Secret Omega Read online

  Where the hell was he? It was pitch dark, but he sniffed the air. There was an alpha around. And omegas. A lot of omegas.

  And food.

  He sat up quickly, only to whack his head on something. He moved to rub the bruised spot, only to find his hands were bound. Thick cords wound around his ankles and restrained his wrists behind his back .

  He lay back down, trying to ease the ache in his head. What sick joke was fate playing on him now? The scent of smoked meat permeated the air around him. His stomach growled furiously. If he could get his mouth to the ropes on his wrists, he could gnaw through them and be somewhat sated by it. After a moment of twisting and struggling, it was clear that wasn’t going to happen. Maybe if he were to shift he could reach back there, or break through with brute strength. But whoever bound him knew what they were doing, shifting with his hands tied behind his back was likely to end in two dislocated arms. With how weak he felt, the last thing Stone needed were injuries.

  Well, more injuries.

  He tried shifting anyways, but it only caused burning pain to radiate from the wound in his shoulder. He gasped, the pain so intense that for a moment, he could hardly breath. For the first time, Stone was truly frightened. What kind of poison had been on that blade to destroy his ability to change into his wolf? Without the fighting beast inside him, he was a dead man.

  Just then a door opened. Torchlight illuminated three faces. None of them looked pleased.

  “He’s right here.” An omega ducked down onto the floor. Stone recognized that face. That was the little bastard who’d stabbed him.

  Stone growled at the omega, but the next second, he was yanked off his feet and thrown against the wall. He hit the wood with a hard thud and a ceramic jar fell from a shelf, shattering on his head. An alpha grabbed him by the shirt, radiating blood-lust.

  "There's no need to intimidate him, Rohan. Not yet, at least." The second omega placed a hand on the alpha's shoulder, urging him back.

  The one called Rohan loosened his grip, but didn’t let go. "Why have you intruded on our territory?” He punctuated his words with a growl. “Explain yourself to the pack master. "

  Stone held back the urge to fight back against his captors. His mobility taken, his strength weakened, all he had right now was his words to defend himself with. He could only hope that the pack master was more reasonable than the beast breathing into his face. "I will speak to him. Just bring me to him."

  The alpha smiled with a mouth full of gleaming teeth. “You’re looking at him.”

  Perfect.

  “I didn’t come as a threat to your pack," Stone said, choosing his words carefully, but refusing to back down from the alpha glaring into him. “I was near death and the scent of food drew me here.”

  "Why are you telling me?" Rohan smirked. "I'm not the pack master."

  "I thought you..." Stone shook his head. “You said…”

  Stone stared at Rohan. He looked to the other two. By their scent they were clearly omegas. Was he so malnourished and delirious that his nose was failing him?

  No. They looked like omegas. One of them in particular caused a stirring in Stone’s loins that told him he was definitely an omega. It was the ferocious little beast that had stabbed him.

  The omega had a slight build, but his arms were strong with sinewy muscle and the chest peeking out from his tunic looked carved from marble. His pale complexion contrasted with dark hair that fell over two eyes that shone with something Stone wasn't familiar with, but wanted to call tenderness. The creature was almost beautiful enough to make Stone forget he was about to be torn to shreds. Almost.

  Stone tore his attention from the tempting omega. "Who—who is the pack master?"

  "I am." The other omega stepped forward.

  "You're an omega," Stone stated flatly.

  “How observant you are.” The omega said humorlessly. "I am Briar, the master of this pack."

  "But... you're... an omega.” He almost wanted to laugh. “Is the sun the moon here, too?"

  Rohan gave him a hard kick in the gut. "Briar is the master of the pack. Respect the fact that he's merciful enough even to hear you out. If I was in charge, you would be torn apart just for setting foot on our territory."

  Rohan was definitely an alpha, and passionate in his words. Stone still hadn’t recovered from the shock of finding out that he was subservient to the omega packmaster, but he didn’t have time to puzzle over this packs strange ways. Hell, he’d nearly been killed by an omega. Clearly things just weren’t going to make sense tonight. Stone kept looking the feisty omega’s way. It wasn't out of concern for more stabbings. Far from it. The longer he was in the room with him, the less he could ignore the omega’s scent. The scent roused things inside of Stone, things that he hadn't felt for a long time, things that he missed.

