d called the meeting at Lox Palace with Commander Torin to report back on his investigation, and had brought Nyan with him. Roclan knew it was unusual, but she needed to be there.
He felt different than the last time he stood in front of his commander, as though he had gone through in extreme change in the short time he had spent in Dorei. Looking back at that conversation, he had been foolish to think that being a general required no further work or training. Although he still believed that his wild nature had nothing to do with his ability to be a general, there were other skills needed to manage a territory that he hadn’t fully considered, and it made him reassess whether being general was the right step for him. At least right now.
His priority was his Omega. And her priority was her family. Part of looking after her was making sure that her priorities were his. Right now, she was worried about the fate of her niece, and although she practically lived on his cock since they returned from her mother’s house, the constant twist of worry gnawed at their bond. He hadn’t yet experienced Nyan when she was happy, content and satisfied; she’d never sung when she was simply happy—he wanted to create that for her. After this meeting with Commander Torin, he could figure out how to do that.
Nyan didn’t think it was possible to escape some kind of circumstance where they would be separated; either him from her or her fr
om her niece, without lying. But Roclan was against that.
The death of a general was not something that could be overlooked or covered up. As much as he was bitterly disappointed by what he learned about the generals in the southwest territories, he still believed in the purpose of the Lox and the potential it had to unite the Lands, creating a safe and thriving place for all. He realized now that he’d only been looking at that from the perspective a Lox warrior, not the perspective of a citizen, even though he’d claimed to be both. In truth, Roclan didn’t know what citizens thought about the Lox; he hadn’t returned to his home territory since he joined. He’d been focused on advancing to general through an unrealistic viewpoint, but what he’d discovered in Dorei had been sobering. It put a bittersweet tone on everything.
But he still believed in the Lox, so he decided to tell Commander Torin what he’d learned. Nyan was extremely distressed by that decision—but that was because she had never trusted the Lox, never had any faith in them. He believed in the Lox; they were all he once had.
“Your investigation uncovered a lot,” Torin said. Hours earlier they’d had a meeting, and Torin left needing time to sort through the new information.
Roclan simply nodded.
“What is your recommendation for the next course of action?”
Roclan blinked, surprised. “My recommendation? I didn’t think I was required to give one.”
“You were sent to investigate a case,” Torin said. “Your conclusion should be part of your final report.”
Roclan shifted on his feet. “Yes, but my opinion is tainted by my personal connections to the suspect, surely?”
Torin inclined his head. “I would still like to hear it.”
Roclan inhaled slowly as he thought. “It is clear that the generals in the southwestern sector of the empire have been behaving against Lox interests. I don’t know how far it extends into the southern territories, but three territories in particular; Dorei, Jynora, and the Islands of Ashens have been damaged by the actions of General Freydon, General Syron, and… you, Commander.”
Torin didn’t look surprised, but he still asked. “How so?”
“The Islands of Ashens are governed by Ashens,” Roclan said. “You govern Ashens and it fell to you to ensure the Islands’ interests. I understand you are the commander of the entire empire and have other responsibilities, including the army, the training centers, Omega matching, and many other things. However, just because the Islands are small doesn’t lessen the impact on the citizens living there. If you had taken more of an interest, the other generals might not have been able to abuse the system so thoroughly.”
Torin pursed his lips. “People will do what they will do.”
“Generals in the Lox should not!” Roclan almost bellowed. “General Freydon had been trading people, Commander. Those people are our responsibility. We took their Lands and forced our principles onto them; the least we should do is ensure they are not abused by our own people and system.”
The commander frowned. “You are beginning to sound like some of the citizens.”
“I am a citizen, sir,” Roclan shot back. “We all are. I reminded my Omega of that, but I think the reminder should have been for myself, and for you, and the emperor. Just because we are now strong, we should not forget that we were once scattered and at the mercy of whoever owned our individual territories. What is to say this is not happening again? What if we are fractured because of the actions of some of the generals? It is unacceptable.”
Torin nodded. “It is, Roclan.” He took a step forward, watching Roclan closely. “I agree with your observations about Lox Empire. But you still haven’t given me a recommendation.”
Roclan was silent for a moment as he ordered his thoughts. This was the moment that would decide whether he would stay with the Lox or become a fugitive. Because if Commander Torin did not spare both Nyan and her niece, Roclan would abandon the Lox principles that had guided him for most of his life. “General Freydon was a criminal who died as a result of one of his victims defending herself from him. My recommendation is that no further action be taken, except for the removal of General Syron, the potential removal of the general of Vamore, and securing the Islands of Ashens against any further non-approved traders from across the White Ocean.”
Commander Torin nodded thoughtfully. “And what of the girl?”
