Page 98 of Moon Craving

to the clearing at least once already.

"Were you able to find anything?" Abigail asked them.

They both looked at him for instruction, having responded to his warning howl.

"My wife sent you on an errand?"

"Aye, she did," Niall answered for them. "She wanted vegetables and berries for

the evening meal."

"And did you find any?"

The two men nodded.

"Enough?" he asked.

Both men looked unsure, eyeing his wife with something between respect and

apprehension.

Niall chuckled, the sound rusty from disuse. "It appears your wife likes her

vegetables."

Talorc nodded. "Then go find more, Earc. Fionn, you will stay to face the challenge

these young warriors have made on behalf of their clan for rights to this land."

He would not have the youths face Niall. None but the boldest Chrechte would be

able to do so without pissing himself, and Talorc intended to face that challenger

personally.

Both men did as he said without another word.

He faced the six Donegal youths again. "All who have come in challenge will fight,

except him," he said, indicating the Chrechte who had offered his neck already.

The boy who had already offered his submission bowed his head as if in shame.

Talorc growled and the youth's head snapped up. "You are omega, there is no shame in

submitting to the more powerful alpha."

An omega's place in the pack had not always been a respected one, but when the

Chrechte realized their warring ways were on the verge of decimating their people, that

changed. Initially, it had been an omega who first suggested the Chrechte should

insinuate themselves into the surrounding clans, rather than warring with them. Once the

wisdom of the recommendation was acknowledged, respect for the thinking of the

omegas grew.