by Joyee Flynn
“For the trial run I have to talk with Wes daily and check on him. And it has to be a video conference so I can see that he’s not saying what someone’s telling him to under duress. For his specific contract there are extra hoops to jump through.”
“I’m good with that,” I replied right away, knowing full well as soon as we signed my main goal would be having sex with all of them. I got why they wanted things to slow down and weren’t sure… But I was. They worried that this was part of my wires getting crossed, that I wasn’t able to make a decision this quickly.
The truth was they couldn’t be more wrong. I knew this was what I needed and my energy knew it as much as I knew I had a wolf inside of me. They would make me whole and love me. I’d seen it and I felt the possibility between all of us. Now I just had to make sure they understood it and agreed.
And I really wanted some hot sex and happiness. If that meant seducing them and moving things along, I had no problem with that.
I wiggled out of Levey’s embrace and sat back down at the table. Everyone gave me a funny look. “Go get the contract. Let’s do this. I’ll eat, we sign, I need a run, and then we pack and go. Where are we going to?”
“Right, maybe you should hear all this before you sign,” Bay hedged.
“If I’m going to be your Omega, you need to understand something. Others might doubt my visions and what my energy tells me, but I don’t. I’ve had these powers for a long time and seen more than most can imagine. You wouldn’t ever have thought another person could give you an orgasm without even touching you before today, right?” He nodded slowly as they all did. “So you can doubt me but I don’t doubt myself. I know this is the right decision.”
“I’m going to need a pen,” Bay said immediately, sitting down next to me. I saw it then. It wasn’t that he didn’t believe me… This was going too fast for him. Glancing at Harkin and Levey, I saw they had the same look. Then I opened myself up to their emotions again and that just confirmed it. They were scared.
“Then again there’s nothing wrong with spending the day getting to know each other while you guys help me pack. I do want to know about where I’m moving to.” Then another idea hit me. “If you want me that is. I know you came to check out the Omegas here. Maybe you’d like to meet them.”
“No, you’re the one we want,” Harkin snapped as he plopped down on the chair on the other side of me. “That’s not what any of this is about. We wouldn’t have made out with you and given you pleasure unless we felt the connection too. I simply think we should talk about what’s going on a little more before we sign. There’s no need to go into this with blinders on when we have the time. I don’t want anything coming up later that upsets you.”
“Good,” I sighed, smiling at them one at a time when I saw the other two nodding in agreement. “I’m glad that you’re taking this as seriously as I am. What would you like to know?”
“I think we need to know what else you’re capable of,” Bay said hesitantly. “Not because of reasons you say others want to know like you’re entertainment or something. We need to know so we can honestly say if we’ll be able to protect you. Given you’re as powerful as you are, even Tristan saying you kick his ass, other packs will want you for their own. I need to know that our pack won’t get hurt because we want you.”
“I can take care of myself.” I bristled, not liking that he seemed to think of me as a liability.
Bay opened his mouth and then shut it again, glancing at Harkin and Levey as if unsure on what to say. I listened to the vibes I was getting from them and frowned. They had trouble believing that, given my last Alpha had almost killed me. I took a couple of deep breaths. From their point of view, I could understand that.
“The reason the Alpha was able to get the drop on me, in a manner of speaking, was because I’d gotten in trouble for contacting the Omega Network behind his back. They beat me then and for weeks after that before I was rescued. When he got word we had High Council guards on pack grounds, he gave me a shot of wolfsbane.
“I was weak, hurt, and unfocused. If trouble came now or at your pack I would be able to handle it. I had no out before and wasn’t allowed to fight back against my Alpha and inner circle. That wouldn’t be the case with you guys and I won’t ever allow myself to be abused again.”
“I understand their concern, but I think you need to show them, Wes,” Jared admitted with a groan.
