by Nora Phoenix
“That’s what we’re still trying to figure out,” Palani said. “But our theory right now is that the men who attacked the ranch were hired by a cell like that, probably in reaction to our investigation into the gene and Excellon.”
Vieno bit his lip, then spoke up. “But why would they want to keep what Lukos did, or Maiitsoh or whatever they were called, a secret? Wouldn’t they want to expose it? I mean, it was wrong, wasn’t it?”
It was the same question Palani had asked himself. “Yes, it was wrong, but considering the wide support the CWP has, my guess is they feared people would condemn the methods but readily embrace the goal. Exposing Maiitsoh would mean affirming that a return to wolf shifters is possible, and that’s not news the AWC would want to leak.”
“We suspect they’re keeping tabs on Palani and Lidon. The warning to Lidon came after he’d accessed that file in the system, and the attack on the ranch came days after you visited Melloni. When that failed, they came after your jobs, though I suspect they’ve been laying groundwork there for a while,” Bray explained.
“For them to pull that off, they’d have to have a far reach on high government levels,” Lucan remarked.
“Yeah, that’s got us worried, which is why Palani and I have decided to lie low for a while. We’re fighting our suspensions, but low-key. We don’t wanna rock the boat more than we already have,” Lidon said.
“And Enar?” Uncle Leland asked. “What about the suspension of his license?”
Enar sighed. “The problem is that they have reason to suspend me, and they know it. Sure, the charge they got me on now is bull, but if I fight it, they’re just gonna dig deeper, and they will find shit to nail me on. So it looks like my medicine-practicing days are over, at least for now.”
Palani’s hands itched to comfort him, hearing the sadness in his voice, but he wasn’t sure if Enar would accept it in this setting. Vieno had no such reservations, and he crawled onto Enar’s lap to hug him.
“It wouldn’t have to be,” Lucan spoke up. He blushed as every head in the room turned toward him. “You can’t practice medicine in any clinic or hospital, but you can on private property. It’s a loophole in the law some doctors used in the past to help omegas. As long as you’re on privately owned property and patients sign a release that they're aware you’re not licensed, you’re in the clear.”
“I’d forgotten about that,” Enar said slowly.
Palani shared a look with Lidon and was pretty damn sure they were thinking along the same lines. But they’d work it out together and then present it to Enar. He had enough on his mind right now, so they would keep this stress away from him.
“What does this mean for the future?” Uncle Leland asked. “This threat won’t disappear on its own, especially not if you guys keep digging into this whole mess.”
“No, it won’t.” Lidon’s answer was firm. “But that doesn’t mean we stop digging. It just means we must be vigilant about it. We have a better idea of what we’re facing and the lengths to which these people will go to protect themselves and their belief system. We’ll adjust security accordingly.”
Grayson’s eyes narrowed, Palani noticed. “Lidon, have you considered they’re targeting you specifically?” the older alpha asked.
Palani frowned. What was he referring to?
“Your bloodline, your heritage, and the fact that you married an omega who carries the gene. You’re their worst fears come true.”
Grayson’s words hung in the room, punctuated by a gasp from Vieno before Enar’s arms tightened around him.
“Are you considering children?” Uncle Leland asked after a heavy silence. “I think Vieno’s heat will come soon, no?”
“Yes, five more days,” Lidon said, his voice calm despite the turbulence Palani spotted on his face. “And yes, we had decided we wanted him to conceive, but…” His voice trailed off. “I’m not sure if we should now, because what you’re saying makes sense.”
Vieno sat up straight, pushing Enar’s arms away. “No,” he said, then again and louder, “No.”
He got up, stood ramrod straight as he faced Lidon. “We will have this baby. We are not bowing because of threats like this.”
“Sweetheart, what if they—”
Vieno planted his feet, his chin raised. “They can’t. This is our pack, our home. Men will die to protect this, and we will not cower. I’ll give you your alpha heir, and he’ll grow up to change our world. I know it, and I believe it with all my heart.”
