Ripples of Threat

by Rebecca James

  He supposed it was for the best, then, that he’d never caught up with The Turned. Eventually he’d become tired and lonely on his trek, and, unwilling to return to River’s small pack and the memories it held, the grieving alpha had set out for Angel Hills, where he knew the alliance between packs made it likely he’d be welcomed.

  X had never planned to stay at Angel Hills so long, only the time it took to regain his strength and to re-assess matters. But it turned out he liked the pack. He enjoyed being with the horses; the animals took his mind off his troubles for a while. And he had to admit he liked talking to Christopher, and the presence of some of X’s old pack mates helped him to feel at home. The developing friendship with Ian made it even more difficult to think about leaving, and then there was Canaan.

  Perhaps Gabriel was right that X was being unfair to the beta, although Canaan had never indicated he thought of their time together as more than a sexual outlet. Canaan got off on brute strength, and X’s need to purge his anguish made the alpha more than willing to comply. If the beta had wanted tenderness, X knew that would have been the end of their meetings. As it was, being able to turn to Canaan when the anger and frustration built up and to exorcise it with a good, hard fuck was just what the alpha had needed, though not so much anymore. Their trysts happened less and less frequently in recent days, and Xavier supposed it wouldn’t be such a hardship to stop altogether. He could always make good use of his right hand.

  As always, the dining hall was crowded. Henry’s delicious cooking insured practically no one ate at home anymore. The talented cook spent so much of his time there, he’d taken to sleeping in a room in the back with piles of boxes all around. Upon discovering this, Grey had built onto the room, converting the area into an apartment, so Henry would be more comfortable.

  Although X sometimes missed River and the others, he had to admit Grey was a good pack leader, and he appreciated feeling secure within a functioning pack. After everything that had happened with River’s pack, the alpha just wanted peace and quiet. He hoped the others had made it somewhere safe and were doing well. He’d heard something about Cascade City and wondered if further dealings with the humans would be the end of River and his new pack. Knowing River, the pack alpha would find a way to make circumstances work for him.

  Xavier would like to say he wished River had never invited humans to the compound. Doing so had certainly led to all the misfortune that had come after. But in all honesty, he wouldn’t wish away his time with Trace for anything. For a brief period, he’d been in love and happier than he’d ever thought possible.

  He paused inside the dining hall, eyes roaming over familiar faces. He spotted Roanan, Ian’s brother, seated at a nearby table and headed that way.

  “Mind if I sit here?” he asked.

  Roanan looked up and smiled. “Of course not.”

  “Why aren’t you eating with the kids?” X asked when he’d gotten comfortable.

  Roanan’s mate had been one of the omegas who died in the illness that had overtaken Angel Hills over a decade earlier, and the alpha had never re-mated. He had his hands full with three fast-growing boys. The twins, Lake and Landon, were thirteen and the oldest son, Josh, fifteen.

  “They’re staying at Ian’s, so I’m on my own.”

  X nodded to one of the servers, and the beta brought him a glass of water and a plate of food.

  Looking appreciatively at the large slab of venison, X picked up his fork. “I’m starved.”

  “Been working in the stables?”

  X nodded and took a bite. The tender meat practically melted in his mouth. He closed his eyes, savoring the rich flavor, before taking another bite. He and Roanan ate in companionable silence, and, the worst of his hunger appeased, X began taking in his surroundings.

  Tarz and London sat with their baby, Jed, at a table nearby. The dark heads of the alpha and his omega leaned close over the toddler, who sat in London’s lap and let out peals of belly laughs as Tarz tickled his pudgy middle. Everyone sitting around the group couldn’t help chuckling themselves as they watched.

  “Think you’ll ever want one of those?” Roanan asked, noticing what had snagged Xavier’s gaze.

  X returned his attention to his plate. “Naw.”

  “Why not? You’d be good with a kid.”

  X merely shrugged.

  “Christopher still living in Tarz’s barn?”

  “Yep.”

  “I see Perry’s eating with him. Chris’s growing up. He’ll probably mate soon.”

  X’s gaze shot across the room, seeking the familiar sandy blond hair, He spotted it, uncomfortably close to Perry’s auburn mop. If the guy’s going to grow his hair long, he should at least keep it under control, X thought uncharitably.

