Ripples of Threat

by Rebecca James

  Roanan hadn’t had much interest in obtaining one of the five omegas traded to Angel Hills from River Wolf Pack a couple years ago, although the alpha had put his name on the list. He couldn’t even remember which one he’d signed under—maybe all of them. Roanan hadn’t particularly been eager for a mate but had felt his boys could use another parent around. When Roanan hadn’t been chosen by any of the omegas, the alpha hadn’t been disappointed.

  Emory was a different matter. If Emory had been one of the omegas, Roanan knew he would have made sure he’d had a chance. He didn’t know what it was about the omega that interested him so much. Perhaps it was simply Emory’s extreme vulnerability that appealed to the alpha’s need to protect. All he knew was that every fiber of him wanted to possess Emory.

  When the three wolves arrived at the compound, they shifted, and Ian headed straight for the herb greenhouse, leaving Roanan with Emory. The sentry guards had immediately seen Grey was not with them, and therefore did not send up a howl; however, pack members who were outside looked their way with curiosity, and Roanan could sense the omega’s increasing nervousness.

  “I’ll take you to the omega den where you’ll be safe,” Roanan said. He took a step in that direction, expecting Emory to follow. The omega stared at the alpha with huge blue eyes before pointing in the direction they’d come from. Roanan realized he was worried about Gabriel.

  “Grey will get Gabriel here safely and take him home to rest. Ian’s getting the medicine now. The herbal tea helps, and I’m sure Gabe is already much better after drinking his alpha’s blood.”

  Emory’s eyes darted uncertainly between Roanan and the entrance to the compound.

  Roanan smiled reassuringly and pointed toward the pack alpha’s house in the trees. “See up there? That’s where they live. I promise to take you to see Gabe later, but you need to rest first, too. I imagine you’ve been through a lot. At the omega den, we’ll get you some clothes and give you something to eat.”

  Emory swallowed and nodded, falling into step with Roanan, although the alpha had to slow down so the little omega could keep up with him. He marveled at how brave Emory had been to face six strange werewolves, five of them alphas. And he’d done it to save Gabriel.

  Christopher had been raking the yard of the omega den and straightened when he saw Roanan approaching.

  “Is Gabriel okay?” the young beta’s eyes lit upon Emory with curiosity.

  “He’s pretty sick, but Grey’s bringing him home,” Roanan said. “Gabe couldn’t shift, so Grey had to carry him. Christopher, this is Emory. He helped us find Gabriel in the forest. Probably saved his life. Emory, Christopher helps watch over the omegas here. I’m sure he has something you can wear.”

  Christopher nodded. “Come inside. You can have a shower, too, if you’d like.”

  Emory glanced at Roanan, looking frightened.

  “I’ll come, too,” Roanan told him. He looked at Christopher. “He can’t speak.” The three stepped inside the omega den.

  “Are there any omegas in heat here right now?” Roanan asked.

  Christopher shook his head. “I think they’ve been too shaken up to go into heat even if it was their time. Justin and Vaughn are the only ones who aren’t pregnant, anyway.” The beta disappeared into a bedroom and came back with pants and a shirt. “These might fit. The bathroom’s over there.”

  Again, Emory looked at Roanan. The alpha’s chest swelled at the realization that, although frightened, the omega seemed to trust Roanan. He wished he could take a shower with the omega, but that brought all kinds of thoughts the alpha shouldn’t be having right then.

  “It’s okay,” Roanan said. “We appreciate what you did for Gabriel. That was very brave. We want to help you.”

  After a few seconds, Emory took the clothes, went into the bathroom, and shut the door. The water came on, and Christopher turned to Roanan.

  “Where did you find him?”

  “He came to us. We’d been searching the other route, but once we realized Gabriel had to have gone through the forest, we made our way there. Emory showed up and lead us to Gabriel, who was unconscious when we got there. I think he was in labor.”

  “Gods.” Christopher wrapped his arms around himself. “I hope he’ll be okay. And Emory really can’t talk?”

  “No. He makes hand signals and can grunt and make other noises. I don’t know why he can’t talk. Maybe it’s psychological.”

