Conner knocked on the door of the omega house. He recognized Jaden when the door opened. It was obvious the omega recognized him as well.

“Alpha Conner!” he gasped. He arched his neck back immediately. “How can I be of service?” he asked, head still tilted uncomfortably far back.

“You can start by just calling me Conner. And no need to bow to me, I’m not the alpha yet.”

Jaden shifted into a stiff, but slightly more relaxed pose. “But you’re Alpha Diana’s son…”

“Right now, I’m just another packmate.”

The omega swallowed hard and nodded. “Can I help you?”

“I wanted to…” Conner laughed. “Well, I guess I’m not here as just another packmate.” Jaden’s eyes narrowed in concern. “I wanted to check in with you and see how you’re adjusting to the pack and everything. See if there’s anything I can do?”

Jaden shrugged. “I’m good.”

“Getting to know some packmates?”

Jaden nodded.

Conner arched an eyebrow at him. “I’ve been keeping an eye out so I can talk to you… I haven’t seen you anywhere at all.”

“I uh… I’ve been staying in a lot.”

“So, how are you getting to meet other packmates and adjust to the pack?”

The omega lowered his head submissively. “I guess I’m not,” he admitted.

“Why not?”

Jaden shrugged.

“Care to talk about it?”

“Not really.”

Conner crossed his arms and leaned against the doorframe. He hated to pull out the alpha card on someone already obviously uncomfortable with alphas, but had a feeling he was going to have to get a little dominant.

“What if I insist?” he asked.

The omega shifted his weight nervously. “Then I guess I have no choice.”

“Mind if I come in?” Conner asked. “I’m letting out all of your warm air.”

With another bow, Jaden stepped aside, allowing the alpha in. Conner was momentarily taken aback by the striking difference inside the house, then laughed.

“What’s funny?” Jaden asked suspiciously.

“Nothing,” Conner said, still chuckling at himself. “I was expecting it to still look like Tanner’s house. Obviously, it’s not. But, I like what you’ve done with the place.” He added the last part, hoping he hadn’t sounded insensitive, but winced as he did. While Tanner had kept the place tidy and homey, it was clear that Jaden and his father weren’t used to settling down anywhere. The room was sparsely scattered with their few belongings and a few larger things that had obviously been Tanner’s.

Jaden raised an eyebrow at the false praise, but decided against calling attention to it. “You know Tanner?” he asked instead.

“Very well, he’s my mother’s secretary and I’ve been working with him more and more as I take on pack duties. He’s a damn good secretary too; I’ll be pissed if my brother steals him from me.”

The praise for his brother-in-law made Jaden smile. Until the rest of Conner’s sentence sank in.

“Steal him?”

“For his new pack,” Conner explained. “Packs are enough work as it is; he’ll need a good secretary to help him out with a new one, and Tanner’s the best.”

“But… he can’t… what if Tanner doesn’t want to go?” If Jaden had been in wolf form his hackles would have raised. “Your brother can’t just take him! And what about his mate?!”

“Whoa, whoa, I’m sorry,” Conner said quickly. “I misspoke. This is not that kind of pack. All I meant is that Tanner is good at what he does, and I’d be shocked if my brother didn’t offer him a job in the new pack. It would be entirely Tanner’s choice. If he doesn’t want to go, he says no, and Cale finds someone else.”

“Can he say no?”

“Absolutely. And Tanner knows it.”

Jaden still looked suspicious. “And what if Niles decides he wants to go? Can’t he just force Tanner to say yes?”

Conner crossed his arms and studied the omega. He knew Jaden had come from a bad pack, but now he understood why he was so hesitant to join a new one. “You really think your brother is like that?”

“Half-brother,” Jaden said. “And I barely know him.”

“The choice is Tanner’s, whether or not his mate is an alpha.” Before Jaden could argue, Conner went on, “And if Niles tries to force him and my brother suspects it, he’ll make sure they stay here anyway.”

“Even though you seem to think Tanner’s the best one for the job?”

Conner shrugged lightly. “An inexperienced, happy secretary can learn how to do the job. An experienced, unhappy one can’t learn to be happy. I don’t know what you’ve heard about Maple Ridge or what you’ve been through, but I assure you our omegas get their say about their own lives. Speaking of you and the pack,” he continued, finding the perfect excuse to turn the conversation back, “tell me what’s going on with you.”

Jaden sank down on the worn couch Tanner had left behind for them. “Nothing,” he said sullenly.

“Why haven’t you gone out to get to know the pack?”

Jaden considered a few different lies, but had a feeling the alpha wouldn’t be satisfied with any of them.

“I don’t really want to be in the pack,” he admitted. “I don’t think.”

“Why not?”

“My dad wanted to swear to the pack to be with Niles. He has always wanted us to be this big happy family.”

“But you don’t like Niles?” Conner guessed.

“No, he’s… he’s fine. He’s great actually. Not at all what I would have expected from an alpha. No offense.” He paused, and Conner shrugged as if to say he wasn’t offended. “And Tanner’s great too. But I didn’t want to be in any pack. I’ve been lone for as long as I can remember.”

“Then why swear to my mother?”

“I hate to leave my father. And… I can’t exactly support myself. I mean, I suppose I could work odd jobs here and there and stuff, but I have no money and not much experience.”

Conner regarded him for a moment before offering, “You know you can get a job here. In fact, you’ll be expected to contribute, in some way, to the pack.”

“I know.”

They sat in awkward silence while Conner racked his brains for something comforting to say. “Have you gotten a tour yet?” he said at last. “I can show you some of the odd jobs around our territory and even get you set up in one if you like.”

