After a few moments of thoughtful silence with Jake, I picked up on a few familiar scents. A teenage girl that wore too much perfume and an athletic boy that smelled like bleach.

"I'm guessing you have plans for today. Amie and Chad are in front of your house."

Summoning up a new surge of energy, Jake sprung back up to his feet and ran for the house. He didn't bother saying goodbye or anything like that because we both agreed not to say it anymore. Saying goodbye wasn't pleasant for either of us, so we wouldn't say it.

I continued to laze on the back lawn and closed my eyes. Jake immediately came into view as a bright silhouette in my mind. He was running first, then stopped and stayed in place for a while as he chatted with his friends. Amie was a nice girl from what I could tell, but didn't seem to have much going on in that head of hers. Chad was...chad was unsettling.

There was almost always a faint scent of bleach following him that would probably be easy for a human to mistake for soap. He was too calm about everything. The people of Viridian were especially secretive, but Chad took it to another level. I'd seen the way he influenced the students in his social circles and it made me anxious when he was around Jake.

Then again, Jake seems to have a talent for attracting dangerous people to him. I would know.

Focusing back on my mate, I could see him in the shower washing off the sweat and dirt from training. I could distract myself with something to give him some privacy, but that didn't sound like any fun at all. Instead I checked him for any injuries, very slowly and very carefully.

Perverted wolf, go home. He smiled and his somehow looked right at where my body would be if there weren't half a dozen walls between us. I realized suddenly that he could see me watching him instead of just feeling my presence. That was new.

I would have taken a nap before doing anything more, but a growl pulled my attention. A gray wolf- Axel, with a brown snowshoe hare came striding out from between the trees. It was a hare that had no scent, which could only mean one thing.

There was an Omega watch me and Jake the whole time. "Where did you catch him?" I asked sitting up.

He came up to me and dropped the small creature in my lap. Its big black eyes were wide with fear and it tried to jump away as soon as he let go of it. My hand snatched it by the long furry ears and held firm. It looked so terrified and helpless that I could just imagine someone letting it go free, but that would never work on a predator.

"It was hiding inside a shallow tree. I only noticed him by dumb luck. I'm sure he was watching you and your mate for quite a long time. So what do you want to do with him?"

I glared down at the spy and bared my fangs, "I am tempted to just eat him."

The rabbit scoffed. "How rude! Just because you are an Alpha does not entitle you to such barbarianism." It started growing slowly in my lap and my grip relaxed as the long rabbit ears shrunk into its head.

The transformation was painfully slow and I had to let go of him to let it happen. After a full minute, a small girl with short dirty brown hair and pale hazel eyes stood in front of us with an arm around her naked chest and a hand covering between her legs. A shapeshifter that covered its body and had no scent, a true Omega.

"And I'll have you know that I am a She, not a him or an it. My name is Juliana Enduring, Lepus Omega to the royal family. I am here on strict- Stop staring at me! You brutes have no shame!" she cried and took a few tiny steps back. Her hands tried to cover herself more and she turned halfway around in an attempt to hide.

"We're only staring because you are hiding. Any shapeshifter that tries to hide their body is not one to be trusted," Axel said. His voice was full of disapproval and I couldn't say that I didn't understand where he was coming from.

"Barbaric! This is why we don't associate with your kind. You clearly have no decency," she scolded and gestured quickly to Axel's waist. "How can your kind dare to stand so proudly while being so bare and undressed. At least try to hide that- that thing!"

Axel scoffed and crossed his arms. He turned to me and said, "You are right. I say we just eat her."

I ignored him for the most part. "Clothing is a luxury for humans who only have one form. It's not something that shapeshifters should be concerned about. Do you plan to buy a new outfit for every creature you turn into?" I asked Juliana. It was the same thing me and my siblings were told when we gained control of our power. It was tradition and the only ones who defied it were the Omega.

"Spoken like a true barbarian. Some of us less powerful beings don't just transform in a heartbeat. Or is that too hard for your violence-prone mind to comprehend?"

A growl rumbled in my chest. I never met an Omega that would speak so antagonistically toward an Alpha, and I didn't like it. "Listen. I don't care how you dress yourself. Just stay away from my mate's home and take your spying elsewhere. Is that clear enough?"

Juliana turned her nose up and looked away. "I followed the rules. I watched from outside of the Kent property lines. In fact, I was planning on leaving anyway to watch a movie."

My blood began to boil when I realized that she meant she was planning on following Jake and his friends to the movie theater. I took a very slow step closer to her and dropped my voice. "Do you really want to find out what a single barbaric Alpha would do to someone spying on his mate?"

Her confidence visibly wavered. "Was that a threat. You do know that I was sent here by the royal family? I will tell them if you are threatening me!" her eyes grew even paler in color and her voice had lost its steadiness.

I took another step so that my shadow dwarfed over her small figure. There would be consequences for my next words, but I couldn't have prince Bastian learning about what was going on with Jake. At least not until I knew myself. "Then scurry along Enduring because that was not a threat. It was a promise."

This chapter was fun to write. I get so excited when I get the chance to show more of the werewolf world. I can't say much without spoiling, but I can tell you that you will get to see more shapeshifters appearing in the town (as well as some special guests) and each of them have a role in Hunter and Jake's story. 

So the first Omega of the series has been introduced! Let me know what you think of her so far in the comments :)