Rohan
The little omega was still sleeping, draped over Rohan’s shoulders. Good. Miserable little thing looked like he could have slept for a week. Rohan didn’t have to imagine the horrors Briar must’ve gone through. He remembered all too well what had happened when his own pack was attacked years ago. Of course, being an alpha pup, he’d been adopted into the raiding pack, not sold as a plaything like the poor omega.
His teeth clenched. Better to be a lone wolf than belong to such a disgusting society. He couldn’t wait to get out of pack controlled territory—and not just because the little omega was starting to make his shoulders sore. He wished he could just let the kid walk himself, but he didn’t want Briar leaving his intoxicating scent everywhere for the packs to pick up on. Not to mention he might get stupid and try to run away again.
Rohan stroked the omegas soft hand dangling against his chest. He couldn’t blame the little thing for trying to escape. The moon only knew what Briar thought Rohan wanted to do to him. And sadly, his assumptions weren’t even wrong.
Briar’s soft vulnerability would drive any alpha wild, and the animal in Rohan wanted nothing more than to throw him to the ground and fuck him hard, the way an omega needed to be fucked. He bit back a moan at the mental image. He wouldn’t let his savage nature take over him. He wouldn’t become like the rest of those monsters, preying on the weak. An alpha’s duty was to protect the pack, including omegas. Somewhere along the line, the rest of shifter-kind had forgotten that.
No, Rohan would resist his most basic desire to claim this beautiful omega. Even if it would make their travels safer—a mated omega would be cloaked in his alpha’s scent for a brief time after mating, which would make his delectable scent harder for the packs to follow. And since Briar hadn’t yet experienced his first heat, there was no risk of him becoming pregnant either.
Rohan growled at himself for even thinking that. He would not claim the omega. No matter how much his body begged him to give in to his desires.
He wouldn’t take those lush lips with his own, wouldn’t press his bulk down on that slender body, wouldn’t plunge himself into Briar’s tight heat.
He growled at himself again. He had to stop letting his mind wander.
Briar stirred on his shoulders, lifting his head as he woke.
“How long have I been asleep?” He croaked through cracked lips. Poor thing probably needed more water.
“About six hours.”
“What?” Briar gasped. “Have you been walking this whole time?”
“Walking or running.” Rohan grunted, suddenly feeling the exhausted. He was still scratched and bruised from the arena, and the adrenaline that had been pushing him on was starting to slow. “I need to stop soon,” he said. “Can you promise me you won’t run away if I fall asleep?”
Briar kept silent and Rohan sighed. This little omega might look delicate, but he was a spitfire. A smile played on his lips. Rohan was sure Briar would’ve fought to the death rather than be taken alive by the packs.
“Look, I really don’t want to have to tie you up.”
Still nothing.
Rohan sighed, slinging Briar onto the ground and fishing a length of leather from his bag, twisting it around Briar’s wrists, binding them behind his back, and tying the other end around his own wrist. The omega barely fought him. He took that as a good sign that he was earning Briar’s trust.
He dragged Briar into a small cave hidden by bushes that he’d scouted out on the long journey down to the omega auction. The sun was coming up and if he didn’t get some sleep, he’d be useless if he ran into another alpha. He could still scent the packs in the air, telling him that they were pursuing him. Of course when they figured out that the prized omega had gone to a rogue alpha, they’d want to get him back.
“Where are you taking me?” Briar asked.
Rohan lay down wearily on the hard cave floor. “I thought I told you to stop asking questions.”
“No, you told me to stop talking.”
Rohan laughed. The little omega really was feisty.
“Come closer to me,” Rohan said.
“Why?” Briar’s eyes showed fear.
“So I can try to mask your scent with mine.”
“You’re not going to—”
“I’m not going to fuck you.” Rohan snapped, and regretted it. He wasn’t angry at the omega. He was angry at himself because truthfully, he wanted to fill Briar with his cock more than anything. But getting close enough to him might help hide his scent a little.
Briar hesitated before sliding closer to Rohan, nestling into the space between Rohan’s chest and bicep. It seemed the omega was acting on instinct when he relaxed into Rohan’s body. Yes, it was natural for omegas to seek protection from alphas. It was their disgusting culture that had turned an omegas protector into his greatest fear.
Rohan ran a hand through Briar’s soft hair and whispered, “I’m going to make sure you stay safe no matter what I have to do.”
“Why?” Briar murmured sleepily.
“No more questions.”
This time the omega obeyed without a fight. He must still have been exhausted and completely in shock because he fell back asleep. Rohan inhaled the sweet scent of his skin and exhaled a hungry groan. Having Briar show this kind of trust and vulnerability only made Rohan’s temptation harder to resist. Blood pulsed in his cock as he watched the soft rise and fall of Briar’s chest, his features soft and relaxed.
He’d never wanted to claim a creature so badly in his life.
Briar’s hair was a pale blond that contrasted stunningly with his piercing blue eyes. He couldn’t have been much older than twenty years and his heart shaped face had a beautiful innocence. Under all his fear and bitterness, Rohan could tell Briar was gentle hearted, kind and nurturing. He seemed to act on an omegas instinct so naturally, even though he had a fight in him that'd challenge any alpha.
He held in a groan, wishing he could take those soft pink lips in his. Briar brought out every base instinct the alpha had. He just wanted to put his hands all over the sweet little omega and force him to tremble with shudders of pleasure.
With their proximity, he couldn’t even relieve the pressure building in his cock without waking Briar. All he could do was lay there in complete torture as his arousal burned under his skin.
He closed his eyes and imagined how Briar might moan beneath him when Rohan pushed his cock into his tightness, how he’d grab at Rohan, pulling him in deeper as he begged for more from his alpha.
His cock was achingly hard, pushing against his pants. If he let his mind go on this way, he didn’t know what would happen. These thoughts were fantasy—nothing more—Briar didn’t want him that way, and Rohan didn’t blame him. In the eyes of a vulnerable omega, a rogue alpha wasn’t a protector. He was a monster.