Rohan
The energy in the group was electric when the mountains came into view on the horizon, marking the end of pack territory. Rohan tried not to let his own concerns dampen the excitement. Before they got to the mountains, they would have to make a run through the desolate land controlled by the rogue army, and Rohan new they were looking for omegas.
He was troubled by how long it had taken to get this far. What should have been a week's run had taken nearly three due to the small children they had with them. How long would it take them to get through the rogue army’s territory?
“Something wrong?” Briar asked.
Rohan shook his head. “Let’s just keep moving.”
“We haven’t rested all day,” Briar protested. “There are small babies that need to be fed.”
“Okay, okay.” Rohan held his breath to keep from exhaling a sigh. He really didn’t want to worry anyone, least of all Briar in his condition.
Briar flopped down onto the grass, groaning with exhaustion. “My everything hurts.”
Rohan laughed, setting to work rubbing Briar’s tired feet. While the omegas rested, he kept his senses alert. It might only be a matter of time before they ran into the rogue army, and then what? There was no way the rogues could snatch up all the omegas, but Rohan didn’t want anyone left behind. Suddenly, his responsibility of ensuring his mates safety had expanded to over four dozen omegas and their children. He would just have stay aware of their surroundings and keep the group moving.
“Come on,” he said, urging Briar to his feet after just a short break. A groan went up from the rest of the group. Rohan knew everyone was tired, but the safety of his mate and child were his first priority.
“We’ll be in the mountains soon,” he added. “Then we can rest for as long as everyone likes.”
Briar let out one more tired groan before shifting into his wolf. Rohan felt bad for pushing his mate so hard when his body was already going through so much, but he would never forgive himself if any of their group fell into harm. Especially one of the children.
The sound of running paws filled the air as they set off again. Rohan kept his nose pointed up, scenting the air for any sign of danger. A few times, they ran across the cold trail of an alpha and each time it sent chills up his spine. They were definitely in the path of the rogue army.
He looked over to see if Briar picked up the scent, but it was so faint that it was hard to notice while running unless you were looking for it. Good. He didn’t want to add any emotional stress to the burden his pregnant omega was already bearing. If he was careful, they would reach the mountains, and no one would ever know what danger they had been in.
Once they got to the mountains, there would be caverns and tunnels that they could establish homes in, high up enough that they could spot any danger coming from long away and prepare for it. The alphas might see a pack of omegas as an easy target, but they dangerously underestimated how skilled omegas were with technology. Rohan had no doubt that Briar could devise a dozen different traps to defend their new home.
Rohan pushed their little pack harder than he had in days, keeping them running for hours. The omegas might have felt safe with the mountains in sight, but they were in more danger than ever. Briar puffed beside him, clearly working hard to urge himself on. A pang of guilt hit Rohan as he watched his mate suffer through the physical exertion.
“Let’s stop for the day.” He nuzzled Briars neck.
Briar shifted immediately, collapsing into the long grass with a grateful sigh. Rohan pressed close to him and kneaded his tense shoulders. “Are you okay?”
Briar nodded, but a flash of pain crossed his face. “Just sore and tired.”
“Are you sure?”
Briar opened his mouth to say something, but it turned into a grimace, and he gripped his large belly. He sucked in a gulp of air and he said, “Maybe you should get the healer.”
Alarm shocked up Rohan’s spine as Briar winced with pain again. Had he hurt his mate by making him exert himself too much?
He dashed off to fetch the healer, finding him napping under a dead tree. Rohan shook the old man awake.
“Hurry, it’s Briar. Something’s wrong.” He had to explain three times over to the groggy old man, and tried not to curse him for being so slow to wake.
“I’m coming, I’m coming,” the omega muttered as he followed Rohan. It felt like it took ages to drag the doddering old thing to where Briar lay clutching his belly in the long grass. The healer frowned as he opened up the bag at his side and spread out a myriad of tools that Rohan couldn’t identify.
“When was the last time you ate?” he asked, pressing two fingers to the pulse in Briar’s throat.
“The last time we stopped,” Briar said, his voice tight with pain.
“And water? How much have you drank today?”
Briar responded to each of the healer’s questions, and the old man took out a carved wooden tube, pressing one end to Briar’s belly, and placing his ear at the other end. Rohan held his breath as the old man seemed to be listening to something inside Briar’s abdomen.
“Baby's heartbeat is fine,” he said finally. “And you seem to be in fine health.”
Rohan exhaled a sigh of relief.
“Sometimes these pains are just your body preparing for the delivery.”
Shock covered Briar’s features. “But It’s not even close to time for me to deliver! The baby shouldn’t come until the next full moon.”
The healer frowned, packing his tools away. “Pups have minds of their own. Sometimes they decide to come a little early. We’ll have to watch for that. I can prepare a tincture to help keep him in there as long as possible.”
“Will he be healthy if he comes early?” Rohan asked, trying to hide how worried he was.
The healer pressed his lips together. “We’ve developed technology that can help increase his chance of survival.”
chance of survival
So there was a possibility their pup wouldn’t make it if he came early. Rohan wouldn’t let his panic show. Briar would be upset enough. He needed his alpha to stay strong for him.
When the healer left them, Rohan lay next to Briar, placing his hands over the omega’s large belly, holding him tight. Inside, their child kicked vigorously, and Rohan felt a surge of comfort. Danas would be fine. He was a fighter.
***
Rohan was torn between pushing the pack harder, and allowing Briar time to rest. In the end, his concern for his mate and pup won out. The next day, he allowed everyone extra time to sleep before starting out, and stopped regularly to make sure Briar had enough to eat and drink. Each time he picked up the scent of an alpha in the air, he had to fight the urge to keep everyone moving, but how could he keep pushing Briar when he was struggling so much?
“You don’t have to treat me like I’m sick,” Briar said when Rohan insisted on stopping for the the day much earlier than they normally would. “Really, I’m doing fine. The pains have stopped completely.”
Rohan kissed Briar gently on the forehead. “I wouldn’t be able to live with myself if something were to happen to you.”
“I know.” Briar smiled. “And I know nothing ever will happen to me as long as you’re around.”
A warm glow spread through Rohan. Their relationship had come so far since Briar had discovered that Rohan had been part of the rogue army, and now they were nearly at the foot of the mountains. In the morning, they would set to work climbing the mountain, and then they could finally set up their new home.
Despite the scare they’d had with Briar’s health, Rohan allowed himself to believe that everything really would be okay. He would do anything it took to protect his mate and child.
He held Briar close as the omega drifted off to sleep under the moonlight filtering through the trees. Lately he’d been staying awake while the rest of the pack slept so he could stand guard in case a rogue alpha approached, but with his exhaustion wearing him thin, and his mate’s warm body pressed next to him, he allowed his eyes to close intermittently.
Images of their life together filled his tired mind. His eyes would blink shut, and he’d picture himself running behind Briar and Danas as Briar showed him how to forage for plants. Briar would have so much to teach their young one. Rohan would teach him to hunt and fight, and together he and Briar would teach him to love. He couldn’t help picturing an entire family of three or four pups—maybe even more!—and he hoped that was what Briar wanted too.
As much as he resisted his exhaustion, the dreams were slowly claiming more and more of his consciousness. He felt such warm happiness as he drifted in and out of sleep. With his mate in his arms, he felt as though nothing could ever disturb them.
Until he caught the scent of another alpha.
No—not just one—an army of alphas.