Ripples of Threat

by Rebecca James

  “What about?” Duncan turned and began to walk again, giving Gabriel no choice but to follow.

  “Um. Well, I was hoping I could interest you in someone.”

  Duncan stopped so fast, Gabriel collided into the alpha’s broad back and would have fallen if Duncan hadn’t reached out to steady him.

  “What are you talking about?” Duncan’s demand turned Gabriel’s guts to water.

  The omega took a step back, drew in a breath, and forced out what he came to say before he lost his nerve, eyes focusing on a point just above Duncan’s shoulder rather than the alpha’s steely gaze. “Okay, I know this is weird, because if you wanted a mate, you’re perfectly capable of getting one, and I don’t think I ever saw your name on the list when we arrived from River Wolf pack, so you must not have been particularly interested in having an omega.” Gabriel took a breath and flicked his eyes at the alpha, who stood, legs apart, beefy arms crossed over his chest, eyes narrowed to slits as he attempted to follow Gabriel’s babbling.

  “Which means you might be okay with a beta, and I happen to know one who is really great but who has trouble getting to know people. His name is Canaan, and he came to Angel Hills with us. He’s teaching the young kids at the schoolhouse, and he really has a thing for alphas, and since you’re an alpha, and single, and you’ve never acted like it’s all that important to you to mate and have kids—you see, Canaan’s already had his child—I thought maybe you’d be a good match for him.”

  Gabriel visibly wilted at the end of his long speech, worn out from nerves.

  He’d been sure this was a good idea ever since he’d overheard Grey and Ian talking about what a loner Duncan was, but standing in front of the imposing omega was draining much of Gabriel’s courage.

  Duncan’s pale blue eyes continued to bore into the omega. “What makes you think I want to saddle myself with a mate at all?”

  Gabriel’s mouth opened but nothing came out. He thought about it. “Everybody needs somebody. And everyone wants to be needed. Canaan really needs someone. He’s got a tendency to get into messes otherwise, and he had a really bad experience with his last mate.”

  Duncan said one word before walking away. “No.”

  Deflated, Gabriel watched the alpha stride toward the lake before sitting on a bench beneath an oak, exhausted.

  He felt like an idiot. The more Gabriel had imagined Duncan and Canaan together, the more it had seemed like a possibility. The alpha was known to be surly and to keep to himself, and Gabriel and Justin had agreed Canaan needed an alpha to make him toe the line. Duncan was perfect. But the alpha hadn’t seemed the least bit interested.

  Later, when Gabriel summoned the energy to walk home, he was surprised to find Grey and Ian both sitting at the kitchen table, plates of food pushed aside.

  Grey stood when the omega entered, the alpha’s chair clattering to the floor. “Where have you been?”

  “Did I miss dinner?” Gabriel asked, confused. “I thought you two were at the mines.”

  “We’ve been back for ages,” Ian said.

  How long had Gabriel sat on the bench? “Sorry. I-I was out by the dining hall.”

  “You’ve eaten?” Ian asked.

  Gabriel shook his head, watching uncertainly as Grey slowly circled him, nostrils flaring. “No, I was talking to somebody.”

  “What alpha were you talking to?” The pack alpha’s voice held a frightening edge that set Gabriel’s heart hammering and his knees trembling.

  Gabriel swayed, and Grey caught him before sitting, the omega on his lap. Ian leaned forward in his chair and put a soothing hand on Gabriel’s leg.

  “Who was it, Gabriel?” Grey asked again.

  Realizing he’d made a terrible mistake, the omega began to tremble. What was wrong with him? He couldn’t even think straight anymore. He’d been so wrapped up in finding someone for Canaan, he hadn’t thought about what he was doing.

  “Grey-” Ian began, but the pack alpha’s growl cut off his beta mate’s protest.

  “Duncan,” Gabriel said.

  A second, deeper growl rattled the alpha’s chest, and Gabriel stiffened on Grey’s lap.

  The muscles in Grey’s thighs tensed underneath the omega. “Why? Did he approach you?”

  “No. I-I wanted to talk to him about something.”

