by L. C. Davis
Blake turned back to Caleb with a nod. “Thank you,” he murmured cryptically before leaving the house without a word to Noreen.
Caleb stood and gathered his crutches. On his way past Noreen, the other omega grabbed his arm and her square nails dug in slightly. “Don’t think I don’t know what you’re doing.”
“I’m sorry, I don’t —”
“I’ve known omegas like you all my life,” she said, looking him over in disgust. “You might be able to fool the Alphas with the innocent routine, but you’re as transparent as a sheer curtain.”
“Mrs. Andrews, I don’t know what you think I’m trying to do, but —“
“Oh, I know exactly what you’re trying to do,” she interrupted. “Don’t think I haven’t noticed you batting your eyes at Dustin, and now getting cozy with Blake. Maybe that’s how things are done where you’re from, and maybe it worked on Alec. He always was the weak one. But in this pack, flipping your tail up to every Alpha who comes near won’t get you anywhere but gone. Until now, I’ve been very generous in tolerating your presence, but don’t think for a single moment that I can’t make your life here very unpleasant. You just remember that.”
Caleb’s eyes stung with fresh tears, but he held his tongue and refused to let a single one spill until she’d left the room. He hadn’t been spoken to like that in years, and he’d told himself once he’d made it out of that life that he would never put up with it again from anyone else.
But this wasn’t just anyone. It was Alec’s mother. He also knew she was right on more than one level. Alphas might have been in charge of the larger decisions made by a pack, but it was a small group of omegas that controlled the social dynamics. If she’d chased her own son away without meaning to, Caleb had no doubt that she could be rid of him if she tried.
The omega dried his tears and made his way back upstairs. The worst part of his encounter with Noreen had been the fact that she echoed so perfectly what the voice that was still lurking in the back of his mind had always told him. He wanted to believe he was a different person now. He wanted to believe Alec’s words of comfort and absolution, but what if she was right?
After all, Noreen couldn’t possibly know about his past and yet she’d had him pegged right from the start. She had seen through his troubling feelings for Dustin as well, even though he was still trying to pretend like they weren’t there. Had the Alpha noticed, too? All he’d wanted was to comfort Blake and share some of his memories of Alec with someone else who loved him, but with Dustin, it was different. He couldn’t deny the attraction that was present, no matter how much he tried to ignore it. That strange pull that was in some ways even stronger than what he’d felt for Alec in the beginning.
He didn’t want to feel any of it. He didn’t want to open his heart to anyone ever again knowing how much pain that love could bring when it was gone, and certainly not to Alec’s brother. It was the ultimate betrayal. Maybe Alec would forgive him. He was just that kind of person, but Caleb knew that if he didn’t get a handle on what he felt for his mate’s brother, he would never be able to forgive himself.
Chapter 9
DUSTIN
Dustin had always been the kind of man who was up before the dawn and prepared for winter long before the first snowflake fell to the ground, but he had never gotten quite as much accomplished as he did in the first two months after Caleb’s arrival.
The omega was settling in well enough, as far as Dustin could tell. He was no expert on omegas or their needs, but it had become clear that Noreen wasn’t going to take Caleb under her wing. Dustin had hoped that the other omegas in the pack would step up and welcome him the way they usually did, but even though Caleb’s leg had healed enough that he was only wearing a brace when he walked, Dustin had hardly seen him leave the house.
For his part, the Alpha felt guilty for not being around more. He trusted himself around Caleb just fine. Despite all the stereotypes his own kind liked to hide behind that an unmated omega was just too much temptation to resist acting like a fool around, Dustin knew he would be able to keep his growing feelings for Caleb under wraps for as long as he needed to both out of loyalty to his brother and respect for Caleb’s grieving process. Now that he’d experienced what it meant to imprint on someone, he knew that even though there was a powerful attraction unlike any he’d experienced wrapped up in it, the need to protect and shelter his mate was even stronger. Whatever Caleb needed, he would do whatever it took to become it, even if it meant keeping a distance.
