Forgiving Pain, Omega Born Book 3

by CR Guiliano

  Dryden moved forward, the panther mirroring his steps. Dryden stared into the male’s amber eyes, challenging him, and was pleased when the panther dropped his gaze quickly. As the male moved, graceful and full of strength, he glanced briefly back at Kasp, before crouching, and lunging at Dryden.

  Dryden sidestepped the male easily, turning, and swiping a massive paw across the panther’s flank. The shifter didn’t even flinch, though Dryden’s claws came back red with blood. Soon, they were locked in battle, both feigning, and lunging. Growls from Dryden, and yowls from the cat echoed around them. Once, Dryden caught the male around the neck, but he wiggled his way free, leaving Dryden with a mouthful of fur, and a nice set of claw marks along his ribs. He spat the offending hair out, and snarled angrily, wanting to get this over with so he could go back to his mate.

  Dryden was getting the distinct impression the male was holding out, as if he really didn’t want to be fighting at all. Maybe he didn’t, when Dryden caught a glimpse of Kasp, the small wolf shifter frowning. Seems things weren’t going as Kasp wanted them to. It wasn’t long before Dryden had the male pinned under him, and much to his surprise, the cat shifted back to his human form. These challenges were to the death, but Dryden couldn’t kill a shifter who was submitting. He let go, and shifted himself, then stared down as the male began to thrash in pain, his body twisting unnaturally, wails of agony issuing from him. What the fuck?

  Dryden glanced up to see Kasp with a malicious grin on his face, as he watched the cat shifter squirm. He gave a subtle nod, and Dyne moved forward, catching Kasp around the neck, two fingers effectively cutting off the blood supply to his brain, rendering the small shifter unconscious in seconds, Dyne catching his slumped body. The moment Kasp was out cold, the shifter at Dryden’s feet stopped writhing, his body relaxing even as his chest heaved. He had his eyes closed, and a fine sheen of sweat covered him. Dryden waved a couple of enforcers forward, and had the two wolves help the male up. He was shaking badly, and Dryden needed answers, but they could wait for now.

  “Dyne, take them both to the east wing, and put Kasp in the last room.” Dyne knew there were shackles in that room, cemented to the wall, for those who were criminals against pack law. Dryden might not have cells, but no way was he going to have someone like Kasp loose, even in a locked room. “Have Saran check this one over.” Dyne nodded silently, and led the enforcers off, the beta carrying the unconscious Kasp, and the enforcers practically dragging the disoriented panther, and Saran following silently.

  Just as the group disappeared from sight, Dryden was tackled from behind. He turned to pull his mate tightly into his arms, Arri trembling against him. “Its okay, my mate.” Dryden murmured in Arri’s hair, before grabbing the sweats Talus held out to him one-handed, unwilling to let go of his mate. He looked around, as he pulled them on, wondering where Rovyn was.

  “Rovyn is watching Arrden in the safe room.”

  Dryden gave Arri a squeeze in acknowledgement, then keeping his mate securely tucked under his arm, he turned to face his pack members. “The challenges are over. Border is officially part of Woodlynn Pack from this day forward, and will be renamed East Woodlynn. Our pack lands have now doubled in size. Are there any here who would dispute my claim?” Dryden chuckled, and felt Arri smile against his bare chest when a roar of approval rose from those around them. Dryden had a long road ahead of him in acclimating the two packs together, but tonight…tonight was for reconnecting with his love. His wolf was pumped from winning the challenges, and wanted nothing more than to rut in celebration with his mate. Dryden turned, and started leading Arri towards the manor. They had business to attend to, and Dryden’s wolf growled in approval.

  *~*~*~*

  Vann gasped, then covered it with a cough. Dryden was fighting! Vann could feel the anger, and determination pouring through their link. Either his alpha had been challenged, or someone was attacking the pack. Vann’s wolf howled within him, the beast wanting out to go, and protect—to fight with Dryden. But that wasn’t possible. He was thousands of miles away. “Pull over.” Vann needed out of the car. He was close to shifting, and there wasn’t nearly enough room in the SUV to accommodate his large animal.

  “Why? We still have a couple of hours of driving.”

