by Sy Walker
Chapter five
I’m looking around and I feel like I’m an outsider with people staring at me. Owen has not left my side and we sat at the bar together nursing a couple of drinks. I had decided to go on the wagon, so that I wouldn’t endanger the life that I was currently carrying.
“Owen, I’m sorry for the wait, but Bradley has been stuck in meetings all day with other members of other gangs. He should be wrapping things up in a few minutes and he is most anxious to speak with you.” This guy was a redhead and I wondered, if the rug matched the drapes. “You have been very vague on the details of what you want to speak to him about. It might go a long way to getting a meeting quicker, if you were to tell me what you wanted to say.” I could tell that this man was not exactly happy about being left out of the loop.
“Marco, if it’s all the same to you, I would rather speak to him about this matter in private. I know that that’s not the usual way of doing something like this, but I’m going to have to be firm on this issue.” Marco was the bartender and he threw his towel over his shoulder and walked away in a huff.
The door opened to the back office and a man with long black hair and a goatee was now motioning us to come and join him in the inner sanctum.
I sat there and listened to Owen tell Bradley everything that was going on. For the most part, I thought that Bradley was being very open minded, but looks could be deceiving. He was wearing the colors of the gang and he was now pacing back and forth scratching at his goatee and looking at the both of us incredulously.
“You come in here and drop this bomb in my lap and you expect me to smile about it. I’m going to need some time to adjust, before we make the announcement public. Give me, until tomorrow morning.” He was being dismissive, but he was also being quite calm about everything. It finally dawned on me that the scar on Owen was not a scar at all. It was a birth mark that signified his legacy, as an Alpha breeder.
The one thing that I did notice was that he did not do me the courtesy of looking me in the eye. He treated me like I shouldn’t have even been there. They were not exactly accepting of strangers.
“That went better than I expected.” I could see on Owen’s face that he was not at all impressed by how everything had transpired. “What is it?”
“I’m not sure, but I think that we’re going to have to watch our backs. He usually shows more emotion and the fact that he didn’t worries me. I could almost see the gears in his head turning.” This did not bode well for either one of us. We walked out into the bar and were suddenly surrounded by the rest of the pack.
Marco came over and stood in the center of all of them “I’ve been informed by Bradley that he doesn’t want either one of you to leave here.” I thought that we were being taken hostage or captive, but apparently it went a lot further than that. “I don’t know what you did to piss him off, but he has requested that you be relieved of your command.” This didn’t sound good. The way that they were wielding those pool sticks and knives in their hands was quite menacing.” It would go a lot easier on you, if you just accepted your fate.” They were directing their comments to Owen. “He wants your bitch alive. Don’t ask me why. I’m not in a position to ask questions.”
I understood almost immediately that he was going to pawn this baby off, as his own. He would threaten me and the life of my child and I would have no choice, but to bow down and succumb to his wishes.
“Marco, I wouldn’t do anything that you’re going to regret later. You don’t know the whole story.” He was about to say something more, but he got the back of a pool cue across his mouth. One of his teeth came loose and he spit blood onto the floor at the feet of Marco. “That was uncalled for. If you insist on going down this road then you better know that I will not go easy into that good night.”
To his credit, Owen fought like a wild animal, but the numbers were against him. He was overwhelmed and was soon a bloody pulp. They didn’t kill him, but I don’t know what they were waiting for. They had him on the floor and they raised him up on to his knees with his hands being held behind him. Out of the office came Bradley. He stood in front of him looking down at his beaten form.
“I was going to kill you, but I thought better of it. The only thing that can be done is to get rid of your little bitch.” He struggled to stand, but he was being held back and not even the wolf inside of him could break free. They had somehow subdued the wolf and made it impossible for him to change. I saw the necklace around his neck and I knew that wasn’t there before. I’d heard of such an object, but I never was in a position to see one up close and personal. The silver wolf head in the center of the necklace was supposedly giving it the power to pull the wolf from his body and not allow him to transform at will.
“It is not widely known, but everything that goes on with the wolves finds a way to my attention. Walker, I know what you did and he’s on his way here to exact his own revenge.” I wanted to open up my mouth and tell him that he was going against the natural order of things. I don’t think that he cared. “You hurt an Alpha and for that you need to be punished with your life.” I had no idea how he could possibly know what I had done to Jackson in the heat of the moment.
Chapter six
I was tied in a chair with Owen behind me breathing lazily. I was glad to see that he was still alive, but it wasn’t from lack of trying on their part. Had Bradley not intervened and put a stop to it, I had no doubt that Owen would’ve found himself 6 feet under.
“If I can get this damn necklace off me, then we might have a chance. If I can’t, then I want you to get out of here and run. I don’t want you to look back and I don’t want you to come back to save me. It is important that your child lives. If that means I have to make the ultimate sacrifice then as a father I think that I am owed that right.” I didn’t know how he could possibly tell me to leave, when my life was entwined with his own.
I did not have the same power that an Alpha had. I could call upon aspects of the wolf, but I could not truly transform into the beast without some provocation or full moon. I had to be in immense pain and not just in fear for my life. They all knew that and they were using that information against me.
