by Sky Winters
Suddenly, the caring melted away from Kirk’s face and he let out a laugh.
“Oh my god,” he said, bursting into a fit of laughter. “You’re pregnant! Who’s the dad, Santa Claus?”
Owen gritted his teeth, preparing himself to tell off his brother, when Drake’s voice boomed loudly from behind him.
“What the hell is this?” he growled. “What do I smell? Is that the rival pack from the west? What have you been doing? And what happened to your stomach?”
Owen refused to answer, and Kirk just continued to laugh.
“Shut the hell up!” Drake snapped. “What happened to you, Owen?”
Drake calling Owen by his actual name was sobering. Usually he was just pipsqueak or twerp. When Drake called him Owen, it usually meant he was exceptionally pissed off. Owen flinched, but his fury wasn’t directed at him for once. He was looking off into the distance, in the direction of Brock’s house.
“Did one of them do this to you?” Drake growled. “I’ll kill them.”
“What? Why?” Owen was suddenly able to find his voice again. “What good will that do?”
“Getting you pregnant just to make me the laughingstock. To make themselves an alpha while I can’t even get a woman pregnant in our own pack. They did it on purpose, just to shame me!”
“Drake, I don’t think…”
“Shut up before I tear that bastard out of your belly, Owen,” Drake growled, his aura dark and furious. “There isn’t any time. I have to find the piece of shit who did this to you.”
“To me,” Owen emphasized. “He didn’t do anything to you!”
He left out the fact that Brock wanted to. Maybe Owen did too. It was just like Brock to take this humiliating tragedy in Owen’s life so personally and completely ignore the fact that not only was his younger brother pregnant, but he was also emotionally distraught. Owen always noticed it when other people were hurting. Would it kill someone to see him for who he was every once in a while?
He thought Brock might be able to fill that role, but…
“Where are you going?”
Kirk’s voice broke into Owen’s thoughts and his eyes snapped to his brother.
“I’m going to kill that fucking asshole. And you’re coming with me.”
“Yesss! Alan, get out here! You’re going to want to see this!”
Drake gripped Owen by the neck and led him forward, and surrounded by his rowdy brothers, Owen was forced to lead the way, once again, to Brock’s isolated little cabin in the woods.
Chapter 23
Brock looked down at the floor sheepishly. Eddie had summoned all of his brothers, and they were in his small living room together all staring at the floor in silence. None of them could believe what he was telling them. He had developed true feelings for Owen McNeil, and he was going to father a pup by the same man. The situation left him without a doubt the true Alpha of the pack, and although each of them truly hated the McNeils with all their guts, they would be forever linked to them through the bond of their Alpha’s bloodline.
Hazel was the first to speak.
“All this time, you were plotting revenge. And you say it was the McNeil boy who made you feel closure at last? The world has some mysterious ways sometimes.”
“I was really excited to kick some ass,” Eddie said quietly. All of the brothers laughed. It seemed impossible to believe that their quiet, most sensitive brother might join Brock in his bloodthirsty mission for vengeance. But it also made a certain kind of sense too.
“Easy there, champ,” Hazel said, slapping him on the back. “Apparently revenge isn’t what we need anymore. I guess it’s time we made peace with what happened to Jason.”
“I don’t think I can ever make peace with that,” Brock said. “Don’t get me wrong. I lo…I love Owen. But I hate Drake. I just don’t want to use Owen to get back at him anymore. Besides, I doubt it would work. Drake doesn’t give two shits about anyone but himself. I doubt he’d even care if something happened to Owen.”
A ferocious banging at the door startled Brock and he lost his thought. He stood to answer the door but before he reached it, it burst off its hinges. Standing in the empty doorframe was Drake McNeil, holding Owen by the neck in front of him.
“Are you responsible for this?” Drake demanded. “Is this your doing? Are you trying to shame me?!”
“You have enough to feel ashamed about without me impregnating your brother,” Brock said. “Believe it or not, that happened because I have real feelings for him. Ever wonder why you can’t get anyone pregnant?”
