“How are you feeling?”
The Omega shrugged. “Alicia gave me something for the pain. It helps the pain here,” he pressed a hand to his stomach, “but not here.” He placed the hand across his heart with a heavy sigh.
“Adam, I’m so sorry. I should never have let Terrance take you.”
Adam sat up a little as Ben tried to settle him back on the bed. “That wasn’t your fault. This isn’t your fault. Alicia told me there would never have been a baby, not without Harvey. And even though I really wanted one, a baby with Harvey would have been terrible. He liked hurting people. He’d have hurt them too. I wouldn’t have been able to protect them.” A solitary tear trailed down the Omega’s cheek.
Ben squeezed Adam’s hand and helped him lie back down. “You need to rest.”
“Don’t go.” Adam protested when Ben sat back up, his hand tightening around the Alpha’s.
“I’m not going anywhere. Just close your eyes and get some sleep. I’ll be right here.”
Chapter Eighteen
Adam’s eyes were closed. Ben could tell he wasn’t sleeping though he seemed to find Ben’s presence comforting.
A knock on the door had the Omega's eyes open and wary.
“It’s okay, it’s just Sam,” Ben said, with a reassuring pat to Adam’s leg.
“Alicia sent me with some food.” Sam carried a tray in his hands, setting it down on the bedside table.
“You should try and eat,” Ben said to Adam. “How about some soup?”
He helped Adam sit up against the headboard. Picking up the bowl, he ladled a spoonful and held it out. Adam swallowed the mouthful, letting out a little hum of pleasure at the taste.
“That’s it,” Ben encouraged.
Adam made it through most of the bowl before he’d had enough, shaking his head when Ben offered another spoonful.
“Glenoak are keeping watch around their border so they have some warning if Gray Valley tracks us here,” Sam said, “but we won’t be able to stay long.”
“Have you spoken to Lianna yet?”
“No, she’ll be here this evening and we’ll talk then. I wanted to speak to you first. Seb has made me an offer.”
“To join their Pack?” Ben knew Glenoak were eager to recruit young male wolves. Sam would be a great addition to their power structure.
“Not just that. He’s offered me their secondary Alpha line. Lianna’s family are one of the Pack’s oldest, relatives of the last secondary line but they don’t carry the Alpha gene, so, in effect, I’d be reintroducing it.” And Alphas beget more Alphas, or so the old sayings went.
“What did you say?” Ben could guess the answer. Sam was loyal, almost to a fault.
“I told them I have responsibilities elsewhere, with you.”
“We’re no longer Enforcers, Sam, that ended the moment we took Adam.”
“I’m still your second,” he argued.
“Look, as much as I’d rather have you by my side, it doesn’t make sense. It’ll be easier to hide two than three, we’ll be less noticeable on the move. Glenoak can offer you protection and you can claim you don’t know where I went. When they ask, tell them I took Adam because we’d started to form a bond.”
“Ben…” Sam continued to protest.
“No, Sam. This isn’t a temporary thing. We’re dropping off the map for who knows how long. Months, more likely years. We may never be able to come back. If you stay here, you can mate with Lianna and become part of this Pack. They really want you and they’re good guys from all accounts.”
“He’s right, Sam. Be with Lianna. We’ll be okay.”
Both Alphas turned, in surprise, at hearing Adam’s pronouncement.
Sam sighed. “I guess I’ll talk to Seb again, and to Lianna, and make up my mind then.”
A knock on the door interrupted. Alicia.
“Just here to check on my patient. Sebastian would like to talk with you, Ben. He’s downstairs,” she said. Ben was reluctant to leave Adam. “I’ll be okay. Sam’s here,” the Omega said, patting his hand.
“See if you can manage some more food,” Ben said as he stood.
“I’ll try,” Adam promised.
Ben found the Alpha, his Omega, and another wolf in the living room.
“This is Martin, my advisor,” Sebastian said.
They shook hands and Ben took a seat.
“Your presence here won’t go unnoticed for much longer,” Sebastian said simply.
