“Sir, as you can see, Ben’s been bred. Carr and I wanted to give him a bit of respite after the tough few days he’s had. I hope that was okay. We’ll take our turn on the perimeter right now.”
Lorcan nodded once. “Don’t worry about taking a run. I expect Ben hasn’t had the chance much lately.”
“No, sir, he hasn’t.” He heard two sets of footsteps behind him—one light, one heavy, and both human.
Lorcan looked past him. “How are you feeling, Ben?”
“I’m fine, Alpha.” The shy voice preceded a brush up against Daniel’s side. The omega was using him as a shield, and that show of insecurity brought out his protective instincts.
Daniel made a point of reaching back and circling the boy’s waist with his arm. Ben pressed against his side without hesitation. “I think it would be a good idea for the healer to check him out just as a precaution, sir.”
“I agree.” This from Carr, who joined them on Ben’s other side.
“Of course.” The alpha rose, giving his daughter’s head a gentle pat as he did so. “When do you plan on returning to Portland?”
Ben stiffened, and Daniel found himself patting him in the same reassuring way. “I don’t have a timetable, sir. There’s nothing requiring me to anytime soon, and with Haldon giving you trouble, I want to stick around to help.”
Lorcan gave him an assessing look. “That might not sort itself out for a while yet. If ever. I can’t ask you to commit to an indefinite stay.”
This was it. The alpha was giving him a chance to leave graciously. And still, Daniel couldn’t allow himself to do it. “Thanks, but with your permission, I’ll hang with the Rogues awhile longer.”
The alpha flicked his gaze from him to Ben, then to Carr. “We’re happy to have you, of course. So long as it’s not problematic on any other front.”
Ben tucked his head under Daniel’s chin in a silent show of affection and need. Carr spoke up, however. “Sir, I know that I’m a new pack member at best, but for what it’s worth, I’d like Daniel to remain here for as long as he willing. His presence is much appreciated by me and Ben.
Lorcan nodded in agreement. “I can see that.” He turned to his mate. “Kyle, please see that the breeding room is made into a more permanent residence for Ben.”
“Of course.” The alpha mate bounced his pup on his knee, smiling at them all.
Lorcan expression softened noticeably. “Thank you.” He gave Daniel and Carr a sterner look. “You two should move back to the communal bedroom.”
Daniel’s wolf reared up and snarled. It took all of his strength to keep that aggression from showing. He opened his mouth to argue—what exactly? The alpha was right. With the breeding over, there was no reason for them to remain with the boy.
Ben surprised him by whimpering and boring more into Daniel’s chest while awkwardly reaching for Carr at the same time. Daniel used his free hand to make soothing circles between the boy’s shoulder blades, and murmured reassurances. Carr pulled up behind him and wrapped his long arms around them both.
“I’m sorry, sir,” the gamma said. “Your suggestion is upsetting Ben.”
The deliberate mischaracterization of Lorcan’s order and the deceptively mild response proved that Carr was much better than Daniel at navigating pack politics. He’d bet, though, that Carr’s wolf was as upset at the idea of leaving Ben as his own was.
The alpha stared at the three of them through narrowed eyes for a few very long seconds before sighing. “Ben, is that what’s bothering you? Do you want Daniel and Carr to stay in your room?” The omega nodded quickly a few times in a silent answer. “Very well.”
Lorcan didn’t look happy, but he didn’t look unhappy, either. There was no precedent for this threesome arrangement. Even humans with their more decadent ways, hadn’t quite adapted yet to the idea. Daniel figured the arrangement stumped the alpha as much as it did him. Still, Ben’s needs came first, and a breeding omega should always be catered to unless it hurt the pack. Daniel’s sticking around and hanging with Ben and Carr certainly didn’t do that. If anything, it strengthened the pack by giving it another fighter.
“It’s almost time for the midday meal. After we eat, you two can take a turn on the perimeter. Kyle, why don’t you and Ben go in and get started on his room before we eat?”
“Yes, Alpha.” The alpha mate rose and settled his pup on his hip. “Come on, Ben. Mabel can help us find stuff to dress up that room for you.”