  A scent of need.

  To be thinking of such a thing right now, he really must have been delirious.

  "Which pack do you belong to?" Briar asked, stepping between Rohan and Stone. "If we determine you to be a spy, things will not end well for you."

  Stone shook his head, not waiting an instant to deny the accusation. "I'm an exile."

  "Why were you exiled?" Briar’s tone was firm and just, as if he truly wanted to be fair with Stone. Logic continued to crumble the longer he spent in this strange pack.

  "I stole rations from the pack’s storehouse," he said plainly.

  “You did what?” The omega who’d stabbed him piped up for the first time.

  “Easy, Peregwin,” Briar said with a hint of amusement in his voice. “It’s not as if he killed someone.”

  The look on Peregwin’s face suggested that he thought otherwise. Stone’s bloodied lips quirked into a smile. If the little omega hadn’t buried a blade in Stone’s abdomen, he would’ve been tempted to say Peregwin was too cute to take seriously.

  “What the hell is so funny?” With a powerful rush, Rohan picked Stone up, and pinned him against the wall, knocking the air out of him. "Let's just toss him back out onto the wastes to rot."

  “If that’s your decision, would you be merciful and just finish me now?” Stone met the alpha’s furious glare with an irreverent smirk.

  “Gladly.” Rohan’s teeth showed as he grinned. His powerful hand squeezed against Stone’s windpipe.

  “Stop!” Peregwin broke in again. "We can’t be responsible for his death. We should let him stay at least until his wound heals. That knife had wolfsbane on it. He'll be dead out in the wastes if he can't shift."

  Rohan growled. "He attacked you, Peregwin."

  “I… I’m not sure he did." Peregwin said.

  “What do you mean” Briar asked. Stone was just as surprised to hear the omega’s protest.

  "I can't recall him doing anything threatening toward me.” Peregwin chewed his deliciously plump lip. “I just drew my knife and stabbed him out of fear for myself and my son."

  "Just because you didn’t give him a chance to attack you, doesn’t mean he wouldn’t have," Rohan responded. He pressed Stone against the wall. "We can’t put our pack at risk for the life of a worthless rogue."

  Peregwin took a bold step toward Rohan. "Weren’t you just a worthless rogue when we met?"

  Stone looked between the hulking alpha and tiny omega, expecting Rohan to strike back with a blow to Peregwin. In Stone's upbringing, an omega never talked to an alpha like that. But this omega showed no fear toward the beast about to tear Stone limb from limb.

  "That was different.” Rohan Growled.

  Peregwin looked to Briar, as a last minute appeal to his authority, something Stone still couldn’t comprehend. "I have to agree with Rohan. I'm sorry, Peregwin. We’ll let the rogue go free, but if he sets foot on our territory again, he forfeits his life."

  Peregwin bowed his head in acceptance the pack master's judgment. So much for Stone’s last shot at survival. Rohan gripped him by the shirt and wrenched hard as he dragged him from the hut. Stone winched at every bump in the ha
rd ground as he was taken through their village. Lanterns flickered to life and curious onlookers poked their heads out of their doors. There were quite a lot of omegas and a whole lot of pups, but Stone didn’t see a single adult alpha aside from Rohan.

  "Taking survey for your report? Eyes forward, spy." Rohan gave Stone one last kick that knocked the wind of of him.

  Stone was even more bloodied by the time Rohan had dragged him out to the heavily wooded forest. One last shove, and Stone hit the ground face first. Rohan wasted little time in using a knife to saw through the cords, finally freeing Stone from his bonds.

  The temptation returned to lash out at Rohan. They were alone. It would be a one on one fight.

  Hah. A one on one fight between him, who was half-starved to death, wounded, and exhausted, and Rohan, who looked healthy, strong, and would be passionately fighting to safeguard his home. Stone wasn’t stupid enough to fight someone with something to defend. Protective instinct can lend an unfathomable power.

