Winter's End

by Rebecca James

  “What’s that?” Gabriel asked, pointing.

  “My next brother,” Finny said, leaving off coloring the grass to add a shock of dark hair to the small blob on the paper.

  Gabriel’s heart sank, knowing there would be no “next brother” for Finny. Grey and Ian had stopped taking Gabriel during his heats, afraid of the danger to Gabriel’s life. His pregnancies had taken both a physical and emotional toll on Gabriel that his mates didn’t want repeated, so the omega now spent his heats in the omega den, with a dildo rather than his mates filling him, wishing for the calming scent of his alpha and soothing voice of his beta mate. Gabriel returned home after these occasions filled with anger and hurt, the negative feelings sometimes remaining for days. He tried to hide it from his mates, to whom he’d caused enough trouble, but he was sure Grey and Ian both noticed. He also knew his mates felt guilty, for they always showered Gabriel with attention when he returned from his exile.

  The sound of the wooden truck hitting the floor turned Gabriel’s attention back to the playpen.

  “Throwing your toys?” he asked Forrest, whose answering grin made him laugh. He picked up the truck and handed it back to the little boy, who had risen to his feet and was biting the edge of the playpen with a new tooth.

  “Don’t throw your toys,” Finny admonished his little brother without looking up from his drawing. Forrest lifted his head and gazed adoringly at the boy at the table before letting out a shriek so intense, Gabriel half expected the glass in the window over the sink to shatter.

  “Who do I hear?”

  Gabriel looked over his shoulder at his beta mate standing in the doorway with a fond smile on his handsome, refined features.

  “Fin, has Forrest been throwing his toys again?” Ian asked.

  Finny nodded seriously. “But he won’t anymore, will you, Forrest?” Finny looked at the baby, who shrieked again in delight and bounced on his feet.

  “What a set of lungs,” Ian said with a wince. “Wow.” He crossed the kitchen and swung the baby up into his arms. Forrest immediately grabbed hold of Ian’s dark hair and pulled. “Ow, ow! You’re hurting Daddy.” Ian made an exaggeratedly sad face at the child, but Forrest only laughed and pulled harder.

  “No sympathy here, it seems,” Ian said, disentangling the baby’s hands from his hair. “No hair pulling,” he said sternly.

  Forrest’s face crumpled, and he started to cry big, pitiful tears, at which point Ian became immediately contrite, soothing and kissing Forrest’s cheek as he danced about the kitchen with the baby.

  Gabriel watched for a moment before intervening.

  “Fenrir’s balls, Ian! He was being naughty.” Gabriel took Forrest from his mate. “Don’t give in, or he’ll be playing you for the next seventeen years. He needs a nap.”

  Gabriel carried Forrest through the spacious house built into the boughs of two elm trees at the front of the compound. The little boy rubbed his face onto Gabriel’s shoulder, a sure sign he was worn out.

  “Shame on you, making your soft-hearted daddy feel bad for calling you out on your hair pulling,” he said softly before kissing Forrest’s head. The boy had been born without much hair to speak of, but it had grown in nearly black, like Grey’s.

  He changed the baby’s diaper and put him in the crib, pleased that Forrest immediately rolled over, stuck the corner of his blanket in his mouth, and closed his eyes. With Grey and Ian rushing to the nursery every time Forrest cried, it had taken a while to reach the point where the baby didn’t complain about going to bed. Gabriel stood enjoying the sight a few seconds longer before leaving the room and quietly shutting the door behind him. His mates seemed particularly protective of their second son, and Gabriel knew it was his fault. Gabriel had run away while pregnant with Forrest, and his mates had saved him just as he went into labor, which would have surely killed him.

  “I’m heading over to the omega den,” Gabriel told Ian when he returned to the kitchen. “Roanan is bringing Josh over there. He wants me to talk to him.”

  Roanan was Ian’s younger brother, and Gabriel had noticed that ever since Ian and Grey’s falling out, when Ian had stayed a while with Roanan, the two had become closer. He supposed it was good something positive had come from Gabriel’s foolish actions. He didn’t like thinking about the trouble he’d caused his mates, all out of remorse for the very same thing. Seemed all Gabriel had done since the day he’d come into the pack was cause trouble, but for some reason his mates loved him and wanted him to stick around. He’d accepted that and had promised Grey he would never run away again, no matter what.

