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Eclipse Sector (V-Clan #3) 6. Ivana 15%
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6. Ivana

CHAPTER SIX

IVANA

A Week Later

Prince Cael.

Home: Lunar Sector.

Age: Too old to need to answer this. But if I’m asked nicely, I may give away a number.

Languages: English, Norwegian, Swedish, Russian, German, and French.

Hobbies: Ice fishing, expensive cars, technology.

Likes: Anything that makes me smile.

Dislikes: Anything that makes me frown.

A snort escaped me at those last two items sprawling across the screen, causing Quinn to glance at me. “Interested or not interested?”

“He’s an Alpha Prince.” I shrugged. “I think that means every Omega is interested by default.”

“I’m not asking about every Omega; I’m asking about you.”

“I’m not going to judge an Alpha by his profile or a little quiz he was given upon entering the dating pool,” I informed her. “Courtship is too personal for that.”

She nodded. “True. So should I stop showing you all these interviews, then?”

I studied the photo of Prince Cael on the screen, noting the devilish twinkle in his blue-green eyes.

The other Omegas were reviewing the same slides today, only they were looking at them in Night Sector with Kyra. Quinn had volunteered to show me the Alpha candidates here in Blood Sector, probably because she wanted to see if I reacted favorably to any of the potential mates.

Or maybe because she was just being a good friend.

The beginning of our relationship had been rather rocky since I’d despised the former princess on sight. She’d abandoned her people, something I had little respect for. But then Quinn showed me the claws beneath her gentle veneer, thus changing my mind about her almost immediately.

And now that I knew the truth about her supposed abandonment, I liked her even more.

“Ivana?” she prompted me, her near-black eyebrow arching as she held her pointer over an icon that read Exit .

“No, I want to see the slides.” I cleared my throat. “It’ll help me remember all the names for the commencement dinner tomorrow.”

Thirteen Omegas.

Over thirty Alphas.

The odds were… intense. But not all that surprising. Alphas outnumbered Omegas in general, making it expected that there would be more Alpha candidates than Omega candidates.

What if none of them find me worthy enough, though? I wondered. Would they all see me as Cillian does?

I winced, that name one I’d told myself to stop thinking about. Yet I couldn’t help it. Being here, in Quinn’s private quarters, reminded me of King Kieran. And when I thought of King Kieran, I thought of his Elites.

My jaw clenched, my eyes scanning the screen before me. Only, I wasn’t actually reading a word of it. Which entirely defeated the purpose of this exercise. “Can you go back a slide?” I asked, frustrated with myself for my inability to focus.

Quinn flipped back to Alpha Hawk, his almond-shaped eyes highlighted by thick, dark lashes that matched his head of black hair.

“He’s Prince Tadhg’s second-in-command,” Quinn informed me softly. “I’ve met him a few times. He’s quiet but seems kind.”

“I assume Prince Tadhg won’t be joining the program?” I guessed.

Quinn snorted. “No. He has no interest in taking a mate.”

“Really?” I asked, surprised by that.

“He told Kieran, and I quote, ‘I’m not interested in tying my knot anytime soon.’?”

I scoffed at that. “Charming.”

“Indeed,” she muttered. “He’s polite, but there’s something about him that’s never sat right with me.” She shrugged. “Anyway, Alpha Hawk seems lovely, though. He’ll be a good addition to the program.”

I wasn’t sure what to say to that, so I just nodded, then scanned the facts about him and committed them to memory. Or tried to, anyway. The mention of him being the second-in-command naturally had me thinking of another second-in-command.

A sigh nearly escaped me, but I swallowed it.

And forced myself to read the next slide.

Quinn shared several more, then paused as Alpha Grey appeared. His glacial eyes captured mine, the intensity of them stealing the breath from my lungs.

“Wow,” I whispered, rather stunned by his appearance.

His physical attributes redefined the meaning of perfection. Sculpted cheekbones. Full lips. Thick lashes the color of sand. Light blond hair that fell tousled to his broad shoulders.

“I… I don’t remember seeing him last week.” And I was pretty sure I would have noticed him. He was too striking in nature to forget.

“That’s because he didn’t attend,” Quinn replied. “He remained in Lunar Sector as the acting Sector Alpha.”

“He’s Prince Cael’s second-in-command?” I asked, surprised and also irritated. Because of course that reminded me of Cillian. Again .

“Sort of.” She considered the screen. “I think he’s more of an enforcer. He’s part Z-Clan Alpha, which makes him ineligible to be a V-Clan Prince.”

