by Anderson, JJ
Stacy met his gaze and rolled her eyes. He would never accept her as his mate. They would be breeders, producing an alpha who could take over the family business in time.
He was surprised his father hadn’t tried for more children after his mother lost the last one, but then again, maybe he had.
Even if Ronan did stay, and his dad forced him to mate with her, she wouldn’t have access to the money. His dad would ensure Stacy never gained any real power, but she was too ignorant to know what type of man his father was.
They entered the building where their first classes were, and the guards hung back. Before walking into the classroom, Ronan grabbed Ruari’s hand and led him into the bathroom. He locked the deadbolt and made sure all the stalls were empty. Ruari wouldn’t meet his gaze, which worried Ronan.
He grasped onto Ruari’s shoulder. “I’m leaving. You need to come with me.”
Ruari’s gaze flew to Ronan’s, and his face scrunched up. “How would we live?”
His brother had reason to worry. It was tough out there. “I won’t be alive to see twenty-one if I don’t leave.”
Ruari reached up and removed Ronan’s sunglasses and the scarf, flinching as he studied the bruises.
“My sweet brother. How has this happened?” Tears filled Ruari’s eyes.
Ruari was a gentle omega, like their mother though Ronan looked like her with brown hair and pale skin whereas Ruari had red hair and freckles like Grandpa. Maybe Ruari being like their mother and looking like Grandpa was why his father preferred Ruari. It didn’t make sense. Their mother had been too kind but hadn’t born any Alphas for their father. The last baby dying in her womb had sealed her death warrant. Their father couldn’t stay with a defective Omega.
Ronan’s anger rose as he willed his brother to understand. “I can’t stay. I’m taking off, running after class. You have to come with me.”
Ruari flinched before he tugged his bag to his front and began looking through the side pouch. “I wanted to stop him.”
Ronan swallowed over the pain, wishing his brother could have stopped Richard, but he was aware enough to know the truth of their situation.
“You and I both know neither of us can stop him. We’re no match against him.”
Ruari handed him a wad of cash before he pulled him into a hug. Ronan groaned as pain filled him. Ruari jerked back, his lips turned down in a frown.
“Is it that bad?”
Ronan nodded, not able to say the words. Ruari wasn’t stupid; he’d known how long the beating had gone on, the cries for help, the screams of pain. Ronan didn’t blame his brother for not stepping in, but he did blame the security guards who lived close enough the screams would have carried over the fields to them.
Ronan tried to give the cash back to Ruari. “You’ll need money too.”
“No, you keep it.”
“You’re coming, right?”
“Yes, but if—”
“If what?” Ronan asked.
“I want you to get away. If you have the cash and the tickets, I know you’ll be able to make it.”
Pain made Ronan’s heart clench. “Promise you’ll come.”
“I will. Now then, if we don’t get into our class, someone will send dad a note about our absence,” Ruari said.
“You’re coming with me, right?”
Ruari frowned at first but finally sighed and nodded. “I’m with you.”
“Good. Let’s head to class.”
No one looked at them when they slid into seats at the back of the room. Though Ronan tried to look like he was paying attention, he didn’t hear a word the professor said. His emotions were on fire, his brain buzzing with all the random problems which could pop up and cause his plans to go to hell.
He checked his watch for the millionth time. Only five minutes before class ended. Ronan tapped Ruari on the knee before he stood and slipped out the side door. Ruari followed him down the hall, past the bathrooms, and into a lecture hall at the other end of the building. He slipped out through an open emergency exit at the other end of the room and glanced back, making sure his brother was there, but he wasn’t. Ronan moved to the exit and glanced in. Ruari’s eyebrows bunched, and indecision was evident on his face. He held out his hand, waiting a few seconds as Ruari stared at him. Then Ruari moved and took his hand but stopped him before they both stepped outside.
“How did you know about this door being open?” Ruari asked.
“I’ve been paying attention to everything.”
Ruari may have been the smarter one of them, but he didn’t pay attention. His brother assumed life wouldn’t throw any curveballs. Ronan knew it would.
He forced a quick pace, moving across campus and into town. Ruari’s phone rang and Ronan’s gaze whipped to him.
“Your phone.”
“What?” Ruari’s eyes were wide as he held out the thing.
“They can track us. You have to ditch it.”
Ruari stared at the still ringing device. “It’s him.”
“He knows,” Ronan whispered.
Ruari shook his head. “He doesn’t hit me like he does you.”
“If I leave and you stay, he will.”
Ruari’s brows knit together so tightly a deep line developed between them. He looked older than his nineteen years. Finally, Ruari nodded and dropped the phone on a bench. He took Ronan’s hand and followed him.
“Are we headed to the train?” Ruari asked.
“Yes. I already have two tickets.”
Ruari stared at him, his mouth wide. “How did you get tickets?”
“I’m resourceful. And I had a guy buy them for us. Why do you think I’ve been erasing my browser history? I didn’t want him to know I was planning on leaving town.”
“Oh my, when did you buy them?”
“A few days ago in English class. The tickets are open-ended, which means we can travel any day. It’s one way, though.”