When Grayson had told Palani he felt Vieno using alpha compulsion on him in that cellar, he’d thought him crazy. How could an omega, even an alpha-claimed one, use his alpha’s powers? But here was the proof because Vieno spoke with an authority and power that Palani felt roll through him, unable to resist.
Lidon felt it too because his mouth dropped slightly open before he recovered. “You…” He shook his head as if to clear his mind. “You’re amazing, sweetheart.” He reached for his hand, and Vieno stood between his legs, a look of sheer determination on his face. Lidon kissed him, then pulled him on his knee and faced the room.
“You heard our omega. We’re having a baby.”
24
Lidon raised his head to let the sun beam down on his face and bare torso. It was still early, but the air was already humming around him with the promise of a hot day. He didn’t mind. He liked the heat, always had. As a kid, he’d spent hours in the pool, often with Enar, playing tag and lounging on floating devices. It had been heaven, just like he remembered much of his childhood.
The ranch had been a safe haven for him even then, and after hearing Uncle Leland’s tale of what had transpired between his dad and his granddad, he understood why. His dad had kept much of the negative influences out, wanting to protect Lidon. But in doing so, he’d also prevented him from learning about who he was, about his heritage. That was a hard pill to swallow. He had so much to learn, and even with Grayson and his uncle helping him, he felt lost. He was supposed to lead his pack, but how could he do a good job when he lacked the knowledge and experience?
He sensed him before he heard him, and then two small arms wrapped around him from behind. Vieno’s head rubbed against his back.
“Hi, sweetheart,” Lidon said, breathing him in deeply. Yes, his heat was coming soon, Lidon confirmed, Vieno’s scent already hardening his cock.
Vieno walked around him, now hugging him from the front. “Mmm,” he said. “I love it when you’re not wearing a shirt. All those big, sexy muscles on display.”
Lidon flexed, just to tease him, laughing when Vieno did a pretend faint. “What are you doing outside so early?” he asked him. “I thought you were cooking in preparation for your heat.”
“I was, but I needed to be close to you.”
Lidon’s heart melted. He loved it when Vieno got all needy on him. He loved it from any of his men when they leaned on him, needed him. Maybe it was some alpha thing? It made him feel strong and wanted. “I was about to do an inspection with Jawon. Wanna join us?”
Vieno nodded. “Yes. I’d love to see how far we’ve come.”
Hand in hand they walked over to the vegetable plot, which boasted full-grown plants by now, including rows of tomato plants, held up by tall, green stalks. Lars was working there, checking each tomato plant, though Lidon wasn’t sure for what.
“He’s pinching out suckers,” Vieno explained. He pulled Lidon toward one of the plants and showed him a tiny green leaf between the stem and a branch. “If you let those grow, you’ll end up with a plant that has a lot of branches and leaves but few tomatoes. The plant needs to focus its energy on a few stems and developing fruit.”
Lidon smiled. “You’ve learned a lot about this.”
“I worked my way through a ton of books on gardening,” Vieno said. “But Lars knows way more than I do, and he’s developed a plan for the extension of the plot.”
“That’s fast work,” Lidon commented when Lars stood up and made eye contact.
“I did a quick soil test and made some suggestions on what would work well, considering our climate and the amount of sun this spot gets.”
Jawon had made his way over as well and listened as Vieno gestured to the barn, the sound of the chickens in the coop clucking in the distance. “Lars suggested building a trellis system against the barn to grow snap beans. It’s the perfect spot, actually. He also had some ideas to improve our zucchini and pumpkin patch, and we’ve started growing melons there too, which are doing well.”
Lidon nodded. “Good. You’ve made great progress, sweetheart. I’m impressed.”
Vieno beamed, and it warmed Lidon’s heart. He was in his element here, tending to the garden and taking care of the house. What a perfect fit he was for this place.