“I hate this part,” Rhyce bitched as he got to his feet. I gave them a nod, thanking them for allowing me to do it. I tapped into my power and the energy always surrounding me and in a flash every man in the room besides me was up against the far wall of the kitchen unable to move… Even Tristan.
“I thought Omegas couldn’t use their powers against each other?” Levey asked as he tried to fight my energy.
“He’s too strong for me to keep out. I try to block him but it’s like he laughs and shoves that mental door open like I’m a little kid playing hide-and-seek and he found me,” Tristan explained. I thought it was an interesting analogy. Except there was one flaw in it.
“I don’t even realize I’m doing it though,” I added. While they were all watching me, I levitated everything in the room again, and then started juggling some of it.
“We get it,” Bay growled, looking annoyed. “You’re scary powerful. You can hold people and lift things. That still doesn’t answer my question and I don’t appreciate being held captive.”
“You wanted the full show,” I countered with a shrug. I set everything down and released them before plopping back in my chair and focusing on my cold breakfast.
“Was that the full show now?” Harkin hedged as they moved closer and joined me.
“Not even close.” I didn’t look at any of them, hating when people questioned if I was strong. It was even worse when they wanted to know everything I could do up front. Wasn’t the fun in meeting finding new things as we went along about each other? I wasn’t asking them for their full family tree and dating history up front.
“He can control fire, wind, and water,” Jared answered, always acting like the big brother even if he was only a few years older than me. “He’s been working on earth, the last of the four natural elements. He can’t control it but he’s great at making plants and vegetables grow.” I saw Jared point to the small garden through the back door that they’d made for me right off the terrace.
“What else?” Bay asked nervously. I felt their fear and tears burned in my eyes.
“Does it matter? You’re all scared of me now,” I growled, standing up and slamming my hands on the table. In a flash I saw it all go out the window and I was pissed off about it. “I could rip your clothes off you, tie you down, and do whatever I wanted to you without even blinking an eye or lifting a finger. Is that what you want to hear? That I’m stronger than you? I’m not a monster who would though.”
“They’re not saying that, short stuff,” Tristan said gently.
“Whatever, I’m going for a run.” Then I turned to our guests. “Thanks for coming, nice to meet you, don’t let the door hit you on the way out.” I spun on my heel and just to be a shit, opened the back doors before I got there, removed my shorts, and folded them, all with my mind. Then I focused on the wind so it felt as if a huge storm was coming, blowing shit in the kitchen all around, and walked out the door.
And just to be an extra big brat, lashing out because his dreams of happiness were dying… I splashed them in the face with their glasses of water that had been on the table. I know, I might be twenty-eight, but sometimes it was more like I was twelve.
The moment I hit the terrace I shifted and took off. It was always good for me to go for a run when I was upset. My wolf was much calmer than I when things like this happened. I ran full out for about twenty minutes before feeling exhausted and heading back. That would have been enough time for them to have made their escape from the scary Omega.
I couldn’t have been more shocked when I saw them still there at
the kitchen table… And a little hopeful. Shifting back, I picked up my shorts and pulled them on before slipping on my flip-flops.
“You want to see more of the circus?” I asked bitterly, but it was quiet because I was tired. I walked away from them and to the fridge, pulling out a bottle of water and starting to chug it down. They all ignored my outburst though.
“And then you each sign here and it’s done,” Tristan explained. I flinched and slowly turned around to see what was going on like an actor in horror movie. My friend was smiling widely at me. “After your tantrum and you left they asked to sign the contract.”
“What?” I gasped, almost dropping the water but catching myself at the last minute.
“We don’t care what you can do or how powerful you are besides it helps us not worry about you being able to protect yourself,” Levey said as he signed his name before handing over the pen to Bay. “You’re not a sideshow freak or a cool toy for us to play with. We said we didn’t want to go into this with blinders on so we asked. Now we know what we need to.”
“And what’s that?” I hadn’t even realized I’d been moving closer, like a moth to a flame, until I was standing right next to the table.