  When the omega reappeared, he looked even younger than he had before with his wavy hair wet and combed back from his face, and his pants and sleeves rolled up to fit his small frame. Roanan could scent Emory was a full-grown omega but didn’t think he could be much older than eighteen.

  Emory sat in the corner of the couch and pulled his legs up close to his chest, bare toes gripping the edge of the cushion and arms wrapped tightly around his calves. Only his big blue eyes and the top of his head were visible over his knees. Gods, Roanan longed to comfort the omega.

  “We’ll be fine if you want to leave,” Christopher said.

  Emory tensed, eyes darting to Roanan.

  “Do you want me to stay?” Roanan asked, and the alpha’s heart flipped when Emory nodded. “I will for a while. But then I need to get home and check on my sons.” At Emory’s interested look, the alpha continued, “I have three. Josh is the oldest. He’s fifteen and an omega. Landon and Lake are thirteen. He left out the fact they were probably alphas. At their age, they weren’t a threat to Emory. “I don’t have a mate anymore.” He wasn’t sure why he added that part.

  Emory gave Roanan a small smile that lit Roanan’s heart like a struck match to dry tinder. The omega pointed at his own chest and looked at the alpha questioningly.

  “Sorry, I don’t understand,” Roanan said, knowing Emory wasn’t offering himself as a mate but flustered by the idea all the same.

  Again, Emory pointed at his chest, then at Roanan, and then at the door.

  “I think he wants to go with you to check on the kids,” Christopher said. “Is that right?” he asked Emory.

  Emory nodded.

  Warmth filled Roanan’s chest. “Oh. Well, if you’d like to, that’s fine with me. We can go now.” He stood and held out his hand to Emory, who only hesitated a second before unfolding himself from the couch and taking it.

  Christopher looked amused. “You two don’t be out late, now.”

  Roanan rolled his eyes at the beta and walked with Emory out of the house.

  The boys were all over Roanan when he walked into their home in the cave.

  “Dad!”

  “You were gone a long time!”

  “We were listening for the howl. Did they find Gabriel?”

  “Hey, who’s this?”

  The three boys fell silent at their father’s admonishing look.

  “Boys, this is Emory. He’s an omega we came across in the woods who helped us find Gabriel, and he can’t speak. At least not right now, so don’t bombard him with questions. Yes, we found Gabe, and we hope he’s going to be okay. Grey should be at the compound any minute with him.”

  As though on cue, the howl went up. Emory jumped, and Roanan placed a soothing hand on the omega’s neck, pleased when the gesture calmed him.

  “How has everything been here?”

  “Boring,” Lake and Landon said at the same time.

  Roanan saw Emory hide a smile.

  “Except when Grant came sniffing around Josh,” Lake said.

  Josh jabbed his brother in the ribs with his elbow.

  “Ouch!” Lake looked affronted. “It’s the truth!”

  Roanan frowned, not liking the sound of that. “An alpha came here to talk to Josh?”

  Lake shook his head and laughed. “Naw, just Grant.” This earned the boy another jab from his older brother. “Ow, quit it!”

  Grant was a year older than Josh and had recently declared himself an alpha, revealing the large knot at the base of his cock as proof at the last pack meeting. Grant and Josh had
been long-time friends, and now Roanan had talked to Josh and was certain his oldest was an omega, a funny feeling crept through him about the boys’ friendship. He didn’t think he wanted Josh around Grant anymore until the omega got older.

  Landon shook his head. “No, he came to bring us some things from the supply house. He just made goo-goo eyes at Josh while he was here, and he kept sniffing the air like it smelled good.”

  “Uh, oh.”

  “Chill, Dad,” Josh said. “Nothing happened. Grant left right afterward.” He looked at his brother. “And he didn’t make goo-goo eyes at me.”

  Roanan sniffed his son. “Obviously, you’re starting to put out pheromones, or Grant wouldn’t have noticed. You need to be very careful, son. If you were a fully-grown omega, you’d be much harder for an alpha to resist.”

  “But I’m not fully grown, and it’s just Grant. He’s my best friend. Besides…you’re resisting Emory.”

