Ripples of Threat

by Rebecca James

  “The baby’s drinking my and Grey’s blood?” he asked.

  “And thriving off it.” Ian sighed, shoulders slumping. The beta stepped closer to Gabriel and put a hand on the omega’s shoulder. “All the anxiety I put you through, and it wasn’t even necessary. I’m sorry, Gabriel. Please forgive me.”

  As Gabriel stood, struggling to process, Grey took a towel from the hall closet and ran the soft terry cloth over Gabriel’s wet skin before wrapping him in it.

  “Come eat,” Grey murmured into Gabriel’s ear.

  With stumbling steps, the omega followed his alpha into the kitchen.

  As Grey broke eggs into a pan and scrambled them on the stove, Gabriel sat at the table staring at the far wall. Ian’s hand covered his on the table and squeezed.

  “It’s true. Angela did the test, and Grey’s the baby’s father. Who knows? Finny could be Grey’s, too. Maybe I’m sterile in every way, or his sperm overpowered mine. What matters is I was wrong. Grey is perfectly capable of siring children.”

  Gabriel remembered he’d thought he’d heard the doctor’s voice while dreaming. “Where’s Angela?”

  “She had to leave, but she’ll be back in a week or so to check on you.”

  Gabriel covered his face with his hands. “Gods, all the worrying for nothing.”

  “I’m so sorry.”

  Gabriel lowered his hands. He hated the look on Ian’s face. “It’s not your fault.” He still felt responsible for everything. Grey and Ian had been happy before Gabriel came. He’d brought the drama into their lives. “I didn’t leave because of that. I left because I’ve done nothing but cause the two of you trouble since I came here.”

  At the stove, Grey tensed but kept his back to them.

  Ian’s brows lowered. “How do you figure that?”

  Gabriel just shook his head. He was too tired to get into it. The important thing was, the baby was okay.

  Ian looked over at Grey, and the pack alpha seemed to sense his mate’s eyes on him, for he turned, pan in one hand and spatula in the other. He smiled at the beta before filling their plates.

  Grey sat next to Gabriel. “We’re going to talk about this. For now, I’d like you to eat a good breakfast.”

  Warmth and safety enveloped the omega. He was home. Suddenly realizing how hungry he was, Gabriel picked up his fork and began to eat.

  After a few minutes of companionable silence, Grey spoke. “While we looked for you, during the long nights lying awake listening to the others snoring, Ian and I had a lot of time to talk. I hadn’t realized how much the professor has always worried over me.”

  Gabriel glanced up to see Grey smiling fondly at Ian, and Ian staring back at the pack alpha with intense devotion. Relief his two mates had mended their relationship washed over the omega like a dip in the spring on a hot day.

  “I understand now he was trying to protect me,” Grey said.

  “And I understand I was wrong to do it,” Ian added. He turned to Gabriel. “Gabe, I know I’ve already said it, but I want you to know I’m so sorry I laid that heavy burden on your shoulders. Going against your alpha had to be triply difficult for an omega and could have only added to the tremendous amount of stress you were under with your illness and pregnancy. I never should have set about undermining Grey.”

  The mention of his health had Gabriel inwardly taking stock. He realized he felt good for the first time in months. He smiled crookedly and stood before effortlessly shifting into wolf form and barking excitedly.

  Ian and Grey looked down at the omega wolf, fond amusement clear on their faces. Gabriel shifted back, grinning.

  “Well, then I guess it’s time we go see the baby,” Grey said, rising to his feet. Ian went to get Finny, who, judging by the thumps and talk coming from the nursery, was wide awake. Gabriel went to the bedroom for some clothes. Grey followed, and before Gabriel could get his jeans zipped, the alpha clutched him in a fierce grip.

  “Don’t ever do that to us again, do you hear me? Ian and I were frantic.” Grey leaned back and looked down into Gabriel’s widened eyes. “I meant what I said. We’re going to have a talk.”

  Gabriel nodded, and when Grey let him go, finished dressing.

  On the way to the omega den, Gabriel insisted on carrying Finny, who’d been thrilled his da was finally out of bed. With an egg sandwich gripped in one hand and the long plait Ian had made in Gabriel’s hair held tightly in the other, he prattled on about the new addition to the family.

