Chapter Four
By the time Will reached his new home, he’d been on the road nearly four full days, and three long nights. As interminable as the time in the truck had seemed where he’d had to work to keep Annie quiet and occupied, somehow the nights had been worse. Even with the pup settling down with surprising ease thanks to Finn, it was the presence of the beta that had made being in the motel room uncomfortable. Every place they’d stayed was the same—small rooms with small beds filled with two big shifters.
It wouldn’t have been so bad if Finn had allowed Will to sleep on the floor. But, the beta had proved to be intractable on that and many other fronts. That first night, Will had assumed that the guy had intended to mount him. Finn was a beta, after all, and Magnus had always allowed his betas in particular to take their pleasure wherever they wanted with anyone not mated, pregnant or nursing. Will had no reason to believe that his new alpha viewed things differently. And, like it or not, Will was fair game at this point.
But, that hadn’t happened. Finn had stuck to his side of the bed, always retiring after Will and rising to run before even Annie had woken. The restraint was all the more remarkable given that Will could see the occasional telltale bulge in the beta’s jeans. The guy was aroused more often than not. Maybe this was all a good sign that things would be different in his new pack.
The one he was about to meet.
They’d snuck back into the United States through back roads that barely qualified as such—narrow, unpaved tracks of mud—all the previous day. Now, Finn raced down a wide dirt path that he’d said was the entrance to the Rogue Pack’s compound. Will’s heart raced with trepidation. He glanced at Annie, who happily chewed on some jerky. Soon he would know for sure whether she’d be accepted into the pack. If the alpha wouldn’t take her, if he tried to get rid of her…
“Hey!”
Startled, Will jerked his gaze up to meet Finn’s in the rearview mirror.
“Everything’s going to be fine. I promise.”
Will gave a curt nod and tried for a smile. Apparently his nerves were showing. He resolved to calm down. Nothing the beta had said or done led Will to believe he was lying to him. Why bother? No beta cared what an omega thought or felt. He would trust him. Instead of worrying, he forced himself to look out the window and admire the lushness of the pack lands. As they approached a clearing filled with various buildings, he saw rows of crops and even chickens scratching around the ground.
The longhouse loomed in sight. It stood beautifully crafted, neat and shiny with new coats of varnish. A wrap-around porch held a big swing and even a portable crib much like the one for Annie. Inside that, Will could make out two squirming pups. He put his hand on Annie. She’d have at least a couple of playmates. If she lived. No. Finn had said not to worry, and the beta had proven himself to be trustworthy in many regards. Will would choose to believe him about this most important thing of all.
As soon as the beta parked his truck, shifters appeared from various places and approached them with obvious glee. His hands shaking, Will unbuckled himself and Annie and drew her into his arms. Typical of Finn, the guy was at Will’s door before he even opened it, helping him down. This time, he really appreciated the courtesy because all these strange shifters around his daughter sent his wolf into a frenzy of protectiveness and worry. He tried to hold her more tightly to his chest, but Annie was having none of it. She squirmed against the confines of his arms to look around at her new surroundings and pack mates. Of course, being a baby still, she had no idea what was truly happening, wouldn’t understand the danger until it was too late.
“Easy.” Finn’s softly-spoken word was accompanied by his palm pressing lightly against Will’s back in welcome comfort.
Shifters, mostly male, swarmed around them as they approached the longhouse. Each one greeted the beta warmly before eyeing Caleb. They seemed to be assessing him, and he did the same to them. Will worked to keep his gaze up even though he wanted to stare at the ground. The expressions on the others’ faces as they gazed back at him seemed friendly enough, even welcoming.
Then the crowd parted as the alpha came out and strode toward them. It had to be him, given his height and the basic way he carried himself. Alphas were always obvious. This one was bigger than Magnus in every way, although with muscle, not the fat that his old alpha had started to accumulate. He was younger, too, and virile-looking. Will realized with a skip of his heartbeat that this was the kind of alpha who would trigger a heat quickly. Will had to blink back sudden tears at the thought of once again, being thrown to all the betas and gammas for breeding.
No, he wouldn’t worry about that. He had more immediate concerns. He tried to face the approaching alpha with confidence, but failed miserably. Fear swamped him once more and he again tightened his hold on Annie. And, as with before, Finn pressed his palm against the small of his back to reassure him. Gods, in just a few days, the beta had become really good at reading Will’s emotions.
