Chapter Nine
Jay sat up at the breakfast counter next to Odin, eating the sandwich the Alpha had made for him. There was bacon in this one. Normally he loved bacon but right then every mouthful sat heavily in his stomach. He perked up when Byron walked in but the Alpha had his phone to his ear.
“Martha, hey.”
Jay had to swallow hard to stop himself from growling at her name. She was always stealing Byron away, putting things in his diary. Meetings, business lunches. Her whole life seemed to revolve around finding Byron things to do that kept them apart.
“You’re going to have to get over it someday,” Odin said as an aside to him. “She’s not going anywhere.”
Martha had arrived on the scene after Byron’s father had died. He called her his personal assistant. He thought she was great. Everyone thought she was great. Jay didn’t see was what great about having a PA. All they did was take your time away from you.
“Martha, I know you’re not going to be happy but something has come up. I need you to clear my schedule for the week. Some of my meetings can be delegated to Daniel. Others will just have to be pushed back until I return.”
He listened for a moment, giving Jay a quick smile as Martha spoke to him.
“Jay and I have something important to do. It is likely we’ll be gone at least a few days, if not weeks.”
They were leaving, for weeks? Just Jay and Byron?
Byron winced at whatever Martha was saying. “Anything that you feel can’t be pushed back, hand over to Daniel. He’s already going to be there for at least half the scheduled meetings. Just let him know he’ll be leading the negotiations with Yellow Rock.”
He listened again, frowning. “Yes, Martha, I know. If anything changes, you’ll be the first to know.”
Setting the phone down on the counter, he looked at Jay with raised eyebrows.
“That went well.”
“Where are we going?”
“We’re going on a little road trip.”
“To Glenoak?” He liked going there.
“No.”
There was something in Byron’s voice and the look on the Alpha’s face that made Jay’s palms sweat and his stomach churn.
“I’ll stay here, with Odin.”
Byron took a seat across from him. “I’m hoping Odin will come with us.”
“I’ll stay in the woods until you come back.”
Byron slid his arm across the table and covered Jay’s hand in his.
“I need you to come with me, Jay.”
Jay shook his head. Wherever they were going, it wasn’t any place good.
“Where to?” Odin asked.
“We need to find Jay’s forest.”
He jerked his hand away from Byron and scrambled off his chair, both Odin and Byron reaching for him. They were getting rid of him, bringing him back there.
He dived for the door that led to the garden. The woods, he’d be safe in the woods. Byron didn’t often follow him out there. As his hand touched the handle of the door, strong arms wrapped around him, pulling him back against a broad chest.
“I can’t let you run, Jay. I’m sorry.”
“Please don’t leave me out there. I won’t be any trouble. I’ll live out in your wood and find my own food and I won’t growl at anyone, I promise.”
What did he need to say to convince the Alpha not to get rid of him? He tried to push out of Byron’s embrace but the Alpha’s arms didn’t budge.
“Jay?” Byron’s voice was quiet but commanding. He hung his head.
“I don’t want to be alone.”
He didn’t think he could bear it, not again. The Alpha loosened his grip, and he tried to get to the door again but Byron was faster, arms wrapped tight about him, lifting his feet from the floor and carrying him from the room. They stopped in front of the Alpha’s bed and Byron set him back down.
Turning, he glimpsed Odin blocking the doorway. He wasn’t getting out. Trying to make himself look small and harmless, he sat on the edge of the bed and drew his knees up to his chest.
“He really thinks you’d leave him out there?” Odin said.
“He’s just scared.”
Byron crouched next to him, bracing his hands either side of Jay on the bed.
“Jay?” Byron called softly.
Gathering his courage, he looked up, meeting the Alpha’s eyes.
“You’re mine. My Omega. Your place is by my side. But Adam and Ben need our help to find Noah. I’m hoping if we can find your forest, it’ll be the first step to learning where you came from. I know this is going to be tough.”
“You won’t leave me alone in the forest?” Jay whispered.
“I’ll be with you the whole time. I won’t leave your side. Because your home is here, with me. But if you think you can’t do it, I won’t force you to go.”
Jay tried to get his head around what Byron was asking of him but he couldn’t shake the fear of being abandoned. The last time he’d been taken to the forest, no one had come back for him. What would stop that happening again?
“Odin, can you give us a few minutes?” Byron said over his shoulder and the door closed as Odin left.
Then Byron got up and sat next to him on the bed.
A heartbeat, two, and Jay launched himself into Byron’s arms, wrapping his arms and legs tightly around the Alpha and burying his face in the crook of Byron’s neck.
“I’m sorry if I scared you,” Byron murmured in his ear. “You’ll never be alone like that again, I promise. This is a journey we’ll take together.”
One of Byron’s arms was wrapped around his waist, the other was pressed to the back of his neck, stroking gently across the sensitive skin there. Tears fell from his eyes and onto the Alpha’s skin. Byron’s hand slipped under his chin and lifted his head, the Alpha pressing a kiss to his forehead, then his cheeks, kissing the tears away. Then he kissed him on the mouth, soft lips just brushing his. Jay clenched his fist around the collar of Byron’s shirt and kissed him back. He wanted this, wanted Byron so much. Byron was company, comfort, safety, and something more that sent fire across his skin and heat pooling low in his belly.
Both the Alpha’s hands gently framed his face as he deepened the kiss, slipping his tongue between Jay’s lips. Jay whimpered needily. He wanted this, needed it; Byron’s promise come to life, that Jay was his and no one else's, that nothing would separate them.
They broke the kiss, both panting for air, Jay laying his head against Byron’s shoulder.
“I want to help find Noah,” he said when he’d caught his breath.
“Me, too.”
“But I don’t want to go back so I might get scared again.”
“I’ll be there every step of the way. And so will Odin. You’re under my protection and no harm will come to you.”
Byron had said that before, back when Jay had been so very angry and afraid, when every word had been a struggle. And Byron had meant it, he’d kept his promise. Jay had been safe with him, safe and loved.
“When do we leave?”
“As soon as you feel ready.”
He tilted his head so he could see the Alpha’s eyes. Byron stroked a hand across his cheek. He wasn’t sure he’d ever feel ready to make this journey but, with Byron by his side, there wasn’t a lot he couldn’t do.
“I’m ready.”