“We didn’t intend to stay but Sam wanted to speak with Lianna and it became clear Adam needed medical attention. We’ll leave as soon as it’s safe to move him.”
“Alicia wants to keep an eye on him overnight but believes, barring further complications, you should be able to leave tomorrow.”
“Good. Then we’ll leave first thing in the morning.” Ben was grateful for their assistance but wasn’t going to put them at odds with Gray Valley.
“There was one further matter I wanted to discuss with you,” Sebastian said. “About Sam.”
“He told me what you’ve offered. I’ve encouraged him to take it. It would be safer for all concerned. Sam and Lianna deserve a better life then they’re going to get hiding out with us.”
“Good. I suspected we both had Sam’s interests at heart. Of course, I can’t deny that I have Glenoak’s interests in mind, too. Sam, with his Alpha status and experience, will be invaluable. We'll be lucky to have him.”
Seb’s Omega, Robert, spoke up. “Sam told us about Adam’s history.”
“What little we know about it,” Ben said, sensing a shift in the mood of the room.
“He sounds like he’s been through a lot. He might not be ready for…”
Ben met the Omega’s eyes, frowning at his forthright words. Robert’s voice trailed off but he kept eye contact, his gaze unwavering.
“What Ro means,” Alicia interjected, appearing at the bottom of the stairs, “is that Adam has been through a trauma. He needs time to recover from that. He won’t go into heat again until early next year. But he may not be ready to mate even then.”
“Ro got his point across just fine,” Ben replied, struggling to keep a lid on his anger, feeling immediately on the defensive. Who and what did they think he was? “I have no intention of rushing anything between us. If, and when, we bond, it won’t be done in haste or against his will.”
The four wolves exchanged glances but it was their Alpha who spoke. “Well said. I’m glad Adam is in such good hands.”
When Lianna arrived, Ben stayed a few minutes to say hello before stealing upstairs to keep Adam company while she and Sam talked. The Omega had fallen asleep finally and the lines of pain on his face had eased. Ben, who’d had little or no sleep the night before, sat back in his chair and let his eyes close.
Chapter Nineteen
Adam woke to find Ben sitting in the chair next to his bed. It looked uncomfortable.
“Ben?”
“Hmm?” The Alpha blinked and sat up. “You okay, Adam?
“Maybe you should lie down and get some proper sleep. It’s late and we have a long journey ahead of us tomorrow.”
“You heard all that, huh?”
“Most of it.”
“Ears like a bat,” the Alpha joked, stretching. “But I’m okay here. I don’t want to leave you by yourself.”
“You could lie down beside me?” Adam offered, scooting over.
“Okay,” Ben reasoned, “but if I’m going to lie down, I’d prefer to be between you and the door.”
His response didn’t make sense to Adam. “I’m not going to run, I promise.”
“That’s not what I meant, Adam.” Ben sighed and leaned forward so they were eye to eye. “If we’re sleeping, we’re more vulnerable so I need to be between you and the door. To keep you safe. See what I mean?”
“Oh. Okay.”
He moved to the other side of the bed, yawning as Ben stretched out next to him.
When he woke again, he was curled again
st Ben’s side, the Alpha sound asleep next to him. He felt a little ashamed. An Alpha he barely knew and he was clinging to him in his sleep. He still wasn’t sure of Ben’s intentions. The Alpha hadn’t made it clear if he planned to mate with Adam, as clear as Adam had been that he wanted it.
Footsteps approached and Ben woke, taking in Adam’s position and turning towards the door. A knock sounded.
“Morning Sam,” Ben called and the younger Alpha came in, taking a seat at the end of the bed.
“It’s almost dawn. Seb and Ro are making you some breakfast and food to take with you for your journey. I was thinking you could take both bikes but I don’t know if Adam knows how to drive.”
“So, you’re staying? Good.”
Sam let out a breath in a long whoosh. “I’ve been up all night thinking about it. I’m still not sure I’m doing the right thing.”
“I am,” Ben said firmly. “You have to think long-term. We’re not kids anymore.”