  Grey snarled, and Gabriel startled. He would have scrambled off the alpha’s lap if Grey didn’t have a good hold on him. Ian stood and squeezed the back of Gabriel’s neck, but Gabriel couldn’t be comforted when his alpha was so upset with him. Grey’s anger had never been directed at him before—not like this. Tears sprang to the omega’s eyes.

  “Was anyone with you?” Grey asked quietly.

  The kitchen was so quiet, Gabriel thought he could hear Finny breathing two rooms away. “N-no.”

  Grey’s fingers gripped Gabriel’s arms, and the omega let out a yelp.

  The alpha clenched his teeth. “Why would you want to talk to another alpha alone?”

  “I-I…Grey, I’m sorry. I didn’t think.”

  The growls were coming more frequently, rolling out of the alpha’s chest and vibrating against Gabriel’s back. The omega’s eyes met Ian’s.

  “Calm down,” Ian snapped. “I’m sure Gabriel has a reasonable explanation why he was talking to an unmated alpha.”

  Grey snarled, and Ian took a step back. Gabriel immediately missed the beta’s gentle hand on his neck.

  The alpha’s breath fell warm against Gabriel’s ear. “Explain.”

  Gabriel wanted nothing but to start the day over again. He’d been wrong to do what he’d done. Why hadn’t he thought? He wanted his alpha to hold him, forgive him. Every fiber in his being yearned for it, but he could see that wasn’t going to happen.

  “I had this idea…that maybe Duncan might like to t-talk to Canaan, you know, maybe as a mating interest.”

  Grey seemed to barely be holding himself together, body strung tight.

  “Why did he touch you?”

  Gabriel felt sick. He squeezed his eyes shut as though he could hide that way. “I-I bumped into him, a-and he put a hand on me so I wouldn’t fall.”

  Grey’s body became even more rigid in the chair. He ran his fingers up Gabriel’s arms and over the omega’s trembling shoulders. “I can smell him on you.” The alpha leaned in and, pushing Gabriel’s braid out of the way, rubbed his nose along the column of Gabriel’s neck as his big hands roamed over the omega’s chest and swollen abdomen.

  “I don’t like smelling another alpha on my omega.”

  Gabriel shivered as the alpha licked the omega’s skin before sucking the place of Gabriel’s mating bite.

  “Mine,” Grey said before standing abruptly, pushing Gabriel at Ian before stalking to the door.

  Gabriel scrambled after his alpha. “Wait! It’s not Duncan’s fault. I’m the one who approached him.”

  Grey’s roar of anger rattled the dishes in the cabinets and almost made Gabriel wet himself. Too late, Gabriel realized he’d made another terrible error by taking up for the offending alpha.

  Grey slammed the front door behind him, and Gabriel fell into Ian’s arms, sobbing.

  Chapter 12: Duncan

  Duncan hadn’t appreciated the irate pack alpha coming to his home and railing at him for forty-five minutes about speaking to an omega Duncan hadn’t had any wish to speak to in the first place. If Rick, Bruce, and Milo hadn’t been down the hill by the barn and heard what was going on, the two angry alphas would have come to blows, or worse—shifted and gone at each other with teeth and claws.

  Although beyond irritated at the time, Duncan was now happy the three men had intervened. He didn’t relish the thought of being thrown out of the pack for hitting the pack alpha. Grey hadn’t listened to a thing Duncan had tried to tell him, eyes blazing with possessive jealousy for his omega.

  And that right there was a prime example of why Duncan had never wanted an omega mate. He liked his life simple and structured, and ome
gas left no room for that. What had happened with Grey was a perfect example of what could have been a civil conversation turning into a testosterone-fueled blow up that could have ended in bloodshed, all because of an omega.

  Duncan’s first and only mate had been a beta who, as a young man, the alpha had gotten pregnant. Anders had fallen sick and died not long after they’d mated, their unborn son dying with him. Although Duncan regretted it, he wasn’t sure things would have gone very well between the two of them anyway. Anders had been a little too timid for Duncan’s taste. Duncan also suspected he, Duncan, wouldn’t have made a very good father.

  Since then, Duncan had sought physical relief only when the need got to be too much, preferring to keep control over himself. The last thing the alpha wanted was the responsibility of a mate, and why Grey’s omega thought he would, Duncan had no idea. He hoped the pack alpha turned the omega over his knee for the impertinence of it. Duncan wouldn’t put up with that shit from a mate.