“That you’re ours,” Bay answered with a smile as he handed the pen to Harkin. “That you belong with us and we want you as part of our family and pack.”
“Really?”
“Yes, really,” Harkin chuckled, giving me a wink before signing the contract as well.
“Really?” I asked again, completely blown away by all of this.
“Yeah, really,” Bay said firmly. “All that’s left is for you to sign and it’s done.”
“Where is your pack?” I stared at the pen Harkin held out to me like it was a snake. For all my bravado this was scary for me too. I’d been burned by my last pack badly and they were asking me to take a huge chance here. In Jared’s pack I was safe. I was in sanctuary. Sure, I could get that again if things went ass up, but I wanted this to be real and work out. Kind of like when humans got married.
They didn’t go into it with a game plan to get out normally and only wanted to it once.
I’d already done it once and it had been the worst experience of my life. I didn’t think I was strong enough to ever have to go through all that again if things went badly.
“It’s about forty minutes outside of Spokane, Washington, called Medical Lake. The pack owns a ranch there, and we raise cattle, some horses, and we have cabins by the lake that tourists rent for fishing. We take out groups on boats and our whole pack runs the business so we’re very tight,” Harkin said with a smile. I could feel the waves of happiness off of him. He loved his pack and his life. That was good. I liked happy.
“What would I be doing?” I asked quietly, staring at my feet. I didn’t know anything about cattle or horses. I liked eating fish, but that was about all I knew to do with them. I’d never even been fishing. I was a city boy.
“That depends on what you feel comfortable with,” Bay replied, yanking on my arm and pulling me onto his lap. “Tristan has a special request of you before we start exploring those options.”
“Anything,” I told my friend immediately, meeting his gaze. “Whatever you need.”
“Just like that?” Harkin asked, his eyebrows shooting up to his hairline.
“Of course.” I gave him a firm nod so he saw my sincerity. “Tristan’s the best friend I’ve ever had. He’s a good person who helps his pack, loves his men, and oh, rescues abused Omegas on the side. He would never ask me to get involved in something I shouldn’t or that won’t better our people or help someone.”
“Wow, thanks, short stuff,” Tristan sniffled, using the back of his hand to wipe away a stray tear. “And here I’m always chastising myself for not doing more. I never thought anyone but my mates would say something so nice about me.”
“You are a dense, very tall man,” I chuckled. I held my hand out to him and with the trust of a true friendship, he immediately took mine. I focused my powers and showed him every thought I’d gotten from the Omegas I’d been helping here about him. Most of them would walk in front of a firing squad so the man never got a scratch on him.
He was our rescuer. The High Council guards might have been the ones to come storming pack lands, but Carson and Tristan were the ones who saved us. And the whole thing had been his idea. If not for Tristan there wouldn’t be any rescued Omegas and our stories would never have had a chance to get better.
I showed him all of this, rubbing my free hand on his when I was done. I realized he was really overwhelmed and let him go.
“I just need a minute,” he mumbled before rushing from the room.
“What happened?” Jared knew I’d never hurt his mate, so it wasn’t anger, simply wonder on if Tristan needed him.
“I showed him every thought or emotion I’d picked up on with regards to him. He doesn’t see himself the way we do.”
“No, no he doesn’t,” Cameron agreed. “He still sees himself as the twerpy piece of ass that he was treated like growing up and then was sold off because he was not worth trying to save.” I saw my inner-circle-to-be raise an eyebrow at that one and Cameron went on. “Tristan’s dad is a powerful Alpha. He’s in charge of the Green Bay pack and has pull with the High Council.
“He could have gotten them to look the other way that he’d had a child that was an Omega. But he didn’t and that’s always bothered Tristan. Even more, his father is one of the loudest voices in the fight against us changing the way Omegas are treated in our world. He even filed a complaint against Jared with the High Council to get his Omega under control.”