When the alpha stopped, he didn’t give Will any mind at all, Instead, he focused on Caleb, who stood on Finn’s other side. “Welcome home, Finn. I see you’ve succeeded in bringing our pack a new gamma.” Sharp, assessing eyes raked Caleb from head to toe.
“Yes, sir.” Finn clapped his hand on the gamma’s shoulder. “This is Caleb. Caleb, this is your new alpha, Lorcan.”
A subtle jerk of the alpha’s chin had Caleb stepping forward. He immediately cocked his head to expose more of his throat. “I’d like to join your pack, sir, if you’ll have me.”
Lorcan reached out and clasping the back of the gamma’s neck, stared into his eyes. “I’m happy to have you so long as you are willing to place your allegiance with this pack and be willing to sacrifice your life in defense of it and all of its members.”
“I am, sir.” Caleb’s voice rang loud and true. Even a lowly omega like Will could appreciate the sacred vow.
The alpha nodded once and released his hold. “Then I gladly accept you into the Rogue Pack. You’ll be on six months’ probation, however. If during that time you screw up, I’ll kick your shifter ass out of here. And, of course, you’re free to change your mind before the six months are up, too. No hard feelings.”
“Thank you, Alpha, but I won’t change my mind. And, if I screw up, I’ll insist you kick my shifter ass.” He grinned broadly.
Surprisingly, the alpha grinned back. Then he turned his eyes to Will. “What do we have here? I sent you for a gamma, Finn, and yet you’ve returned with someone extra.” His gaze homed in on Annie. “Two someones.”
Finn cleared his throat and increased the pressure on Will’s back, easing his rising fear. “Yeah, their old alpha made it a package deal.”
The alpha knit his eyebrows. “Interesting.” He moved closer, and but for Finn’s hand, Will would have taken an involuntary step back. “What’s your name, Omega?” The question came out low and soothing, nothing like the robust tone the guy had used with Caleb.
“Will, sir.” The words were almost at a whisper, his constricted throat squeezing them back.
“And, this little sweetie?” the alpha asked as he raised a finger and caressed Annie’s cheek with it.
Will’s breath froze in his lungs. “Annie.” He could barely get the name out, so great was his fear that any moment now, the alpha would turn his gentle touch into violence. Magnus had excelled at such abrupt changes in mood, and Will had no way of knowing how common that was in shifter leaders.
But his pup didn’t understand the potential danger she was in. Popping the jerky past her lips, she gave the big, scary alpha a sloppy grin. “Da!”
Now, every fiber of Will’s body seized up in anticipation of how the alpha would react. Until the guy broke into laughter that was echoed all around them by the other pack members. The sound of merriment cut the tension inside him like a knife. For the first time since they’d arrived, he took an easy breath.
Stepping back, the alpha half-turned. “Kyle?”
A dark-haired omega with a strange streak of white on one side of his head threaded his way through the crowd. He carried a bundle of sleeping pup. Lorcan wrapped his arm around the shifter’s waist as soon as he stood beside him.
“This is my mate.” He smiled down with obvious love in his eyes. Will had never seen Magnus look at anyone like that, not even his new pregnant mate. “I think we’ve just found another beta for our Hope when she grows up,” he said with a nod toward Annie.
Will didn’t understand. Was the alpha really saying that his pup, a girl if the name was any indication, would someday be the alpha? And, was he also predicting that Annie, another female, would be a beta for the pack? Was that even possible? He’d never heard of such a thing. Females were sigmas and omegas. They cooked and cleaned and bred and raised pups. They didn’t lead or plan. Did they?
The alpha mate leaned forward and smiled at Annie. “She’s adorable.”
His fear having come down a notch, Will managed a tentative smile back in fatherly pride. “Thank you, sir.”
The omega giggled. “It’s Kyle.” He rounded on his mate. “And, no more talk of new alphas or betas. You’re going to be around a long time.”
Will held his breath, waiting for the alpha to either chastise his mate or even smack him. The big guy did neither. He only gave Kyle an indulgent look before scanning around the crowd. Being as tall as he was, it was easy for him to do, although who or what he was looking for was a mystery.
