Chapter Twelve
Ben followed Adam upstairs when he went to get Casey. He hung back as Adam stepped past Susan and into the bedroom where Casey was sitting on the bed wrapped in a blanket.
“Casey, this is Ben, my Alpha.”
The boy looked up hesitantly, large eyes emphasized by his thin face. He was so pale, his skin looked almost translucent. His condition reminded Ben so strongly of Adam when he’d first found him that it took him right back to those days.
“Hi, Casey,” he said, keeping his voice quiet.
The Omega cringed, dropping his eyes, clinging to the blanket around him.
Adam was quick to soothe him.
“It’s alright. You’re safe with Ben, the same way you are with me. Please don’t be scared.”
Adam held out a hand.
“We’re leaving now. And you’re coming with us.”
It took three attempts for Casey to take Adam’s hand. Each time he reached out, he’d reflexively pull back. It reminded Ben of Adam’s hesitation, Adam’s fear.
“Take your time,” he said, “there’s no rush.”
Shocked eyes met his, the young Omega not expecting kindness from an Alpha. Adam’s eyes found his a moment later, his gratitude clear.
They got out of the room and down the stairs eventually, with Casey calm until he saw the car.
“Do I have to go in the dark?” he whispered to Adam, his voice harsh in the quiet as his eyes fixed on the trunk.
“You can sit in the back with Adam,” Ben said, opening the back door.
“What… what if I’m sick again?”
“We’ll stop and take breaks if you need them,” Adam assured him. “And I think we have a paper bag around if you need it.”
“And we’re the parents of toddlers,” Ben added lightly, “puking is an occupational hazard.” He suspected his words wouldn’t mean much to Casey, but it was his tone that mattered, that would convince the young Omega that he wasn’t the big, bad wolf.
Adam helped Casey in and Ben climbed into the driver’s seat. He waited until they were both belted in before putting the car into drive, glancing at Casey in the rearview mirror. The Omega’s eyes were wide, taking in everything through a veil of fear. At least they’d got to him before Gray Valley. Ben couldn’t imagine the damage done if he’d reached Gray Valley first.
They drove through the night, Adam falling asleep in the back seat but Casey stubbornly hanging on even though Ben could clearly see the exhaustion dogging the Omega. It was dogging him too, so he pulled in to a lay by and got out taking a walk in the cool air to wake himself up.
A car door opened and he turned back to see Casey climbing out.
“Are you okay?” he asked, taking two slow steps towards him. He didn’t want the kid to run, not out there in the dark in the middle of who knew where.
“I need… I need to…” Casey hand was hovering low on his stomach and Ben could see the tension in his face as he shifted from foot to foot.
“Bathroom break? Sure, try behind those bushes but don’t go far, okay?”
A relieved Casey nodded and slipped silently off the road. Ben turned his head to give him privacy but kept alert for danger. A more relaxed Omega scrambled back up onto the road a few minutes later. Ben continued his pacing.
“Is… is something wrong, Alpha?” Casey asked.
“You can call me Ben, Casey. There’s no need to call me Alpha. And nothing’s wrong, I’m just a little tired and trying to wake myself up before we get back on the road.”
Casey’s eyes went wide again as he took in Ben’s words.
“But Adam said you were an Alpha. I should show respect.” His voice was an awed whisper and he dropped his gaze as soon as he’d spoken.
“Respect is something that is earned by what you do not by what you are, Casey. I would really like you to call me Ben, if you think you can manage that.”
That earned him the tiniest of smiles.
“Yes, Ben.”
“Great. You must be tired, Casey. Do you need anything, some water or food?”
The Omega shook his head.
“How about another blanket?” He’d kept the heat turned down in the car to keep himself awake. There was a half-second pause this time before Casey shook his head, climbing into the back seat.
Ben went to the trunk, fetching another blanket, and opened Casey’s door, leaning in to cover him with it. Two wide eyes watched him, Casey’s body shocked to stillness. Ben wasn’t sure whether it was his actions or his proximity.
“There,” he said, trying a smile on for size, “let’s see if we can’t get you warm enough to sleep for a while. We still have a long way to go before we’re home.”
Adam’s eyes opened briefly, a smile crossing his lips before he sank back into sleep. Ben didn’t try to wake him. He’d hadn’t slept since Noah had been taken. He deserved every minute of peace Ben could give to him.
Ben climbed back in and got back on the road, feeling much more alert. He kept an eye on both his charges, watching Casey fight the lure of sleep under the warmth of the blankets. Soon he was lost, Adam dozing next to him.
It was hard to look at Casey, hard to know what he was, what had been done to him. And even harder to imagine Noah in his place and what his son would look like at Casey’s age after a lifetime in Tobias’ hands.
Two hours later and he was fighting the tiredness again. He started to look out for gas stations or anywhere he could grab some coffee when Adam’s low voice met his ears.
“Ben, why don’t I take over driving. You’ve been awake two days straight.”
They pulled in at the next gas station, stocking up on food. Adam woke Casey for another bathroom break and downed a cup of coffee. When they returned to the car, Ben was torn between wanting to give Casey space and not freak him out and wanting to be within arm's reach if he did freak out. In the end, with Adam’s encouragement, he chose to sit in the back with him. The young Omega was still exhausted and barely gave Ben a second glance before he was asleep again.
“Ben, close your eyes and get some rest,” Adam said. “We’ll be back in Glenoak before you know it.”
Sleep pulled him under almost as soon as his eyes had closed. It was a slumber tormented by the cries of frightened children.
He woke as they slowed to a stop in front of Glenoak’s Pack house. Home.