  Roanan tilted his head. “I don’t know…I think it’s kind of sexy.”

  X hadn’t realized he’d spoken his thoughts aloud. With a grunt, he went back to eating.

  “Perry shouldn’t be flirting with the kid,” he said through his next bite.

  “Chris’s what, eighteen?”

  “Seventeen. He won’t be eighteen until November.”

  Roanan snorted. “And Perry’s what—twenty-eight? That’s not a big deal. I think Perry’s eager to mate, too, now that he’s learned the tattooing trade from his father.”

  X practically choked on his water. “And you think he should mate Christopher?”

  Roanan gave X an odd look. “Sure. Why not?”

  Xavier shook his head. “I would think Perry would pick someone more…experienced.”

  Roanan grinned and winked. “Teaching can be half the fun.”

  X couldn’t get the words out of his mind. Not even after a long swim in nearby Angel Lake after dinner. He didn’t like the thought of Perry teaching Christopher anything.

  But deep down, Xavier knew Roanan was right. Christopher was almost eighteen, and there was no reason the young beta shouldn’t date, but did the kid have to date someone so much older than he? X rolled onto his side, practically tilting over the small cot he used for a bed. Grey had supplied the alpha with a small house in the woods, and X was grateful for the shelter and solitude, but he needed a fucking better bed. He was a big man.

  Was Perry teaching Christopher at that very moment, he wondered? Not long ago, Chris had confided in X that he’d never even kissed anyone. X sighed, thinking about sitting on the fence with Christopher watching the sun set behind the mountains while they talked. Those evenings had been some of the most peaceful X had spent since losing Trace.

  Many times, X had caught Christopher watching him before turning away with a blush, but X hadn’t encouraged the crush he thought Christopher might have on him. He was too old for the kid, and too messed up. Now X had to admit to himself maybe he’d been wrong, as Chris’s crush appeared to be on Perry. Could it be jealousy that made X feel like he wanted to jump off his cot and throw it across the room? Did X want to be the one to give the young beta his first kiss?

  In the past year or more, Chris had filled out in all the right ways. Slim and muscular from hard work in the barn, tanned, blond, and with the most soulful hazel eyes, the boy turned heads wherever he went. He should have plenty of choices for mates and needed to shop around a little.

  X wasn’t jealous. No, he was only looking out for the young beta, whom he thought of as a little brother. A niggling feeling told Xavier that was going a bit far, but the big alpha ignored it. He hadn’t meant to get close to anyone at Angel Hills, but it had been obvious Christopher had been lonely and needed guidance. And Christopher had lost his parents and knew what it felt like to be truly alone. X suspected that was part of what drew him to the boy.

  Nothing more than that.

  With a sigh, X punched the pillow and closed his eyes. Like Christopher had said, he could take care of himself, and X wasn’t his dad.

  His dad. X huffed. I’m not that fucking old.

  After several long minutes dragged by, X rolled over onto his back again
and stared up at the log beams of the ceiling.

  Someone knocked on the front door, and X pushed himself up in bed. A moment later, Canaan came walking down the hall.

  “You busy?” the beta asked, green eyes unsure. X found himself turning to his side and lifting the covers in invitation. Canaan stripped and climbed in beside the alpha, hand reaching for X’s rising cock. As X sank deep into the beta’s body and the rising rush of pleasure enveloped him, all worries fled for the time being.

  Chapter 4: Gabriel

  Gabriel arched his back as Ian pushed his fingers into the sore spot between the omega’s shoulder blades.

  “You shouldn’t go to the barn anymore until you’ve delivered,” Ian said.

  Gabriel glanced over his shoulder. “Just because I pulled a muscle?”

  Ian moved his fingers a little higher, and Gabriel flinched. “Sorry, and no, because you could really hurt yourself or the baby.”

  Gabriel sighed. “I can’t stand being cooped up in the house.”

  “Then go to the park or visit friends. You don’t have to muck out stalls.”

  “I didn’t do that. All I did was brush a horse and clean tack.”

  Ian’s hands paused in their massage. “You didn’t get near Shining, did you?”

  “Of course not. Jeez, all you and Grey do is worry.”

  Ian rubbed Gabriel’s shoulders. Fuck, that felt good.

