by Joyee Flynn
“Thank you,” he breathed as he gently pushed me back on the rug. “Thank you, baby.” He kissed me deeply and I could feel the relief coming off of him in waves. We hadn’t mated since I was claimed by the inner circle, but it was one of my gifts. I could feel strong emotions as if they were my own.
“Make love to me,” I whispered against his lips when he went to pull away.
“You know we can’t,” he replied, shaking his head. “After you heal. Until then, I’m going to take good care of you.”
“I can heal later. The more you have sex with me the quicker the wolfsbane will wear off.” He’d get power and faster healing abilities from his time with me and I wanted him to be healthy too.
Tag gave me a wide, wolfish grin. “The wolfsbane was switched out with herbal-smelling water that looks like it and has the same scent. I’m wolfsbane-free this week and hopefully until they need more unless I can pull the same move again.”
“I love smart men,” I purred, my heart soaring that he wasn’t drugged again. They gave him the same amount every week, enough to weaken him but not kill him. Then he got a double dose after his week with me to counteract the power he got from me.
“I couldn’t not win the hunt like last week.” I saw the pain in his eyes as if he’d failed me. “They gave me the double dose and I didn’t react well to it, even worse than normal. I knew I had to do something about their supply or Ryan would keep getting you. I couldn’t let that happen.”
This was one of the reasons I loved this man so much. He didn’t switch it out so he’d stopped getting drugged up. He did it so I wouldn’t have to suffer if he lost the hunt. Taggart never thought of himself. I was about to try and tell him it wasn’t his fault and I didn’t blame him when I felt him rub healing salve on my butt.
I moaned and arched my back as I instantly felt better. When had he gotten it and put some on his hands? I’d missed that but I was glad he was doing it. Taggart was wicked smart and knew a lot about herbs, especially the ones that reacted with werewolves. Instead of finding which ones could counteract the wolfsbane he’d worked on making a salve that could heal me.
How could I not love him? His selflessness made my heart flutter.
“I don’t deserve you,” I whispered as he used both hands to work the salve into the muscles in my ass and then on my sore hips.
“You deserve so much more than what I can give you.” He kissed me gently and then went back to work. When he moved down my legs and got to my ankles I flinched in pain. Ryan had really done a number on me. Instead of just telling me where he wanted me when he screwed me, he’d jerk my body around, not caring if I could actually bend that way.
By the time Taggart was done rubbing the salve all over my body I was limp like a wet noodle from the pleasure and relief from the pain. Then, as if he hadn’t done enough, he swallowed down my cock and rocked my world with the best blow job ever.
“Will you forgive me for abandoning you?” he asked quietly after I blew my load.
“Tag, stop,” I gasped as I pulled him on top of me. “None of this is your fault. They drug you, okay? It’s not like you just said fuck it, he’s not worth this shit and walked away. I know you love me and we do the best that we can to make it through this hell. I’ve never once blamed you, only them.”
“It kills me to see what you go through when I can’t win the hunt. I don’t want this life for you, Dewey.”
“I do if it means I have you.” He smiled and I felt his hardness pushing against my groin. I smiled at him and spread my legs in invitation. Now we could get down to the lovemaking and enjoy our time together.
Or so I thought because that’s when the door was kicked in. Motherfuckers.
Chapter 2
“Get out of my house,” Taggart snarled, instantly on his feet as half a dozen men stepped over the broken door. I was a step behind but still reacted fast enough to make me feel good that I could hold it together in a bad situation.
“I don’t want to hurt you and use my gift,” I said quietly as I stepped out in front of Taggart. He grabbed me around the waist and I was right back behind him again. “Why did you do that? I’m the one who can take them all out with just a thought.”
“Not before one shoots you,” he threw over his shoulder. “Did you miss the guns? Or did you just want to give them target practice by announcing you were the Omega?”
“I think they knew because of the blond hair,” I answered with a squeak when I peeked around him and saw the very large weapons. Whoops.