“We’ve made good progress on widening the existing gate as you requested, alpha, working closely with Bray to establish a safe perimeter around the main house,” Jawon said as they moved on from the vegetable garden. “I’ve had a plan drawn up for you for an omega building, per your specification.”
They walked over to a folding table placed in the shade, where several drawings were taped to the table. Lidon bent over to study what his cousin had come up with.
“The omega wing is inside the main perimeter, since I figured it would need protection. My idea was to connect it to the house but with a double lock-system featuring a walkway to keep the smell out of the main house. Entry would be based on hand scans, so Bray could program it to only give access to those who’d need it.”
Lidon studied the drawings. It was a two-level building, which was smart, since it made optimal use of the downward slope the back of the ranch was on. It provided four bedrooms, each with a private bathroom, and a communal living room and kitchen. There was even a small room for a washing machine and dryer, which was smart thinking because it meant the heavily scented bed sheets and clothes wouldn’t have to be carried through the main house.
“I like this concept,” he said. “It’s private and safe yet connected to the main house and within the gates.”
Jawon’s face broke open in a smile. “You’re gonna love this, then.”
He pulled another drawing on top of the omega plans, and Lidon had to study it for a bit before he understood what he was looking at. “You want to build more wings?”
“As needed, yes. Each wing would be connected to the main house but with its own kitchen and laundry facilities. Those would be placed on the outside, with the bedrooms closest to the main house, so the protection is optimal. That was Bray’s suggestion, by the way. Four bedrooms per wing, so you could separate alphas and betas, if you wanted, or put my crew together and Bray’s men in a separate wing. You could use one for Urien and his daughter, maybe. We could keep adding them around the house as needed, since we have so much open space on every side, and it would further increase security for the core of the house, for you and your men.”
Vieno squeezed his hand. “And for our kids,” he added softly.
“I didn’t want to be presumptuous, but yes. If you’d have kids, they’d be best protected this way,” Jawon said.
Lidon pulled Vieno close. “Jawon, this is brilliant. I want to talk to Palani before giving you the green light, but I expect him to be as happy about this as I am. Great thinking, cousin.”
“Thank you, alpha. It was a team effort between me and Bray.”
As Lidon had expected, Palani loved the concept as much as Lidon did when he showed him the plans in his study later that day. “That’s brilliant,” he commented. “Both in terms of the use of space as the added layer of security for the main house.”
“Yes, and it will give us more privacy in the main house, which is good. I’m fine with Grayson and Lucan staying there for now, but any more, and it will be too much for Vieno, especially once he’s pregnant.”
Palani smiled. “Did he manage to drag himself away from you?”
“He’s with Enar, who promised him a hard fuck if he took a nap. He needs to rest before his heat.”
“I know. It’s sweet how he clings to you. It does something to you inside, doesn’t it, when he gets all needy as fuck?”
“It does. I never feel more like an alpha than when he needs me like that,” Lidon admitted.
“I sense the pull toward you as well,” Palani said, surprising Lidon.
“You do? How?”
“Not as much as Vieno, but if we haven’t seen each other all day, I need to be close to you. It’s like you're my compass, my true north. Ever since Vieno’s last heat, since you accepted me as mate, I'm a little lost without you, and it’s gotten deeper since you alpha claimed me.”
Lidon let that sink in. “Does it bother you?”
Palani grinned. “It’s not exactly a hardship to be in your presence, you know?”
Lidon’s lips pulled up. “Thank fuck for that, then.”
“You don’t experience the same?”
“A pull toward you?” Lidon considered it. “No. Toward Vieno, I felt it right before his heat last time, so maybe that’ll start tomorrow. But not to you or Enar, not like you described, sorry.”
Palani cocked his head, his eyes narrowing in a way that told Lidon he was onto something. “Not like I described,” Palani repeated. “So, you do feel something…”
There was no way he was confessing to Palani what had flashed through his mind. It was embarrassing as fuck, and he’d rejected the thought every time it had popped up. Lidon's cheeks heated up, and Palani laughed in response. “Oh, this is gonna be good. You're blushing, alpha. Come on, spill.”