“I think that they were a little careless in tying us up together.” I could feel that my hands were coming loose, but I was going to have to do it under the sly without anybody noticing. I felt one arm find freedom and I slowly made my way up to the necklace that was dangling around Owen’s neck. I touched it and it burned, but I did not let that deter me.
“I’m not going to ask what you’re going to do with him. Take him away from here and make sure that I never see his face again.” Bradley was obviously talking about me and then he walked in with Jackson in tow. I was shaking something fierce and suddenly the wolf that had been repressed and unable to rise up finally broke free. My arms grew in diameter and I found the strength to rip that chain off of Owen’s neck. It left a deep gash and a burn that sizzled into my skin.
The smile on Jackson’s face faded, as he started to make a mad dash, only to be kicked in the ribs by my own boot. It sent him spiraling into the wall, crashing into it with such force that his eyes rolled into the back of his head.
“You will not take what is mine. I’ve worked too damn hard to get where I am today to have some snot nosed little Omega destroy everything with a bastard child.” He brandished a weapon, something that was fashioned for his own personal use. It looked menacing and I was down on all fours with my fur raised. The white wolf had taken front and center stage.
He came forward and tried to stab me, only to find Owen taking exception to trying to kill me. He took that blade like object out of his hand and pressed it up against his throat, until he was down on his knees begging for mercy with his eyes. “The only person that is leaving here is you. If I see you again, then you can expect retaliation of the likes that you have never seen before. I’m the true leader and I impregnated this man with my child.” At the very mention of that, the other gang members came i
n to make sure that they heard right.
“You can’t do this… I won’t stand for it… AHHH.” The blade sunk into his skin and there was a trickle falling below his collar. Owen had shamed him in front of his pack and the gang now understood the full scope of everything that was going on.
Owen grabbed Bradley by the hair and pulled him to his feet. “Take him out of my sight. He had a place with us, but trying to kill me has made him an outcast. Turn your back and don’t give him the right of seeing your eyes.” They were hesitant, but they finally did what they were supposed to do. I heard Bradley breathing and then the slamming of the door to indicate that he had made a hasty and discreet exit. His motorcycle was the next thing to come to life. The sound of that engine slowly faded.
“I should’ve known that there was something wrong. You and Bradley have always been the best of friends. Let me pledge my allegiance, as your second in command.” Marco got down on his knees in an act of loyalty to the man that held all the power.
“I accept you, as my second in command. Your first duty is to get rid of this trash. I want him to wear the necklace burned into his skin.” They affixed the necklace to Jackson’s neck and he awoke to the feeling of the burning sensation. They had heated it and were now branding him, so that the wolf that he had inside of him would never see the light of day again.
“You can’t do this… It’s not right.” He was grasping at straws. He was lucky that he wasn’t dead. I had a soft spot for him, despite the fact that we ended things badly. I suppose a first love has that effect on people.
“You have Walker to thank for the fact that you’re still breathing. This is your punishment for trying to take the life of the chosen one. You will not step forth into this town again without the full retaliation of my brethren coming down on top of you. Walk away and pray to god that we never see each other again.” He scrambled back on his hands and feet, looking at the others to see if anybody was going to intervene on his behalf. The necklace was put back into the box, but Jackson would always wear the burned symbol of disobedience.
I went to Owen and I held his hand, while the rest of the gang kneeled in respect to the power couple that we were. We would raise this child together and if the legend was true, then this child was destined to show us a new path.
THE END
Return to TOC
DRAGON’S SEED
“You cowardly piece of shit!” Randall barked at Albert. “Just where do you think you are going?”
“Away, as far away from you as possible.”
“You aren’t going anywhere,” Randall said menacingly.
“Yes, Randall. I am. I’ve had enough of your abuse.”
Randall took a step toward him and was met in the center of the room by the two policemen that had accompanied Albert to the large flat the two men had shared for almost a year.
“Mr. McCray, I’d advise you to step aside and let him finish packing. We don’t really want to have to arrest you today,” one of the policemen told him.
“Arrest me? Do you fucking know who I am?” Randall said indignantly.
“Yes. We know exactly who you are. We see you every day when we get called to a domestic abuse case. The guy that thinks he can do whatever he wants and get by with it,” the other policeman told him.
“I haven’t done anything wrong. He just wants to play the victim.”
“Play the victim? I am a victim!” Albert barked back at him, picking up his bags and nodding toward one of the cops that he was ready to go.
“I’ll see you soon, Albert.”
“No. You won’t Mr. McCray. Albert has filed a restraining order against you. You are not to get within seventy-five yards of his person at any time or you will be arrested. We don’t care who your father is,” the first cop told him.
“I’ve done nothing to him and you’ve no right to talk to me that way. I’ll have your badge.”
“Great. My badge number is 9842, last name is Taggart. Just call the station and lodge your complaint. Come on, Randall,” the cop said, making a human barrier between the two men as he escorted Albert toward the door with the other cop behind them.