“We’re not here to hurt the Omega,” one guy said as he stepped forward, his gun pointed at Taggart. “The Council sent us to rescue him.”
“You’re still pointing a gun at the man I love and I will hurt all of you if you don’t lower them,” I threatened, glad they were good guys… Maybe.
“What proof do we have you’re with the Council?” Oh, that was a good question. I was glad Taggart thought of it since I didn’t think of that.
“We don’t need to prove anything to you,” he sneered at Taggart and that just pissed me off. I darted out in front of my man and held up my hands but not in surrender.
“Lower the guns or I will hurt you. He’s no threat to me. I love him and he has never hurt me.”
“That’s not what the Beta told us when we stormed Alpha Hooker’s house,” a different guy replied.
“Oh, well, I can explain that,” I groaned, shaking my head. “They wouldn’t let him win the hunt if the Alpha knew we were in love and Taggart was good to me.”
“Maybe he has that kidnapping syndrome?” the second guy whispered to the first.
“I don’t have Stockholm syndrome,” I snapped. “Enough talk. If you’re here to rescue me, Taggart comes with, so put down the damn guns!”
“Carson!” someone yelled from outside as a little blond just bigger than me darted into the house.
“Lower your weapons, guys,” Carson ordered as he walked past the team of six in tactical gear. He stared straight at me casually. “What’s your gift, Dewey?”
“I can feel emotions and knock people out.” I shrugged when Taggart groaned that I gave the information up. Carson was with the Omega Network and would know I could do something.
“How would that have hurt us?” the first guy asked as they slung their large guns over their shoulders and stood down.
“I make someone drop all of a sudden and they tend to get concussions and nasty bruises.” Again I shrugged. I didn’t say that I’d kill them all or dismember them but a big bump on the head does hurt.
“Carson! Unfreeze me!” the same man shouted from outside.
“Whoops,” Carson giggled and waved his hand. “Sorry, my love.”
“Don’t my love me,” a very large man growled as he stomped inside the house and next to the Omega. “What part of promising to wait outside was unclear?”
“You can spank me later and have me any way you want as my punishment, Taylor. As long as you don’t tell the others I ran in here.” Carson leaned against the man and practically purred. “I’m sorry I froze you, my mate. You can have your naughty way with me when we get home.”
“Yeah, such a tough punishment for you.” Taylor chuckled, shaking his head as he wrapped an arm around Carson. Then the big man glanced at me. “So you’re Dewey, right? We’re here to rescue you. You asked for our help so I’m not sure what the problem is?”
“They had guns pointed at Taggart and how were we to know they were really with the Council?” I replied quietly as I moved back towards my man. “I love him. I said I was in love with someone when I posted to the Omega Network. I won’t leave him.”
“I love you too, baby,” Taggart whispered as his strong arms hugged me from behind. “I’ll be fine. All I want is you to be safe, okay? Go with them.”
“What?” I gasped and spun in his arms. “No! I won’t leave you!” I whimpered when he gave me a sad smile. “You knew this might happen if they came, didn’t you?”
“Yeah, baby. You’re the one that’s valuable to the Council. I’m just another wolf.”
“But you’re not, now are you?” Carson asked cryptically. I glanced over my shoulder and saw the man staring at Taggart and realized he was reading his thoughts. “No more drama. You both come and I might have a solution that should make everyone happy. Pack what you can and let’s get the fuck out of here.”
“Okay.” I immediately agreed and dragged Taggart to his bedroom and found his suitcase. “You really were just going to let them take me from you?”
“If it meant you being saved and not having to live like this anymore, then yes,” he said quietly. “It would have killed me to lose you but you’re all that matters to me.”
“Bullshit!” I shouted as I threw another bag at him. His eyes went wide at my outburst. “I would do anything for you, Tag. You knew I didn’t want to be rescued if that meant I had to leave you. That’s why I wouldn’t run away with you. I can’t lose you either.”
