Redemption (Rogue Nation MC #1)

16. Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Sixteen

Theo

“OK, your turn. Start talking, mister.” Now all the lights were out, and I lay on the sofa with my head in Owen’s lap. This is what I felt like when I dreamed of my mother telling me a bedtime story as a child. It never happened, but at least Poppy would let me sit in his lap while he told me stories of knights fighting dragons or stories of the shifter wars centuries ago.

“Well, you know firsthand what being a fated mate feels like, so I guess I can skip that part. But I will tell you it’s not instant love. Yes, it can happen, but love is built on trust and faith. Not everyone trusts easily and even fewer have faith in our fellow man. Too much has been felt and seen, but that’s a story for another time, I suppose.” Owen did his best to avoid the monologue tone so neither of us would get bored.

In most romance novels, the fated mates scent one another, faced one another, instantly fell in love and into bed, living happily ever after. That was the draw for the general reader. There might be some angst, but there was never anything the couple or throuple couldn’t overcome. Laws were easily ignored when it came to someone’s rights and by the end of the story, everything was well in the universe. Even I knew real life wasn’t like that. There were very few happy endings. As much as I loved my fantasy worlds, they were just that fantasy.

“Like I said before, with fated mates, the goddess herself has seen that every being brought into the world comes with an incomplete soul. The other part of that soul is put into another person. One never knows if it’s a male, female, alpha or omega. The only guarantee is that once together, those two parts can fit together perfectly. The two parts not only compliment but strengthen the other. It’s up to the individuals to make the effort. The downside to this entire plan is that once the parts meet, there will never be another person who will make someone as complete as their fated one. Yes, they can have relationships, sexual and otherwise, but none will ever be as wholly satisfying as their fated.” I looked up at Owen, waiting for him to pause. “What? Question already?” he giggled.

“What if you’re already in a relationship with someone and love them when you meet your fated one? It’s rather cruel for the goddess to give us free will then break up families.” What would have happened to me if Mako already had a mate? Would he have cheated on his mate with me? Oh no, I could have become a home wrecker.

“Shh, sweetie. Calm down. Not all fated pairs become actual mates, as you’re thinking. There are quite a few that begin as friends, and some stay that way their entire lives. That’s the reason for free will. While most fated mates end up paired together as a couple, there are those who don’t. I seriously can’t believe none of your tutors taught you about the shifter wars. There were quite a few fated pairings between Generals and officers. The trust and faith in another led to winning many battles and eventually the wars. Once over, many of the pairs moved their families closer together to maintain the bond. That’s why so many families have such a large gene pool.” He spoke as if this was common knowledge among the masses. I wasn’t part of the masses.

“You talk about the shifter wars. Are there still shifters?” I felt so stupid. My father paid tutors top dollar for my education yet restricted me from learning what I felt were the basics.

“I’m sure somewhere in the world there are, but they are almost unheard of now. Back then, many of the fated pairings were between shifters and common humans. A human male could impregnate a shifter omega, or a shifter alpha could impregnate a human female. The child could be a shifter, a human, or a combination of both. Over the centuries, some genetics took over, hence Alphas, Omegas, Betas, Females and Males. The standard humans are the global minority and are rarely fertile unless with a fated pairing. I don’t understand why or how. I never really paid much attention to science classes. It just is, but I’m sure Teach can give you more information on it if you ask.” Well, there was an idea. I bet Myron knew lots about this. He’s an alpha.

“Back to it.” Owen continued. “Fantasy versus reality. No one has ever died that I’m aware of from the death of a fated mate, except maybe taking their own life from grief. You can reject your fated, you are not bound to them by some invisible force, that is unless you complete a mate bond, then you’re legally bound to them and your scent changes, just like with non-fated pairings. Again, once you meet and reject, you’ll never be as fulfilled as you were with them. Yes, once mate bonded, you’ll have the ability to ‘feel’ one another stronger than a non-fated pairing, but there is no telepathy. On a side note, though, I really wish it were true. Second to invisibility, that would be the best superpower ever.”

“Umm, why invisibility? Why not flight or super strength?” Oh, how I now wish I hadn’t asked that question.

“Ha ha, well, honestly, I’d love to be invisible in the room when Bear brings in one of his conquests. I’ve heard stories about the size of that man’s cock. Holy shit. I’ve heard some screams and seen a few run from it, but to see it firsthand…” He got a dreamy look on his face. Do you know how confusing it is to stifle a giggle and try not to dry heave at the same time? Bear’s cock was so far down on the list of things I wanted to see in this world. Mako’s, on the other hand… yes, please. My giggle then broke free.

Once we both calmed, Owen finished, “Last, the forced mate claim thing. In books and movies, the bad alpha decides he wants to own the omega, so he holds him down and ‘takes’ what he wants while forcing a claiming bite. The omega is then ‘stuck’ with the alpha until one dies. Yeah, NOPE. Just like regular mates, the claiming bite only takes and forms a mark with intent on both parts. The biggest difference is that with fated mates, the claim is permanent until death. With a regular claim, it’s kinda like marriage used to be. It can fade and, if not reinforced with intent, it dwindles to nothing. Fated pairs can still break up, but it still stands that both will carry misery and the claim mark will never fade. They’ll always feel one another, no matter time or distance.

I found my silver lining in all this, though. “Well, at least Mako won’t die if he won’t forgive me. I’m not sure I could live with that in my soul.”

“Sweetie, if he doesn’t come tomorrow morning and beg your forgiveness, he will definitely die.” A look of horror and confusion marred my face. “Because I’ll fuckin kill him. He’d be too damn stupid to live.” He shrugged his shoulders and reached for my hand. “Let’s go to bed. It’s late. You wanna sleep in the guest room with me?”

I shook my head and turned towards the master. “I’m gonna sleep in our bed. I need to feel him, to smell him.”

Owen hugged me tight. “I get it, I really do. Sleep well Theo.”

“Nite Owen, thank you for being my friend.” A bright smile broke out on his face as he headed into the guest room.