Nyan tensed beside him. “What do you mean?” she asked
“She killed someone,” Torin said. “Surely she cannot be handling that without any trauma.”
“She is upset about it and has talked it through with us,” Nyan said, cautiously. “But it will take time.”
“And what about her dynamic?”
A jolt of anxiety rocked the bond, and Roclan grabbed Nyan and pulled her close to him. “What about it?”
“Do you think she could truly stay in the empire unprotected as a Gamma?”
“What do you hope to do with her?” Nyan asked evenly.
“I hope to do nothing with her,” Torin said simply. “That is your choice. But you should know, there are ways to camouflage her lack of scent, so she doesn’t cause alarm.”
“Yes. There are very few in the Lands, but we have heard there are more across the White Ocean. Information has been gathered over time about the methods they use to survive, as well as the abuse they suffered.” He shot Nyan a look. “Their abuse has been significant across all Lands. I strongly recommend considering camouflaging her if you are not going to keep her locked up her whole life.”
The relief that flooded the bond from Nyan was substantial. She leaned against Roclan as her knees weakened.
“Thank you,” she said, taking a deep breath. “Thank you so much.”
“No. You deserve an apology from us,” Commander Torin said. “I can assure you that General Freydon does not represent the emperor’s wishes. I hope you will come to realize that over time. We are sorry for what happened to your family.”
Nyan smiled and glanced at Roclan.
“Thank you for your recommendation, Roclan,” Torin continued. “I expect to implement it immediately. As for your request to become general—”
“Commander,” Roclan interrupted. “I am reconsidering that request. I don’t think my ‘wildness” is truly a factor but more training would benefit me to embrace the role with the experience required.”
“It is too late for that,” Torin said. “You have already been awarded the position.”
Roclan stared at him.
“He has?” Nyan said in shock.
“Yes. I was concerned that your nature would cause you to act irrationally. But you didn’t, much to my surprise. You dealt with things as you should.”
Nyan frowned. “Even though he went into a rut?”
“There is leniency around situations with Omegas, particularly if it is to do with breeding states and true mates,” Torin explained.
“But what if he hadn’t been my true mate? What if he hadn’t been compelled to stop me from being executed?”
“He was already asking the right questions before he left the Dorei. If he continued to follow that train of thought, he would have come to the conclusion something wasn’t right with the death. Besides, there were other ways he could have dealt with your execution, as your true mate,” Torin pointed out. “Instead, he chose to investigate.”
Roclan frowned at Torin’s words. “It sounds like you already knew that there was something not right about the crime.”
The commander sighed, stepping toward them. “We did know about the corruption in the southwest, Roclan. Before you came in demanding a mission, I was about to head there to clean it up. You wanted an opportunity, and I wanted to see if you would come to the same conclusions we suspected. I’d hoped you would follow protocol and not simply assume the prisoner was guilty without taking steps to ensure it, even with the evidence you had. By following protocol, Nyan would have been released. Of course I couldn’t have guessed that the real killer would be
a Gamma child, nor had I realized the extent of the general’s corruption. Still, Nyan would never have been executed for the general’s death without further investigation into the general himself.”
Roclan’s brows lifted, he glanced at Nyan, who glanced back at him, surprised.
“So congratulations,” Torin concluded, grinning, “The emperor has awarded you general of the southwest territories.”
Nyan gasped. “Of all three?”
Torin nodded. “General Syron had to be removed, and you are right that the Islands of Ashens need somebody who understands their circumstances and can treat them fairly and protect them against foreign traders. So, it makes sense that we give one general the duty of governing all three.”
Roclan couldn’t help but grin, deep satisfaction and gratification swelling inside him, and the bond beamed with the pride from his Omega.
“The emperor would like to talk to you tomorrow about the position, and you will, of course, receive support, but it’s yours.” He smiled. “And you cannot say no,” he added, holding out his hand. “Not after the speech you gave me.”
Roclan chuckled and clasped Torin’s forearm firmly. “Thank you for the opportunity, Commander. I will uphold Lox principles to my dying breath.”
Torin smiled dryly. “I know you will.”
As he left the room, Roclan drew Nyan into his arms and kissed her hard, savoring the feel of her.
“You did it,” she whispered. “You saved Vimora, Roclan.”
The pure joy in the bond provoked the yearning for her Roclan felt the first time he met her. He carried her to their room inside the Palace, and as soon as they entered he pushed her up against the wall, pulling her panties aside. “You just had to trust me, Nyan,” he said gruffly, as he entered with one thrust.
She angled her mouth to his ear and breathed. “I do. As long as you don’t expect respect, Alpha.”
He growled, slamming into her tight, wet, heat, the thrill of being inside her heightened by her joy and relief. “As long as you know, I will keep trying to teach you some, my beautiful Nyan.”