  “Me gots brudder. He small, not big like me.” Finny crinkled his eyes in an exaggerated squint and let go of his sandwich to hold his forefinger close to his thumb. “Vewy tiny.”

  Grey managed to catch the sandwich before it hit the ground, and the alpha handed it back to Finny, who grinned and shoved another bite into his mouth.

  “Whoa, slow down,” Gabriel warned. “Small bites. Yes, you have a brother, and he’s small. You have to be very careful with him.” He looked over at Grey and Ian walking beside him. “What did you name him?”

  “We were waiting for you,” Grey said, “but the professor suggested Forrest. With two r’s.”

  Gabriel glanced at Ian in surprise, but the name kind of clicked. “Finny and Forrest. I like that.” He gave his mates a serious look. “But we’re not starting a trend. All our children don’t need to have names starting with an F.”

  Ian and Grey exchanged glances, and Gabriel wondered about it, but a sandwich to the face quickly stole his attention.

  He gently pushed the sandwich back to his son. “Da’s had his breakfast. You eat it.”

  Finny grinned and took a bite, egg and bread crumbling onto his shirt.

  As the family approached the omega den, the door swung open, and Justin stepped out onto the porch, a wide grin on his face.

  “Finally!”

  Grey took Finny from Gabriel so the two omegas could embrace.

  “We needed our first omega back,” Justin said into Gabriel’s ear, which the small omega could only reach because he stood on the steps and Gabriel on the ground.

  Gabriel gave a disheartened chuckle. “Not like I make a very good one.”

  Justin released his friend. “What are you talking about? Of course you do. We all felt it when you were gone. We were miserable. It was like a funeral around here. Ask Christopher.”

  The beta appeared behind Justin and nodded. “A lot of wailing and gnashing of teeth.”

  Gabriel rolled his eyes, but smiled. As they stepped into the living room, he saw that every omega in the pack was there. His eyes immediately zeroed in on the bundle in London’s arms.

  Gabriel hurried over to the couch where Vaughn and London made room for him, eyes riveted to the tiny baby swaddled in blankets.

  Gabriel touched the small head with a finger. So, this was the little miracle who’d caused him so much discomfort. He was beautiful. Sleeping, little fists curled tightly next to his cheeks, Forrest blew a bubble from parted lips.

  “He’s so little. And he hardly has any hair.” Gabriel smiled and looked up at Grey and Ian, who appeared equally enchanted by the infant.

  Finny wiggled in Grey’s arms. “I wanna hold my brudder!”

  Christopher extended his arms. “Finny, do you want to help me put the cookies I made on a plate for everyone?”

  Finny nodded eagerly and reached for the beta, who took the boy from Grey and headed for the kitchen, where the wonderful smell of baked sugar wafted out at the group.

  London carefully passed the baby to Gabriel, who couldn’t help but tear up at finally having his new son in his arms. The moment didn’t seem real. He bent and placed a tender kiss on the baby’s forehead and whispered an apology in his tiny ear.

  A hand touched the omega’s shoulder from behind the sofa, and Gabriel looked up. “Emory!” He broke into a grin.

  The mute omega smiled back. He was clean and dressed and seemed content.

  “You went for help, didn’t you?”

  Emory nodded, smile d
isappearing.

  Gabriel reached back to touch the other omega’s hand. “I’m glad.”

  The smile returned.

  “Are you staying? Say you are.”

  “We want him to,” Justin said.

  Gabriel looked at Grey, who held up his hands.

  “He’s perfectly welcome to stay; I’ve already told him that. I don’t think he’s come to a decision yet.”

  Gabriel gave Emory a look of mock sternness. “We’ll talk.” He turned his attention back to the baby, who had opened his eyes and was staring up at him. Murky and dark, they seemed to examine Gabriel carefully.

  “Yeah, it’s me. The fuck-up,” Gabriel told him.

  Ian reached over and swiped playfully at the omega’s head. “You are not a fuck-up, and watch your language around our son.”

  Gabriel couldn’t keep the smile from stretching over his face. He was so damned happy to be back. Even so, he didn’t relish the talk he was going to have to have with his alpha.

