Briar
Hot tears streamed down Briar’s face as he stared at his lover’s limp body. Rohan’s chest was still moving, proving that he was still alive, barely, as two men grabbed him under the arms and dragged him away. Briar wrestled against Klaw’s hold, unable to stand the sight of anyone touching Rohan. Even though…. Even though…
He couldn’t even bring himself to think of it.
How deep had the alpha’s deception gone?
Klaw finally released Briar and he immediately collapsed into the dirt, his legs too weak to stand. Was all Rohan’s kindness—all his love—just a trick to make Briar more compliant on the journey to deliver him to the rogue army? Briar pressed a hand to his stomach. And what of their child? He squeezed his eyes shut to stop the tears from flowing, but it did little to help. Had their whole future been a lie? What if Rohan had given Briar up as soon as they’d reached the rogue army and allowed their pup to die?
How was Briar supposed to trust him about anything?
His body shook with each trembling breath and his heart felt like it had been cracked open. He wrapped his hands around the crystal necklace hanging against his chest. The time they’d spent together had been the most beautiful moments of Briar’s life. How could it have all been a lie?
He watched the alphas drag Rohan’s unconscious body toward the hut that he himself had been held prisoner in just that morning. Now they were both captive and their child was in more danger than ever. The unavoidable truth struck him that he had to trust Rohan. If he didn’t get back to his mate soon, his body would stop producing the hormones it needed to keep their pup healthy. If they didn’t both get free, their child didn’t stand a chance. He couldn’t process all the emotions swirling within him. Couldn’t even begin.
He rose shakily, knowing that he had to distract himself before he became overwhelmed and went into emotional shock. He couldn’t formulate a plan with his mind reeling out of control. He pushed back into the healer's hut to help care for Peregwin, but stopped in his tracks when he saw Klaw leaning over Peregwin, a deep scowl on his face.
“You begged me to let you keep this pup and you give me an omega as a son?” He snarled down at Peregwin who was still lying exhausted in the healer’s bed.
Peregwin didn’t respond. He just stared down at the babe in his arms with a look of dejection on his face. Briar’s heart broke all over again. Peregwin had been so overjoyed to have this baby and he was utterly perfect.
Briar wanted to grab the alpha by the shoulders and growl into his face, scream out how perfect his child was and how brave and strong his omega had been to bring him into the world. But Briar wasn’t an alpha. He wasn’t strong. He couldn’t challenge any of the awfulness around him.
“Should have sold you off at the auction.” Klaw spat on the wood floor, turned and pushed past Briar to get out the door. From the corner of his eyes, Briar noted a key shining on a cord around Klaw’s neck. Was that they key to unlock the collars that the omegas wore? He bit the side of his cheek to keep a growl from coming out. He wished he could snatch that from Klaw’s neck and unlock all the chains that kept the omegas bound to this horrible place.
He took a deep, bracing breath, knowing that he had to keep calm. He moved to Peregwin’s bedside, and put a comforting hand on his shoulder.
“I knew he would react that way if the pup was an omega,” Peregwin said without looking up.
“He’s so perfect.” Briar said, touching the baby on his cheek.
“Isn’t he?” Peregwin beamed, seemingly unphased by his alpha’s outburst. Peregwin really was strong. So much stronger than Klaw would ever realize.
Briar tried to shut his mind down as he helped the healer clean the stitched incision that had been made in Peregwin’’s abdomen to help get the baby out. He couldn’t let himself think of Rohan. Not now. He might break if he let his thoughts wander to his alphas betrayal. After Peregwin was resting comfortably, the healer showed Briar how to mix a concoction of boiled herbs that would help nourish the baby until he was big enough to chew his own food.
Peregwin still slept as Briar fed the baby, wrapping a strip of cloth around his finger and dipping it in the boiled herb water to let the baby suckle on it. His heart filled with so much joy and sadness as he looked down at the baby sucking gently on his finger. What would happen to his own child? He didn’t see how he could trust Rohan anymore, but what choice did he have? If he didn’t get back to his alpha soon… he wouldn’t let himself think of a world where he’d never hold his child on his arms.
He felt a small flutter of movement in his belly, as if his baby wanted to reassure him. A sad smile spread across his face and he whispered, “I know. We’ll be okay.”
***
With Rohan now a captive in the storage hut, Briar was moved to Peregwin’s hut, which was guarded by an alpha at all times. He helped to care for Peregwin and the baby, but within a few short days, both omegas were told to return to work preserving meat for the pack. After all, someone had to fuel the killing machine that was the Bloody Fang.
Briar frowned as he rolled a strip of meat in salt. Nourishing the Bloody Fang’s fighting alphas made him part of their destruction. Briar hated to think of the misery he was helping to spread.
“Something wrong?” Paregwin asked, looking up from the baby tied to his chest in a woven sling.
Briar shook his head. There was no reason to bother Peregwin with his thoughts.
“Are you worried about your alpha?” Peregwin put a hand to Briar’s shoulder.
He hadn’t told Peregwin about Rohan’s betrayal. He could barely bring himself to think of it. He felt as though speaking it aloud would make it true, and he still didn’t understand how it could be. How could someone as good and kind as Rohan be involved in trafficking omegas for a violent army? How could everything they’d shared been a lie?
Briar stroked his necklace. The bond they shared was real. He still felt it with every breath. He and Rohan were connected deep within their souls.
And yet he hadn’t denied any of Klaw’s accusations.
A wave of nausea washed through Briar, and he told himself not to think of Rohan. The stress wasn’t good for their child, and it wasn’t like he had a choice but to trust his alpha. He and Rohan had to get free to save the health of their pup. There was no other option.