“I got a tour.” Afraid that Conner would make another suggestion that involved going out he added, “It was overwhelming.”

“It is a big territory.”

“It’s a big pack,” Jaden clarified. “Everybody was coming up to me and staring at me and… it was just as overwhelming as when we swore.”

“Most wolves like a big pack.”

“Not me. At least, I’m not used to it. That must sound crazy.”

Conner shook his head. “I get overwhelmed sometimes, too. I have a few places I like to sneak off to so that I can get a little time to myself.” He looked around and noticed a pillow and a couple of sheets stacked by the couch. “Are you sleeping here?”

Jaden nodded.

“That’s not a lot of privacy, with your dad right in the next room. These houses really aren’t designed for two.”

“It’s more than I usually get. Spent most of my life sharing a hotel room with him.”

“Well, no wonder you’re overwhelmed! You’re not used to pack life and you never get a moment to yourself even if it’s just the two of you!”

The omega shrugged. “I guess. I mean, I’ve stayed with other packs too.”

“But not as one of them.”

“No. But I’ve never minded. If it weren’t for Niles being here… I don’t want to pledge my loyalty to anyone. Not even a true mate. I want to be in control of my own life.”

“You would be here. We aren’t that kind of pack.”

“So I’ve heard.”

The rest of his words sunk in. “Did you say you don’t even want a true mate?” Conner asked in surprise.

His shock made Jaden snort in annoyance. “Yeah, yeah. I know I’m nuts. Don’t want a pack, don’t want a true mate. Some wolf I am.”

“My brother doesn’t want a true mate,” Conner said. “I mean, he’s pretty weird, but you’re not the only one who feels that way.”

“But he’s an alpha, isn’t he? Why wouldn’t he want a true mate?”

“Too much to do,” Conner chuckled. “I’m sure he’ll want to settle down eventually, but he has always been more interested in getting his pack up and running than meeting his true mate.”

“Nice to know I’m not the only one.”

“And you don’t want one because you want to be in control of your own life?” guessed Conner.

It wasn’t the entire reason, but Jaden shrugged agreeably. He didn’t want to delve into it with the alpha.

Conner studied him for a moment, wondering what the omega had experienced that turned him against packs, not to mention the allure of a true mate.

“I’m sorry,” he said at last. “We never would have asked you to swear if we had known you weren’t sure. I know you don’t have any money, but if you want to work for a while, save up, and then go, you’re free to do so.”

“L-leave the pack?!”

“If you want.”

“Can I?”

Conner smiled sadly at him. “You’re not a prisoner here, Jaden. Everyone in Maple Ridge is here because they want to be. If you’re unhappy being part of the pack, we would never force you to stay.” He gave the omega some time to let that sink in. “But,” he added, before Jaden could say he wanted to up and leave right then and there, “I hope you’d give us a try first.”

“That seems fair,” Jaden said hesitantly.

“Tell you what, there’s a little group of old ski slopes that were closed down to make room for housing when the pack expanded…”

Jaden raised an eyebrow at the curious change of topic, but allowed the alpha to go on.

“And there’s an old ski patrol shack at the top of them. It’s a good two miles up and away from any of the houses, and nobody goes there since the slopes are closed now. It’s not much, but it would give you some seriously needed solitude. Why don’t we get you some supplies and go up there. You can take a few days to think, and be alone… by the time you’re done you’ll probably be craving some pack interaction.”

Jaden sighed. It sounded like a great getaway to him. “My dad would freak. He’s… sort of overprotective.”

“All the more reason to go,” Conner said. “You don’t need his permission.”

“I can’t just vanish on him!”

“I’d talk to him after I get you settled in.”

Jaden shook his head. “He’d still freak out.”

“My mother is the Alpha of Maple Ridge.” Conner held up a hand to stop Jaden’s protest. “But I am an adult and I do plenty of things she doesn’t like. As long as I’m not endangering myself or the pack, she just has to deal with it. You are an adult too, whether your father accepts it or not. And you need to do what’s best for you. He never should have forced you into a pack without making sure it was what you wanted, especially since it seems like his influence and the life he’s given you are a large part of why you don’t want to be in a pack in the first place.” The omega’s wince told Conner he was spot on with his assessment. “If you think getting away from it all for a few days and finding yourself will be good for you, then you need to do it. Worrying about what your father wants is what got you into this.”

After taking a few deep breaths, Jaden nodded. “Yeah. Yeah, I think that might be good.”

“Great.” Conner stood. “Let’s gather up some supplies for you and I’ll take you up there. We’ll plan on a week, but if you want to leave earlier, you’re welcome to. Get some books, maybe a journal or something, and we’ll go.” He paused and studied the omega for a moment. “And, after that, I ask that you take at least a week to mingle in the pack and make some friends before deciding if you want to leave or not.”

“I can do that,” Jaden said honestly.

The idea of getting out from under his father and taking a few days for himself made Jaden feel as if a weight had been lifted. And to have the son of the lead alpha – who would one day be his own alpha – be the one to suggest it! As he gathered up some clothes and the few books he owned, he allowed himself a moment to believe that maybe Maple Ridge would be different. Spending a week among them and having the freedom to leave the pack seemed like a fair deal after a week to himself.

To his surprise, Conner excused himself for some supplies and returned with more than enough food and water. Meanwhile, Jaden had been standing awkwardly in the kitchen, wondering what of their meager rations he could take. The alpha’s generosity was wholly unexpected.

Nervous and excited all at once, Jaden climbed onto a snowmobile with the man and headed for the cabin.