Seth sniffed and dropped his hands into his lap. “So, the beta’s going to beat me?”
The question pained Caleb. “No, he’s not.” He tried to convey reassurance while not making a big deal over how heartbreaking it was that Seth’s brutal past made him assume something like that.
Seth angled his head and looked at Caleb with the saddest eyes he’d ever seen. “You’re going to do it?”
Well fuck! That did in his new vow to maintain distance. “No one is going to beat you.” Opening his arms, he added, “Come here.”
After a brief hesitation in which Caleb could see Seth’s doubt over his answer, the boy crawled to him. He trembled and cringed a bit when Caleb embraced him, but he didn’t resist. It was only a matter of a few seconds of gently cradling the omega before he relaxed.
Caleb rubbed slow circles on Seth’s lower back. The skin was even softer now that it was completely clean. Seth’s hair smelled faintly of strawberries from the communal shampoo. That was the sigmas’ doing. The females in particular liked flowery-scented human products, and Lorcan indulged them in it. No harsh commercial stuff for the Rogue Pack. Sniffing it now, Caleb wondered if the alpha allowed the extra expense because he enjoyed smelling it on his own mate.
“I can’t promise you that there would be no occasion in which a beating wouldn’t be administered.” He chuckled lowly. “I’ve been on the receiving end myself when I was younger. But, the Rogue Pack is a fair one. Lorcan understands that you’re adjusting to pack life and is willing to cut you some slack. If you screw up, though, it’s going to be my hide at risk. So, do your best to behave. Okay?”
Seth nodded. “I will, I promise. And, I am sorry about Will.”
“I know that. He does, too, because you apologized to him. It’s forgiven and forgotten.”
They stayed in that innocent embrace for a few quiet minutes. Even Caleb’s dick seemed to understand it was an offer and acceptance of comfort, nothing more. It subsided to a low throb. Then, Seth blew up all that calm with a single question.
“Caleb?”
“Hmm?”
“Are you going to sleep with me tonight?”
Chapter Nine
Seth woke having slept more peacefully than he could remember having done in a long time. The reasons why were obvious. He was in a safe place, cocooned deep within pack lands that welcomed him. Even his unconscious mind understood that he didn’t have to worry about being attacked and run off. He was welcome here, albeit for an indeterminate amount of time.
He was also snug within Caleb’s embrace, the large, strong gamma body entwined with his. It felt like an impregnable shield guarding his all too vulnerable self.
Their sleeping together on the soft pallet had been a near-miss. The moment he’d asked Caleb if he’d sleep with him, the big guy’s cheeks had turned red and he’d sputtered a bit. Seth’s stomach had dropped when it appeared certain the answer was going to be no. He shouldn’t have cared. The fact that his lapse with Will wasn’t going to lead to being run-off too soon or even a beating had been great relief. He hadn’t deserved more. Yet, he’d wanted it, specifically for Caleb to stay with him. After so long alone, he’d grown dependent on another pretty damn, and embarrassingly, fast.
A reason for the gamma’s rejection had occurred to him quickly, as well.
“Do you have a mate you’re going to tonight?” He’d asked the question with his heart lodged in his throat, as if he’d had the right to care one way or the other.
“No, I’m not mated. Never have been.”
The answer had sent relief coursing through him fast enough to make him light-headed.
Caleb had continued to rub his back in that amazingly soothing way and offered up far more detail about himself than Seth could have expected.
“I’ve actually only been with the Rogues for a few months. Remember I said I was raised in a pack up in Canada. Finn came looking for gammas for extra protection, and my old alpha had more than he needed. I was low-ranked, so here I am. Will came along for, um, well reasons that are really his to tell.”
Seth had curled up in a relaxed heap, covering Caleb’s lap like a living blanket. “There must be omegas or sigmas here looking for a mate.” Why he continued to pick at the sensitive topic, he’d never know. Or, rather he did know, and although he’d chided himself for his interest, he couldn’t stop.
“Sigmas, sure. Other than you, our omegas are mated and breeding or newly whelped.”