  Ian paused in washing the dishes to kiss Gabriel goodbye, and, after promising Finny he’d be back soon, the first omega set off across the compound toward the recently built omega den.

  Autumn had turned the trees bright colors and brought a nip to the air. The gentle rolls of the Eufaula mountains surrounded the compound, nestling the werewolf pack among the deep caves in which they made their homes. Gabriel rarely missed River Wolf pack anymore. Knowing it had disintegrated, its members scattered, helped ease any residual homesickness that remained. He knew most of his former friends were safe in Cascade City in the new pack River had formed, and the few others had joined relatives in other packs. Those who had risen against River and Josiah and contributed to the downfall of the pack didn’t matter. They had what they deserved.

  Entering the small house, Gabriel smelled frying bacon. Over the counter that separated the main room from the kitchen, Christopher stood cooking at the propane stove. The beta had moved into the omega den some time ago and took care of the omegas who occasionally stayed there when in heat. At first, Gabriel had been surprised when Christopher had become involved with Xavier, who had been suffering since losing his mate to The Turned and was quite a bit older than Chris, but they seemed good together.

  At Gabriel’s entrance, Christopher raised his head and smiled, a hunk of blond hair falling into his face.

  “Hey, Gabe. Are you hungry? I just made lunch. Vaughn arrived a little while ago when James left with the hunting party.”

  “Is Vaughn in heat?” Gabriel asked.

  Christopher shook his head. “No, he just didn’t want to stay at home alone. He dropped J.J. at the nursery for the night. He just finished eating and went upstairs for a nap.”

  Gabriel sat at the table and accepted a cup of coffee from Christopher. “I’ve eaten, thanks. I’m meeting Josh here.”

  Gabriel made small talk while Christopher bustled around the kitchen. The first omega wanted to ask the beta how much he’d recovered after having received several treatments with the antidote, but he didn’t know how to bring it up. Grey and Ian hadn’t allowed Gabriel to take the antidote yet, but he hoped they would soon.

  The front door opened, and Gabriel craned his neck to see over the bar. Ian’s nephew looked around uncertainly. He was a beautiful young man, with dark curly hair and brown eyes like his father, and Gabriel was sure there would be many alphas clamoring to mate with him when he got a little older. Maybe even sooner, which was probably why Roanan was concerned.

  “Josh, come and have some coffee with me,” Gabriel called out.

  “I’m going to take some recyclables to the center,” Christopher said, lifting a box from the closet shelf. He disappeared out the back door, and as soon as it shut, Gabriel turned to the young omega and smiled.

  “How have you been?”

  “Okay, I guess,” Josh said. He looked nervous.

  “I want you to know this is a second home to you,” Gabriel said. “The omega den is for all omegas to gather. We thrive on touch and need comfort from one another, as well as companionship. I’m sure living with three alphas is difficult for you, although you do have Emory there now.”

  “Dad and Emory are always having sex,” Josh said.

  “That’s to be expected. They haven’t been mated long, and an alpha and omega relationship is particularly sexual.”

  Josh nodded. “I know.” He
swallowed and peered at Gabriel from under a lock of dark hair. “And I’ve heard about the omega stuff, but I don’t know a lot about it. I think…it sounds nice.”

  Gabriel smiled. “It is. You’ll see. We’ll go cuddle on the couch when we get finished drinking our coffee.” He watched the young omega visibly relax into his chair at the promise.

  After a moment, Josh looked down at the table. “I’ve often wished my omega birth father had lived, but I’ve wished it even more lately.” He shook his head. “I have these feelings I don’t understand at all.”

  “Please don’t hesitate to ask me any question you have, even if you find it embarrassing. I promise you, Josh, we all feel the same way.”

  Josh bit his lip, looking uncertain. He glanced around again, this time with more interest. Christopher worked hard to maintain a homey atmosphere, with a fire burning in the fireplace on cool days and something delicious-smelling on the stove more often than not.

  Gabriel drained his tea and stood.

  “Why don’t we go sit in front of the fire now?”

  They settled on the big, comfortable sofa, and Gabriel curled up close to Josh. After a moment, the young werewolf leaned into the first omega, sighing when Gabriel wrapped his arm around him and pulled him closer. Touch was essential to an omega’s happiness, and Gabriel sensed that Josh really needed it. He’d probably been unaware of why he felt so discontented lately.