  “I said, pull over!” Vann needed out, now! He ignored the jerk of the vehicle as Jisune pulled to the side of the road. He was out of the SUV even before it stopped, and in his wolf form, his clothes shredded by the roadside, feet from the trees beyond. His wolf was angry, and pumped up, snarling, and howling, as it ran, but there was nowhere for them to go. They couldn’t help Dryden, not in wolf form.

  Vann forced his beast to slow, then stop. He was breathing heavily, but used his strength to make himself shift back. Crouched naked in the loam, and leaves of the woods, he concentrated on the alpha beta link, pouring as much of his strength for, confidence in, and faith of his friend along it. It had never worked before, but then, Vann had never had such need for Dryden to feel him like he did now.

  He stayed still, his head down, eyes closed as he concentrated, keeping track of Dryden’s emotions. They ebbed in, and out, strengthening when Dryden was obviously fighting, only to ebb back when he was between fights. A challenge then, or his emotions would be constant for an attack. Who would challenge Woodlynn? The only wolves Vann could think of were from the Border pack. He knew, before all that had happened with Kale, the wolves of Border were not happy with the way Dryden had killed Sbrel, and had been incensed at the way Vann, himself, had shot Baston. Not that Vann cared. Baston was going to attack his alpha, who was injured. Vann wouldn’t let that happen.

  Now, he wished he was there, to back his alpha. He knew Dryden didn’t have the confidence in himself he should have, which never did make sense to Vann. The male was the strongest alpha born in decades. Dual alpha power, enhanced with his mother’s matriarch power. No challenger stood a chance against Dryden in his own territory. And, yet, Dryden had enough humility to know others could best him, if they fought dirty, as Sbrel had done. If not for Arri, Dryden would be dead. A tiny voice in his head reminded him, Arri, and his pup would be dead, if not for Vann. He ignored it, even as he focused on Dryden’s emotions.

  Vann’s thoughts scattered, and his heart sped up. Something was wrong. Dryden was still fighting, his emotions turning ugly with anger, and a rage Vann had never felt before. But that wasn’t what bothered Vann. It was the fear he felt from his alpha. Vann had never felt fear from Dryden. Insecurity, anxiety, desperation, even helplessness, yes, but never fear. What on earth would make his strong alpha afraid?

  Vann nearly choked on the sudden emotions swamping him as Dryden’s spiked to overwhelming, his alpha’s fear growing, until suddenly it was gone. Within minutes, all Vann felt was surprise, and exhaustion, followed quickly by satisfaction, and curiosity, and still anger simmering under it all. All that was followed minutes later by extreme arousal. Vann slumped in the dirt, and leaves, his body shaking with the exertion he’d spent, trying to help his alpha from so far away, and not even sure it had worked.

  “Are you okay?”

  Vann’s body jerked, and he turned to growl at the soft voice behind him. He was half-shifted, until he realized it was Truin standing there. The small shifter had clothes in his hands, and was looking everywhere but at Vann. Vann relaxed, his wolf receding with some effort from Vann, and stood shakily. It would take him some time to recover from such an intense emotional overload, not to mention the activity Dryden was engaged in now.

  The only other times he felt like this was when Dryden used to take lovers, before Arri joined the pack, and then during full moons after he was mated with Arri. Vann’s stomach clenched, and he pushed those thoughts away quickly. He sure as hell didn’t need to be thinking about full moon ruttings with Truin standing only feet from him. And thinking of Arri, and heats only brought painful memories of the basement hell, memories he’d rather forget. And Dryden’s lust was thrumming through him right now
, which made things even more difficult.

  He took a few steps forward, and held out his hand for the clothes. Truin handed them over, not allowing their fingers to touch, then turned his back. Vann was grateful. He didn’t need Truin touching him, or seeing what kind of reaction Truin might have at his naked body—his naked, aroused body. Thanks to his shifter genetics, and alpha blood, he had no scars from his time in Kale’s basement, but he still didn’t need Truin looking at him, and making him want to strip the small male, and claim him right there in the leaves, and moss of a strange forest, Dryden’s emotions making the idea have merit, even if Vann had no intention of following through.