  Duncan found himself so worked up after his encounter with Grey, he shifted and took a run over miles of Angel Hills territory. He was tempted to run straight to Echo Valley and work out some aggression with Jake and Ernest, mated betas who were usually up for a round of rough sex, but he decided against it. He’d been to Echo Valley only a week before, and he didn’t want to stir up trouble. The Echo Valley pack alpha might notice if Duncan’s visits got frequent.

  Having run off his aggression instead, Duncan returned to the compound and shifted to human form. The glassy surface of the lake looked inviting, so he stripped and swam until exhausted. Lying on the warm dock afterward, Duncan stared up into the trees and let the chilly November breeze dry his skin. A trio of ducks quacked loudly as they paddled along the surface of the lake. Duncan heard a splash, and lifting his head, saw someone in the water several yards away near another dock. He recognized the swimmer to be Xavier, the alpha who’d come to Angel Hills a couple years ago and had never left. Duncan didn’t know much about the man, except he had lost a mate to the feral wolves in the wilderness, and that he’d saved Milo’s mate from an abusive ex who’d tried to kidnap the omega a couple years prior. Justin’s ex-mate must’ve been pretty abusive for his omega to request their mating be dissolved, something that was rarely done in werewolf society. Xavier had fought the other alpha until Milo and the others arrived.

  Duncan had seen X swimming in the lake plenty of times but had never spoken to him. Relationships of any kind only brought him difficulties he’d rather do without. So, he didn’t make overtures now; instead, Duncan lay, eyes closed, absorbing the late afternoon sun for close to half an hour before voices raised in anger brought him up on his elbow to see someone had joined Xavier on the far dock. Duncan cocked his head and concentrated to hear better.

  “You’re pretty full of yourself to think I followed you here,” the person with Xavier huffed, and Duncan zeroed in on him. The speaker was a beta, tall, with an angular face and tousled dark hair kissed by the sun. His expression was one of aloofness and pride. Duncan got to his feet and left the dock to walk over, continuing to listen.

  “You’ve got to accept it,” X said.

  “I have accepted it—I told you. I’m here for a swim.”

  X looked unconvinced. “Exactly when I am. You’ve got to admit that seems coincidental under the circumstances. I call things off, and here you are.”

  Duncan had no idea why he did it, but as he approached the dock where the two men stood, he called out, “Actually, he’s meeting me.” The surprise on the beta’s face pleased Duncan, as did the way the man’s gaze swept over Duncan’s naked form a second later. Would he go along with Duncan’s lie?

  The beta schooled his face, replacing surprise and admiration with a haughtiness that Duncan found amusing, and turned on Xavier.

  “There. Now you can stop accusing me of stalking you. Let’s not forget, I may have started things between us, but you’re the one who kept coming back for more. I told you earlier, I was fine with ending it.”

  Clearly abashed and eager to escape, X muttered an apology and walked off the dock, heading toward the main part of the compound. When he was out of sight, the beta turned to Duncan.

  “I’m sometimes forgetful, but I doubt I’d forget promising to meet you.” He smiled flirtatiously.

  Duncan felt his cock thicken in reaction. He didn’t try to hide it.

  “Thank you for that, although it wasn’t necessary.” The beta’s eyes went to Duncan’s hard cock. “That’s one way to shake, but I prefer to use my hand.” He held out his palm. “My name’s Canaan. I don’t believe we’ve met. Are you new to the pack?”

  Recognizing the name, Duncan began piecing things together. He shook the beta’s hand. “Duncan, and no. I just keep to myself.”

  Canaan smiled, a dimple creasing his right cheek. “X seems to have it in his head that I don’t know when something has run its course. A virile alpha to the rescue is always appreciated, but I had it under control. I really am meeting someone.” The beta’s eyes roamed over Duncan’s body again, fattening the alpha’s erection even more until the alpha’s cock stood straight and rigid from his naked body.

  Duncan crossed his arms over his chest and widened his stance, cool air kissing his naked skin. “I’m going to go out on a limb here and guess the person you’re here to meet is Grey’s omega.”