“Z-Clan?” I repeated, almost choking on the term. “He’s part Z-Clan Alpha?”

Stars…

Z-Clan Alphas were deadly creatures. Positively violent. Vile .

Yet his features were almost angelic. Too beautiful to be real.

Are all Z-Clan Alphas like that? Deceivingly light to mask all the darkness inside?

“He’s also part V-Clan Alpha,” Quinn clarified. “His mom was a V-Clan Omega, one Prince Cael’s parents saved while she was pregnant with Grey.”

I swallowed. “I see.”

“So he’s ineligible to lead, but he’s very powerful. Which is why Kyra accepted him as an Alpha for the mating program—she and Lorcan feel he could be an asset for Night Sector’s security.”

That made sense. His mixed heritage would certainly make him an asset.

“We’ll see how the Sanctuary, erm, I mean, Night Sector Omegas feel about him,” she said, correcting herself.

The Omega Sanctuary used to be a MacNamara family secret. Alas, the events of late had forced Quinn to share her family’s legacy with the world, hence her mate announcing the creation of Night Sector . I suspected there was a lot more to the story than Quinn or King Kieran were letting on, but I didn’t press my friend for details.

“Regardless, I agree with Kyra and Lorcan about his potential,” Quinn concluded. “So we’ll see how he’s received.”

As I hadn’t yet met Alpha Grey, I didn’t have an opinion. However, I did wonder how Ashlyn—a Z-Clan Omega candidate—would react to him. While I didn’t know her background, I assumed she’d sought refuge in Night Sector for a reason. And that reason was likely related to her escaping a Z-Clan sector.

“Anyway,” Quinn murmured, flipping to the next slide, which showcased a muscular male with dark skin and beautiful black eyes. “Alpha Ransom, Glacier Sector.”

I shivered, not from the attractive man on the screen, but at the thought of his homeland. From what I understood, it was appropriately named.

It also happened to be the first sector the Eligible Omega Mates would be visiting during our upcoming V-Clan tour.

“The Alpha Princes are all supportive of our Eligible Omega Mates program, but they’ve expressed a desire to host the Omegas in their home sectors,” Quinn had explained to me earlier today.

Apparently, it served as a way to make sure the Omegas—myself included—were comfortable with our potential mate’s homeland before mating. Just in case we were called back for a visit or opted to move later in life.

It made sense.

But some of the V-Clan sectors intimidated me.

Especially Glacier Sector.

“He definitely looks like a Viking,” I mused aloud, commenting on Alpha Ransom.

Quinn considered it for a moment. “The Viking Alphas I’ve seen have all been bigger. More intimidating. White fur, not black fur.”

“You’ve met Viking Alphas?” I asked, surprised. “From old Europe?”

Her features darkened, her gaze narrowing slightly. “Not directly. But I’ve witnessed their brute strength. Alpha Ransom is much more civilized.”

“Not all Viking Alphas are uncivilized,” King Kieran said as he materialized in the room, his wolf ears obviously allowing him to hear our conversation before he entered.

The hairs along the back of my neck inched upward as Cillian appeared beside him, his hands clasped behind his back in that elegant way of his.

I studiously ignored him and focused on what King Kieran was saying about Viking Alphas. “Don’t let the Savage Sector name fool you, darling. The Alphas there cherish their Omega mates. Perhaps not as much as we do here, but I’m guessing the two you’re thinking of are anomalies among their kind.”

“Like the V-Clan Alpha I scented,” she muttered, causing my brows to furrow.

“Yes, him as well.” King Kieran palmed her cheek and pressed a kiss to her forehead. “I still intend to hunt him for you.”

“I haven’t sensed him.”

“I know.”

“You’ve been listening?”

“I’m always listening, little trickster,” he replied, a twinkle in his dark eyes as his hand drifted down to the noticeable bump in her abdomen. “You know that.”

Quinn huffed. “It’s not like I can shadow.”

“We both know you’re far more inventive than that.”

“I think I’ve proved that I intend to stay.”

“You have.” He leaned down to press his lips to her ear. “But I’ve heard you thinking about hunting that Alpha, darling. To protect your Omegas. To protect our unborn child. Don’t think for one second I’d allow you to go alone.”

“You won’t allow me to do anything.” She sounded petulant, like they were having two entirely different conversations.

“I told you we could visit them, Quinn. Just say when, and I’ll ready the jet.”

