by TJ Star
Introduction
Seth put on the auction block too many times in his short years has gotten used to the way omegas are treated, but longs for a better life. A life less cruel where his Alpha won’t consider his a possession and the art he creates used to manipulate people. He decides to run one last time he had planned better and worked harder to find a way to escape and thinks this may just be his only hope for a future.
Ryan Rivers is head of the Rivers End Pack. He and his friends left their old pack which was too set in the old ways to start anew in another territory and have made a success of the company they started along the way. They grew up poor in a pack that didn’t take care of all the wolves, so Ryan has made it his priority to protect what’s his like any good Alpha should. The construction company has taken off and become a success but he spends too many nights alone wishing for a mate.
A chance meeting gives Ryan the opportunity to find his mate and save him from a greedy Alpha bent on power and fame. Can Ryan find the time to fit love into his busy life and does he have the patience to show Seth how a real pack works? Can Seth learn to trust in something he has never had before a future, friends, and a true mate?
Omega Seth
A Rivers End Saga
TJ Star
Chapter 1 Seth
He woke up tired and disoriented. Knowing better than to give himself away just yet, he kept his breathing even and listened to everything around him. Omegas may not have hearing as good as alphas or betas did but it was still better than any human’s hearing. Seth could hear footsteps faint from overhead somewhere and two voices, but not the words said. He opened his eyes feeling safe enough not hearing any breathing in the room other than his own. He was in a basement of sorts it seemed with stairs off to the side leading to the first floor. It didn’t look like the place was inhabited so he guessed this is where the hunters had been holding up while looking for him.
Taking stock of his most recent injuries he gritted back a groan of pain as he tried to roll onto his side to see if he could manage to sit up; not an easy task with hands cuffed behind your back and feet tied up. The silver in the cuffs stung but there was no helping that until he could get free of them. He could barely see out of his left eye it was swollen almost completely shut.
Seth remembered something amounting to what felt like a ton of concrete barreled into his side as he was running through the woods trying to escape the pack. This was not the first time he ran and though he planned better this time and got farther, he still managed to get caught by the pack hunters sent after him. It never pays to be one of the packs favorite most valued omegas. That at least is what the Alpha was always referring to him as, so why then was he always treated like trash if he was so valuable?
At least some of the smaller cuts from the bushes and thorns had just started to heal. That told him he wasn’t unconscious for too long. Just as the thought came to his mind he heard the steps coming toward the doorway from the room above. His ribs were killing him but he preferred to stay sitting and be able to defend himself a little, rather than lying down and not at all. Just two betas came down and he heard no one else in the house, so the others must be outside or gone.
“You’re awake finally, about time.” The taller beta said as he came to stand before Seth. “Danny check his cuffs make sure they’re tight enough.” He squatted down and grabbed him by the hair forcing his head back. “Alpha Ron says this had better be the last time you run. Do you understand me omega?” He growled then slammed my head back forward hard enough to cause my body to fall to the floor in front of him. He put his booted foot on the back of my neck grinding the heal down until I thought bones were going to break.
“Tom back off, Ron will kill you if you break his precious pet!” Dan snapped just in time to calm the beta.
Tom growled, “He is a waste of our time and resources, omegas need to be kept in their place. Load him up and let’s go before it gets dark.”
Relieved I would live another day and praying I healed faster than I usually do; I closed my eyes as he dragged me up the stairs and out of the cabin. Outside was a rundown looking car; they shut me in the trunk for transport back home.
It was going to be a long two days, but at least I would have more time to heal before dealing with my punishment from the alpha when I got home. Lulled by the drive and the dark interior of the trunk, and with injuries in need of healing Seth slipped into a troubled sleep.
…he looked around him he was in a big warehouse that had been transformed into a staging area for customers to buy omegas. He looked around at all the omegas, arms chained above their heads to hooks hanging from metal beams in the ceiling of the warehouse he’d been brought to. His father was tired of the shame he brought to his family and had decided to sell him to this man from the newspaper ad. He came by the apartment and when Seth heard the doorbell he answered even though he wasn’t old enough. He was always forgetting like that, but he just wanted to be useful and help.
The man smiled down at him but the smile made him feel sick. His dad came up behind him smacking him in the back of the head. “You’ve been told not to answer the door you little piece of shit, go to your room now!”
He would have but he was curious so after going down the hall then opening and shutting his door he turned around and came back part way to listen. The man asked his dad how old he was, ‘nine’, was he healthy, ‘yes’, has he been used before, ‘no’, is he violent, ‘no’. Why was the man asking his da all these questions?
As he listened he looked around the apartment from his hiding spot. He kept it clean or his dad would punish him. The walls were peeling though and some of the holes his dad had punched into them were getting bigger over time. While they had been talking his dad had finished his beer and tossed the can across the room. He would have to remember where it went later and pick it up so he wouldn’t get the strap to his backside.