“Andrea must be in her room, brewing up potions no doubt. Sweetheart,” he said to Kyle. “Would you please take Will and Annie to her? I want our healer to check out the pup,” he added, directing the comment toward Will.
New fear rose up. Was this the alpha’s way of deciding whether Annie would be allowed to live? “She’s fine,” he blurted out and stepped back right into Finn. The beta’s solid body offered comfort, but also effectively blocked him. He cringed against the male waiting for a blow for daring to gainsay the alpha.
None came. Instead, some kind of communication passed between him and Finn. The alpha frowned. “It’s okay, Will. I only want to make sure the long journey didn’t hurt her. Andrea, our healer, will be very careful with her, and you can stay right there the whole time.”
Kyle reached out and clasped Will’s arm. “Come on, I’ll show you. It will be fine, I promise.”
Neither the assurance of the alpha nor of his mate were enough to break through Will’s worry. When it came to Annie, no amount of vigilance was too much. He remained frozen in place until Finn pressed the small of his back.
“Trust me,” he murmured so low probably only Will heard him.
That did the trick. He couldn’t have said why, but the beta had wormed his way into Will’s confidence without his even realizing it. He found himself nodding in agreement, then putting one foot in front of the other, following Kyle to the longhouse.
Finn watched Will’s retreating back, the poor omega’s fear a palpable thing. Hopefully, in no time, the boy would realize that he and Annie were safe.
Lorcan clapped his hands. “Okay everyone, show’s over for now. Back to work.” As the pack members dispersed, the alpha called out. “Oh, Joey? How about a big celebratory dinner for Finn’s return and to welcome our new pack members?”
The omega grinned. “Sure thing, Alpha.” He disengaged from his mate and headed back to the house. His stomach had rounded even more since Finn had left, yet one more pup who’d soon join them.
“Council meeting, now.” Lorcan said. “That includes you,” he added with a nod toward Caleb.
Finn joined Deidre, who gave him a hip-check in way of greeting, and the three gammas in following Lorcan into his new office. Since the alpha’s bedroom had turned into a family one for him, his mate and their daughter, a new room had been added to the longhouse to create a real office. A large table, lovingly built by their two best millworkers, dominated the space. Finn took his seat at Lorcan’s right and waited for his alpha to start grilling him. It didn’t take long. As soon as the last butt hit a seat, Lorcan turned to him.
“An omega and a pup? What the fuck!”
Finn shrugged. “Their alpha, Magnus, insisted that if I wanted a gamma, I had to take Will and Annie, too.”
“Who the hell gives up a breeding omega and a female of any kind without a treaty or trade?” This from Deidre.
“Magnus said that Will was disruptive.”
“That’s a lie,” Caleb interjected.
Lorcan held up his finger. “I’ll get to you in a second.” He looked at Finn. “Did he say in what way?”
“Something about Will offering himself up to anyone during his heat.” Finn felt dirty even repeating the claim. Not only didn’t it jibe with what he’d seen of the shy boy, he didn’t think that was any kind of reason to kick an omega out of the pack. Shifters low in pack hierarchy were only expected to be monogamous once they mated.
“Who’s Annie’s sire?”
“Unknown, again, according to Magnus.”
Lorcan shifted his attention to Caleb. “Not you, I assume.”
“No, sir.” The gamma’s mouth turned grim. “I was the only one to turn down Magnus when he offered up a chance to service Will during his heat.”
“Magnus made the offer?” Finn couldn’t keep from jumping in.
Caleb’s expression turned almost feral. “Yeah. See, Will mostly grew up in the alpha’s house. His mother died when he was a young pup, then his sire was killed in a fight before Will had his first shift. When Will came into heat unexpectedly, Magnus kept him in a back room and paraded all the betas and gammas in until someone’s seed took. At the time, he said it was all Will’s idea, and that as his surrogate sire, he disapproved. But, he went along with it because it was what made Will happy.”
He glanced at Finn. “I would have told you this earlier, but there wasn’t a time when Will wasn’t around, and I didn’t want to embarrass him.”
Everyone was silent for a moment as they digested the information. Finn felt physically sick, but at the same time, damn glad that he’d gotten Will out of that other pack regardless of why. Someone should have stepped in and taken the boy as a mate, saved him from being passed around.
“Magnus said Will refused to mate with any of the pack members. Is that true?”