His head told him that was what Caleb needed, at least. For the first time in his life, his heart had ideas of its own.
At least Zander was coming back into town that night, hopefully for a while. Talking to the other Alpha always cleared Dustin’s head. Unlike Dustin, he had found a good balance between his head and his heart long ago and his advice was always sound, if a bit profane.
When Dustin got word from his guards that Zander was waiting on the perimeter for permission to enter, he figured it was a prank. The Alpha was a Meadowlands Pack native and as such, he had the right to come and go as he pleased. After preparing himself for anything ranging from a playful ambush to a banana cream pie in the face, Dustin drove out to meet his friend.
The moment Dustin saw the pretty young thing at Zander’s side, he was relieved he hadn’t made the trip in his wolf form, leaving his clothes behind. The young woman smelled like an omega and her timid gaze refused to meet Dustin’s as she stood a slight distance behind Zander, as if for shelter. Her shy demeanor seemed a strange contrast to her heavy goth makeup and the studded leather jacket she was wearing.
Zander gave Dustin a nod, but he could tell from the Alpha’s energy that he wasn’t just bringing home a girlfriend. “Dustin, this is Ariel. Ariel, this is our Alpha, Dustin Andrews.”
“Nice to meet you,” Dustin said as gently as he could manage, offering his hand to Ariel. She returned the handshake hesitantly and he realized she was trembling.
Zander put a hand on the omega’s shoulder as if for support, but he kept a respectful distance. “Ariel would like to claim sanctuary.”
Dustin stared at the other Alpha in surprise. Since the Mountain Council packs had threatened to secede if the Federation kept implementing the Futurus Initiative, new legislation had been introduced as a compromise. Now, all Federation packs were required to grant sanctuary to any omega who needed it, no questions asked. Even so, the Meadowlands Pack was small and the issue had yet to come up.
“Here? I mean, of course you’re welcome,” he told Ariel directly. “But there are larger packs in the area that are better equipped for this sort of thing.”
Ariel said nothing, but she looked to Zander as if hoping he would speak on her behalf.
“She’s a bit shy,” Zander said, clearing his throat. “I told her about the other packs, but she’s scared they’ll just send her back.”
“Why on earth would they do that?” Dustin asked, frowning. In his opinion, there was nothing lower than betraying an omega who’d come to you for help.
“She’s kind of a special circumstance,” Zander said carefully.
“How’s that?” Dustin asked. He felt bad for having to ask at all when the young woman was clearly upset, but if he was going to take responsibility for her, he needed to know what he’d be dealing with to avoid putting the rest of his pack in danger. There were dozens of families in Sawyers, many of whom had young children, and they all depended on him to keep them safe. The last thing he wanted was for some psychotic Alpha with a complex about owning this omega to show up without having time to prepare.
“She’s not running from an Alpha so much as she is from the Program,” Zander answered. “She’s still contracted, and while she was staying with the mate Futurus arranged for her, another member of their pack imprinted on her.”
“So what’s the problem?” Dustin asked. “A mate bond supersedes those bullshit contracts.” He winced. “Sorry for my language, Ariel.”
For the first time, the omega cracked a smile.
“Yeah, that’s the thing,” Zander said, scratching his head. “Her mate’s cool with it. It’s his family that’s putting up a hissy fit. They want an heir and they’re insisting that she owes them one before she ‘fulfills her contractual obligations.’”
“Oh, what crap,” Dustin growled. “I don’t care what she signed, you can’t force an Alpha and an omega to breed. Especially since she’s already got a mate! Any lawyer in the Federation should be able to tell them that.”
“That’s what I said, but she just needs somewhere to stay for now, until we can find one who’s willing to take their case,” said Zander. “What do you say?”
“I won’t be trouble,” Ariel said softly.
“Of course you can stay,” Dustin said, looking back at the omega. “Consider this pack your home as long as you need it.” He hesitated. “Actually, if you don’t mind, you can stay at the main house. There’s another omega living with me who’s been through a lot, and you might be good company for each other.”