“Thank you, officers,” Albert told the two of them outside at his car. They nodded and saw that he was safely inside before returning to their patrol car behind him and waiting for him to pull away from the curb before heading back in the other direction. Albert headed straight for the airport, determined to get as far away from Randall as possible.
Albert was still trembling a bit as he parked his car and headed into the terminal. He wouldn’t be able to put distance between himself and Randall forever, but a couple of weeks in Hawaii was just what he needed to sort himself out and relax a bit. It seemed surreal somehow that things would end this way with Randall. They had only been together for six months and things had been utter perfection at first, but after a few months, Albert had begun to notice a change in his partner’s behavior.
Randall had become possessive and controlling, always insisting that he know where Albert was at all times and making a fuss if he were to go out alone with other friends, even if they were female. Ultimately, he had begun questioning Albert constantly about where he had been and who he had been with. From there, it was accusations and insults. Finally, things had taken a turn for the worse when he had grabbed Albert and pushed him against a wall, demanding to know where he had been one night when he was out late.
“I told you that I had to work late!”
“That’s what you said, but I went by and you weren’t there.”
“I was there! I was working in the back of the house, not on the floor.”
“I asked if you were there and one of the other servers said he hadn’t seen you all night.”
“I can’t help what he told you. I was there, Randall. What is wrong with you?”
It was the first night that Randall had hit him, busting his lip and leaving bruises on his arms where he had gripped him so hard while questioning him. It had been bewildering that he would strike him and for the next several days, he had been apologetic, telling Albert over and over how sorry he was for hitting him. Then, he had done it again and this time, it was much worse. Albert had called in sick to work until the visible bruises and swelling had passed.
“I just don’t get why you won’t listen!”
“I do listen, Randall. I don’t know what you are talking about or what has happened to you, but you’ve turned into a monster.”
Randall had beaten him even worse that night and Albert lay awake beside him in their bed all night plotting an escape. He knew that Randall would not let him go without a hassle or possibly more physical harm. When he went to the police, they had insisted he file charges, but he refused. Instead, he had opted for just a restraining order and asked that they accompany him to the apartment to help him pack his things. He had already booked a flight to Hawaii to get away for a while.
The first day there, he had just slept. It was nice to just be able to relax and not have to worry about a crazed boyfriend attacking him for no other reason than that he had some idea in his head that he was doing something wrong. The second day he had ventured out about the island a bit and looked around, finally settling down into an evening meal and few drinks. Determined not to let Randall cause him a minute more of grief, he opened his cell phone and downloaded the Grindr app.
By the time he was done with his meal, he had set up a new profile and was already perusing the profiles of other single gay men in the area. One, in particular, caught his eye. The guy was attractive if the picture he had posted was an accurate depiction of his looks. Tall and tanned, he was standing next to a statue of a dragon with the caption “visiting the ancestors.” Albert opened his profile to find out a little more about him and laughed almost immediately. There was another picture of him wearing a chain mail costume of some sort that read “I like it kinky.”
At least he had a sense of humor. That was something Randall had certainly lacked, especial
ly toward the end. Perusing the profile a bit further, he found himself laughing at some of the quirky comments and photos the guy, whose name was Devon, had posted. “Looking for my life mate to marry and have dragon babies with,” his profile said in one place. He obviously had some sort of odd obsession with dragons, but no one was perfect. Besides, Albert was only interested in a hook up anyway.
Hi, I’m Albert. I don’t know about dragon babies, but I’m definitely interested into being warmed up by your dragon fire.
Albert looked at the message before sending it. It was a bit cheesy maybe, but it got the point across. He hit send and paid his check, leaving the little outdoor restaurant to return to his room. He hadn’t made it very many steps when he heard the notification sound on his phone. Fishing it from his pocket, he glanced down at the Grindr message from Devon.
Nice pics. I can’t think of one thing I’d like more right now than to get you incredibly hot. Let’s meet at Kahlua’s at six. Yes?
Albert looked at the message and smiled. He typed a response and reversed his direction. Instead of his room, he went to find a cab in the front of the resort. Kahlua’s was on the other side of the island near the mountains.
“Your picture does you no justice,” Devon told him as he walked up to the bar just inside of Kahlua’s.
“Neither does yours,” Albert responded.
“Shall we get a drink?”
“That sounds good.”
Albert found that he felt incredibly nervous. It had been a while since he’d been with anyone but Randall and it felt a little awkward to be meeting someone else. Plus, this guy was absolutely gorgeous. He felt completely out of his league. Devon’s dark green eyes were the most unusual color Albert could recall having ever seen. His full lips and cleft chin gave him an exotic appearance much more apparent in person than it had been in his photograph. He was tall and athletic, an erotic tree just begging to be climbed.
Sitting at a quiet table a bit off from the main bar, the two of them laughed and talked like old friends. Albert’s nervousness was quickly put at ease by Devon’s own awkwardness. For all of his good looks, he was incredibly quirky and offbeat in a nerdy sort of way that didn’t quite suit his appearance. Still, he exuded sensuality and power. Only a couple drinks into talking, he was inviting Albert home with him to get to know one another better.