Peregwin set to work stringing up the meat on cords of woven grass, a look of deep concentration on his face. “I’ve been thinking about a plan to help both of you,” he said finally. “I’ve heard Klaw is preparing another attack soon. With all the fighting alphas out of the village, you may have an easier time of escape.”
“How soon do they plan on attacking?” Briar put a hand to his belly, knowing how urgent it was that they escape soon.
Peregwin shook his head. “I’ve only caught pieces of conversations, but I think they want to set upon the Flatlands pack two moons from now.”
Two moons. Briar added up the days in his head. By then, it would have been close to a week since he and Rohan had been together. His body should be able to keep producing the hormones their baby needed for at least that long. But if they didn’t escape by then?
Briar took three deep breaths. He wouldn’t let himself think that way.
He stroked the crystal necklace around his neck, desperately hoping that everything he’d felt for Rohan hadn’t been a lie. What would he do if Rohan still planned on giving him to the rogue army? He couldn’t wonder about that now, though. His first mission was to save their child. Then he could worry about saving himself.
He looked up as the door opened and Klaw trudged in with a scowl on his face.
“Did you finish up with those two stags?” he growled.
Peregwin nodded. “I’m just salting the second one now.”
“So you haven’t finished yet,” he snapped back. “We need that meat ready to go within two moons. The pack has a lot of ground to cover. And you have a pre-war feast to prepare. The hunters are dropping off some fresh kills this evening so finish up with this.” He kicked at the table leg, sending everything rocking.
Peregwin pretended to not be bothered by Klaw, but Briar could see his hands tremble as he worked faster. “Yes, I’ll have that ready.”
“You’d better. I’m done with you disappointing me.” Klaw turned out the door without giving one look to his newborn pup. Briar seethed with anger. No omega deserved to live in this horrible place.
As he watched Klaw walk out the door, Birar eyed the key hanging against Klaw’s chest. Then something next to the key caught his eye. His blood turned cold. It was Rohan’s necklace. The one Briar had made for him. What was it doing around the pack leader’s neck? His heart sank at the thought of what that might mean. Had he hurt Rohan? Killed him? Brair’s heart pounded against his chest. What was the point of escaping if his entire future was gone?
He squeezed his eyes shut and said a quick prayer to the moon that his mate was safe, and that they and their child would survive this.
“So it sounds like I was right.” Peregwin pressed his lips together. “We’ll have to make a plan for your escape when the alphas are out for the attack. If you don’t make it out before then, they’ll send you to the auction with the other omegas they capture.”
Briar nodded, but his stomach was sick. He thought of all those omegas lined up, waiting for their horrible fate. He looked at the baby sleeping soundly in Peregwin’s arms. What kind of future did the innocent child have in this world? What kind of future did any of them have?
Briar’s jaw clenched. He had to stop thinking about things he couldn’t change. He had to focus on his escape.
But he couldn’t stop worrying about everything on his mind. Briar’s stomach churned as he thought of all the uncertainty facing him. Would their child be okay after they’d been separated for so long? Would he and Rohan be able to escape? Would he be able to trust his alpha now that he knew the truth?
“Curse the moon, I’m out of cord.” Peregwin frowned, and Briar could see the deep worry creases press into his forehead. He rarely showed it, but it was clear Peregwin felt the pressure of performing his tasks and caring for his newborn pup, not to mention recovering from giving birth.
“I’ll gather more grass for the cord,” Briar said quickly. “I’m sure a guard will escort me if I tell him how angry Klaw will be if we don’t get this done in time. You stay here and try to relax until I’m back.”
Peregwin nodded with a small smile. “Thank you.”
Briar shook his head. “No, thank you. For everything you’ve done for me.”
He threw some tanned hides onto the ground, and, ignoring the other omega’s protests that he should keep working, helped lower Peregwin into a comfortable position before heating up some herb water to feed to the little baby. He took a minute to watch the baby suckle and coo happily in Peregwin’s arms. The sweet little thing had inherited Peregwin’s cheerfulness.
Briar tried not to feel sad at how Klaw had reacted when he’d found out his son was an omega. It was customary for alphas to choose a name for their child, but it was clear that Klaw couldn’t care less about his beautiful little boy. He certainly wasn’t going to spend a second thinking of a name for him.
“What about Ollas?” Briar asked. “I mean, as a name for the baby.”
“Ollas,” Peregwin repeated. “Where have I heard that name before?”
“It’s the name of a yellow flower that blooms in the spring.” He touched the baby’s smiling cheeks. “It reminds me of this happy little one.”
Peregwin grinned down at his child. “Do you like that name?”
The baby cooed back, grasping Peregwin’s finger with his own tiny hand.
“Ollas,” Peregwin murmured with love in his voice, eyes drooping sleepily. “It’s perfect.”
Ollas yawned, cuddling closer to Peregwin’s chest. Briar smiled and pulled a hide over the two of them as they drifted off to sleep. Hopefully Peregwin would get some much needed rest while Briar was gathering more grass to wind cord from. He rose and padded softly out of the hut, closing the wooden door as silently as he could.
“Where are you going?” a guard barked, using his height to loom over Briar, as if the omega would let himself be intimidated.
“We need more grass for cord to hang the meat. You can escort me to gather it, or you can explain to Klaw why we weren’t able to prepare the meat rations for the attack.”
The threat seemed to do the trick. The alpha grumbled something under his breath before grabbing Briar by one of the dangling weights on his collar and dragging him through the street toward the large open fields surrounding the village.
The very last building at the edge of the village was the storage hut that Briar knew too all well. Was Rohan still locked up in there? Briar scented the air, his senses filling with the familiar smell of his alpha. Despite everything, his heart glowed with comfort. Rohan was still alive. For now. But what did the Bloody Fang plan to do with him?