  What would he gain anyway? Some pride?

  Pride wouldn't feed him.

  "If I ever see you again, I will end you," Rohan said. "Briar is merciful, but he isn’t stupid. He’ll gladly let me finish you if you return."

  Stone staggered up. He thought about asking Rohan why he followed an omega as a pack master. To explain what made no sense to him. He decided not to press his luck. Knowledge, like pride, wouldn't feed him.

  "Go." Rohan said, stepping backward and leaving Stone alone.

  He tried to shift again, but it only caused agony to radiate from the wound at his shoulder. He placed a hand on his wound, still burning, painful. He yearned for an omega's touch to help heal him, yet he knew he would get none.

  If only that Peregwin omega...

  Stone pushed the thought out of his head and started forward on what he knew was destined to be his final march. He walked a few feet before stumbling in blinding pain. He was tempted to stay there until death embraced him. The leaves behind him rustled. Of course he was bloodied so much that it wouldn’t be long before predators were drawn to the scent of a meal. Stone chuckled darkly. At least he'd satiate some other bastard’s hunger and not have to worry about his own anymore. Death was growing to become a more and more acceptable proposition.

  "You. Hey, you."

  What was that? It sounded familiar.

  "Are you even still alive? You look like death warmed over."

  Peregwin?

  He poked Stone gingerly with his foot.

  Stone winced, mumbling, "I'm not looking for more trouble."

  "You don't look like you could cause a lot of it right now, anyhow."

  Stone looked up at Peregwin. There was a confidence to this omega. Feisty and unafraid. Even inches from death, the creature caused a stirring in Stone. If only they’d met under different circumstances.

  "What do you want?" he asked.

  "I'm responsible for your wound."

  "This? This is nothing." He winced as he said it, proving his lie especially poor.

  "Come on. Briar and Rohan may have decided to throw you to your death, and I respect their decisions, but I can’t be responsible for killing you. Let me bandage you and give you a place to heal. Then I'll send you back into the wastes."

  Was this omega really going against his packmaster to save Stone’s life? Stone would regret getting Peregwin in trouble with his own pack, but he didn’t have much choice if he didn’t want to die—which, now given the option—he decided he’d rather live. And after all, the little bastard had stabbed him. He deserved a bit of trouble for that.

  Stone did everything he could to hide how much pain he felt with every step as he followed Peregwin through the trees. "What about your pack master? His mate? Your pack's ways confuse me, but I don't think they'll accept such subordination."

  "What they don't know won't hurt them. I expect you to be quiet and stay hidden. You don’t want to die, do you?"

  Stone nodded. He didn't quite understand why Peregwin was sticking his neck out for him like this, but he decided not to question it again, lest the omega change his mind.

  The village was silent as they dashed through it to Peregwin’s hut. Upon entering, Peregwin pointed to a large wash-tub surrounded by dirty dishes.

  “Get in,” he said.

  “What?” Stone blinked at the omega, wondering if he actually was deranged.

  "The pack will become suspicious of any unfamiliar scents, and will find you in no time if we don't mask your smell."

  Stone still hesitated, not fully understanding what this strange omega was trying to do.

  "Strip," Peregwin ordered.

  Again, it felt so odd to be taking orders from an omega, but all the same? He liked it. He wouldn't take lip from other omegas, but Peregwin was most definitely different.

  Stone obeyed, and as he did so, his nose was so massively overpowered with whatever concoction Peregwin was crafting as he scurried around his hut, grabbing jars of herbs an spices, dumping them into the tub.

  "What should I call you, by the way?" Peregwin asked as he blended the mixture into the water. "Asking names usually isn't on Rohan and Briar's agenda when they're on edge. All rogue alphas are the same to them."

  "I don't blame them,” Stone admitted. “I’ve met some terrible creatures. And something tells me they have too." He approached the omega. Even through the intensity of the concoction, he could still pick up Peregwin's scent. It was that sweet, that enticing. "I am Stone," he said.

  If only he were one of those more terrible creatures, he would have him now.