  “Sorry. I’ll try to reign it in, but I can’t speak for Grey. Just promise me you’ll listen to your body and what it’s telling you. Little things can be too much when you’re pregnant; you know that.”

  Gabriel reached back and squeezed Ian’s hand. “Thanks. I’ll be careful. I promise. I don’t want anything bad to happen to our baby either.”

  A squeal from Finn’s room alerted them the little boy had awakened from his second short nap of the day. Gabriel started to rise, but Ian held up a hand.

  “Relax. I’ll get him. “

  Gabriel watched Ian go, wondering how he’d gotten so lucky as to have two gorgeous, doting mates and such a sweet baby. He stretched out on the couch and rubbed his belly. “I’m sure you’ll be just as sweet as your brother, little boy.”

  The baby kicked, and Gabriel smiled. “You hear your omega daddy?”

  Ian returned, Finny in his arms. “Baby being wild today?”

  Gabriel nodded, wincing as he got a good kick to the kidney.

  The window was open, and from across the walkway that divided the two sides of the big house, Gabriel could hear Grey playing with Roanan’s boys in the recreation room where a pool table and other games were set up. Gabriel knew Ian’s brother had his hands full as a single parent, and the omega didn’t mind when the boys came over.

  Ian placed Finny on his feet by the coffee table and watched him inch his way around to where Gabriel sat.

  “Justin says because Finny was premature, he’ll be a couple months behind his age group,” Gabriel said.

  “Makes sense.”

  Gabriel hoped that meant in a couple months Finny would be running around and shifting, too.

  Finny slapped the table with his hands. “Dadda, daddadadadada.”

  Ian ruffled Finny’s crazy hair. “That’s my name; don’t wear it out.” He glanced at Gabriel and shrugged. “I read it in a book.”

  “Oh.” Gabriel laughed and leaned up to meet Ian’s lips in a kiss. “You’ve always got your face in a book.”

  “No, I don’t.” Ian flickered his tongue along Gabriel’s lips.

  “Unless you’re doing the finances, you do. I think you just like to wear your reading glasses because you look so sexy in them. I don’t even understand why you wear them. Shouldn’t your eyesight be perfect?”

  Ian shrugged. “I’ve had some trouble with seeing to read in the past few years.” He leaned in and whispered in Gabriel’s ear, hot breath sending chills down the omega’s back. “Want me to wear them when I fuck you?”

  Gabriel’s cock hardened. “Cut it out. Finny won’t be in bed for hours.”

  “We could put him in the playpen with some toys. He won’t know what we’re doing.”

  “Gods, Ian. We can’t do that!”

  Ian made a pouting face, and Gabriel bit his lip. “Maybe Grey can watch him?”

  “And the three terrors? They’ll burn down the house. Grey as well as the boys.”

  Gabriel laughed. “Roanan’s boys aren’t that bad.”

  “The twins are.” Ian stood up, and Gabriel could clearly see the outline of his hard cock in his sweatpants. “I guess I’ll go do the pack’s finances.” He winked at Gabriel. “You okay with stinky?” He gestured to Finny.

  Gabriel frowned. “Stinky? Wait…didn’t you change him?”

  Ian grinned and made his escape.

  “Jerk!” Gabriel called after the beta before picking up Finny. “Your dad should have changed your diaper when he got you out of bed,” he told the toddler.

  Finny wrinkled his nose and waved his small hand in front of his face. “Shoo-wee!”

  Gabriel made a similar face. “You know it.”

  As he cleaned up Finny on the changing table in the nursery, Gabriel considered what Ian had said. Maybe he really should stop going to the barn. He didn’t want to put the new baby in danger. He supposed he could meet Justin once a day at the park when the weather was good, and maybe walk around Angel Lake to visit Vaughn and Vincent. He’d been wondering how Vincent was doing. Although Kale had finally given the omega the mating bite, his beta mate Craig had yet to do so. Nobody was sure why Craig was having such a hard time accepting Vincent into the family, but Gabriel had thought things would improve with time. Sadly, they hadn’t yet. Craig was as aloof to the omega as he’d ever been.

  “I smell like horse,” Gabriel told Finny when he’d finished changing the boy’s diaper. Pretty soon Gabriel thought he should be able to potty train Finny, probably just in time to begin diapering the new baby. Just the other day he’d caught Finny peeing off the balcony.

