To Take and Hold(Omegaverse Shifter Romance) (shifter fever Book 2)

by Cashmire Hart

  Agape, Reed could only watch as the warrior took a seat on a comfy-looking chair and started flipping through a women's magazine.

  Thank you, he thought, really wanting to tell Crixen how grateful he was.

  Chapter 10

  Crixen did his best to focus on what was printed in the magazine, but Reed was making it hard. He hated that the omega's pure amazement and happiness meant something to him. Scowling, he realized he was reading a women's magazine and quickly set it down.

  Reed had rushed off with a cart, looking completely lost, but no less ecstatic. Crixen wasn't sure what had prompted him to take a detour here. He told himself that with dozens of books, Reed wouldn't need to go to the library as often, thus less time of him chauffeuring. But he knew better. One thing he would never do was lie to himself.

  It makes me happy to see him happy. It was strange to him. The only thing that had brought him joy in the past was killing. He'd never really thought about his future other than his role in the Ro'an. Courting and mating and pups had never crossed his mind. Not that he wanted that... Do I?

  He supposed his concern for Reed extended to his natural alpha desire to protect an omega and nothing more. Sure, Reed was a good-looking shifter, but that didn't mean he wanted a mate and all that aggravation that came with having to answer to someone else. Besides, Reed was frustrating, annoying and disrespectful.

  As the time passed, the deeper his thoughts delved. He allowed himself to fantasize about a different life, the life he might have had if his parents hadn't been murdered in front of him. He might very well have been mated with pups by now. He could accept there was a tiny part of himself that mourned the loss of what could have been. But his tragedy had shaped him into something more. It had given him a reason to fight, a craving to kill and in turn, he protected innocents and kept the magical world in check.

  It took him a moment to realize Reed was standing in front of him with a loaded cart. His cheeks colored adorably. "I think I over did it. But you didn't give me a limit."

  Crixen sighed at the stacks and stacks of books threatening to tumble with the lightest bump. "What are you going to do with all of them?"

  The omega gave him a quizzical look. "What one does with a book. Read."

  "Smart-ass," Crixen grumbled.

  "Look," Reed said and offered him a book.

  Crixen took it and read the title out loud. "How to Care for Farm Animals. Fine, if this will keep you busy for a few months."

  "A few months? I can knock this all out in a few weeks," he said, looking proud of himself.

  "I'm going to advise you to pace yourself," he countered and set the book in the over-stuffed cart. Spotting a familiar title, he picked up the fantasy adventure. "Didn't you just read this?"

  "I want to read it again," Reed countered and took it from him. He held it against his chest as if it were a priceless treasure.

  "You're going to load up the car yourself," Crixen ordered, needing to regain a semblance of control. He was finding it hard to say no to this omega. "These books are yours and you're responsible for them."

  "Deal!" He beamed widely and pushed the cart toward the check out.

  Crixen handed over his credit card. Over a grand for fucking books. Reed seemed delighted, though, talking to the human girl about their favorite fantasy works. It took them a half hour just to ring everything up, their progress slowed by chatting. Reed seemed unaffected as he loaded the books into the back of Crixen's SUV, his eyes wide with excitement.

  "What's this?" Crixen frowned as he picked up a book with a very suggestive cover. "How to drive your man wild--"

  "None of your business!" Reed snatched it from him and stuffed it in the SUV with the rest. "You said they were mine. My responsibility."

  When they were in the vehicle, Crixen couldn't help wondering why Reed would buy a book focused on sexually pleasing a man. He moved to start the engine but stilled. His wolf growled in his mind. Was Reed messing around with someone? He couldn't imagine... No, wait. He could. Reed had been trying to break him for the past month. It wasn't a stretch to think he'd try his charms on another alpha.

  He should be concerned that the omega had ulterior motives, but he wasn't. No, his beast was pissed that another alpha might be putting his paws on what belonged to Crixen. Mine!

  "What?" Reed asked, swallowing hard.

  Realizing he was growling, and likely scaring Reed, he reigned his animal in. He started the engine up and wiped the anger from his face. "Nothing. I'm hungry."