  Chapter 28: Roanan

  No question, Roanan was captivated by the new omega. Fairly close in age, Emory and Justin had quickly become friends, and Emory often came to Roanan’s house, although he slept at the omega den. Roanan was happy about the new friendship for more than the excuse to have Emory around. Having a new friend kept Josh from missing Grant. The omega had turned sixteen and, although Grant had made an appearance to give Josh a gift, Roanan had made sure the visit was brief. Before Grant left, Roanan had taken the young alpha aside and explained he needed to stay away from Josh for a while. Roanan could tell Grant hadn’t been happy, but the boy had respectfully agreed. What else could he do with a more dominant alpha? Roanan would have to keep an eye on the kid. Emory came to celebrate, too, so Grant’s early departure hadn’t mattered too much to Josh.

  Landon designated a weekly game night and invited Emory to those. The more Roanan saw of Emory, the more the alpha became antsy to make the omega his own.

  “So, why don’t you just mate with him?” Ian asked one day when the brothers were working to revive Roanan’s garden and Emory was inside with Roanan’s kids.

  As always, the alpha keenly felt the omega’s presence nearby. Confused by his feelings, he’d admitted them to his brother. “It feels like it’s too soon. We don’t know anything about him. We don’t even know if Emory wants to stay here long-term.”

  Ian moved to a more comfortable position on the patch of cool grass. The beta wore a navy tank top, and his arm muscles rippled as he turned the earth with a trowel. “I guess Emory not being able to talk must make things difficult, but I can tell he likes you.”

  Roanan’s face showed his curiosity before he could even think about trying to play it cool.

  Ian smiled teasingly. “You’ve got it bad, bro.”

  “I do not, and don’t call me bro.”

  “Oh, I think you do. And I think you’re dying to know why I think so.”

  “You’re such an ass,” Roanan grumbled, pulling weeds out of the freshly turned earth.

  “So you don’t want to know?” Ian leaned back on his arms and tilted his head so the spring sunshine fell on his face.

  “Fuck off.”

  Ian laughed and shoved Roanan, toppling the alpha onto his butt. More than willing to expend some of his frustration in a wrestling match with his brother, Roanan leaped onto Ian, and the two rolled around in the grass, tearing into each other like they had when they were kids. A stab of nostalgia hit Roanan in the solar plexus, followed by Ian’s sharp elbow, and the alpha fell backward onto the grass with a loud groan. He’d forgotten Ian fought dirty, and that thought was emphasized seconds later when Ian threw himself bodily on top of Roanan, pinning the alpha to the ground. Roanan heaved the slighter man off and the two went rolling farther into the yard, their grunts and groans of exertion rising in the air.

  When Roanan pinned Ian, the beta somehow managed to wiggle out from beneath the larger man, and when Roanan twisted to try to grab his brother, he lost his balance and hit his head on the stone wall. Roanan saw stars just before Ian’s weight once again crushed him.

  Gradually, distraught noises behind the brothers’ growls caught Roanan’s attention, and Ian must have noticed, too, for he rolled off Roanan. The alpha blinked in the bright sunlight. His head hurt like a sonovabitch, and it took him a moment to distinguish the voices around him.

  “It’s okay. We were just playing around,” Ian said.

  “I told you, Em,” Josh said.

  A shadow fell over Roanan’s face, blocking the sun, and a gentle hand rested on his shoulder. Emory crouched over the alpha, sweet face etched with worry. Roanan couldn’t help the smile that spread over his face.

  Emory grunted softly, brows furrowed.

  “Everything’s fine,” Roanan told the omega, touched by Emory’s concern. “You don’t really think that runt could hurt me, do you?”

  Still frowning, Emory looked up at Ian, who leaned against the wall.

  “I won, didn’t I?” Ian said smugly.

  Roanan started to get up and winced. “Only because you clocked me on the head with the wall.”

  With surprising strength, Emory pressed Roanan down again. The alpha waited as the omega examined his head with long, gentle fingers.

  “Wow, you’re the only person I’ve ever seen be able to make Roanan be still and shut up for more than two seconds,” Ian teased.

  Emory found the bump, and Roanan drew in a breath. He had the oddest desire to play up his injury, so the omega would take care of him, but his alpha pride won out, and he sat up.

  “I’m fine. Seriously, Ian couldn’t hurt me if he tried.” For a brief moment, Roanan’s eyes locked with the omega’s, and the alpha’s heart sped up.

  “Dad’s got a really hard head,” Josh said, breaking the spell.