Soon his dad came storming down the hallway grabbed him and said to the man, “Here you go, he’s your problem now not mine.”
“Dad? Where is he taking me, what about my art supplies and clothes? I don’t want to leave!” Seth had screamed the whole way out the door and down the apartment stairs until the man put a rag over his mouth and all went black. He hadn’t woken up until the man stopped the car in front of the warehouse and took him inside to sell to the auction people. The man never even told him his name since he was selling him anyway. So now he was waiting for someone to buy him.
It was scary all the alphas that came to bid on him and the others that he supposed were sent by their alphas or pack. They asked questions and he tried to answer but some of them were really mean looking. He wound up going to an older alpha named Angus who encouraged his art abilities until he died five years later and Seth wound up back on the auction block.
This time he was bought by a pack for the alphas discretion to be used for the packs purpose as needed to further the pack. Seth wasn’t sure what that meant but it didn’t sound good to him. He was now however a member, though the lowest member, of the Green Valley Pack in Oklahoma. He was drove and presented to the Alpha of the pack, a man who took time to find out his artistic attributes and how he could use them to profit the pack. He did just that, using Seth’s artistic skills at events he hosted and invited select people to. Wolves from other packs and occasionally humans he wanted or needed to impress as well.
After the first year his popularity grew, the pack grew and its popularity grew. The alpha not wanting to stem the flow of the incoming good times decided to offer select few special VIP guests a chance to have time with his omega. Thus personal sittings begun to be scheduled, at first Seth was only told that it was a closed personal sitting as it was a nude portrait. The VIP was told to go ahead and pose for the portra
it so the omega could relax and get in the mood. After the first session like this of course he knew what was going on and tried to refuse sessions, but it resulted in lashings or a good beating. Then he would still have to do the session anyway.
He felt his only hope was to get stronger and smarter and find a way to escape. When you are 15 years old and have a 250 pound alpha holding you down by the scruff of your neck as he drives into you repeatedly; well screaming stop is about all that comes to mind and planning gets pushed aside in hopes you survive the night…
THUMP! THUMP! THUMP! “Are you awake in there omega, time to go piss before bed.” Tom laughed as he opened the trunk and dragged Seth out dropping him on the ground at their spot in front of their room at the seedy motel. Once he was shoved in a corner he was sleeping soundly again.
Chapter 2 Ryan
Ryan was out front of the office waiting for his brothers to arrive. In truth they were the closest friends a person could have and it had become habit over the years to call each other brothers. Pack mentality where they grew up was survival of the fittest and step on anyone in your way. It was not a value he or his brothers shared or approved of causing them to band together and leave at an earlier than normal age.
His parents along with Galen and Nathan’s parents lived on the outskirts of pack territory where there were little if any patrols to keep shifters in line, and rare visits by the alpha’s family to see what in the area was needed. We often called our section of the pack lands the forgotten quarter. The three of us would ditch our nasty neighborhood and run off into the woods nearby soon as we ditched our school bags at home.
Our parents had given up on life mostly by that time so we were able to come and go as we pleased most days. Nathan though an alpha like him had it worse than the rest of them but they tried to make it up to him by keeping some food stuffs, extra supplies, and medical kit in our tree house. Our first building project, we worked together all summer to get the supplies as needed and make sure it would be supported and hold us all. Second year we had to redo the roof so it would not leak, but we grabbed supplies from Galen’s Uncle. Galen was an omega so could in some instances be invisible. Not sure he ever found out or not but we appreciated the loan.
It was from there we planned our lives, our futures, and though looking back I am not sure we actually thought they would come true. It was just something to take the sting off our pain and suffering, a bit of hope to keep us going. Now after running away from the old pack, and growing up a bit along the way, he was standing in the parking lot waiting for his slow ass brothers to get to the office for an early meeting.
“About time you all decided to get out of bed and get to work.” Ryan teased as he walked towards Nathan’s truck and Galen’s motorcycle. “Meeting this morning is to discuss hiring a new employee or two.”
“Ya ya, we know, we’re here ain’t we. I even brought coffee so you wouldn’t bite our heads off.” Nathan smirked as they walked towards their office. Looking up at the sign Rivers Construction and smiling bigger.
The glass double doors opened up with security code into an entryway. Once inside it was just a short hall that leads to the secretary’s desk. In that hall they kept fliers and other things that showed the different types of work they do. There were photos on the walls of finished projects and some of partials floor plans.
Once you got to June’s desk you could go straight to the conference room and his office or turn right which lead to the drafting and computer design area where Galen was in charge. The hallway passed his office lead to Nathan’s area and had another meeting room a bit larger so he could work with the crew and train new operators as they came in.