  Carrying the toddler into the bathroom, Gabriel set up the swing Grey had bought in Angel City and put the baby in it so Finny was dangling in the door to the bathroom, bouncing up and down on pudgy toes while Gabriel took a quick shower, the curtain partially open so he could keep an eye on his son.

  Finny squealed and jumped, feet pushing off the floor.

  “Yeah, you’re a big boy,” Gabriel said over the running water as he finished shampooing his long hair. “You can jump high, can’t you?”

  Ian appeared in the doorway behind Finny. “I would have watched him while you showered.”

  Gabriel stuck his head under the spray. “Go back to your figures. We’re fine.” He gasped when, a moment later, a naked Ian stepped into the shower behind him. “Ian!”

  Wet hands glided from Gabriel’s hips up the omega’s sides to pinch and pull at his sensitive nipples. Gabriel’s head fell back onto Ian’s shoulder.

  “Ian! Fuck, Ian…”

  “That’s my name, don’t wear it—ouch!” Ian stepped back when Gabriel’s elbow hit his chest, and Gabriel turned in his arms, taking Ian’s mouth in a deep kiss that soon had their cocks stiff and sliding against one another.

  Gabriel could still hear Finny jumping and squealing, but he peeked out from behind the curtain just to make sure the boy was okay.

  Ian ran teeth and tongue along the arch of Gabriel’s neck.

  “He’s fine,” the beta murmured. “This was a great idea.”

  “I put him in the swing so I could shower, not be molested by you.” Gabriel lost his breath when Ian cupped his ass and pulled him closer. Their groins pressed together, slick and hot, and Gabriel wanted nothing more than for Ian to fuck him. The swell of his belly pushed against Ian’s abdomen, and Gabriel moaned, wanting to be closer.

  “Turn back around,” Ian said.

  Gabriel did, bracing himself against the slick wall. Seconds later, Ian was inside him, but Gabriel liked it hard, and Ian was being far too gentle. “I
-annn…” he whined. “Come on. I won’t break!”

  Ian increased the tempo of his thrusts, pounding into Gabriel, who kept his arms steady and hands against the wall, as crashing into it would dampen Ian’s ardor and spoil any hope of future sexcapades, at least while Gabriel was carrying. His mates were entirely too protective of him.

  Above the sound of wet skin slapping together, Gabriel remained aware of Finny’s squeals and laughter outside the shower curtain. He was so close…so, so close. A swipe of Ian’s hand over the omega’s cock sent Gabriel over the edge just as a voice came from a few feet away.

  “Uncle Gabe?”

  Shit!

  Tingles ran from Gabriel’s head to his feet, and he swallowed, fighting for a normal tone of voice. “Be out in a second, Josh.”

  “Is Uncle Ian in there with you?”

  Gabriel closed his eyes. Ian had slowed his thrusts but continued pumping hard into Gabe. Gabriel could feel the tension in the beta’s body as Ian held off his release.

  “W-what?” Gabriel couldn’t think, much less form words.

  “Uncle Grey wants to know where the popcorn is. He told me to come ask you.” Josh’s voice sounded closer, and Gabriel stiffened even as he pushed his ass back into Ian’s thrusts.

  “In the pantry behind the dried milk,” Ian managed to get out before jerking through his climax, muffling his moan in Gabriel’s wet hair.

  “Why did you let him know you were in here?” Gabriel asked when they were toweling off.

  “Did you want him to open the curtain? They don’t care, Gabe. I have a feeling Grey knew I was in here and thought it would be funny to send Josh asking for popcorn. Like you’d even know where it was.”

  Gabriel had to smile. Ian was probably right. Besides, sex wasn’t a big deal in a wolf pack, but Gabriel was an only child and couldn’t help balking at having kids in the room while he got fucked. It was probably where his hang-ups about submitting came from, too. His parents had been betas and hadn’t exactly prepared him for being an omega or for his first heat.

  When Gabriel entered the kitchen, Ian behind him, Roanan’s three boys sat around the table watching Grey popcorn on the wood stove. When Josh glanced up at them with his big brown eyes, Gabriel saw no embarrassment or laughter there, proving Gabriel had been too sensitive about being caught in the shower with Ian.