“I’m sorry, my love,” he whispered as he stepped around the bed and pulled me into his arms. “I won’t ever make decisions for both of us anymore, okay?”
“Fine,” I agreed, hugging him back. “We leave here today and we’re in this together. We’re a team.” I hedged a moment, not sure if I wanted to bring up this next topic but then decided to get it out in the open. “And no more keeping secrets, Tag. I know how you’ve been getting the money you’ve been hiding so we could run.”
“How long have you known?” he croaked out, shaking slightly at the news.
“For over a year,” I whispered as I kissed his chest before looking up at him. “I hate that you were doing that to help us.”
“And yet you can still love me knowing what I’ve done?” The fear in his eyes and coming off of him was almost suffocating.
“There’s nothing you could do or say that would make me stop loving you.” I ran my hands over his firm ass as I gave him my best smile. “I’m yours in every sense of the word, Tag. You have to trust me and tell me everything or we can’t be a real couple. I want that now that we’re rescued.”
“Deal.” He brushed his lips over mine. “I promise I won’t keep anything else from you again. Thank you for handling this so well, baby.”
“I won’t if there’s a next time I find out you’ve kept something from me.” I stepped away from him, letting him see the seriousness in my eyes. Taggart swallowed loudly and nodded. “So now is the time to come clean if there’s anything else I need to know.”
“No it’s not,” Carson called out. “We can hear every word and already we now need to discuss whatever the fuck you guys were talking about. I can’t read the minds of Omegas, our powers cancel out. And somehow the big guy is blocking me so we’re going to have to do this the old-fashioned way and talk.”
“Come on in and help us pack,” I offered, giving Taggart a wink. He didn’t look ready to trust these guys, but I’d read a lot on what was going on in the Omega Network. “I promise you these are the good guys, Tag. I’ve felt relief off every man here that I was still alive.”
“You’re sure?” His tone relaxed but was still hesitant as Taylor and Carson walked into the room.
“Yeah, that’s what I was feeling too,” Carson answered as he casually packed the clothes I was tossing on the bed. He wouldn’t look at me and kind of mumbled. “I’m sorry we didn’t come sooner.”
“Why didn’t you?” Taggart’s tone had gotten a little dark and I shot him a look… Which he ignored. “Do you have any idea what they did to Dewey when I couldn’t get to him first during the hunt because this pack has been drugging me?”
“Being an Omega whose previous inner circle abused him, I think I do,” Carson snapped and looked directly at Taggart. “You didn’t see all the stories that came in when we started the Omega Network. We couldn’t go in and get everyone all at once. We only had so many people helping and if we didn’t do it right, everyone who helped could have been killed.”
“There were more than Dewey?” Taggart went pale and sat on the bed before he fell over. “I didn’t know.”
“We’ve been keeping everything on the down low so packs don’t catch wind of what we’ve been doing,” Taylor said gently. “Dewey’s suffered, I’m sure, but he’s able to walk out of here on his own. That hasn’t been the case with the ones we’ve rescued so far. Some we didn’t think would survive.”
“I’m sorry. I wasn’t thinking about anyone besides Dewey,” my man whispered as he rubbed his hands over his face. “It’s my own guilt for not getting to him first last week.”
“Enough of that,” I tenderly chastised. “They’ve been drugging you. It’s not like you gave up on me. None of that matters anymore because we’re safe and getting out of here. So let’s pack and start our lives together.”
Taggart nodded as he stood and hurried to pack the rest. “Where are we going?”
“We’re going to send you to the Denver pack where Tristan lives,” Carson answered as he zipped up one of the bags. “We started the Omega Network together after confronting the Council about what was happening to most of the Omegas. From there we’ll find a permanent pack for you.” He looked at me with gentle eyes. “We’ll find you a real inner circle to protect and love you, Dewey.”
I swallowed loudly, scared at the idea of being another pack’s Omega. “I just want Taggart.”
