Briar
Briar tried to hide how much his hands shook as he dished the steaming hot meat onto wooden trays, ready to be served to the horde of hungry alphas gathered in the pack master’s hall. Omegas crowded around the prep stations to help carry the food, and it only made Briar more nervous. He chewed his lip, wondering if it had been a good idea to keep his plans a secret from the rest of the omegas. He’d kept the plot between just Peregwin and himself as he feared that a frightened omega might betray them to the pack master, but what if one of the starved omegas tried to sneak a bite of food and got a dose of the wolfsbane? Briar didn’t want to leave anyone behind on their escape, but he didn’t see how an omega could keep up if they were lost in a delirium and hurling their guts up.
On top of that, an omega was likely to react differently to the dosage than an alpha. What might leave an alpha dizzy for a few days could cause serious harm to an omega’s body. Briar would have to watch the servers carefully. With the pack constantly expanding, food was short in the Bloody Fang, and the omegas always got the smallest rations. The poor servers must have been salivating at the sight of all this fresh meat.
Curse the moon! He glanced across the room to see a stick thin omega about to reach out and pick at a roasted duck. Then a jolt ran down his spine as he realized he knew the other omega.
“Edrik!” He exclaimed, rushing across the room to pull his old friend into his arms. “I never thought I’d see you again after the attack!”
The other omega looked just as shocked as he embraced Briar with boney arms. Briar’s heart ached as he felt each of Edrik’s ribs through his tattered clothes. Whatever alpha had won Edrick at the auction was as cruel as they came.
“What are you doing here?” Edrik gaped at Briar when they parted from their embrace.
Briar shook his head. “It doesn’t matter now.”
“I’m so sorry you ended up with the Bloody Fang.” Edrik’s joyful expression turned to sadness. “There are some days I wished I’d died in the attack rather than be here.”
Briar pressed his lips together, his heart breaking. Inside his belly, his pup gave a small kick, as if he could feel Briar’s sadness.
“I won’t let them hurt you every again,” Briar whispered close to Edrik’s ear. “Tonight, we’re getting free.”
Edrik’s eyes widened. “How—”
“Don’t wonder at how.” Briar said quickly. “Just don’t say anything—and don’t eat the food, no matter how hungry you are.”
Edrik nodded, and for a moment, Briar saw a glimpse of the old friend he’d grown up play fighting and sharing secrets with. He glanced at Edrik’s thin, hunched frame, remembering how he was always the strongest of their group, and the fastest to fill his basket when the older omegas would take them into the woods for foraging lessons. What had the Bloody Fang done to Edrik to steal so much of his vitality?
Briar clenched his jaw, grabbing a tray heaped with steaming hot meat, calling out “We’re ready to serve.”
His heart pounded against his chest as he led a dozen omegas out of the smokehouse towards the pack master’s hall. The damp air buzzed with energy. With every inhale, Briar could practically feel the excitement of the alphas who planned to feast their appetites before indulging their other carnal desire for bloodshed.
Of course, if Briar had his way, that bloodshed would never happen.
He took a deep breath as he pushed aside the woven curtain and entered the pack master’s hall. Dozens of hungry eyes met his. The handles of the wooden tray felt slippery in his sweaty palms. His heart picked up a crazed beat as he approached the table and he prayed that the alphas wouldn’t smell his fear.
The pack master was always served first. Rain drummed against the roof of the hall as Briar approached Klaw’s enormous chair. Klaw's eyes followed Briar’s every step, a permanent snarl etched into his face. He still wore Rohan’s necklace, and Briar burned with anger at the sight of the crystal hanging against Klaw’s bare chest. He thought of the time he and Rohan had spent in the caverns together, getting to know one another and looking forward to their future, and how desperate he’d been to show his love for Rohan. Despite not being completely honest with Briar, there was no way his alpha was like these monsters… right?
Even in his human form, Klaw looked savage and wolf-like. Briar’s mind went back to the night his pack was attacked. It had been a stormy night like this one when he’d first been confronted by Klaw’s cruel eyes. Those cruel brown orbs would be forever associated with the sound of Briar’s friends and family crying out for mercy.
Briar met Klaw’s hard gaze as he set the meat in front of the pack master.
Klaw licked his lips, grabbing at the largest slab of venison. Briar fought to keep his breathing even as the pack master inhaled the aroma of the cooked meat and growled appreciatively. Around them, the rest of the alphas were salivating in their seats around the table, barely holding back their whimpers as they waited for the pack master to start eating so they could devour the food piled in front of them.