Drake’s face grew red with embarrassment and anger, and he looked like he was about to kill Brock right where he stood. Brock continued anyway.
“It’s because you don’t love any of them.”
“You don’t know what you’re talking about,” Drake snarled.
“Owen,” Brock said, looking into Owen’s wide eyes. “I love you. I’m so sorry about all of this.”
Before he could answer, Drake threw Owen against the wall. Brock rushed to his side but he was stricken by a strong blow to the cheek. He struggled to his feet and faced Drake as Eddie ran to Owen’s side to make sure he was all right. Owen staggered to his feet and then joined Brock in front of his older brother.
“Oh, this should be rich,” Drake said, casting a glance back at Alan and Kirk. Kirk’s high pitched giggle pierced the air as Brock got into his fighting stance, growling from deep within himself. He would protect Owen and their child and get vengeance for Jason all at the same time.
“You should go now, Drake,” Owen said, setting his mouth in a firm line. “You don’t belong here.”
“What a freak show,” Drake sneered. “You think you two can take me? All right. Guys, don’t help me. Call off your boys, Brock. Let’s make this just between us.”
Brock looked back at his brothers, whose eyes were hard. They wouldn’t make any promises, but they could act like they were playing by the rules. Brock gave them a small nod. It was going to work out in their favor. He knew it.
Drake grinned, rolling up his shirt sleeves. “Let’s do this.”
Chapter 24
Brock led everyone outside. No self-respecting wolf shifter liked being cooped up in a small room with a bunch of other hostile shifters, especially during a fight. It was always better to be out in the open.
Owen was standing shoulder to shoulder with Brock, his face hard and determined.
“You should hang back with the others,” Brock said to him, his dark eyes concerned.
“I’m going to stand my ground with him for once,” Owen said. “With you here, I know it will be all right.”
Brock felt warmth course through his chest, but it was short-lived. The sound of Drake’s antagonistic voice reached his ears and his hackles immediately rose. “Look, you’re not in the condition to fight right now. You have to protect the pup. I’ll take care of this.”
Owen sighed and nodded. Brock squeezed his hand briefly before unleashing the blinding light of his transformation. Soon, his face had morphed into that of a serious black wolf. Drake was shifting as well into his scraggly grey wolf form, and soon they were facing off. They circled each other and Owen watched nervously. Drake played dirty. If anything happened to Brock, he wasn’t sure he would be able to bear it. Sure, he was angry about everything that had happened, but the truth was that he was crazy about the man. It didn’t have to make sense. There was just something between them. Something fated. The baby proved it. Omega men didn’t just get pregnant by accident. There was usually something mysterious and destined about it. Something all the other wolves had to acknowledge and accept. Unless, of course, that wolf happened to be Drake McNeil.
Drake lunged at Brock, baring his teeth viciously. Brock evaded the attack expertly, darting beside a large shrub and lowering himself in an angry stance that made Owen’s teeth clench nervously. He didn’t want anything to happen to Brock, and he was getting a pretty bad feeling about the fight. But what would h
e be able to do about it if something happened?
Brock made his move, swift, and powerful, and bit into Drake’s fur. Unfortunately the bite didn’t sink in deeply enough and Drake pulled away, suddenly gaining the upper hand. He forced himself on top of Brock and tore into him viciously, causing Owen to cry out in fear. Brock’s brothers were holding each other back, waiting to see how it would turn out, but Owen couldn’t handle the suspense.
Brock managed to break free, however, and snarled at Drake as he tried to limp forward to attack again. Drake was sneering though, and Owen couldn’t stand the thought. He knew that if Drake got his teeth on Brock again, the man he loved would be done for.
Owen’s transformation was brief and powerful, and to everybody’s surprise, he intercepted Drake and Brock, pouncing on Drake and wrestling him to the ground. It was a hell of a scuffle, but somehow, Owen knew from the baby inside of him, he was tapping into a well of Alpha energy. It filled him with a strength unlike anything he had ever felt before, and before he knew it he was facing down with his brother in a fight that meant everything.