  He dressed quickly, then walked past Truin, headed back towards the road. He could hear Truin following him, and did his best to ignore the male. He’d never answered Truin’s question, and didn’t intend to. Was he okay? Not even close. Once he reached the edge of the woods, he scooped up his ruined clothes, waited until Truin got in the vehicle, then threw his shredded clothes on the floor board. He climbed in, slammed the door shut, and sat silently. He could feel both Jisune, and Micky staring at him, but they didn’t say anything thankfully. Within minutes, they were on the road again, headed for the Sonoran Pride.

  Their meeting with the alpha of the Andreas Pack didn’t really go anywhere, but they were assured the leader had no intentions of ever challenging the Rainier Pack. Alpha Davidson had several thousand acres south that would be assigned to his children when they came of age. That was enough for both betas, so they left after informing the alphas of Rainier there was no threat, even without an alliance, from the pack in California.

  Now they were on their way to the pride which encompassed all of southern Arizona, and most parts of southern New Mexico. It was a large pride, and it made Vann nervous. He’d never met any other species of shifter, even if he knew they existed. And he was vitally aware his wolf would be bent on keeping Truin safe from strange cat shifters. He just wasn’t sure how he was going to accomplish that, when it was quite obvious Truin was unclaimed, as they all were. These cats wouldn’t know Truin was his mate, with no claiming bite, and no similar scents. Vann huffed silently in frustration, as he stared out the window, watching the green of trees, and plant life turn to sand, and desert scrub.

  Chapter 10

  Truin could practically feel it when they left the Andreas territory, and then a few miles later entered the Sonoran Pride’s lands. They had just passed through Yuma, Arizona, and were headed due east. Truin had never known there were other shifter species, which was pretty egotistical of him, but he’d never been in a position to know such a thing. He was nervous. According to the two betas, this pride consisted of lion shifters, and Truin wasn’t stupid enough to think they weren’t bigger, and stronger than wolves.

  He glanced at the others in the vehicle, all with stony expressions, and Vann with his usual scowl on his face. His mate had been silent since the episode by the side of the road, and Truin wondered what had happened. He’d never seen Vann like that, and he sure didn’t understand the barely there scent of arousal. The alpha never lost control, ever, but he’d looked damn vulnerable, and helpless in those woods. Truin ached to sooth, and comfort, but he knew Vann wouldn’t appreciate it, or even allow it, and Truin wasn’t sure what he could do for the big alpha anyway.

  Truin sighed, and turned to stare out the window again. He wondered how a pride could handle having such a large city, like Phoenix in the midst of their territory. From what he’d overheard, the lions controlled all of southern Arizona, some of southern New Mexico, and even a small portion of northern Mexico itself. A very large territory.

  “We’re to meet Alpha Osric in Tucson. He doesn’t want us near his compound. We’ll be there in a couple of hours.”

  Truin turned to look at Jisune in the front seat, the beta staring back at him in the rearview mirror, before turning his attention back to the road. Guess that announcement was for his benefit. The others would all know what’s going on, since it was their mission. Truin was only along for the ride, and regretting it every mile further they went. Truin’s wolf was getting edgy, pacing in his mind. He didn’t know if it was being in a strange pride’s territory, or the knowledge that the next place they were going was his home pack. He really should have thought this through. Alpha Hixon was a mean son-of-a-bitch, and Truin really hoped he didn’t recognize Truin. It had been years, but the alpha wasn’t stupid by any means.

  He kept his mouth shut about his connection to the Zenith Pack, not wanting to upset Vann any more than usual. But if Alpha Hixon recognized him, things were going to get complicated—fast. He vaguely wondered, when his mother had taken off, if she’d returned to their home pack. That would make things even worse, for a mother could always recognize her pup, if by scent only, and Truin looked just like her, so it would be easy for anyone to figure out. He tried to decide if he was looking forward to seeing her, if she was there, and decided, no, he wasn’t. She’d abandoned him to a whoring father, and left him to raise his two younger brothers alone. The female didn’t deserve anything from Truin.

  He was brought out of his thoughts when the SUV slowed, and was surprised to see them coming up on a small town. They weaved their way through the traffic, then left the town behind, entering a clean, well-kept suburb. Jisune turned into the parking lot of a small diner, and parked, turning the engine off. They all sat silently for a moment, and Truin wondered if the lion shifters were already here. There were a few motorcycles outside, along with some vans, and cars.