I could feel the shock in the room at that but we needed to change the topic before Tristan came back. It would upset him even more if he knew we’d been talking about his father. “I’ll take a trip to Green Bay soon and use my powers to shove Tristan’s dad’s head up his ass. I’ll send pictures.”
“So sweet of you,” Jared chuckled. “It’s fine. The High Council threw out the complaint right away. We were just given a heads-up on what was going on.”
“He’s coming back,” I whispered when I felt his energy approaching so Tristan wouldn’t hear. “What is it Tristan wants me to do?”
“We want to use some of the Omega Network funds to rent one of Bay’s pack cabins all year round. We were hoping you’d still keep working with Omegas who need the help or who just need to get away and see that their powers can be controlled like yours are.”
“And we told them that our pack would gladly donate the use of a cabin whenever they wanted. Hell, we offered to hold an Omega convention in the off season,” Bay said firmly. “We’re in this fight to help the Omegas as well. We never agreed with the old ways but we had no clue what to do about it. Now that people are working to make it better, we’re on that side.”
“Lennox and his men have been visiting other packs to raise money for the cause plus what the High Council has given us. We can pay for the cabin,” Jared explained gently, not wanting to make it seem as if he was giving a handout.
“Lennox?” Harkin asked, glancing between all of us.
Jared quickly explained about one of the Omegas who had barely survived his time with his last inner circle. “He even got the pictures the High Council took when he was rescued as proof of what he went through and shows them to inner circles to help get support.”
“Whatever you need from us we’re more than willing to help,” Levey told him, Harkin and Bay nodding in agreement. I smiled and took the pen, glancing at where they had signed and adding my name.
“Now that we’ve settled all of that, I’d love to keep helping Omegas but I think it’s time to pack.” I gave each of my new men a kiss and I could feel their excitement like a warm sweater wrapped around me.
“I’m happy for you, short stuff,” Tristan said from the doorway of the kitchen where he was standing. I stood and went over to him, giving my friend a big hug. “This isn’t good-bye, Wesley.”
/> “Nope, it’s ‘see you later,’” I agreed. “You better come visit. If anyone needs a vacation, it’s you.”
“I do like fishing.” We shared a look and burst out laughing, everyone in the kitchen joining in. Tristan was going to be just fine and maybe soon I would be too. Either way, I would help any and every Omega who wanted my guidance. It gave me a sense of purpose and filled me with pride that I could do something important.
And that was what I needed to feel right then.
Chapter 3
Bay had called and we ended up being able to book seats on a flight that night to Spokane. That’s where they’d flown out of and where their car was parked. Until we had to be at Denver International it was a flurry of packing. I didn’t have all that much stuff because I’d had few belongings I’d wanted from my old life. Also, Tristan kept trying to get me to go shopping with him or someone, but he was too busy for that.
Instead I’d been ordering things here and there online with my rescue stipend. On top of all his other crimes, my old Alpha had been stealing from his pack. So when the High Council returned that money to the rightful owners, I’d also gotten his life insurance policy since he hadn’t had any heirs. The pack thought that was the least they could do for me given they’d never helped me all the years I’d lived there.
So it made a nice-size bank account for me if I ever needed it. Which helped in my freaking out about moving on to a new pack. I had means if I ever had to escape again.
Bay kept apologizing for rushing to get back but they were in the middle of their busy season. Labor Day weekend was a big draw and there was still fishing going on as hunting season was starting for some of the bigger game. I assured him it was fine as long as I got to do some hunting in my wolf form. I’d always wanted to but since I grew up in the New York City pack, it wasn’t something we were able to do.
The flight was fine, and the drive was quiet since it was getting late and we were all tired. I’d ended up only with one carry-on bag since Cameron assured me he’d get my stuff sent out tomorrow and expedite it. Nowadays that was still cheaper than bringing a suitcase on most planes. Plus, for whatever reason, UPS seemed nicer than the way I’d seen the people in the airlines treat my stuff.