“That would be nice,” Ariel agreed. “I’d rather not be alone right now.”
Dustin smiled and waved to them as Zander helped her back into the car. Well, there was one problem solved. Funny how the Spirits had a way of selectively listening to his prayers.
Chapter 10
CALEB
As lonely as Caleb had felt over the past few months, he was wary when he found out that another omega was coming to live with them. Five minutes alone with Ariel had put those fears to rest.
The younger omega was quiet and timid around Alphas, but it had taken no time for her and Caleb to open up to each other. The very first night, they were laughing like school kids while they made dinner.
When Ariel had shared her story, Caleb’s heart had immediately gone out to her. He knew what it was like to feel forced into something, and in some ways, he could see the parallels between the life he’d led on the streets and her choice to sign up with the Futurus Initiative. The recruiter she’d spoken with had assured her that her family would be taken care of if she participated, and that a young omega with a history of shoplifting wasn’t likely to be chosen by any Alpha who could help her out of her dire circumstances anyway if she hadn’t already found her destined mate.
In the beginning, things had been fine with her new pack. Bradley, the Alpha she’d been assigned to, was kind even though they didn’t have any chemistry, but his parents were overbearing from the start. She hadn’t expected his second-in-command to imprint on her, and it was as much of a shock to Henry himself. He didn’t come from a wealthy family like Bradley’s, but he was a good, hardworking young man and the way he looked at her made her feel things she’d never imagined possible.
Caleb could certainly understand. He wished he could tell her that he knew what it was like to feel safe and at home with someone he had no business being drawn to in that way, but he couldn’t. All he could do was nod, hug her when she cried and promise that it was going to be alright, because Zander and Dustin were good men and once they took responsibility for helping someone, they saw it through.
“I’m sorry I’m such a mess,” she sniffed, wiping her smudged mascara.
“You’re fine. Just cry away from the brownie batter,” he teased.
Ariel smiled at him. “So, I’ve been talking about me all night. What’s your deal? Or does Dustin just go around taking in wayward omegas?”
Caleb laughed. “I wouldn’t be surprised to find out he did. But he’s actually my brother-in-law. Well, he was.”
Her face went blank with surprise. “Seriously? I didn’t even know you had a mate.”
“I don’t. Not anymore,” he said softly, touching the spot where Alec’s mark had already begun to fade. He wore turtlenecks and scarves because seeing the evidence was just too painful.
“Oh, God. I’m so sorry,” Ariel murmured. “Can I ask how it happened?”
“We were driving. There was ice everywhere, and the other driver was paying more attention to his phone than the road. I lost both Alec and our baby that night,” he said, pressing a hand to his stomach. Somehow, saying the words out loud wasn’t as painful as the silence. Alec’s name was so rarely spoken in the Andrews household anymore, and while Caleb knew that bottling the pain up was just how they dealt with things, he wasn’t cut out for living a redacted life. He cleared his throat. “Anyway, that’s why I’m here. I don’t really have any close family, so when Alec died, I didn’t have anywhere to go. Dustin took me in.”
“That’s awful. I can’t even imagine,” Ariel said, shaking her head. “I’m glad you at least have each other.”
“He’s been so kind,” Caleb agreed.
Ariel glanced at the door as if to make sure they were alone. “Just him?”
Caleb hesitated. “Noreen and Blake have their own way of dealing with things.”
“Yeah, the frigid bitch way,” Ariel muttered.
Caleb nearly spit out his tea trying not to laugh. “Ariel!”
“What? I’m just calling it for what it is,” she snorted. “The second I walked in the door, she told me I looked like a mime.”
“She does have a certain charm,” he said with a sigh. “She already hated me for being the reason Alec left the pack for good. Now she’s convinced I’m trying to seduce Dustin.”
Ariel pursed her lips and took a sudden interest in mixing the batter.