  “I’m going to take a lunch break,” Ian announced, slapping dirt off his hands. “Josh, Grey, and Gabriel have been asking to see you boys. I know you’ve been staying away to give Gabriel time to rest, but he’s much better now and would love to see you. Go get your brothers.”

  “Can Emory come, too?” Josh asked.

  “Next time. Gabriel will be distracted with another omega there.” Ian looked at Roanan. “That okay with you?”

  Roanan nodded, still staring into Emory’s eyes, struck dumb by the myriad of shades of blue he saw there. He heard the kids call goodbye as the group trudged past them. What Roanan looked like to them, sitting on the ground staring at Emory, the alpha couldn’t imagine; but he also knew he wouldn’t be able to tear his gaze away if the earth split in two and opened to swallow them whole.

  The breeze lifted the tawny waves of Emory’s hair, and Roanan ran his palm over the side of the omega’s face, watching the color of the irises deepen. Roanan leaned in and kissed Emory’s soft mouth.

  For long moments, there were only soft breaths and gentle passes of lips and tongues. Roanan pulled Emory closer until the omega straddled the alpha’s lap. Emory’s left hand brushed Roanan’s right nipple, and the alpha groaned, tightening his grip in the omega’s hair and pushing his tongue farther into Emory’s sweet mouth.

  The little grunts and soft sighs Emory made went straight to Roanan’s cock. With his free hand, the alpha traced Emory’s spine and shoulder blades before moving downward to run across the waist of the pants the omega wore.

  “I don’t think I’ve ever wanted anyone as much as I want you,” Roanan whispered between kisses, voice gravelly with need. “Say you want me, too.”

  Emory pulled back and stared at the alpha. Eyes never leaving Roanan’s, the omega nodded.

  Roanan got to his feet and helped Emory off the ground. He kissed the omega again, long and deep, thinking how small and precious Emory felt in his arms.

  Roanan took Emory’s hand and pressed his lips to the palm. “I know we barely know one another, but if you’ll come inside and have lunch with me, I’ll tell you all about myself, and we’ll go from there.” He watched cloud
s of uncertainty pass through the blue of Emory’s eyes before the omega seemed to come to a decision and smiled.

  Roanan led the way into the darkened house.

  The kids had been painting while Roanan and Ian worked outside. A couple of easels stood in the living room with paints opened on the table. While Roanan prepared lunch, Emory set about putting everything neatly away.

  “We make our own paints out of plants and other things, but we have to buy the canvases in Angel City,” Roanan said conversationally as he cut up meat. He looked over his shoulder. “Are you from a pack close by? Echo Valley, maybe?”

  Emory shook his head.

  Roanan wanted to ask the omega if he’d ever been able to talk, but he’d promised to tell about himself first.

  “I was born to this pack. As you know, Ian’s my brother. Our fathers have been dead a while now. Our sire was the pack alpha’s advisor, and the two of them planned Ian’s and Grey’s mating.” He brought the plates of food to the table.

  Emory washed his hands at the sink and sat down.

  “I was mated to an omega years ago. His name was Baron.” Roanan could feel Emory’s eyes on him, but he concentrated on his food and telling his story. “We had the kids, and Baron unfortunately died in a sickness that swept through our pack about twelve years ago. I’ve never mated since. I’ve had my hands full raising the boys by myself.” When Roanan glanced up, Emory looked sad.

  “I’ve been okay. I never really wanted to mate again. Until now.” Roanan let the words hang in the air between them and was encouraged when a shiver ran through the omega’s body. He didn’t let go of Emory’s gaze. “I hope you want to stay here, Emory.”

  Emory swallowed, Adam’s apple dipping. He licked his lips and looked away. Roanan reached across the table, palm up, and slowly, Emory placed his hand over it.

  “Will you stay? Would you consider being my mate?”

  Roanan became lost in that blue gaze, unsure of how much time passed before Emory nodded. The alpha broke into a smile. “Really?”

  Emory nodded again, more emphatically this time, lips curving upward in a smile. The omega’s eyes danced, and Roanan wondered at the fact he didn’t miss Emory speaking more. He would love to hear the omega’s voice, but it wasn’t necessary for the two of them to understand each other. He squeezed Emory’s hand before finally letting it go, heart beating in his throat.