What would the crowd of alphas do if they discovered that Briar had tried to poison them? His eyes darted around the room, looking for an escape route just in case, but there was no way he’d make it through the pack to reach the door. He pressed a protective hand to his growing belly, saying another prayer as Klaw finally took a bite of the meat.
Across the room, he saw Peregwin exhale a sigh of relief as the rest of the pack dove into the food, pushing and shoving one another to fill their faces as fast as they could. The din of the alphas drowned out the rain drumming against the roof, and the only thing that could be heard above their feasting was the growing rumble of thunder in the distance.
Briar watched the alphas intently as he refilled their glasses of fermented fruit juice, praying that the wolfsbane would do it’s work. What if he didn’t get the dosage right? The plan had to work. He wouldn’t leave the rest of the omegas behind in this hell.
A crackle of thunder exploded through the room and Briar’s pup kicked inside his belly.
“It’s okay,” he murmured, gently rubbing the swelling bump. He took a deep breath, knowing he had to be strong for his child.
Across the room, there was a sudden crash, followed by a scraping of stools against the wood floor as an alpha fell over in his chair and slumped against the man next to him, knocking them both to the ground.
“Bloody moon, what’s the matter with you?” one of the alphas shouted at the fallen man, but the sound of retching interrupted him.
Alphas were bolting from the table, pushing omegas out of the way on their rush to get out of the door before they threw up all over the food. Some just continued scarfing down meat, grabbing the portions from the abandoned plates. Briar pressed himself against the wall to avoid being mowed down by an alpha shoving for the door screaming, “My skin is on fire!”
Clueless omegas stared in horror as, one after another, the entire pack of alphas succumbed to the wolfsbane. The room was a chaos of noise and panic with bodies dropping to the floor in convulsions. In one corner of the hall, three wolves slashed and snarled angrily at one another as the delirium took over, making them hallucinate things that weren’t there. Many alphas simply lay limp on the floor or slumped with their faces in their plates.
This was the moment—Briar leapt onto the table, preparing to declare to the frightened omegas that they were about to flee. But before he could open his mouth, he saw Peregwin, cowering away from an advancing Klaw, doing his best to shield the baby slung across his chest.
“You spoiled the meat, you rotten little whore,” Klaw snarled, jaws snapping as he cornered Peregwin against the wall. “I oughta kill you and that ugly little pup of yours.”
Baby Ollas let out a wailing cry as Klaw began to shift, but the pack master couldn’t lay a hand on Peregwin or the baby before Briar leapt from the table, shifting mid-jump, and latching onto Klaw’s neck. The larger wolf shrieked with pain, bucking and twisting to escape Briar’s fangs. Briar held on tight, tasting blood as a deep, angry growl rose up from his chest. He would never let an alpha hurt someone he cared about again.
Deep pain radiated from his ribs as Klaw raked his claws down Briar’s chest. He gasped, feeling his hold on Klaw loosen. No, he couldn’t lose this fight. Couldn’t let his pup come to harm. Another sharp blow from Klaw’s powerful paws and Briar was sent flying into the wall. His head thudded against the wood. He moved into a crouch to protect his belly, heart pounding as Klaw paced toward him snarling. There was a wobble in Klaw’s slow step, but clearly the wolfsbane had affected him less than it had the rest of the alphas. He was still more than able to win a fight against an omega.
Briar dashed for the door, only for Klaw to leap upon him, crushing him to the floor. A whimper burst from Briar’s lips as Klaw’s fangs bit into the back of his neck again and again, scrambling to flip Briar onto his back so he could bite at his throat.
“I’m going to make your chewed up hide into a fur coat.” Klaw barked with laughter. “And force your alpha to wear it.”
Briar screamed out with pain as Klaw twisted his front leg, nearly breaking it as he forced Briar onto his back. Briar instinctively wanted to curl up to protect his belly and the child within it, but Klaw pressed down on him, his rank breath hot against Briar’s neck as he barked another laugh. His fangs gleamed as he opened his mouth wide, preparing to bite into Briar’s soft skin and end his life and the life of the pup growing inside of him. Briar kicked out, still fighting Klaw’s hold with everything he had. He had to save his child, the beautiful life that he and his mate had created.
Sharp claws glistened above Briar’s head, and he squeezed his eyes shut, bracing himself for the blow that would end his life. But it never came. Instead, there was a flurry of movement, a yelp, and a familiar scent that hit Briar with a rush of warmth.
“Rohan!”