  “Only just,” Roanan said under his breath. He turned to the omega, who was looking around the house with wide eyes. “Make yourself comfortable.”

  Emory glanced at the sofa and chairs arranged in front of the fireplace Roanan had built into the cave. Light poured into the room from one of the skylights Roanan had installed with glass from Angel City, and the alpha was proud at how comfortable and inviting his home looked.

  “Want to play a game?” Lake stepped forward. “We have a lot of them Dad gets from Angel City.”

  He began showing Emory all the games, and soon all four boys were playing, painfully reminding Roanan how young Emory probably was. Of age, but still young enough to hang around with Roanan’s kids.

  The alpha left them to it and took a shower, glad to get the grime of the past week off and to put on some clothes. Realizing he’d never given Emory something to eat as he’d promised, he entered the kitchen and put together some sandwiches to take into the living area. He was pleased when Emory tore into them as enthusiastically as the others. Roanan realized Emory must have hunted and kept himself fed, because the omega wasn’t too skinny or acting like he was starving. Emory simply had a healthy appetite like Roanan’s boys. The alpha wondered how long Emory had been in the forest and where he’d come from. Most of all, Roanan wondered what had made the omega mute.

  The boys begged Roanan to play, and Emory indicated he wanted to sit this one out. In the middle of a competitive card game, Roanan glanced down to find the omega asleep, head pillowed on the alpha’s leg. Feelings of need and want assaulted Roanan, and the alpha had to stop himself from running his fingers through the omega’s hair. He looked up to find his three boys staring at him.

  “Um. I guess Emory’s exhausted. Maybe he can sleep here tonight. With you, Josh, in the extra bed.”

  “Aw, why with him?” Lake complained. “We’ve got sleeping bags.”

  “Because Josh is alone in his room, and he’s an omega like Emory. Omegas like to be together.”

  “Why?” Lake asked.

  “They just do.”

  Carefully, so as not to awaken Emory, Roanan managed to get to his knees and lifted the omega into his arms before rising to his full height. He followed Josh down the hall and watched his son turn down the covers on the extra twin bed in his bedroom. Roanan gently laid Emory down and covered him with the blanket before quietly leaving the room.

  Chapter 27: Gabriel

  Gabriel dreamed about Grey and Ian. He knew he must be dreaming, because he was back at home in their bed at Angel Hills, nestled between the two of them. Gabriel could hear Finny playing in another room, the little boy’s voice raised in excitement. A hand behind his neck and delicious skin. Instinctively, he bit down, and a sharp, delicious taste filled the omega’s mouth. After a while he wasn’t cold anymore and floated on a cloud of bliss, the pain gone.

  Darkness. Quiet voices. Dr. Newman? A bitter drink. Gabriel skimmed along calm waters in a boat moving toward the shore, where it glided over green meadows filled with flowers. The echo of a hawk split the air. Pain rolled over the omega, but it was muted.

  Gabriel dreamed of the night Finny was born, although somewhere in the back of his mind he knew he’d been unconscious for that. He wanted to go to his crying baby and tried to say so, but his mouth was stuffed with cotton. He must have moved, though, because large, warm hands stilled his. Alpha.

  The next thing Gabriel became aware of was swimming in calm, dark water. No moon shown above, just endless, blank, black velvet. Howls rose in the air, one after another, a cacophony of sound. He wanted to howl with them but couldn’t. Slowly, the river swallowed him.

  Heat. The sun burned the tips of the trees of the forest, setting them ablaze, and Gabriel watched wood and branches burn down like matchsticks, ash filling the air and burning his skin. He began to sweat, body aching. The flames jumped and danced. More bitter liquid poured in his mouth, and he thankfully drank.

  When sounds began to register again, sounds that Gabriel recognized as a faraway shout and the bark of male laughter, Gabriel became agitated, kicking at the covers that wrapped around his legs like seaweed pulling him down to drown. He remembered the forest and a sweet, heart-shaped face, but the details wouldn’t come back. The cogs of his mind were stuck with sludge from the bottom of the lake, and he just wanted to break through the surface and take a breath, but the seaweed wouldn’t let go of him. He struggled, panting with anxiety.