  "So, you turn into a raging beast when you're hungry?" Reed croaked. "We should stop at a gas station and get you a Snickers."

  "I prefer Reese's."

  "Is that a joke?" Reed asked. "By Goddess, he does have a sense of humor."

  Crixen threw him a bored look and pulled out of the parking space. He decided on a sandwich shop and ordered them several varieties to take back to Sanctuary.

  "Thanks," Reed murmured as Crixen handed him a wrapped sandwich.

  He realized it was the first time Reed had expressed his gratitude. Well, not quiet. As he headed back toward Sanctuary, he considered his words. "Reed, about the other day..."

  "There's been a lot of other days," he cut in. "You'll have to be more specific."

  "Point taken," he said. "Do you understand that I'm not an alpha that apologizes often?"

  Reed looked at his half-eaten food and wrapped it up. "Yeah."

  "So, when I do, you can know I mean it. Do you understand?"

  "Um, okay."

  "I want to apologize for pushing you the other day," he said, settling for the short and sweet. "In your bedroom."

  Reed said nothing, his eyes on the window.

  "And you don't have to thank me. I need you to know that. Tell me that you understand," he commanded. When Reed simply stared out the window, he barked, "I'm not Raze!"

  That got Reed's attention and he sighed. "I know. I just... I understand."

  Figuring it was the best he'd get, Crixen let the subject drop.

  Chapter 11

  Reed had been doing it wrong all the long.

  As he read the book on how to please a man, he ran through his mind that evening in his room when Crixen had pushed him away. Diving right in had been the wrong move. He needed to kiss and caress and tease. Seduce.

  With the wildblood pack, it had been different. Sex had been used as a gesture of gratitude and as a means to gain favor or settle a dispute. Yes, he'd wanted to thank Crixen for his kindness, but the thing that made it different was that he wanted to. Living with Raze, the things he'd done had been borne of survival. He'd never wanted any of it. The desire was all new for him. He'd never wanted to sexually please an alpha before and he accepted that he had come to trust Crixen as much as an omega that had been through what he had, could.

  There was no denying that the warrior was sexy. He was rough and strict and annoying, but more importantly, he wasn't cruel or sadistic. It was what Crixen wasn't that made Reed trust him. And with that trust came a want, a need to pleasure him, to be pleasured.

  As the voices of omegas outside drifted to his ears, he abandoned the book and stuffed it under his mattress. He guessed by the flurry of activity, Sanctuary was preparing for another party. He kneeled before the window and pushed the pane up, letting a comfortable evening breeze in. The grill was smoking, and coolers filled with meats were sitting nearby along with a table of buns and condiments.

  Reed envied these omegas. They seemed so happy, so content with were life had brought them. For the first time since he'd come here, he thought he might one day join them in their joy. As far as he knew, Raze was dead, and his former life had gone with the wildblood alpha.

  He smiled as the alpha with the manbun snapped Loren's behind with a wet towel. Reed found that he liked watching the inhabitants of Sanctuary. If he was going to learn how to live again, he needed to study these shifters. Though he'd managed to stay sane during his captivity, he'd forgotten a great deal many thi
ngs. Like generally, having a good time.

  Something caught his attention. The sound was distant, but slowly grew. It was a vehicle engine, one that he'd heard many times before. Grinning widely, he rushed out of his room and down the stairs. Peeking through the foyer window, he spotted Crixen's SUV pulling into the courtyard. The warrior got out and headed around the side, likely in back where most of the activity was.

  Biting his lip, Reed stepped outside. He hated that he looked forward to seeing Crixen. He'd tried to rekindle his hatred for the warrior, but all he could think about was their trip to the bookstore. Crixen wouldn't do something like that for me if he didn't care, right?

  He had no idea. He tiptoed to the SUV and found the doors unlocked. Closing his eyes, he inhaled deeply, pulling in the alpha's spicy scent. It sank to his core and stroked his animal in all the right ways. He wondered if Crixen were here for him, or Ro'an business. He wouldn't mind taking a ride with Crixen.