  He pushed the thought out of his head. There was more to this omega than supple flesh and an intoxicating scent. He'd never thought an omega's force of would would entrance him so.

  Beside the point, Stone could still see that knife hanging at Peregwin’s waist. He had already proven himself to be a quick draw with it, and Stone didn't need him to prove it again.

  "Well, Stone, get in the tub. This garlic water should smother your scent well. I'm in charge of preparing the meals for the pack, so no one will sniff twice at this place reeking of spices."

  Stone climbed in. The water was lukewarm, but it actually felt nice. Compared to the freezing cold rivers, he didn't care if he was going to smell of garlic.

  Then there was Peregwin's touch. Stone winced as the omega's hands went to his wound. “There was wolfsbane on my blade. You won't be able to shift until it's healed.”

  Clever bastard. Stone felt relief to know that the condition was at least temporary.

  “You can stay until you've recovered enough to shift again.” Peregwin rubbed a cloth over Stone's shoulder. "The wound is deep, but it's not going to kill you on its own."

  "You have some heft behind your thrust."

  “You scared me.” Peregwin blushed. "I've worked so hard to make a better life for my son, and I fear an alpha dragging me back to the terror we fled from. It’s so much better here in Mount Liberty."

  Mount Liberty. A strange name for a strange pack. Stone took inventory of his thoughts as the wound was tended to. "I appreciate your kindness, even if I don't understand it."

  "I want a better world for my pup to come up in. A society where cruelty is the first response is not what I desire."

  Ointments, herbs, Peregwin was proving to be quite the skilled healer, Stone found. There was still a gash in his shoulder, but the wound was covered with some cloth, and no longer had his filthy clothing rubbing against it.

  "I'm taking a risk by having you here.” Peregwin said. “If you do one thing to draw attention to yourself, I will do Rohan's job for him. My kindness is not weakness."

  "I would never assume that." Stone rose out of the tub. He couldn't help but notice his host's eyes wandering up and down his form. He allowed himself a little cockyness and flashed a smile at the omega. Peregwin looked away and tossed him some clothing. The tunic looked a little small for a big shifter like Stone, but he'd make do. He watched as Peregwin continued
through the hut, digging jars out of the cupboards.

  He presented the handful to Stone. "This isn't much. Just some dried berries and meat, but it should keep you from starving to death. "

  Stone accepted it. It really wasn't much.

  "I'd give you more, but these stores are for the pack first, which I would remind you that you are an unwelcome guest of."

  Stone nodded.

  "Now eat up. The moon is high, and I have things to do before it begins to give way to the sun."

  Peregwin was full of surprises, Stone kept discovering. The dried berries and meat he had so passively waved off were some of the best tasting food Stone had ever consumed. He salivated for more, but didn’t dare put a paw out of line. The last thing he needed was another hole in his hide.

  He gave Peregwin his most disarming smile. "You can sleep, I'm not going anywhere."

  "Yeah, you aren't." Peregwin held up some cords. "As I repeat, I'm kind not stupid."

  Stone sighed as he looked at the ropes. "Do you really need to?"

  "I either bind you or throw you back out into the wilderness. The aloe I applied will only last until the morning so you'll be hurting again real soon."

  Stone heaved a breath, and nodded, holding his arms out.

  Peregwin wasn't going to accept that. He took Stone's arms and ran them behind him tying them up good and tight. “Not stupid, remember?”

  Stone tried to avoid laughing. He was still sort of a prisoner of Peregwin's.

  With his guest was all tied up, the omega climbed into bed, and pulled his pup close to him. The child had slept through all of that, something Stone was thankful for. A pup shouldn't be exposed to all of this. Not yet.

  Peregwin laid his knife on the small table next to his bed. "You'll remain as quiet as Ollas has been, or I will use this again, and this time it won't be on your shoulder."

  Stone nodded.

  He watched as Peregwin took his pup, holding him close as he passed into sleep.

  Despite it all, Stone couldn't help but admire him. He’d never thought too much about the omegas and what they faced. It was just how things were. They gathered food. They cooked it. They raised the young.