“No, we’re not,” Sam agreed before changing the subject.
“Ro left some towels in the bathroom. Why don’t you two take turns washing up and then come down and join us for breakfast.”
“Sounds good,” Ben said, turning to Adam. “You go first.”
Adam showered and dried off, his mind preoccupied thinking about Ben and Sam and distracting him from the pain that still lingered. If they hadn’t taken him in, if they hadn’t rescued him from Gray Valley, they’d still have their jobs, still be together. They were only parting because of him.
When he returned to the bedroom, dressed and dry except for his hair, he broached the subject with Ben.
“If you gave me back to Gray Valley, Sam could stay with you and you wouldn’t need to go into hiding.”
Ben, who’d been heading out the door, turned and came back into the room, taking a seat on the chair.
“No, Adam, it’s too late to go back now. I made my choice the moment I crossed into Gray Valley territory to get you. And I don’t regret it, not for a second. Sam and I were going to part ways anyway, sooner rather than later, what with him planning to mate with Lianna.”
“But why did you come for me?” That was the part he couldn’t understand.
“You’ve been through a lot. Your mating with Harvey was terrible and brutal and your life before that doesn’t sound much better. You’ve still got injuries that haven’t healed, both inside and out. That takes time. Gray Valley weren’t going to give you that time. They’d have done their best to force a heat on you and get you pregnant as soon as possible. Outside of your heat and pregnancies, your life would have been a misery. Omegas are a rarity, a novelty. People like Terrance think nothing of passing their Pack members around if it suits them, it is as close to Pack-sanctioned brothel keeping as you can get without actually legitimizing it.”
Adam didn’t understand that last bit, except that it seemed Ben didn’t think Gray Valley would treat him well.
“But suffering is an Omega’s cross to bear,” he said.
“Tobias tell you that?” Ben asked, folding his arms.
Adam nodded.
“Well, Tobias was wrong. Robert, Glenoak’s Omega, would like to talk to you before we leave. I think that’s a good idea. He didn’t even know he was an Omega until a year ago, and I know his Alpha doesn’t agree with any Omega suffering.”
Ben left him to mull that over as he went to wash up. He returned with a towel wrapped around his waist, another in his hand, and proceeded to pull some clothes from his bag.
Adam tried not to look but it was hard to keep his eyes off the Alpha. Smooth, tanned skin covered his chest, tattoos curling around his upper arms. As Adam watched, he dried off with a towel, sweeping the droplets of water from his skin. Adam wondered what his skin would feel like, under his hands. Harvey had never let Adam touch him.
Ben pulled the towel from around his waist and Adam ducked his head, feeling himself flush. The Alpha’s scent was strong, heady and enticing, in a way Harvey’s had never been.
It was a struggle to keep his eyes averted until Ben was dressed.
“Come on, let’s go meet our hosts,” Ben said, reaching out a hand to pull Adam to his feet. He followed Ben down the stairs and into the kitchen, following the mouth-watering smell of food that reminded him just how hungry he was.
There were four places set around the table, the Alpha and Omega already seated there.
“Adam, this is Glenoak’s Alpha, Sebastian, and his Omega, Robert.”
The Alpha reached out a hand to him and, hesitantly, Adam shook it.
“Hi Adam, it’s nice to meet you. You can call me Seb, and this is Ro.” He was directed into the chair next to Ro and a plate of food set in front of him.
“Eat as much or as little as you like. We’ll pack some up for you to take with you. I hear you’ll be on the road for a few days,” Ro said to him.
“Thanks.” Adam’s reply was little more than a whisper as he found himself under scrutiny from all three wolves.
“Sam went to collect Lianna. She wanted to see you before you leave,” Sebastian informed them, before he started up a conversation, taking the attention away from Adam and giving him a chance to relax and eat. It was strange being so close to another Omega. He hadn’t thought he’d see one again and he was really hoping, if he ever did, that it would be…
But there was no use thinking like that. Tobias had probably found him a mate already and he could be anywhere.