  He moved to close the door but stilled as a glint caught his eye. The backseat was folded down and he pushed aside a rough blanket to reveal the warrior's twin scimitars. Even in their scabbards, they looked deadly. He reached out and touched the cold hilt. He could remember what one had felt like in his hand--lighter than he would have imagined, but sturdy. The sword had made him feel powerful as he searched for Raze, certain he could kill the alpha that had caused him so much pain.

  He wasn't sure why he did it, but he took the scimitars and hastily made for one of the barns on the outskirts of the property. It was empty except for farming equipment and would be the perfect hideout. He was careful as he cut through the trees, not wanting to be seen. When he made it to the barn, he breathed a sigh of relief, his heart pounding.

  Carefully, he withdrew one of the scimitars, the blade flashing in the light of the sinking sun. The metal was beautiful and engraved with runes. He guessed it was a spell of sorts. Weighing the sword in his hand, he imagined Crixen practicing with it, the edge cutting through the air with precision. He slashed the scimitar through the air clumsily and grinned darkly. He'd never handled a sword before, but the whole thing seemed simple enough. Stick the pointy end in a heart.

  He set the scabbard down and arranged a haystack atop another so that it roughly formed the shape of a body. He pushed at the square of hay with the edge of the scimitar, watching as it slowly slid in. He repeated the motion several times.

  He slashed at the stack, sending twigs of straw flying. Grinning victoriously, he did it again, and again, until he swung high and ended up spinning on his feet. He shook it off, determined to obliterate the haystack. He briefly considered dual wielding the blades, but one was enough. He didn't want to accidently decapitate himself.

  "You deserve this," he said and slashed at the hay again. "Asshole."

  He stabbed the blade into the square and out the other end. "What's that? You're too stupid to understand what I'm saying?"

  Growling, he yanked the scimitar loose and swiped at the stack. His momentum rocked him off his feet. It made him all the more angrier. He drove the sword back into the stack, imagining flesh tearing and blood spilling. "This is for kidnapping me."

  Straw flew everywhere as he obliterated the stack, but in his mind he saw gore. A hard swipe, and a large section of hay fell away. "This is for making me your whore."

  His vision blurred as tears gathered in his eyes. The anger and the hurt coalesced into one, fueling him on. All he could do was swing until his arms hurt and his body shimmered with sweat. "Mother fucker!"

  He swung in the air as the last of the hay crumbled to the floor. He was breathless, his lungs burning, his heart hammering. His sinuses were too tight. He needed more, he needed... He slashed at a wooden beam with a cry. The scimitar's edge dug into the wood and lodged there. He wondered if that was what it was like to drive metal into bone.

  Rage ruled him. He growled as he tugged, the wood cracking as he put all his strength into dislodging the scimitar. When it was loosed, he slashed at the beam again.

  "Asshole!" He couldn't see anymore. Everything was underwater, cloudy and formless. All he knew was his rage. He swung again and missed, the momentum making him spin. The shape of his frustrations took form and he dried his eyes.

  Crixen was standing at the barn's door, his expression a mask, his brows knitted but his body was loose. He's so fucking cool. Mr. Nothing affects me. This was the alpha that had stolen his vengeance from him. The fact that he felt something for Crixen enraged him more. Gripping the scimitar securely, he rushed for the shifter.

  He swung wildly with a shout and Crixen easily dodged the swipe, seemingly moving like water. Reed tried a stab, but to no avail. Again and again he attempted to land the blade home, but it was as if he were moving in slow motion, or Crixen was quicker than he was. He stumbled against the wall, his breath punching out of him. The blade had grown heavy, his muscles screaming for relief. Still Crixen stood there, completely unaffected.

  Baring his fangs, Reed tightened his grip around the blade and glared at the warrior.

  Chapter 12

  When Crixen had decided to take a personal trip to Sanctuary, he thought it would be a typical day. Get in, do business and check in with Reed, then head back to the Keep.

  After Cullan had put in for some supplies for the warriors, he'd figured it was a good excuse to get out of the Magistrate's Keep and take in some fresh air. He didn't want to admit it, but he also looked forward to seeing how Reed was doing. No doubt, bulldozing his way through the books. He pulled into the courtyard and made for the back where a commotion drew him in.