Because Ben hesitated, Daniel, with Carr’s help, had to pry him loose. He lifted the boy’s chin and stared down at him. “Go on, baby. Everything’s going to be fine.”
With a telltale sniff, the boy nodded. Gods, it broke Daniel’s heart to see him sad, except everyone knew that breeding omegas could be emotional. Besides, he sensed the alpha wanted the omegas out of the way for some reason. Carr shot him a knowing look, too, before offering his own reassurance and ushering the boy to follow Kyle.
The moment the boys were inside, Lorcan’s expression turned serious. “I’m glad Ben’s heat is over. Haldon’s pack members have become bolder in the last few days. We’ve all caught them on our lands more than once. They run when they see any of us, yet their retreat seems more strategic than done out of fear of confrontation.”
“So, it is escalating?” Daniel asked.
“Yes, although I don’t want to frighten the weaker pack members. It could still amount to nothing, but I’m having everyone move back into the longhouse just in case. Your sharing a room with Ben is actually helpful.” He paused. “How is this all working out, anyway?” He waved his finger between the two of them.
Daniel glanced at Carr before shrugging. “I’m not sure we even know. It just is because that’s what Ben needs.”
Carr nodded. “That’s right. Ben’s who matters.”
Lorcan frowned. “Interesting. Who finally bred him? Do you know?”
“We both did.” They answered in unison and shared an amused look.
Daniel shrugged. “He needed us both, sir, as you know. We don’t know whose seed took, and we frankly don’t care. So long as Ben and his pup are healthy, that’s all that matters.”
The alpha’s frown deepened. “Right, of course.” He shook his head. “It’s still the strangest thing I’ve ever heard. Ben obviously wants both of you even now. And again, I’m happy to have the extra fighter on my side.” With another shake of his head, he walked back into the house.
Daniel and Carr stood for a few seconds in silence before Carr clapped his hand on Daniel’s shoulder. “I’m glad you’re staying. As the alpha said, we need the extra fighter, but I want you to know that I intend to do my best to convince Ben to mate with me.”
The snarl rose up before he could stop it. Carr simply cocked an eyebrow at him. “Sorry.” He looked away. “You should. Ben deserves to be mated, and you’re the best choice.”
“You want him, too.” It was a statement, not a question.
His stomach clenched and he felt a sudden sadness. “I do. Just not enough to stay.” And, that was the problem.
****
Later, after pulling a double shift by choice, he and Carr devoured the dinner left for them and crept into the tiny room that was now Ben’s. He almost didn’t, thinking that his moving to the communal room made more sense. Except his selfish wolf hated the idea and he also didn’t want to upset Ben. Out on the porch, the omega had clung to both him and Carr. If the boy had a preference, he wasn’t showing it. Maybe it was the lingering effect of the heat.
In any event, unless and until Ben told him otherwise, Daniel really wanted to spend what time he could with him. It wasn’t even about sex. He didn’t expect to ever touch the boy again. It was an emotional need that surprised him. He’d thought he had his whole life planned out, one where he was literally a lone wolf living secretly among humans. He had accepted that future as one of his own making. This tie to Ben was not something he had expected or knew what to with.
His bond
with Carr hadn’t diminished despite their honest discussion earlier in the day. They’d formed a tight patrol, warning off any of Haldon boys they’d seen lurking beyond the borders. Lorcan had been right—they were upping their provocation. Instinct and intellect told him that the other pack was going to make a move soon. He needed to be here when that happened. Even with him and the white wolves added in, the Rogue Pack was still at a disadvantage. It would be a vicious fight, and one they’d have to win. The alternative didn’t bear thinking about.
The most important reason for him lay curled into a tight ball on an overly wide pallet big enough for three. For a brief moment as the light in the hallway shown through the open door, he saw that the alpha mate and Kyle had done a good job of making the room a more inviting place. There was a low table with cubby holes beneath it and a bigger lamp, along with newer, clean bedding. Gone, too, were the smells the breeding had left. The air inside was fresh and flowery.
By unspoken agreement, he and Carr had stayed naked. Less fussing with clothing meant less noise. They didn’t want to wake Ben from his much-needed sleep. It happened anyway. As Carr shut the door behind them, the omega stirred, rolled onto his back and yawned.