Caleb shrugged. “I know that’s what Magnus said, that Will refused to mate with anyone and preferred to be mounted by a variety of males instead.”
“I don’t believe that,” Finn spit out.
“I didn’t, either, for what it’s worth. Because I never mounted him, I never had a chance to find out for sure what was happening. I only know that Will is a sweet boy, and that Magnus is an asshole.”
Lorcan slapped his palm on the table. “Even if Will had wanted to be treated like that, no decent alpha would have permitted it, especially with someone in his own household. The poor boy could have been badly hurt.”
Caleb huffed. “Knowing my former pack mates as I do, I doubt anyone was particularly gentle with him.”
Finn’s wolf had its hackles up now. The thought of Will being abused made him want to race back to Magnus’ pack and start tearing all the betas and gammas to pieces. As he worked to bring his wolf under control, something Caleb had said struck him.
“You said Will’s heat was unexpected. Why?”
Caleb fisted his hands as if picturing something or someone to pound. “Because he was so young. Only sixteen.”
“What!” Finn’s exclamation was drowned out by a chorus of them. He leaned over the table. “Are you saying Will’s only seventeen?”
Caleb shook his head. “No, he’s turned eighteen at this point. I’m pretty sure. Yeah, I remember telling Magnus at the time that sixteen was too fucking young to be going into heat. Magnus had shrugged off my concern, saying that the kid was nearly seventeen and it was none of my business anyway.”
“Shit,” Deidre swore. “You weren’t kidding when you said the guy was an asshole. Poor boy. He’s so obviously scared coming to a new pack.”
Finn placed his hand on Lorcan’s arm to get his full attention. “Lorcan, Will’s worried that you’re going to kill Annie.”
The alpha gaped at him. “Why would he think that?”
“Because Magnus offered it up as a possibility right in front of Will.”
Liam cracked his knuckles. “Hey, Boss, can we just go up there and kill this guy?”
“Yeah,” Craig chimed in. “That sounds like a plan. No offense,” he threw at Caleb.
“None taken.”
Lorcan sighed and leaned back in his chair. “As tempting as that sounds, we aren’t going to wage war on a faraway pack. We’ve got our own problems closer to home.” He shook his head. “I don’t know why this other alpha would even suggest such a thing. It’s obscene to think I’d accept Will and kill his pup. Is that something that happens in your old pack?” he asked Caleb.
“No, sir. Not that I’ve ever heard, but I remember an old beta telling stories about how when shifters still lived in caves, packs had to stay small. An alpha wouldn’t let any other male breed, and if he did, the alpha would kill a pup not of his blood.”
Lorcan’s expression darkened. “Well, we’re not living in caves anymore. Finn, I assume you’ve developed some kind of rapport with the boy.”
Finn squirmed a bit in his chair. “I’m not sure I’d characterize it quite like that. I think he’s become less nervous around me, and maybe trusts me some.”
The alpha nodded. “We’ll take what we can get. I want you responsible for acclimating him to the pack, help him get settled in. Make sure he and the pup have everything they need.”
Finn wasn’t sure how he felt about taking on that duty. Part of him would prefer to shift the responsibility over to Deidre. Being female, she might be someone the omega could trust more, especially around Annie. Then again, Deirdre wasn’t like most females. Not in his experience, anyway. More hard edges than round ones. Besides, just thinking about handing the care of Will and Annie over to someone else, even a female, irritated the shit out of his wolf.
Resigned to his fate, he said, “Yes, sir. In some sense, it’s going to be an easy job. They need damn near everything because they have practically nothing.”
“They did look like they came from a poor pack,” the alpha observed.
“Not that poor, sir.” Caleb fidgeted a bit. “Magnus was stingy, that’s all, and Will was under his direct protection.”
“And, now he’s under mine.” Lorcan eyed Finn. “See to it. The Rogue Pack takes care of its own, and that goes double for its most vulnerable members.” At that moment, there came a knock. “Enter.”
Andrea slipped inside and shut the door. “I’m sorry to disturb you, Alpha. May I have a word? With the whole council?”
Her somber expression sent Finn’s blood pressure rising. He was half-way out of his chair before Lorcan could respond to her question. “Is there something wrong with Annie?”
The healer came closer and clasped her hands in front of her. “No. I’ve come about Will.”