  When the younger omega didn’t offer any questions, Gabriel decided it was up to him to draw the boy out.

  “When I first realized I was an omega, I was confused,” he said. “I was an only child, and my parents were betas. I’d been completely unprepared for my first heat. It hit me like a ton of bricks. I thought I was dying.”

  Josh listened, head resting on Gabriel’s shoulder.

  “How did you get through it?” he asked.

  “We had an omega den at River Wolf Pack, just like here. It’s why I asked Grey to build this one. My parents took me there, and I spent my heat like all unmated omegas do—with a dildo inside me.”

  Josh was quiet a moment before asking, “What’s that like?”

  “It felt good because my body needed something to fill it. But at the same time it wasn’t enough. I wanted an alpha inside me.” Gabriel thought back to that time. “And I hated that I wanted that. I was ashamed that I needed someone to make me whole. I’m kind of different that way. Most omegas are eager for a mate.”

  “I am,” Josh whispered. “More and more lately.”

  “You may be nearing your first heat,” Gabriel said.

  “Already? How will I know?” Josh asked.

  “There will be signs ahead of time. You’ll get this feeling like you want to crawl out of your own skin. You’ll be slick between your butt cheeks. As the heat grows nearer, you might see flashes of red. Some omegas hear a buzzing sound. You’ll want to be filled, more and more desperately as time passes. Soon it won’t matter who it is, as long as they put their cock and knot inside you. You have to be very careful to recognize the early signs, because once the heat’s taken hold of you, anyone can mount you, and you won’t care who they are. Not until after the heat subsides.”

  Josh seemed to take in all the information, digesting it for long moments with only the snapping and popping of the logs in the fireplace breaking the silence. Gabriel waited patiently for the younger omega to speak first, enjoying the warmth and comfort of the room as well as the closeness of his companion. He also enjoyed providing this to Josh in his role of first omega of the pack.

  “I think maybe I’ve felt some of that,” Josh finally said. “I’ve produced slick for a while now, but lately it’s getting thicker and sweeter smelling. Alphas as well as betas are beginning to notice me.” He snuggled closer to Gabriel. “I’ve wanted this…closeness. I just didn’t realize it. And it’s not like my alpha brothers are going to cuddle with me.” He laughed.

  Gabriel laughed, too, imagining Lake and Landon joining a cuddle session. “I imagine not. Young alphas aren’t exactly touchy-feely.”

  “I enjoy sitting here with you like this,” Josh said, taking Gabriel’s hand and playing with the first omega’s long fingers. He sniffed. “You smell a little of Uncle Ian. And Uncle Grey.”

  “That happens when you mate. And I like this too. Sometimes I come here just to spend time with whoever happens to be here. We’ve designated Saturday night as our cuddle night, and any omega who’s free to come, does. You should be sure to join us every Saturday from now on. I feel bad I haven’t suggested it before.”

  “I will,” Josh said. “I think it will really help me with the way I’ve been feeling.”

  “You can also take one of the toys home with you. Sometimes it helps to sleep with a dildo with a knot at the base inside you. It’s comforting, and it will prepare you for being mated. I love sleeping with one of my mates’ cocks filling me.” Gabriel squirmed a little at the thought, longing for the days when he’d spent the delirium of his heats with Grey and Ian taking turns having him instead of going to the omega den at the first signs of his heat.

  “Maybe I will,” Josh said shyly. “Although I’ll never hear the end of it if Lake or Landon find it.”

  Gabriel chuckled. “Don’t let them shame you. Omegas are rare and wonderful beings.” He was a little surprised at how much he believed that. When he’d arrived at Angel Hills, he’d hated being an omega.

  “I once felt that everyone else had all the power,” Gabriel shared. “But now I know that’s not true. We’re the ones with the power. Every pack wants omegas because of how fertile we are. But that’s not the only reason. We nourish and guide. We do it subtly, to keep the peace, but it’s our ministrations that keep the pack together and make it strong. That’s why Grey felt it was so important to bring omegas back into the pack. Waiting for the next generation to grow up was having a negative effect. Don’t ever let anyone make you feel we aren’t important.”