Other than me. The casual way that Caleb had included Seth into the pack had been both irritating and comforting. It implied that Seth wouldn’t be given a choice about staying, and yet he couldn’t deny that part of him felt relieved at the idea.
“Aren’t you going to mate with one of the sigmas?” As if it had been any of his business.
Caleb’s hand had paused at that question. A tension had risen in the gamma’s body that had been easy to detect.
“I’m not sure I’m mating material. I don’t think I can handle breeding a mate and watching them go through the whelping. It, ah, doesn’t always end well. It didn’t for my mother, anyway.”
“Oh.” Seth had digested that information with great sadness, not only because he’d seen it happen to many in his pack. Caleb’s grief was a palpable thing. “Was she an omega?”
“No.” The petting had started back up. “A sigma, so you know she didn’t breed very often. I was ten when she died trying to bring my brother into the world. We lost them both,” he’d added with a heavy sigh. “My sire was a broken gamma after that.”
Seth rubbed his cheek against Caleb’s chest. “You’re afraid that will happen to you.” He’d stated it as fact because the answer was obvious.
“Yeah.”
After a few more minutes of silence, the gamma had stopped his petting and carefully pulled Seth up to a sitting position. His gaze had roamed Seth’s face, focusing on his lips so long, Seth had thought he might kiss him.
“Of course, I’m going to stay with you. Lorcan has taken me off guard duty so that I can watch over and take care of you. But, I’m going to sleep on this rug while you are going to curl up on the pallet.”
“Why?” Looking at Caleb’s mouth, he’d been actually disappointed in not getting that kiss. It would have been his first, and he was curious about what it would feel like to have his mouth ravaged by the gamma.
“Because being physically close to you gives me and my dopey dick bad ideas.”
“Bad?”
“Inappropriate.”
Understanding had dawned. “You mean the fun games we play where we both come so hard my cock feels like it exploded?”
Caleb had smiled. “Yeah, those.”
“I don’t understand. What’s wrong with them? I’m not some little pup or anything. Don’t I get a say? In anything?”
He’d tried to turn away, petulant over his lack of control. Caleb hadn’t let him get too far.
Turning him back, he’d stared down at him with a grim expression. “Of course, you have a say, but have you considered that you are now living within a pack with a strong alpha? You’re all grown up, Seth. Mature omegas are easily thrown into heat by their alpha.”
“Oh, right.” Of course, he’d thought of it only hours before the conversation had taken place. Living a feral life, he hadn’t had to worry about that situation at all. “I should go. Leave. It’s the only way to prevent it.”
Caleb had shaken his head once, firmly. “No.” He’d run his hand down the puckering scars of Seth’s still-healing wounds. Then he ran that same hand along Seth’s prominent ribs. “You’re in no condition to do anything other than stay here, eat and rest.”
“But not play.”
“Not those kinds of games. They might exacerbate your going into heat. I don’t think we should take any chances.”
Seth hadn’t argued the point. The last thing he’d wanted, the last thing he still wanted, was to go into heat.
So, no warm hand had wrapped arou
nd his cock last night, and no climax had helped him get to sleep. Still, with a promise of being a good boy and not tempting Caleb, he’d gotten the gamma to agree to sleep next to him, not simply nearby. It had been hard for both of them. The proof was in the way his own dick stood stiff along his thigh and the bulge he could feel pressed up against his ass.
Far from making him cringe, the contact seemed to make him even harder, and his hole clenched involuntarily. He tried picturing that thick, long gamma dick sliding up his channel. It would hurt, he knew that, and yet somehow he also believed that it would feel amazing. So did his cock because it twitched at the thought. Then something hot and wet dribbled past his hole, and he knew a moment of panic.
Slick. He’d been around older shifters gossiping in the kitchens and gardens. He knew what this reaction was in his omega body. What he didn’t know was if this only happened when one was in heat or could mere arousal cause it.