There had been hundreds of times Owen wished he was just a little bit stronger, but no matter what Drake managed to overpower him. This time though, between the child in his belly and the self-confidence he got from being with Brock, he was sure he could take Drake. Everybody watched in disbelief as Owen and Drake went head to head. He caught a glance of his brothers Kirk and Alan, and their faces were white with fear and shock. They didn’t want either one of them to get truly hurt, but in a battle like this, there had to be a winner and a loser.
Drake’s piercing cries of pain echoed through the still trees, and Brock struggled to his feet to watch. He tried to move forward to get between Drake and Owen, but his brothers held him back quickly. Owen didn’t need his help. The energy he received from his unborn pup was enough. Soon, Drake lay in a bloody heap at Owen’s feet. He struggled to scramble away, but Owen wasn’t going to let him go. Drake had never done a kind thing in his life. It would take a miracle for Owen to forgive him for that.
Just as Owen bared his teeth, ready to go in for the kill, Drake’s wolf form began to morph, and he shifted into the form of his brutal older brother, sobbing and sniverling on the ground and covered in his own blood. He had never had anybody else who was able to dish it back out to him before, and it surprised him deeply that Owen was capable of it.
“Please,” Drake mumbled. “I’ll do whatever you want. Just let me live.”
“An eye for an eye,” Hazel cried. “You killed Jason, why should you be spared? How many lives have you destroyed?”
But looking down at the pathetic heap on the ground, Owen knew that he couldn’t kill his own brother. There didn’t seem to be a solution here. Then the strangest thing happened. The pup seemed to give him an idea.
Owen marched purposefully toward his brother, who was relatively harmless in his human form compared to Owen’s super-powered wolf form, and began to savagely tear into him. But nothing lethal. He tore out Drake’s tongue and chewed off his fingers and toes. He might not be able to kill his brother, but he could make sure he never charmed his way into the minds of innocent boys again.
When he was done, Owen shifted back into his human form, and was surprised to see his brothers bow down to him. Brock had managed to shapeshift back into his human form as well and made his way beside Owen, lacing his fingers through Owen’s and embracing him tightly. Soon, Brock’s brothers were bowing as well.
Brock and Owen exchanged a look. They were both Alphas now. Whether Owen felt like one all the time or not, they were the leaders of their packs. But that wasn’t the best part. He knew that he could forgive Brock for wanting to seek his vengeance through him. He knew that his love was real. And he could return it. There was never any other option. They were meant to be together. And they were going to parent a child that might just bring their territories together once and for all.
“Someone should take him to a hospital,” Brock said, all traces of his desire for vengeance gone from his voice. It had been humiliating enough to see the big man cowering before Owen, pleading for his life. There was no dignity left for him here. He would have to be taken care of like a big baby from now on. He didn’t envy the person who would take on that job.
Owen’s brothers picked Drake up by the arms and Drake wailed as they dragged him away. Owen and Brock watched, both nude from the transformations, and Brock’s brothers bowed once more before taking their leave.
“We will have proper introductions tomorrow night if you’ll have dinner with us,” Hazel said to Owen. “You should meet our father. He’s going to be very excited to hear the news.”
Brock had expected Hazel to be upset that he wasn’t the Alpha, but he was taking it really well. “I’m proud of you Brock. You’ve found a worthy mate. Take care.”
They waved as everybody dispersed from Brock’s property, until only Brock and Owen were left standing in the clearing outside.
“Come on,” Brock said, tugging Owen’s hand gently. “Let’s get you inside.”
Chapter 25
As soon as Owen got through the door, Brock’s hot lips were all over him. Owen gripped Brock by the hair and returned his kisses passionately, allowing his hands to roam all over the strong man’s frame. He had missed him. It wasn’t worth being so angry at him. They were both a little bit hot-headed. But the fact was that they were crazy about each other.
Brock groaned when Owen grabbed his cock, unable to resist. He stroked it firmly until it hardened in his hand and then slipped it between his legs so that their erections were touching.
“I can’t believe we made a pup,” Brock said, lowering his hand to Owen’s protruding abdomen. “This is so amazing.”