  No, not seaweed. The bed sheets were tangled about his legs. The omega stilled his limbs and concentrated on each breath until, gradually, his heartbeat slowed to normal and the sound of muted birdsong filtered again. Concentrating, Gabriel opened his eyes.

  They hurt. Everything hurt. One at a time, Gabriel extracted his legs from their prison. Something was wrong, different. How did he get here? Why was he so weak? The omega ran his hands over his flat belly and his breath hitched. He was gone. His baby was gone. Gabriel sucked in a breath and released a harsh, broken sob that multiplied until his body shook with the force of them.

  The bed dipped and fingers softly sifted through the omega’s unbound hair. The voice he’d thought only a dream soothed his raw emotions.

  “Shh. Shh. Everything’s okay, Gabe. Rest.” The calm voice of his alpha soothed the omega into sleep again.

  The next time Gabriel awoke, he felt better, although he jolted in fear at first when he thought Grey’s voice had been another dream. But the omega quickly realized he was in bed with his mates, and that Grey’s and Ian’s hands were clasped on the pillow over his head. Closing his eyes again, Gabriel tried to go back to sleep, but it was useless. He’d been sleeping a long time and his body was ready to get up.

  Carefully, Gabriel eased down the bed and off at the foot. The omega stood, testing his weak legs. He wore one of Grey’s big cotton shirts, and the material was soft and smelled of the pack alpha. Gabriel realized the comforting smell of his alpha had been with him all along. Lifting the shirt, he examined his belly. No scar, unless it had already healed. Sharp pain gripped the omega’s heart as his loss rolled over him again like a suffocating wave.

  Gabriel padded across the hallway and into Finny’s room, eager to lay eyes on his child. The boy lay asleep, golden hair sticking up in every direction, round belly rising and falling in slumber, and pink lips pushed out in a pout.

  Gabriel was aware the cradle sat in the corner, empty, but the omega didn’t turn to look at it. He couldn’t face it right then.

  Slowly, Gabriel made his way to the bathroom and turned on the shower, determinedly pushing away the knowledge his impulsive actions had caused them the life of their baby. His body felt empty, like a discarded dustbin, and he moved almost mechanically, soaping his skin as the water poured over him. How long had he been gone and how had he gotten back home? How long had he lay recovering?

  Little by little, details of his time in the woods trickled in. The mute omega, Emory. The pain and lethargy Gabriel had experienced while walking for miles. The howls in the distance. The cold that had seeped into the
omega’s bones. Waking momentarily to find himself covered with moss and alone. Had Emory gone for help or abandoned him?

  Grey’s voice shouting Gabriel’s name made the omega jump and almost fall on the slick shower tiles. Quickly turning off the tap, he raced into the hall, dripping wet, knees so weak he had to lean against the wall for support.

  Ian raced around the corner, coming to a stop when he spotted Gabriel. “Here, Grey,” he called over his shoulder before approaching and wrapping the omega in his arms, heedless of the water seeping into the beta’s shirt.

  “Gods, you scared us,” Ian whispered into Gabriel’s ear.

  Gabriel wasn’t sure if Ian meant by leaving the bed or by running away. Maybe both. He held onto Ian, eyes squeezed shut, taking in the solid presence of his beta mate.

  Seconds later, Grey enveloped the two of them in a tight hug and kissed Gabriel’s head. “Damn good to see you awake.”

  Grief rose in Gabriel’s throat, choking him. “Where’s the baby? Did you bury him?”

  “What? No, he’s okay, Gabe. Just weak. I’m sure he’ll do better now that you’re awake.”

  Fear quickly replaced relief. “What’s wrong with him? Where is he?”

  Ian ran a soothing hand over Gabriel’s back. “Right now, he’s with the omegas at the den. They’re feeding him goat’s milk and taking good care of him. Angela made a mixture of your and Grey’s blood. He’s getting stronger every day. Really.”

  Gabriel absorbed this news, sweet relief coursing through him, and then all of Ian’s words sank in. “Wait, do you mean…”

  The omega stepped away from the circle of arms.

  Amusement flickered in Ian’s dark eyes, but Grey’s probed for something Gabriel couldn’t define. He turned his attention to Ian.