The fear acted like a bucket of cold water on his cock and his skin. Goosebumps raised on his arm, and his heart started racing. He needed to leave, the shed if not the entire pack lands. With as much care as he could, he slipped away from Caleb’s arms and stood. The gamma mumbled something in his sleep and turned over. Good. Seth needed time to think and some solitude to do it in. He pulled on a pair of jeans before slipping out into the warm early morning.
No one was around, everyone probably just getting up or eating their breakfast. Keeping to the edge of the compound, he wandered farther back. He wasn’t ready to run, not yet. He only wanted to find a place to hang out for a little while to sort out his conflicted feelings. He knew Caleb would wake soon, if he hadn’t already, and when he did, he’d come looking for him.
He followed the sound of running water, hoping to find a stream where he could splash water on his face and slake his thirst. What he found when he walked past a thick grove of trees was indeed a narrow waterway. He also found an omega sitting on a flat rock, with a pup at his pec. The boy looked up at the sound of Seth’s faltering steps and pulling the pup up, slung it over his shoulder.
He smiled brightly at Seth. “Good morning. You must be Seth. I’m Joey.”
Seth stuck his hands in his front pocket and hunched his shoulders. “Yeah, sorry. I didn’t mean to disturb you.”
Joey chuckled. “Oh, you’re not. I was looking for a quiet place for an early morning feed, and I find this spot to be really peaceful. We’re having a little bit of trouble with milk production. Aren’t we, little man?” He smiled down at his pup.
Seth stepped backward. “Then I should give you some privacy.”
“No need.” Joey waved him over with his free hand. “I’m done and wouldn’t mind the company.” He heaved a sigh as he patted the pup’s back. “To be honest, everyone is driving me kind of crazy. They all mean well, but come on.” He rolled his eyes. “Every time I turn around, someone is offering me advice or to help.”
Taking a few tentative steps closer, Seth said, “They care about you, I guess.”
That was nice to hear. Some of the members of his old pack had been caring, as well. Only sigmas, of course, and a few omegas that weren’t cranky from breeding. It had been the betas and gamma to watch out for, and naturally the alpha had set the example for the others. Which meant that Lorcan must be the kind of leader who fostered caring in his pack. Understanding that eased some of the strain he’d been feeling.
“Of course, Liam is the worst,” Joey continued, although his tone belied his complaint. He picked up his pup and peered lovingly into his eyes. “Can you say ‘overprotective’, Little Craig? Your sire is a typical gamma, isn’t he?” The pup gave a big yawn, making his father laugh.
Joey placed his son against his shoulder again and slid over to the other side of the rock. “Come sit down, Seth.”
Uncomfortable with the invitation, especially as he wasn’t sure the alpha would want him to get so close to a newly-whelped omega and his pup, Seth gestured toward the stream. “I was only going to get a drink of water.”
“Okay, do that. Then come sit by me.”
Figuring it wasn’t a good idea to gainsay the mate of a gamma, Seth hurried to wash up and drink his fill before heading over to Joey. He slowed his steps as he approached, though, not intending to show even a smidgen of aggression. He sat delicately in the edge of the flat rock and placed his elbows on his knees. Neither of them said anything for a while.
“It’s nice here, isn’t?” Joey asked. “I don’t mean only right here, but the entire pack lands.”
“It is. Were you raised in the pack?” he dared to ask.
Joey snorted. “No, no one was. We’re all a bunch of strays that Lorcan took responsibility for. We were a pretty ragtag bunch until he finally decided that we were a new pack.”
Seth shook his head ruefully at his own denseness. “I guess my first clue should have been the pack’s name, huh?”
They sat quietly some more, the only sounds being the natural ones around them and the occasional snuffling sound from the pup.
“It’s hard being out on your own, isn’t it?” Joey asked in a soft voice. “It was for me, anyway. I wouldn’t have survived much longer if Lorcan hadn’t found me. I bet it wasn’t as bad as staying with your pack, though, was it?”
“It didn’t seem so when I ran away.”
Seth watched a column of ants cross the dirt in front of the rock. When was the last time he’d had the opportunity to appreciate the world around him? He’d been so focused on survival, and in wolf form, everything had been either a source of food or fear.