“Is everything okay?”
“It’s fine, baby.”
“Go back to sleep, little one.”
Ben yawned again. “I will once you’ve settled down. You are sleeping here, right?” His voice held a hint of worry.
Hating to hear that, Daniel slid down on Ben’s far side and brushed his hair back from his face. “We’re here. Nothing to worry about.” He placed his other hand on the boy’s upper arm and brushed his fingers back and forth.
Carr was similarly touching and reassuring the boy. For a minute or two, the three of them lay much as usual in a companionable tangle of bodies. A fine tremor ran through the omega before he relaxed under the attention. Closing his eyes, Daniel let go of his own tension and tried to sleep.
Except Ben wasn’t ready for that yet. “Is it very bad out there?”
Daniel’s eyes flew open at the question. “There’s no need for you to concern yourself with all of that.”
Across from Ben’s head, Carr’s eyes showed bright in the dark. “We’ll protect you.”
Ben huffed. “I’m not worried about me. I worried about you. Both of you,” he added, and he reached out to clasp the hands touching his chest. His fingers entwined with Daniel’s and squeezed.
Daniel returned the gesture and bumped into Carr when he tried to pet Ben’s head. Bright white teeth flashed in the gloom as he and the gamma shared an amused look. An alarming sniffle from Ben ended that.
“Don’t cry, baby.” Daniel nuzzled the side of the omega’s face and was relieved to find no trace of tears.
Another sniffle. Then, “I’m sorry. I think breeding is making me emotional. I’d gotten good at hiding my feelings. Kurt didn’t like my crying, either, so…”
At the mention of that asshole, Daniel pressed more tightly into the boy and kissed his cheek. “Forget about him, baby. He’s nothing and has no power over you anymore. You go ahead and cry all you want.”
“Or yell, or complain,” Carr chimed in. “You’ve been through a lot, and we understand.”
Ben shook his head. “No. I’m not going to be some delicate little omega diva. Lots of the pack members have been through worse. I know because they’ve been telling me how they each came to be here. If they can be strong, so can I.
“I have you to thank for that, Beta.”
Daniel frowned at the gratitude and the formality. “It’s Daniel, remember? And, I didn’t do anything that any other dominant shifter wouldn’t have done.”
“Maybe.” Ben didn’t sound convinced. “I guess I was lucky that you went to live among humans. Once Kurt brought me to the city, I never saw another of our kind before you came charging down that alley.”
Daniel smiled at the description of how he’d behaved. “I guess we were both lucky.”
The omega turned toward him, bringing Carr’s hand along for the ride. “Tell me again why you like living there.”
“Oh, well.” How do I explain? “I guess I like how there’s always something new to look at, or smell, or eat. The food choices alone are amazing. And, there’s live music and you don’t have to wait to see a movie out on DVD. The humans are always working on the new and the better. Whereas we shifters are creatures of habit. And, kind of dull ones at that.”
“You’re referring to our traditions,” Carr interjected in a dry tone.
“Yeah, except humans do a better job of changing theirs more quickly. Ours move at a glacial pace, if you’ll pardon the expression,” he added, remembering where the gamma came from. “I mean it took us thousands of years to move out of caves. And we still stay in and near the woods, sticking to a pretty bland diet, simple work and enjoying the humans’ leftover culture.”
Carr huffed. “It’s safer for us.”
“True, but for someone like me who sucks at carpentry and everything else shifters do to contribute to the pack’s survival, it means a lot of thumb-sitting. I mean, other than a fight, which no one wants, I’m kind of useless.”
Ben whimpered. “Don’t say that.”
“I’m sorry, baby. I don’t intend to upset you, especially because you should be sleeping. And, right now, my skill as a fighter is the most important thing about me because it means I can help protect you.”
The omega curled closer to him, and the touch of his small, warm body soothed Daniel’s wolf. “I guess I’ll just never understand why you like human life.” He grunted out a little laugh. “Reed—my little brother, remember?—wasn’t able to make me see his point of view, either. He’d feast off all of your stories about food and music and bright lights.” The boy’s sorrow at the mention of his brother was a palpable thing.