“What?” Caleb pressed.
“Nothing, it’s just…well, I kind of assumed you two were already together.”
Caleb’s heart lurched. Was he that obvious? “Wh-why?”
“The way he looks at you isn’t the way I’ve ever seen someone look at their brother-in-law,” she said dryly. “I’m sorry, it’s none of my business.”
“It’s fine,” he said, swallowing hard. He was more than relieved when she changed the topic to the absurdities of the Futurus Initiative and all its upper-crust proponents. He did his best to listen, but he couldn’t get her words out of his mind.
Surely she was wrong. Omegas were known for being able to pick up on the subtle signs that others missed, but could Caleb really have been so caught up in his own feelings that he missed the fact that Dustin was harboring the same ones?
Not that it made a difference. Whether he was the only one sewing the seeds of betrayal or not, it just wasn’t something that could happen. He owed Alec so much more than that, and Dustin deserved so much better than him.
Eventually, Ariel and Caleb parted ways to go to bed, but Caleb found himself face-to-face with Dustin on his way to his own bedroom.
“Sorry,” he said, moving to walk past Dustin only to have the Alpha choose the same path.
“My fault,” Dustin said, ducking his head as he moved forward. They checked each other yet again.
Caleb couldn’t help but laugh. “Maybe it would help if we had a plan.”
“Probably,” Dustin grinned. The man’s smile did things to Caleb’s heart that were downright unfair. “I was heading downstairs to scrounge up something to eat, so maybe you should go first.”
“Oh. If you’re hungry, Ariel and I made dinner. I could heat some up.”
Dustin seemed to hesitate. “You were going to bed, I don’t want you to have to go back downstairs.”
“Yes, but I’ve seen the way you use that oven, and it’s a matter of fire safety,” Caleb teased, walking back down the stairs. Dustin followed him, but he could tell from the Alpha’s silence that something was on his mind.
Dustin was quiet as he sat at the counter while Caleb gathered the bread and leftover roast beef. “You’ve been working late a lot,” he said, deciding that it was as good a time as any to confirm his suspicion that Dustin was avoiding him. “That must get exhausting.”
“Just a lot of things to take care of, with Ariel and Futurus.”
“Right,” Caleb said softly. “You know, if you ever want the place to yourself, I’d be happy to go somewhere.”
>
Dustin looked up, his eyes wide with surprise. “What? No. Why would I want that?”
Caleb gulped. “I just thought… I don’t know, you’re used to practically living alone. I just thought maybe it was a bit much, having me around all the time.”
“I love having you around,” Dustin said earnestly. “I just don’t want to…” He trailed off and Caleb waited for him to finish that thought, but he didn’t.
“I think it’s wonderful what you did,” Caleb said, deciding it was high time to change the subject. “Taking Ariel in, I mean.”
“Oh, that’s nothing. Any decent Alpha would do that.”
“Maybe, but there aren’t so many of those left these days,” Caleb mused. When he looked up from making Dustin’s sandwich, he found the Alpha watching him. “What is it?”
“Nothing,” Dustin said quickly, taking the plate. “Thanks.”
“Anytime.” Caleb bit his lip. “I should probably head back upstairs.”
“You don’t have to. I wouldn’t mind the company.”
“Okay,” Caleb said, sitting back down across from him. He wanted the company more than he’d ever admit. Being with Dustin took less work than being alone. “So, how was your day?”
“It was good, other than the jerks who work at Futurus,” he muttered. “Yours?”
“Good. Not that eventful, but good. It’s getting easier the more time that passes, I guess.”
“Really?” Dustin asked.
Caleb smiled. “No, but that’s what I feel like I’m supposed to say.”
Dustin gave him a knowing smile in return. “Yeah. Same here.”
“It’s nice sometimes, to be around someone I don’t have to say what I’m supposed to say to.”
“Yeah,” Dustin said, looking Caleb in the eye. It was so hard to hold that gaze, yet so difficult to look away. “I know the feeling.”