  “I won’t,” Josh promised, and Gabriel’s heart swelled with pride at having helped the young omega in coming to terms with who he was.

  They sat in companionable silence for a while. Christopher returned, put something in the oven, and went upstairs. Sounds of him cleaning drifted down to the two omegas.

  “Do you have any questions for me?” Gabriel eventually asked.

  “My dad says it’s dangerous for me to be around Grant,” Josh said after a moment.

  Gabriel remembered Grant was a young alpha who had once been Josh’s constant companion, sometimes accompanying Josh to the house in the trees to visit.

  “That must be hard on you. But your father’s right,” Gabriel said. “Grant’s come into his rut and has to be noticing you.”

  “He does, but he keeps himself in check,” Josh said. “He’s my best friend. I can’t just stop seeing him. But at the same time, in other ways, I can see him changing.”

  Gabriel felt for Josh. “I’m afraid soon Grant will lose his self-control. Just the vague essence of approaching heat could do it. He’ll take you, and you won’t be able to stop him. You may not want to stop him.”

  Josh slowly eased himself out of Gabriel’s arms and turned on the couch to look at the older omega. “And then what would happen?”

  Gabriel raised a brow. “If you’re in or nearing heat, he might get you with pup. If he did, he would have to give you the mating bite. If you didn’t get pregnant, you might regret having been with him for your first time when someone else comes along you want to mate. Do you have feelings for Grant?”

  Josh lowered his eyes. “I don’t know. I thought I did once.”

  “What about Grant? How does he feel?”

  Josh shrugged. “I don’t know. We haven’t talked about it.”

  “You’re playing a dangerous game hanging out with him now. A time will come a time when Grant can’t hold back no matter how hard he wants to. If he gets you with pup, Grey will expect him to mate you. And what if Grant doesn’t want that? What if you don’t?”
Gabriel knew he was being harsh, but he had to make Josh understand.

  A troubled look entered Josh’s dark eyes. “But…wouldn’t we bond?”

  “You would. And maybe everything would be fine. Or maybe one or both of you would have regrets and feel resentful of the bond. It can happen when an omega is taken by force or an alpha is thrown into uncontrolled rut without planning it. That’s why it’s really important you do as your father says and stay away from Grant. Don’t cheat yourself out of finding the right person at the right time.”

  “Can Grant and I be friends again once I’m mated?”

  Gabriel considered. “I doubt it. Your mate won’t tolerate it if he’s an alpha. If your mate’s a beta, he won’t stand a chance against an alpha in rut if Grant gets a whiff of you in heat. But maybe after you are both mated. Then your allure won’t be as strong with him and your mate’s scent will be all over you. It will be a different kind of friendship than you’ve had, though,” Gabriel said gently.

  From the look on Josh’s face, Gabriel could tell the young omega didn’t like what he was hearing. Unfortunately, this was a fact of werewolf life Josh would have to get used to—the sooner the better. At River Wolf Pack, the boys’ friendship would never have been allowed to develop. The omegas in the pack would have known to keep them apart. But it had been fifteen years since omegas of child-bearing age had lived in Angel Hills.

  There was a knock on the door, and Christopher hurried down the stairs to answer it.

  Roanan stood on the front porch, and when he saw his son sitting comfortably before the fire in Gabriel’s embrace, the alpha looked relieved.

  “Did you have a nice visit?” he asked. Gabriel nodded as Josh stood and went to his father.

  “It helped a lot,” Josh said. Roanan sent Gabriel a look of gratitude over his son’s head.

  When they’d left, Gabriel settled back, gazing into the fire. Soon they would have two new omegas in their pack—Keith and Elliott—and it would be up to Gabriel as first omega to welcome them and make them comfortable. The two omegas had intended to come from Cascade City some time ago, along with a third omega named Trevor, but they hadn’t because Trevor had been kidnapped by humans who were running an omega trafficking ring, which had been one of the reasons Grey hadn’t allowed Gabriel to go to Cascade City for treatment. Grey was worried that something bad would happen to Gabriel, even if Grey or Ian was with the omega. Gabriel could understand it and even took some of the blame for it; if he hadn’t run away and worried his alpha mate like he had, Grey wouldn’t be as paranoid. But Gabriel was ready to try the antidote and get back to a normal life, so he had to somehow convince Grey to allow it. Ian would be easier to sway.