It was too late for such serious talk. “You need to go to sleep now, baby. We all need our rest.”
Carr chimed in. “He’s right, little one. We’ll have plenty of time to talk if you want to tomorrow, before our next turn on the perimeter starts.”
Their words were met by a loud yawn, then an “okay.”
That was all it took to settle the boy. He’d been through a lot in the last few days, and despite his insistence to the contrary, his omega nature did crave the control of someone more dominant. As the boy’s breathing evened out, Daniel rolled onto his back. He was careful to keep his hand in Ben’s until his fingers went lax from sleep. Carr’s deeper breaths joined the omega’s, confirming that the gamma had also fallen asleep.
It was a long time before Daniel was able to join them.
Chapter Nine
It might not have been well-done of him, but Carr took advantage of Daniel having a strategy meeting with the other betas and sought out some alone time with Ben. He found the omega at the first place he’d looked, working in the garden. He took a moment to appreciate the sight of Ben, smiling and looking otherwise happy and healthy as he knelt and chatted with Joey. The other omega was nursing his pup and it reminded Carr that come spring, Ben would be doing the same. He was going to do his best to make sure the boy had a comfy place to do it.
“Ben!” He called out the greeting as he approached.
The omega went still and quiet. The smile on his lips disappeared for a second, then returned when he looked up at Carr. “Hi.” He ducked his chin in an adorable display of shyness. There was no fear in his expression, though, and that was what truly mattered.
Kneeling, Carr first acknowledged Joey with an inclining of his head before focusing on Ben. “You’re hard at work. Do you have time to come see something?”
“Um.” Ben bit his lip and glanced at Joey.
“Sure he does,” the other boy replied. “Little Craig is almost finished with his umpteenth feeding of the day. I’ll put him down for a nap with Mabel’s pups and start back in on the harvesting.”
“Thanks.” Ben stood, brushing the dirt off his knees as he did so. H
e swayed suddenly. Carr was up and grabbing his shoulders in an instant. Ben grinned. “Thanks. I guess clumsiness and lightheadedness are a couple of more things I can expect with breeding.”
“It gets worse before it gets better,” Joey said.
Ben rolled his eyes. “Great. That’s very comforting.”
The easy banter between the boys pleased Carr immensely. With his heat over and the asshole, Kurt, a more distant memory every day, Ben was coming into his own. Whatever lingering concern Carr had had about him was dissipating. He hoped what he was about to show Ben would make him happy.
“Are you steady now?” he asked, lifting his hands.
“Yes, Gamma.”
“Carr. I don’t think you’ve ever said my name, and I’d like you to.”
“Carr.” A pretty pink blush stained the omega’s face.
“Thanks for that. Now, come on.” He held out his hand and was pleased when the boy took it. His wolf yipped with equal joy, although he was disappointed when there was no reply from Ben’s. Of course not. Without the mating bite, the two wolves couldn’t hear each other. It bothered him, but hopefully that situation would change. And soon.
He walked Ben over to the far side of the compound, past the last of the personal dwellings that had cropped up for the mated pairs. He stopped beside a rectangle formed by stakes and string and pointed.
“What do you think?”
Ben pursed his lips and shrugged. “I’m sorry, about what?”
“The location and lay out of your new home. I worked it out with the head construction sigma, and ran it by the alpha, as well, of course. They can start building right away and hope to have the frame up before the first snow. So long as the alpha deems it safe enough for everyone to stop living in the longhouse, you’ll be able to move in by the time you whelp.”
Ben leaned into him, pressing his cheek against Carr’s upper arm. The show of trust and affection was another balm to him and his agitated wolf. “I’m sorry, Carr. I’m not very smart, so I don’t understand. I already have a room in the house.”
Frowning, he pulled the boy in for a hug and rubbed his chin on the top of his head. “First of all, never say that you’re not smart. Because you are. If that’s more bullshit from your sire or Kurt the asshole, consider the unreliable source. Okay?”
Omega in the Middle (The Rogue Pack Book 5) Page 14