He should’ve known he wouldn’t stand a chance against this stubborn, bossy beta. Still, he wouldn’t give in that easily. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he insisted.
Palani jumped into his arms, and he caught him on reflex, pulling him against him so he wouldn’t drop him. The beta wrapped his legs around Lidon’s waist, holding on to his neck with his hands. “Don’t tell me a big, strong alpha like you is scared to admit something…”
“I’m not scared,” Lidon defended himself, then laughed as he realized Palani was playing him like a fiddle. Two could play that game, though.
He walked him forward until he’d backed him against a wall. He pulled Palani’s hands loose from his neck and pinned them against the wall, grinding against him. The beta let out a soft little moan, and he licked his lips. “I’m pretty sure Enar is balls deep inside Vieno right now,” Lidon whispered, bringing his mouth within a breath’s distance of Palani’s. “How about we have a little…interlude of our own?”
Palani’s brown eyes darkened. “If you’re trying to distract me…”
Lidon groaned in frustration. He really was too smart for his own good, the sassy beta.
“It’s working,” Palani finished, then crushed his mouth to Lidon’s.
Vieno kissed as if he wanted to swallow you whole, Enar wanted to be conquered by your mouth, but Palani? Palani seduced you with his kisses, Lidon thought. His tongue was liquid heat, teasing and torturing Lidon until his cock was rock hard and leaking inside his shorts and all he wanted was to be buried inside Palani.
“Baby,” Palani whispered against his lips, both panting. How Lidon loved to hear that sweet term for him. “You can fuck me anytime, but will you please tell me what was on your mind? You don’t have to, but I don’t like you being ashamed of anything.”
He rested his forehead against Palani’s, closing his eyes for a few seconds. Should he tell him?
“Ever since the alpha claiming…” he started, then stopped again. He couldn’t do this while he was holding him so close. It would put pressure on Palani in a way Lidon wasn't comfortable with. “I’m gonna put you down, okay?”
He gently lowered Palani to the ground, waited till he’d found his footing, then took a step back. Palani leaned back against the wall, studying him with kind eyes.
“Remember what Grayson said about that True Alpha thing?”
Palani frowned. �
�He said a lot of things.”
Lidon jammed his hands into his pockets, carefully avoiding touching his cock, which was like steel. “The sexual libido.” He looked at the ground as he spoke. He’d never been one to blush, but his cheeks heated up a second time.
“Ah,” Palani said. “That.”
“Yeah, that. It’s much worse since the alpha claiming.”
“I noticed you seek Vieno out more, even at night, in bed.”
“Do you think he minds?”
Palani smiled. “He’d sleep with your cock deep inside him all night if he could.”
“I don’t want him to feel pressured. Or any of you.”
Palani’s eyes flashed with understanding. “What happened?”
Lidon sighed, lowering himself onto his desk chair. “Remember my second boyfriend, the one I wanted to marry? Or at least I thought I did until he cheated on me. Rodrick complained I put too much pressure on him to have sex, that he felt like he couldn’t say no, what with me being an alpha and all.”
It had been his biggest failure as a man, to hear those words, basically be accused of taking him against his will. Had he? He rubbed his forehead, trying to remember how it had gone down.
He jumped when Palani’s hand clamped his neck. “I have a hard time believing that,” he said softly.
Lidon raised his head, looking at him with tired eyes. “You’ve experienced my alpha powers. You don’t think I could’ve used those on him?”
Palani cupped his cheeks, planting a soft kiss on his lips. “You’re far too honorable. You even asked Vieno for permission, in the throes of his heat while his smell must have driven you crazy…and you still stopped to make sure he wanted it.”
“But that was after…because Rodrick had told me that,” Lidon protested.
“No, you did that because it’s who you are. It sounds like your asshole cheating ex tried to put some of the blame with you, but the truth was that he fucked around on you.”
“But why? Why did he cheat on me?”