“It would definatly help if we had someone to do more than just answer phones and do the basic secretarial work.” Galen said as they went through the doors and down the hall to the conference room. “June is great, but she only plans to be here through the end of summer. She did mention she had a friend she thought would do great for the position.” He added as they all sat around the table drinking their coffee.
“My worries are whether we should worry about who we hire; shifter or human. I have to worry about the rest of the pack and while humans do know about shifters, their outright acceptance is not always forthcoming.” Ryan stood pacing, “I want to be able to do business in both human and shifter worlds. We have great relations in both so far and our pack has grown and become well known based on our reputation. I just think we need to carefully consider any applicants that come in, if they are human can they be trusted and are they capable of dealing with the unique job qualifications associated with being in a shifter work environment.” Ryan turns to sit back down so see his brothers smiling at him and growled in return.
Galen ducked his head shyly as Nathan laughs and replies, “We understand fully and know as alpha you are constantly worrying about the pack as well. The crews we work with are tight and their family is our family. That is how a pack is supposed to work, you are doing a great job. The office is far enough away from town that nobody will get in our business and close enough that it is not an inconvenience. So relax a little, put your feet up, and maybe go find a mate so you’re not so irritable.” Nathan then threw his head back and started laughing again as Ryan’s cup soared passed his head.
They both turned at the sound of barely concealed snickering from the other side of the table. Galen sat there with his hand over his mouth, leaning forward with half his waist length hair fallen forward over his face covering the tears of laughter. Then all of a sudden as he realized how quiet the room was he looked up and saw the look on the other twos faces.
“Now, now…” Galen started as he slowly rose from the chair to try and at least get a head start. “This is so not my fault you all started it, I couldn’t help but laugh…” Galen squeaked the last couple words as he darted for the open conference room door.
He could hear the thumps and bangs of furniture being knocked over as they tried to gain on him. Galen laughed again just as he was about to reach the secretary’s desk in the front of the empty building. Then he was tackled from behind by not one but both of his brothers. At which time all air temporarily left his body. He was just trying to get the upper hand, not that an omega could against two alphas, but he tried anyway until he heard a voice.
“Hello…um” said the voice of the woman entering the office. Galen looked up from his squished position on the bottom of the dog pile. Then managed to wheeze out a giggly, “Help?” At which point the short Hispanic looking woman looked around the office, and spying a broom leaning against the closet near the bathroom; she quickly but efficiently swatted at his bothers butts and heads until they moved.
“Dios mio, en que me estoy metiendo?” (My God what am I getting into?) the woman rambled on as she put the broom back where she found it then walked back over to us. “Hello, shall we start again, I am Connie and I know you have not officially started the hiring process, but June told me to drop by and grab an application to fill out for the back ground check and drug testing.” She told them calmly and then stated, “I was told there would possibly be more than one position opening so unless the application for both is the same I prefer to wait to fill that out until the jobs are posted if that works for you.”
Ryan stood there for about 30 more seconds before bursting out laughing and says, “If you get the job I think you will fit in just fine.” He sees Nathan already going through June's files to get the requested paperwork. “The application for the openings will be the same so you can fill it out and return it at any time. I am Ryan, Nathan’s the one grabbing your forms, you can defend him later when June tries to kill him for touching her desk, and the shy one you rescued is Galen.”
Connie looks around at the three attractive men all taller than her 5’ 2” and thinks this will definitely be an interesting place to work. The one who seems to be in charge was tall about 6’ 4” if she had to guess, with well defined muscles and broad through the shoulders. Ryan�
��s shaggy brown hair made his green eyes stand out and she bet he got tons of girls with that look alone.
He was a bit too serious to be her type though. Galen was hiding behind his waste length black hair through the introductions with his hands in his pockets, but she did get a glimpse of pretty aqua colored eyes at least the one she seen. He was shorter than the other two but still had several inches on her; about 5’ 11” slim with a muscled runners build.
Now taking the papers from the man before her she observed his features as inadvertently as possible. Nathan was 6’ tall with shoulders broader than Ryan’s and had a muscular build with short wavy blonde hair and hazel eyes. She would so love to run her hands through that, but the job was more important. Connie took the stack of papers thanking them for their time and left quickly.
After leaving she pulled out her phone and ordered a small plant from the local florist with a note for June from Nathan saying, “Sorry I messed up your desk…Nathan” It would be delivered in a couple hours, so just after June got in for the day. Hopefully, this will be a bit of good luck for a change because she needed some.
◆◆◆
Connie went to college together with June and was roommates for a year near the end of June’s time there. They had a few classes together, but Connie took full advantage of her full scholarships and what she earned from her student work study; applying it by taking extra classes each semester as well as through the summers. She had already taken some basic college classes while in high school and then took classes to get her CPA her junior and senior years. It wasn’t like her family was going to approve of her dating anyone anyway so she put all her spare time to use.