She bit her cheek, her eyes still narrowed. “I have to finish preparing the Omegas.”

“I know.”

“Then we’ll go.” She sounded pleased. Not that I had any idea what they were talking about now. It seemed like they’d jumped through three or four unrelated discussions.

“All right.” He brushed his lips against her temple, his expression indulgent. “I’m yours to command, My Queen. Always.”

She nodded, her arms curling around him as she buried her face in his neck.

I glanced away, suddenly feeling very out of place in this obviously intimate moment between them.

In the time I’d known Quinn, she’d always been well poised and regal in nature. She was a take-no-shit Omega who stood up for those in need. But right now, she needed her Alpha’s purr—something he gave her with a loud rumble of his chest.

Displays of affection were normal between them.

But this… this felt even more affectionate than usual.

She’s pregnant, Cillian said into my mind. Pregnant Omegas are often emotional.

I glanced sharply in his direction. Why are you in my head?

Because your thoughts are particularly loud today, he growled. I felt obligated to reply.

I nearly snorted. You can choose what to listen to.

Yes, and I do. But you happen to be thinking about two of the names I’m always listening for—Quinn and Kieran.

Obviously, I’m not a threat, I fired back at him. So tune me out.

I wish I could. Irritation glittered in his near-black irises, the expression one I was all too familiar with.

Because Cillian always glowered at me this way—like I was a menace to his sanity.

How did I ever mistake this glare for anything other than disdain? I wondered, searching his expression now. How did I ever think there could be more between us?

A hint of something else crossed his features. An emotion that looked a hell of a lot like pity .

Ivana—

Don’t, I snapped. Get out of my head.

It was the last place I wanted him to be. He didn’t need to hear about my heartbreak or my ridiculous thoughts about what I’d hoped we would one day be. It was none of his business.

I was an Eligible Omega Mate now. Determined to find a new Alpha. Hell-bent on leaving this sector. On leaving him .

“Can you send me the rest of the files, Quinn?” I asked, my attention returning to her. She was no longer hugging King Kieran but glancing back and forth between me and Cillian. “Or I’ll just review the ones I’ve missed with the others before the commencement dinner tomorrow?”

The suggestion was phrased as a question because I was already backing away toward the door.

“I appreciate you letting me see the profiles, but… I…” I cleared my throat. “I know you have better uses for your time.”

She frowned at me. “I really don’t mind, Ivana.”

“I know you don’t. But…” I trailed off, my gaze flitting to King Kieran before flickering over to a scowling Cillian.

I winced.

It wasn’t like me to run away from an altercation. Hell, I used to crave them with Cillian. But now… now I just… I just wanted to move on.

“I’ll email them to you,” Quinn said softly. “Let me know if any strike your fancy.”

I wouldn’t be doing that. However, I nodded anyway. Primarily because I wanted to disappear. “Thank you.” I turned, only to run into Cillian’s chest.

Because the bastard had shadowed across the room to block my exit. “I’ll walk you home.” His deep tones were underlined in authority, his words not an offer or a request but a demand.

A month ago, that order would have made me ecstatic. It would have inspired hope that Cillian finally saw me as a potential mate.

But now I knew better.

Cillian didn’t want me. He considered me to be an irritation, an Omega full of unsavory qualities and completely out of his league.

And fuck if I was going to trouble him further by accepting his version of a “pity pat.” “I’ll escort myself home, thank you.” I gave him a brief curtsy—a show of formal respect—and attempted to move around him.

Except he caught my hip in his unyielding grasp. “Ivana.”

“Have a good night, Alpha Cillian,” I whispered.

Because I didn’t want to hear what he had to say. It would probably just be another placating statement. Or worse, a demand that I let him walk me home.

Soon, I’ll be part of another sector, I thought, aware he could likely hear the words. And you’ll never have to put up with me again.

With that, I blinked out of existence and shadowed myself to my apartment.

I had better things to do than worry about Cillian’s pity.

Such as figuring out how to stop comparing every candidate to the Elite in question.

Stars, I muttered to myself. There were over thirty Alphas interested in taking a mate. And one of them was even a Sector Prince.

Prince Cael.

Handsome. Cunning. Flirty. Entertaining.

A perfect catch.

If only my inner wolf agreed…

Sighing, I collapsed onto my bed and closed my eyes.

Forget Blood Sector , I told my animal. Forget Cillian. That’s our past. It’s time to focus on the future.

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