  Canaan frowned, eyes narrowing. They were a shade of green Duncan had never seen before. “No, actually, I’m meeting Justin here.” His gaze suddenly focused behind Duncan, who turned to see Milo’s small omega freeze in his tracks yards away, looking as though he wanted to duck into some bushes at the sight of the naked, aroused alpha.

  Duncan nodded. So, it hadn’t been Gabriel. The chastised omega was more than likely at home licking his wounds after Grey had given him hell. Or licking some part of the pack alpha’s anatomy, anyway.

  “I’ll leave you to it then.”

  Duncan turned and dove into the water. He swam to his dock, cold water lessening his aching erection, and walked up the hill to his house, thinking. Canaan was snarky, sexy, and amusing; a combination sure to spell trouble.

  The thought made the alpha smile.

  Chapter 13: Xavier

  Xavier sat up on his small cot, wondering what had awakened him. A dream, perhaps. He ran his hand through his thick, dark hair, mind wandering to the events of the day.

  After Xavier had spoken to Christopher, the alpha had walked to London’s house. The constant clink of hammer on anvil had told X Tarz wasn’t in the house, so Xavier had remained outside on the deck, and had asked the omega through the open kitchen window to bake a small cake to give to Christopher for his birthday.

  The sun had shown down on the alpha’s head while he waited, sprawled in a deck chair, and he had fallen into a light doze until London had called out that the cake was ready.

  Thinking Christopher would be back by then, X had headed for the barn with his surprise to find the beta hadn’t returned from his date with Perry. X had fed the horses and hung around a bit longer, but when Christopher still hadn’t returned, the alpha had finally left the cake in the loft.

  Xavier had told himself he wanted to swim, and that had been the only reason he’d gone to the lake afterward—not to see if Perry and Christopher still had been there. They hadn’t been, and, as the alpha had stripped off his clothes and dove into the water, Xavier had tried not to think about where the two betas might have gone.

  As X sat in the dark on his cot, he rubbed his hands roughly over his face, telling himself it was none of his business if Christopher wanted to go home with Perry. He shouldn’t feel like he needed to watch over the kid, and Christopher obviously didn’t appreciate it that he did.

  X sighed, recalling how Canaan had shown up at the lake while X was swimming, and X had jumped to the wrong conclusion and acted like a jerk. He’d felt like a fool in front of Duncan, and had left for home.

  The cot suddenly shuddered and, before X could wo
rk out what was happening, crashed, landing the alpha on the floor. Cursing, he stood up and kicked at the splintered debris. The slender bed that had never been large enough for him in the first place was beyond fixing. He had no doubt all the fucking he and Canaan had done on it had weakened the foundation.

  X pulled on his clothes and walked through the cool darkness to Tarz’s barn, where he figured he could sleep the rest of the night on some straw and see about getting a new bed in the morning.

  Lately the alpha had been thinking it might be best for him to leave Angel Hills. He didn’t know if he wanted to go back to River’s pack, but he wasn’t sure he fit in where he was. He didn’t like to admit the thought of a certain young beta lately topped his list of reasons not to leave.

  Xavier entered the dark stables, and the horses snorted and nickered at him as the alpha made his way to the far corner, giving only a cursory glance to the loft where he hoped Christopher lay sleeping. He piled some clean straw onto the floor before covering it with one of the horse blankets and stretching out. The alpha had just settled down when he heard a moan. Eyes popping open, X glanced up at the loft, gut sinking.

  Fuck. Romulus and Remus, please let Christopher be alone up there.

  Another moan, followed by a whimpering sound that made X’s cock hard. X lay frozen until the next sound had him scrambling to his feet.

  That fucker Perry hadn’t wasted any time, had he? X was surprised the randy ass hadn’t fucked Christopher yesterday, on the kid’s birthday. Man, he’d like to plow his fist into Perry’s face and send the redhead sprawling.

  The next sound resembled one of pain, and in a matter of seconds, Xavier was up and climbing the ladder, ready to lay into someone. The alpha paused on the next to top rung, eyes probing the dim loft, shocked that Christopher was alone, lying on his stomach, head turned to the side. Asleep.

  The tension ran out of X’s shoulders, and the alpha started to step down again when the beta let out a whimper, slim hips humping against the thin mattress he lay on.