“How? I was right there.”
Ronan’s lips ticked up in a smile. “Very quietly.”
“Dang, you’re amazing.” Ruari took his hand and squeezed. “Don’t tell me the destination. If something happens, I want you to make it.”
He shook his head. “I can’t leave you behind.”
“He won’t hit me. I look like Grandpa.”
Tears pricked Ronan’s eyes. “And I look like her.”
Ruari was right about the looking like Grandpa thing. But both he and Ruari were omegas, not alphas. Dad had been furious his firstborn hadn’t been an alpha. The sick fucker blamed his mother first then him for not being strong and powerful. His dad wasn’t sure how an omega would lead the business, but the jerk was trying to make him into a little minion despite hating him for being small.
“We’re close to the station.” Ruari’s voice shook as he spoke. It was like his brother couldn’t imagine them making it this far. They were really escaping the hell they’d been living in.
The train horn blared. It was close. Ronan picked up his pace, and Ruari did too. They were running now. There was no way he was going to miss the train.
A black car skidded to a stop, blocking their path to the road leading to the platform. Ronan’s heart clunked to a stop then raced, beating so hard he feared it would fly out of his chest. The passenger door opened and one of the guards stepped out.
Ruari gasped and slowed, but Ronan grabbed his hand and dragged him along. They ran across the street toward freedom, but Ruari’s hand jerked from his. He glanced back. Ruari was in the asshole’s clutches.
He hesitated, knowing he should help his brother, but if they caught him, he would die. Could he leave his brother behind? He had to make up his mind. If he stayed, he wouldn’t live, but what would happen to Ruari?
Chapter Three
Ronan turned and headed back to his brother, but Ruari screamed. “Run!”
Torn, he hesitated. “But—”
“No, run,” Ruari called out as he struggled to escape the guard’s grasp.
Another vehicle approached, racing right toward him. It was his father’s sleek town car. Fear was like a spark, setting fire to every nerve in his body. He ran toward the platform, praying he was right about his dad’s affinity for Ruari. If Ruari died because of him, he’d never forgive himself. Maybe he should stop, go back and try to reason with his dad, but Ronan knew his dad wouldn’t listen. There was no making peace with him, no reasoning. His dad would do what he wanted to do, and everyone else be dammed.
Tears blurred his vision as he stumbled to the platform, making his way up the ramp, past the other people. The desire to turn back and grab Ruari was strong, but he wouldn’t survive the next beating. Having and executing a plan to run would surely put him six feet under. His dad would have no use for him now.
On the plus side, this was the human world, and though his dad’s money would buy favors, he didn’t believe his dad owned the people working for the railroad, at least not the passenger railroad. He handed a woman his ticket, hating how his brother’s ticket was still burning a hole in his pocket. If his brother had the ticket, his dad would use it and attack him on the train. At least he was safe for a short while.
The hulking guard was near, menace rolling off him. People stepped out of his way, trying to avoid him. The guard pushed a woman down, and a human police officer stepped in, blocking the guard. Ronan couldn’t believe his luck as the cop stood firm.
“You sure are cutting it close,” the ticket-taker said as she tore his ticket and waved him onto the train.
“Sorry. Class got out late.”
“Well hurry up there. They’re loading and will be pulling out in a few minutes —” the train whistle blew, cutting her off. “Or seconds.
Ronan took the stub and raced up the steps of the train but paused. Worry for Ruari made him want to hold back, but fear pushed him on. He watched as his father’s guard shook his hands at the cop who had placed his hand on his gun. It was refreshing to see that not everyone was bought by his dad.
“Up you go,” an older gentleman said to him. “Time to take your seat. The train is pulling out.”
Ronan stepped in as the door closed behind him. Had he made a huge mistake? With little money to survive on and his brother caught by his father, this escape was looking even scarier. He could have gone through anything if Ruari was with him, but without his brother, he was lost.
He found an empty seat and watched out the window as the train started moving. The goon employed by his father hadn’t made it to the platform, and more cops had shown up. Ronan wanted to celebrate, but the loss of his brother devastated him. Any elation bubbling up turned sour. No question, his dad would have someone at the next station, but the stop was over fifty miles away. What could he do in those fifty miles? With little money and no electronics, he had no way to reach out and contact anyone. He was utterly alone for the first time in forever.
Five minutes passed, then ten. The train was out of the city, chugging along the path with trees on each side of the track. Every once in a while, he saw the freeway. Stunned he’d escaped, he stared out at the passing trees. He’d taken a seat far away from everyone else so he could contemplate his next move. After a few more minutes he glanced around, spying an older woman watching him. He pulled his legs up and turned his head, watching the world go by as worry clogged his mind.
Then the land opened up, exposing the rolling hills of the Blue Ridge Mountains. The terrain was rugged with few inhabitants. His stomach twisted with regret. Maybe this had been a huge mistake. He was sure he would die for his betrayal.
Before the train hit the next stop, he had to figure out a way to hide. He’d messed up. The freedom he assumed he would find by taking the train was gone. His dad knew exactly where he was now. No question, his dad would have someone waiting.