  “Okay, let’s get this over with.”

  Truin sighed, and went to open the door to his side of the vehicle.

  “No, you stay here.”

  Truin startled at Vann’s growled command, and looked over to see Vann glaring at him. What the fuck did he do now? Anger surged through him at Vann’s overbearing attitude, and Truin glared back. “You can’t order me around, Vann. I’ll come if I want.” He saw the surprise in Vann’s eyes, before the alpha lifted a lip in a snarl, showing his canine’s half descended.

  “You will stay in this SUV, and that’s final.”

  Truin let out a growl of his own, but Vann was exuding a power Truin hadn’t felt before, and he was unable to move. Alpha power, and Truin wondered if Vann even knew he was doing it. But, regardless, it seemed Truin couldn’t disobey the large male.

  “Enough, I don’t want to make the lions wait on us.”

  Jisune’s clipped words had the two betas, and Vann exiting the vehicle, and headed for the diner. Truin growled again, when he heard the locks engage. Not that he couldn’t unlock the truck from the inside, but his wolf was being stubborn, wanting to stay as their mate, and alpha had ordered. When he reminded his beast that, not only was Vann not his alpha, and Dryden was, and Vann was going into an unknown situation with lion shifters, and could get hurt, the beast only whined, torn between wanting to obey, and wanting to protect their mate. All it ended up doing was giving Truin a headache. He slumped down, and watched the diner. If he saw anything that made him think Vann was in danger, he was getting out of this SUV, and helping protect his mate, regardless whether he could fight, nor not.

  *~*~*~*

  Vann, and the betas slowly approached the diner, Vann’s thoughts on Truin’s uncharacteristic reaction to his order. Lately, Truin had been more belligerent with him, and Vann could only assume their proximity was weighing on Truin, as much as it was Vann. They both knew they were mates, but since Vann refused to claim Truin, and knowing how frustrating it was for Vann to have the younger shifter around, he figured Truin was feeling rejected, and frustrated as well. There was nothing Vann could do about it. He would not claim Truin, and ruin his life! He’d also noticed Truin’s scent had changed. Not a lot, but enough for Vann to notice, and he couldn’t put his finger on why. The tinkling of the bell above the door sounding brought Vann out of his thoughts. He needed to concentrate, and pushed his worries about Truin to the back of his mind.

  The momen
t they stepped into the diner, Vann was assaulted with a strong, musky smell that had him sneezing. There was an underlying scent of urine, like when a tom cat marked his territory, and Vann wrinkled his nose, wiping his eyes from the sneezing. When he looked around, it was to see several large males, and a few females, which surprised him. Females in wolf packs didn’t hold power, unless they were like Dryden’s mother, a true alpha, and in her case, a matriarch alpha as well. Not that she-wolves weren’t strong, Mia was proof of that, they just didn’t hold positions like enforcers, or sentries.

  As he gazed around, it was the largest male, sitting in a booth in the back of the diner who captured Vann’s attention. It wasn’t hard to figure out, this was the alpha. He was much larger than any others in the diner. As they approached, both Jisune, and Micky tilted their heads, baring their necks in respect. For whatever reason, Vann didn’t feel the need to do so. He could feel Alpha Osric’s power, but it wasn’t any stronger than his own. Much to his surprise, though, the big male nodded at him, as if in acknowledgement of another alpha. Vann didn’t know what to think.

  “Please, have a seat. Is there anything I can get you to drink, eat?”

  The alpha’s voice was low, and melodious, his tone slow, and laidback. He was gorgeous, though not Vann’s type, but he could see both Micky, and Jisune surreptitiously checking the male out. Vann’s lip twitched, but then he remembered why they were there, and Truin was alone in the car, and kicked Jisune under the table. The male jumped, and gave Vann a guilty look.

  They accepted Alpha Osric’s hospitality, and once drinks, and food were laid out on the table, gave the big alpha their proposal. The discussion went back, and forth, Vann keeping quiet, and letting the betas do their job. He sipped at the ice tea he had, forgoing any food. His stomach was in knots, knowing he wasn’t near Truin, and his wolf was anxious to get back to the younger male.