“It still seems so, I think,” he confessed. “Living in a pack,” he clarified. “Any pack.”
“Give it time. Give us time. We’re not so bad once you get to know us,” Joey added with a quick grin.
Before Seth could formulate a reply, a warning cry rose up from the woods. Another call echoed it. Joey and Seth both slid off the rock. Seth held out a hand to help the new father and kept it on Joey’s elbow as they quickly headed back to the compound until he was sure the boy was steady on his feet.
“That’s a perimeter breach warning,” the other omega offered. “Intruders have entered the pack lands. We need to get to the longhouse.”
“I’m not sure I’m supposed to go in there.”
“All omegas, sigmas and pups hole up in the great room until we get the all-clear. It’s the safest place to be if there is an attack. No exceptions.” He shot Seth a grim look.
Before they reached the backyard, a large gamma came bounding out of the woods and flanked them. He first growled, then yipped repeatedly at Joey.
The omega grunted. “I’m going. We can argue later over whether I should have dared take a little walk within spitting distance of our cabin. For goodness sake, Liam, I whelped a pup. I didn’t revert back to being one.”
It took Seth a second to realize that this gamma was Joey’s mate. The big wolf eyed him and bared his teeth in warning. Seth was conflicted and confused about what to do. Despite what Joey had said, he thought he should go back to the shed. Back to Caleb.
His dilemma was solved when Caleb, still in human form, came running up to him. Slowing down, Seth headed in his direction. “Joey said I should go into the great room with the other non-combatants, but I wasn’t sure.”
Before answering him, Caleb pulled him in for a hug tight enough to rob Seth of his breath. “I was so worried when I woke and you were gone.”
“I’m fine,” he said into the gamma’s shirt because he couldn’t move an inch.
Caleb finally let him go, but only to hold him by the shoulders. “Joey’s right. Go inside.”
Seth peered up at him, now more scared then he had been when he heard the first warning cry. “You’re going to face the intruders?”
“That’s what I do, Seth. You know that.”
He blinked back sudden tears. “Yeah, but…be careful.” Gods, that sounded way lame, but he couldn’t bear the idea of Caleb being hurt. Or worse.
&n
bsp; “I always am.” Those reassuring words were punctuated with a brief kiss that nevertheless hit Seth like a lightning bolt. It was hard to breathe. “Now, go.” Caleb sent him off with a quick swat on his butt.
Being too well trained to resist, Seth did as he was told, but he couldn’t help looking over his shoulder at the gamma who ran into a fight, not away from it.
Chapter Ten
For the good of the pack and Seth, Caleb put thoughts of the omega out of his head. He joined Lorcan in the front of the longhouse just as a large SUV rounded the last bend of the driveway.
“Should I shift, Alpha?”
“Not yet.” Lorcan stared at the approaching vehicle with intensity. “The others have, but let’s stay human and see what they want. That’s some of Haldon’s boys, and given that they are driving up in plain sight, let’s assume this a friendly visit.”
Caleb snorted. “From what I’ve seen and heard, they don’t know how to do one of those. What if this is a distraction?”
“Deidra and Finn are out scouting for that possibility.”
“Of course.” Dumb of him to think the alpha wouldn’t have considered that.
“I like that you’re thinking of those things. Keep it up.”
The unexpected praise pleased him, although he had little time to dwell on it. Within seconds, the SUV had arrived. A gamma drove, yet stayed inside, while a beta and two other gammas climbed out.
The beta approached Lorcan slowly with his hands outstretched. “I’m not here for a fight, Rogue.”
“Good to know.” Lorcan kept his tone cool. “What do you want?”
“Haldon sent me.”
“I assumed as much. Why?”
The beta stopped a good ten feet away and put his hands on his hips. “One of your pack members invaded our territory.”
“In what way?” Even as Lorcan asked the question, Caleb had a sinking feeling in his stomach. This had to be about Seth. Haldon assumed the omega was one of the Rogues, and at this point, he was right.
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