Jesus, he was stupid. He’d believed he could make it out of the prison of his life; now his dad would find him and bring him home for another, much worse beating. Whatever freedom he had would be gone forever. Hell, his life would be gone forever.
He pushed his fist against his mouth to stuff his screams, not wanting the people around him to notice his pain. He’d left Ruari behind. What hell would his younger brother go through? Maybe nothing. Maybe his dad would leave Ruari alone. Fear and anger filled him. He couldn’t go back. He would die for sure. He had no choice but to escape. He had to keep reminding himself of the sad reality, or he would cave and return home.
After another ten minutes of the train rocking as it chugged along, Ronan got up and moved through the car, going to the bathroom. He’d searched out information on disguising his scent. There were a few things like creams and sprays, but the best was good old-fashioned techniques like getting lost in the rain, entering a huge city, or walking through a running river. The scent would travel downstream with the water, throwing everyone off.
His stomach turned. He couldn’t stay on the train until they stopped at the next station. If he did, his father would be there, guards at the ready. They would do whatever they could to track and trap him. He wouldn’t survive, and if he did, it would be a terrible and painful existence.
The train was traveling fast, the landscape outside whipping by. Jumping from a moving train scared the shit out of him. He would surely die, but would a death out here in the woods be any more painful than suffering the torture his father had planned?
After washing his face and drawing in a few quick breaths, he headed out of the bathroom and moved to the door separating the cars. He stepped into the space, his hands shaking as fear pelted him. This was his only option. He had to save himself though guilt from leaving his brother behind made him second guess every move he’d made since waking up this morning.
Ronan drew his backpack straps tighter and reached for the door handle. This looked like as good of an area as any. He’d studied the maps of the land and knew there were a few rivers he could lose his scent in once he crossed the freeway.
Jesus, what was he doing? Ronan drew in a slow breath, trying to calm the thoughts racing through his mind. There was no other option. It was stay and die at his father’s hand or leave. He couldn’t help Ruari if he stayed at his father’s place.
But no one would know where he’d jumped, at least not for a few hours. By then, maybe rain would fall and wash away the evidence of him being here.
Thoughts of his brother were front and center in his mind as he twisted the handle and opened the door. He vowed to go back to get Ruari. He wouldn’t allow Ruari to suffer for long. Somehow, he’d find a way to rescue him.
He turned the handle and pushed the door open. Wind whipped around the small compartment, and the train groaned as they went around a corner. The squeal of the breaks was his signal. It was now or never. He had to be strong, which meant jumping before his dad’s minions found him.
Ronan took a leap of faith, not sure what to expect as his body hit the ground. For a brief second, he feared the pain, but he was able to land lightly and tuck his head. He rolled, coming up on his feet without falling again. His bag was still on his back, firmly in place as he checked for new injuries. It was hard to determine what hurt from the jump versus what hurt from his dad beating him.
Maybe his ankle was a little sore, but the injury would heal. He took a few steps and only had a slight limp. The train had disappeared by the time he was secure in the trees. It sped up as the last of the cars left the curve. He guessed no one had witnessed him jump.
One thing he knew from the last time he’d run; his dad was tireless in tracking him. He had to find a stream. Covering his tracks was his first priority, then he could figure out everything else.
Making it across the freeway scared the crap out of him. The cars, trucks, and eighteen wheelers were moving too fast, almost like blurs on a film. He couldn’t cross here. An overpass would work.
With his head down, he stalked to the crossover point and then almost yelped when a car drove past. Jesus, he was glitchy. Another car drove past and slowed.
Panic ramped up and he was ready to run, but the car sped up again and turned to the left up ahead. What if his dad had been in that car?
He dashed to the tree line across the freeway and vowed to stay off the streets and out of view of others. Sweat clung to his body and ran down his face and back as he searched for water. He’d contemplated shifting but chose to stay in his human form since his scent would be much stronger if he changed to a wolf.
When the sun had been high in the sky, it had heated him, but now clouds were moving in, turning the forest cooler. Dark shadows grew deeper causing greens to turn brown and browns to turn black. The forest floor now looked even though he knew it was pitted with holes and had random logs blocking the paths. A little light streamed in when the clouds grew thin, but those spots were few and far between.
He’d been on the run from the train for a few hours when he found a creek. It wasn’t huge, but it would help his cause. He ran across the stream, walking about thirty feet to a tree he hugged for almost a full minute, leaving his scent there. Then he stepped backward, trying to make sure his feet hit nearly the same place as before. He tried to make no extra tracks in the soft mud near the water’s edge. Once he was back in the flow, he took off upstream, praying this hid his scent.
The water was cold, chilling him to his bones, but he couldn’t walk on the bank yet. After more than an hour in the creek, he stepped from the water and pulled off his shoes, wringing his socks out and emptying the extra water. He put on clean socks, hoping he could warm up. The day wasn’t cold, but the temperatures were dropping as more clouds moved in. A gentle rain had begun to fall, making every part of him wet. The conditions were miserable, heck, even a fire tonight was out of the question. The smoke would draw his father’s minions closer and he’d be taken back to his dad where he’d face more punishment.