  Rex was preparing for another evening of barbecue. The alpha must be in heaven right now, Crixen thought with amusement. But he deserved it. The warrior noticed him and offered him a salute.

  "Where is Cullan?" Crixen inquired.

  "He went to the store with Loren to pick up a few things for me. Anything I can help with?"

  "I'll talk to him later then." With that, he left Rex to his beloved grill and returned to his SUV to retrieve the gift he'd brought for Reed. It had been a spur of the moment thing and he wasn't sure why he'd done it. He'd never gifted anyone with anything. It's nothing special, he told himself. The Nook device was the perfect gift for the omega, however. It was capable of loading many books and would save on space. Reed could read until his eyes bled.

  As soon as he opened the door to his vehicle, he realized something was off. It was a buzz under his skin, a shrill scream in his mind. He inhaled deeply, scenting Reed. Normally, that scent would have plunged him into arousal, but as he shifted his focus to the back, he realized his blades were gone. Stolen! Panic made his heart shudder. Reed must have taken them to provoke him, but the omega had no idea how important they were. They were more than weapons, the scimitars were an extension of his self and who he was.

  That rage that he tried so hard to quell bubbled up. His fangs slid down as he followed the scent trail Reed had left behind. He tracked the omega around the periphery, through the trees and back toward a barn. He'd never forgive Reed for stealing them, for making him feel a loss he hadn't felt for a long time.

  Crixen stilled at the heavy sound of breath and the scent of salty tears. The omega was standing in front of a haystack, slashing at it clumsily. He had no balance, no form, but what he did have was a fuck ton of anger and that rage was both a boon and a deterrent. Crixen had seen it before, in himself.

  "This is for kidnapping me."

  "This is for making me your whore!"

  Reed's words went right to Crixen's core as an alpha. He'd joined the Ro'an to protect innocents, but he'd failed to protect this omega. He let Reed expel the built-up anger, wishing he'd recognized it before. There was only so much that could be held back, until it exploded.

  When Reed had pulverized the hay, he moved to a wooden beam. He growled and screamed, slashed and stabbed. Crixen accepted that the male hadn't taken his blades out of malice, but a simple and pure need for vengeance. That realization softened
him, his own anger bleeding away. Reed simply needed guidance and Crixen found himself wanting to fill that role.

  Reed lost his balance and spun. He quickly dried his tears when he noticed Crixen and that rage seemed to intensify. He rushed for him, his movements uncoordinated. It was easy to dodge an untrained swing, but Reed's anger made him even sloppier.

  Reed threw him a fiery look, his eyes red and glossy from tears. He dragged the scimitar along the ground, the metal scraping the barn floor. Crixen couldn't help feeling a pang of pride as Reed refused to quit even if he were dead on his feet. He put all that he had left into a final swing. Crixen stepped to the side and when the blade hit the cement, he skillfully disarmed Reed.

  The omega screamed bloody murder as Crixen subdued him in a bear hug. "Let me go!"

  "Stop," Crixen commanded evenly. "I'm not Raze."

  "I don't care!" Reed tried to kick, but the angle was wrong. He growled with frustration and made a move to slam his head back.

  Crixen kicked Reed's feet from underneath him and pressed him flush to the ground. "Stop," he said again.

  "No! You took him from me. I'll kill you instead!"

  "Stop." He softened his tone as he put his weight on top the omega. "It's okay."

  Reed whimpered in frustration, his body coiled tight.

  "It's okay," Crixen said again. "Just relax."

  Reed shook his head as tears streamed down his face. "You stole him from me. I promised myself I'd survive just so I could kill him. You took that from me!"

  Crixen hushed him as Reed put forth one last burst of energy.

  "Why didn't you let me kill him?" he sobbed.

  The pain in Crixen's chest pulled memories from the depths of his mind. He'd buried them a long time ago, but they had shaped who he'd become. He could never completely forget them. Reed whimpered again, the sound one of anguish. Crixen held him flush, needing him to relax. Reed's body loosened as his tears dried and Crixen let go of his arms. He ran his palm up and down the omega's shoulder in an attempt to comfort him.