“You’re going to be a great dad,” Owen said, looking into Brock’s deep eyes. They seemed lighter; much less burdened than when they had been together the first time. After all the fighting and avenging his brother, the majority of the vulnerability and sadness that Owen had sensed before was gone. Now, all that was left was a handsome, virile man who was ready to take on the world. And Owen wanted to be his next challenge.
“I think you’re going to be better,” Brock said, caressing Owen’s stomach lovingly.
Owen grinned but said nothing, and guided Brock’s hand from his abdomen to his groin. He inhaled sharply when Brock’s strong hands wrapped around his cock and gave it a hard tug. He could feel himself getting ready to burst, and Brock ran his hand along the popping veins in Owen’s cock until he couldn’t help but shudder in pleasure.
“We’re going to do this together,” Brock said. “And hopefully, we’ll make a hundred more babies.”
“A hundred?” Owen squeaked.
But Brock didn’t answer. He simply smiled and wrapped his tongue around the head of Owen’s cock. The hot, soft feeling of Brock’s mouth nearly brought him to the brink of his climax, but he refrained, knowing that there was more to come.
Sure enough, Brock gently stripped him and tore his own clothes off, pressing his hard, urgent member against the softness of Owen’s ass. Owen bent over slightly, anxious to feel himself engulfed by the hard rocking of Brock’s thighs. Brock grinned at the invitation and held his own thick cock in his hands, readying himself to plunge inside. Suddenly, he hesitated.
“Is it going to hurt you?” Brock asked. “Or the baby?”
Owen rolled his eyes.
“That’s just an old wife’s tale,” Owen said, pressing his body against Brock’s. “Don’t pay any attention to it. Just fuck me.”
Brock growled in excitement and pleasure, pressing himself against the barrier of Owen’s body.
“Are you sure?”
The tension was thick between them, and Owen could feel every anxious pulse of Brock’s cock behind him.
“Fuck, just do it!”
Brock gripped Owen hard by the shoulders and plunged hard inside of him. Owen yelped and Brock froze.
“Are you –“
“Yes, keep going.”
Brock swallowed hard, barely able to control himself. But he could do anything for his family. For the man he loved and their baby. Fortunately, what the man he loved wanted coincided with what he wanted, and he reached around and found Owen’s cock with his hand, caressing it with rugged gropes that made Owen’s breath catch in his throat.
Soon, Owen was bent completely over, moaning in bliss as Brock rocked his body with the power of his desire. He had thought that he would never see Owen again. That he had totally messed everything up with him. Now that he was here, he wasn’t going to let him go.
Brock grunted as Owen’s body writhed around his cock, every movement sending a burst of ecstasy up his shaft and into his loins. He had never wanted anybody so badly before. Owen trembled beneath him, and Brock continued to massage his cock. It was swollen and red, just begging for release. Looking at it almost made Brock lose control and cum right then.
Instead, he tore his eyes away and left a line of hot kisses down the nape of Owen’s neck. Owen groaned in pleasure and began thrusting into Brock’s hand. He fucked Brock’s fist as Brock fucked him, and together they reached new heights of pleasure neither had ever believed possible.
“I love you,” Brock whispered into Owen’s ear.
Owen tensed up beneath him and for a second, Brock was sure he had said the wrong thing. But Owen turned to face him, his large eyes clear. They were the most beautiful things Brock had ever seen.
“I love you too,” Owen replied.
Brock resumed thrusting with his full force, full of a deep desire to make the man completely his. He would leave his scent all over him so that it was unmistakable who he belonged to. Owen cried out in rapture as Brock’s body penetrated him again and again, until he was shuddering with the effort of holding back his orgasm.
It wasn’t until Brock unleashed a deep, masculine growl that Owen lost control. He cried out in ecstasy as his cock began to cry into Brock’s hand, bursting long, hot tendrils of white all over his palm. The second he felt Owen’s orgasm, Brock began to quake as the power of his earth-shattering orgasm struck them. Soon, Owen’s insides were flooded with the wrath of his desire, and Brock thrust violently until every last drop was emptied into him.