As they finished eating, Ro made a suggestion. “Why don’t Adam and I go for a walk around the garden. It’ll be good for him to stretch his legs before you spend the day traveling.”
“That’s a good idea. I have some things to talk to Ben about anyway,” Sebastian said.
Adam looked to Ben who nodded. “We’ll be right here, Adam. Yell if you need me.”
Following Ro outside, Adam enjoyed the feeling of warmth from the morning sun.
“So, this might sound strange to you, but up until a year ago, I had no idea what an Omega was. I certainly didn’t know I was one.”
It was such an odd statement, that Adam forgot his shyness. “But didn’t your Pack realize?”
“My Pack, Eagle Creek, weren’t like Glenoak. They didn’t care very much about me and I didn’t have any family so I took care of myself. They didn’t really notice me, not for good reasons, anyway.”
Adam could relate to that. Tobias only really paid attention when he felt they needed correction, which was a lot.
As they circled the garden, the grass soft and springy beneath his feet, he took the chance to ask something. “Do you know any other Omegas?”
Ro shook his head. “You’re the first I’ve met. How about you, have you met others?”
Adam bit his lip, unsure whether it was safe to answer, then nodded adding, “But I can’t talk about it.”
“That’s okay,” Robert replied, “I’m more interested in you and how you’re doing. I’m sorry about… about the baby.”
Adam shrugged, ignoring the stab of pain in his heart. “I think maybe it was for the best. What Alpha would want me if I was carrying another Alpha’s child?”
“That doesn’t mean you can’t feel sad, can’t grieve. Ben seems like the kind of Alpha who would understand.”
“He’s a lot nicer than Gray Valley’s Alpha was, though he loses his patience sometimes,” he replied. “But he doesn’t want to bond with me.”
“He told you that?”
“Ben said that without the strength of a Pack behind our bond, it would be too risky. And he let Gray Valley take me so they could mate me with their Alpha’s son.” They slowed to a stop.
“But then he came and rescued me before they had the chance. I thought that meant he’d changed his mind about the bonding but…” Adam shrugged, struggling to express his confusion.
“Sounds the opposite of me and Seb. He knew what he wanted and I was the one on the fence about the whole thing. But we worked things out. I’m sure you and
Ben will too, if that’s what you both want.”
Adam knew it was what he wanted though he struggled to explain even to himself why he was so certain. But what did Ben want?
“You and Seb, do you have a baby?” Adam hadn’t seen or heard one, but he’d spent most of his time in bed since he’d arrived.
“Not yet,” Ro smiled. “I’m in college studying and Sebastian is doing a lot of work with other Packs to try and strengthen Glenoak’s position. We plan to start trying in a few years' time.”
That gave Adam pause. “But what about your heats?”
Ro blushed at Adam’s blunt questioning. “My heats come as normal but Alicia gives me medications to take to stop me getting pregnant during them.”
Adam’s heart sped up. “But isn’t that forbidden? Does Sebastian know?”
“There’s no rules where these things are concerned, at least, as far as I know. And yes, Sebastian knows, of course. We made the decision together.”
“Tobias said it was the gravest sin for an Omega to interfere with the natural order of things,” Adam offered. Ro slowed to a stop.
“Maybe that was what he believes, but it’s not what we believe. And it might not be what you believe when you’ve had some time to think it over. You should talk to Alicia before your next heat, get some advice.”
“To stop me getting pregnant?” Adam could barely say the words, as if Tobias might hear them somehow.
“Not just that. It’s risky but she can give you medication that helps you get through a heat without mating or forming a bond.”
“But what if I want a bond? What if I want a baby?”
A slow smile spread across Ro’s face. “Then I guess you and Ben have a lot of talking to do.”
Lianna and Sam came to see them off. Sam had shown Adam a picture of her, but it hadn't done her justice. Her soft smile reminded him of Lacie and his heart hurt knowing he wouldn't see her again.
The Alpha's Choice: Lost Omegas Book Two: A M/M Shifter Romance Page 8