“He seems strong enough to be leader.” Carson shot my man a quick look. “And he can fight if what I’ve seen in his head is an indication. My only question is why a dire wolf isn’t with the dire wolf pack?”
“Shit,” I groaned and rolled my eyes. “My concentration slipped when you got upset hearing about the other abused Omegas.”
“So you were blocking me from his thoughts.” Carson smiled widely. “You so have to show me that trick. I can teach you to freeze people like I have Tristan. It’s useful and no one ends up with concussions like when you knock people out. Though I’d like to learn that too. Maybe it can be useful if my men step out of line.”
“Yes, please, teach him more ways to be the boss of us,” Taylor said with a chuckle. “Because he listens so well already when it comes to his safety.”
“Yeah, yeah, you’re so abused.” Carson teased and we all had a good laugh. We finished throwing the basics into suitcases, Taggart remembering my box of treasures. I would have been really upset if I had left that behind and I was grateful I ended up keeping it at his house.
Next thing I knew we were being loaded on a chopper heading for Denver. Carson promised that he’d be in touch soon and we needed to tell Tristan everything so they could help us. I nodded and agreed, being able to read the man’s emotions and knowing he was one of the good guys. Taggart was a lot more hesitant but I knew he trusted me and would get on board with anything I wanted. And this was what was best for us, I knew it.
I laughed as my man practically had to crawl into the chopper because he was so fucking tall and wide. He chuckled as he joined me on the bench, helping me strap in as he gave me quick kisses. When we were ready, the chopper took off and I was where I should have been… Snuggled in the arms of the man I loved.
Sweet!
* * * *
I awoke with a start when the helicopter touched down. Taggart held me tightly and the moment I smelled him I relaxed. Everything that had happened surfaced to the front of my mind and I realized we must be in Denver. Which meant I was scared, nervous, excited, hopeful… And ready to vomit all at the same time. While Taggart was the picture of calm since he was only feeling slightly wary.
“Maybe running away wasn’t such a bad idea after all,” I mumbled as the chopper started to shut down and four very, very large men approached us.
“Naw, I can take them if I need to, baby,” Tag said in his best reassuring voice.
“Carson was right that you guys were problem children,” the large blond called out with a smile. “I can still smell the wolfsbane in your system, Taggart, so let’s not
try anything when we’re here to help you.” The three men with him gave us a curious look before glancing at the blond. “My name is Tristan Modesto. This is my Alpha, Jared, and our Betas, Cameron and Rhyce. We are all mated and mean you no harm.”
“You’ll forgive us for not blindly believing that after our last pack,” Taggart replied as he lifted me out of the chopper once he was standing on the ground. “What are they feeling, baby?”
“Mostly confusion and relief that I’m in better shape than they would have thought,” I answered, staring at the men. I glanced at the smallest of them, which was a relative thing because he was still well over six feet. “And the Alpha’s glad I’m not alone in this and have someone I love.”
“You can read minds,” Alpha Jared said with a nod. “That’s good.”
“No, I can’t actually,” I countered as I grabbed a few of our smaller bags. There was no way Taggart was going to let me carry much but I could still help. “I can feel strong emotions and an image here and there of why the person’s feeling it. I can also knock people out and throw a net over Taggart so no one can read his mind or their powers affect him.”
“Oh that one’s cool. Could you teach me how to do that?” Tristan asked, his eyes going wide. “Carson showed me how to freeze people and I helped him control the voices he was hearing which were the thoughts around him. I get the feelings and images thing but only when I turn it on if you want to put it like that. Can you control it?”
“No,” I hedged, glancing at Tag. He smiled and nodded as if agreeing these were good guys. “I’d like to. It’s hard when you’re in trouble and you’re being swarmed by feelings and images that you don’t want to know.”
“Better than setting shit on fire on accident.” Tristan laughed as his men shook their heads. “We rescued another Omega a month ago from his nut-job Alpha uncle. His gift is fire and he kept losing control of it. Turns out he’s part witch too, so he’s working with Omegas and a witch to learn control.”
