by Joyee Flynn
“I’m glad he has help.” I smiled. I knew what he was doing. Tristan wasn’t trying to gossip or ramble because he was nervous. He was letting us know that they’d helped others and could help us.
“Yeah, he’s living happily with the Cheyenne pack and his inner circle now,” Tristan said with a wink. “You can always call Edric for a reference that we’re the good guys.” I liked him. We both knew what he was doing so why play coy with it?
“I think we’re good.” I got four bright grins for the statement and they helped us unload. Just as we got to their house the Council’s chopper fired up and took off minutes later. We followed them up to our room, where Tristan shared a glance with Jared and sighed.
“You’re going to get pissed and I just ask for some patience,” Tristan started, pinching the bridge of his nose after he set the bags down.
“You won’t let me be in the same room as Dewey,” Taggart said quietly. “I understand. You don’t know me and I bet the Council didn’t sanction my being pulled out from our pack.”
“No they didn’t,” Jared replied as he leaned his shoulders against the wall. “You seem like a good guy and Carson told us your first thoughts were always about Dewey’s safety. But we can’t give the Council a recommendation on how to handle the situation if we can’t objectively assess it. Just give us some time and jump through a few hoops so we can do this right and keep you guys together.”
“No,” I growled instantly and took Taggart’s hand. “Let’s go.”
“Baby,” he whispered and didn’t move when I pulled on his arm. “You know we can’t run now. We’ve been given sanctuary. If we ran from a bad pack and inner circle there was a chance we wouldn’t be killed because we were the victims. We run now and we’re in deep shit.”
“I fucked everything up by agreeing to come with them, didn’t I?” I was horror-struck at how badly I screwed us. I thought I’d been doing the right thing.
“I know you’re scared, Dewey,” Tristan said gently as he squatted down so he didn’t seem so imposing. “I was shitting bright-pink kittens when I came here to be the Omega. We all have to adapt and go through some adjustments but I can promise you that if we see Taggart is good for you and your love is real, we’ll fight for you to stay together.”
“You think I have Stockholm syndrome too, don’t you?” I accused, really starting to get pissed off everyone assumed I was some weak victim. “I’m not weak!”
“Even if you did have Stockholm that doesn’t make you weak,” Tristan said firmly. “But no, I don’t think that. I think you guys are in love. But we need to be able to prove that to the Council. Let Taggart stay with one of the Elders of our pack a few days. There’s a psychologist who works for the Council who’s on his way here. Talk with him, let him assess you so we can cut through the red tape. Carson says Taggart can lead but I can’t see in his mind with you blocking him.”
“You want Taggart to become my Alpha and take over a pack?” I guessed, my eyes shooting to my man when Tristan nodded. “So we’d get some Betas and live happily ever after if we agree and he can show you he’s strong?”
“That’s the plan Carson came up with but we don’t know the why behind it,” Jared agreed with a nod.
“I’m a dire wolf,” Taggart explained. “I’ll talk with your shrink, do whatever you want if it means I get to stay with Dewey. I’ll lead or be a Beta if that’s what it takes.”
“That explains it,” Tristan mumbled as he stood to his full height. “There’s a pack of dire wolves whose Alpha was found out to be bat-shit crazy. They had just gotten two new Betas after the last ones mysteriously disappeared. But they need a new Alpha and an Omega would be helpful to help heal and strengthen the pack.”
“Open your mind to Dewey and let him feel you’re telling the truth.” I liked Taggart’s idea. We couldn’t use our gifts on other Omegas unless they consciously allowed it. Tristan nodded and I placed my hand on his arm. I was swarmed by images and memories. That was a new trick. I guess I’d never tried to really read anyone before and got more than normal.
I gasped and stepped away, my eyes going wide as I stared at Tristan. “No one ever figured out why you got so big?”
“Only emotions, huh?” Tristan teased me.
“Normally yes, but I think when I was trying hard to really feel what you were instead of just feeling it the regular way I got more,” I answered sheepishly. “Sorry.”
“No problem, pint size,” he chuckled. “To answer your question, no, not really. There have been some documented cases of a mate growing rapidly when their mate was in danger but that’s the best guess we have.”
“I was wondering how you were so big for an Omega,” Taggart mumbled. Then he gave a slow, dark glance to each of the men who were helping us. “I’ll jump through the hoops, give Dewey some space so you can assess what we have is real, and talk to your doc. That being said, you force him to do anything he doesn’t want to do, keep him prisoner in any way, or don’t protect him as you should, and drugged with wolfsbane or not, I will tear all your fucking balls off and shove them down your throats. We clear?”
“As clear as glass,” Tristan said, holding up a hand when Jared snarled. “If the situation was reversed how would you handle being separated from me? They’ve been together longer than we have.”
“I’d be kicking ass and taking names for the headstones,” Jared grumbled and gave Taggart a nod. “Dewey can have all the freedom he wants as long as it doesn’t threaten his safety. So he’ll be confined to the grounds unless one of us is with him to take him where he wants to go. As long as we agree that’s for his safety and not a matter of being kept prisoner, then we’re agreed with your terms.”
“I have your word as Alpha?” Taggart extended his hand, wanting the man to vow.
“You do,” Jared agreed and shook my man’s hand.
“Do I get a say?” I asked with an edge of annoyance in my voice.
“Yeah, pint size,” Tristan chuckled and ruffled my hair. “They’re just being Alphas and whipping them out to compare size.”
“Oh, Taggart would win that competition. He’s got the biggest cock I’ve ever seen,” I blurted out without meaning to. Every eye turned to me as my cheeks heated up.
“Thanks, baby,” Tag chuckled as everyone burst out laughing. “Glad to know I can still impress you.”
“That’s not why I’ll miss you though,” I said sheepishly. He held his arms open to me and I walked right into them. “I love you, Tag. Pass all the tests so we can be together, okay?”
“You got it, my love,” he whispered in my ear. “Have some fun and enjoy being free. From here on out you get a choice in everything so don’t be afraid to say no anytime you want to. You need anything call me and wild horses can’t keep me from getting to you.”
“I know.” And I did. Taggart was the one thing in my life that was constant, along with his love and devotion to me. As long as I had him, I had everything I ever needed. Now if we could just make this inner circle see that so they could convince the Council.
That would be the next challenge.
Chapter 3
The next morning after breakfast I was sitting in the front room with George Decker, the psychologist. So far we’d introduced ourselves and then Tristan left us alone and we’d been staring at each other.
“Let me guess, you’re assessing how comfortable I feel with a stranger who’s going to pick apart my mind?” Okay, so I was being a little sarcastic but it was weird.
“Not really,” he hedged as he held back a smile. “More giving you a chance to adjust to the idea of speaking with me since it was thrown at you just last night. Are you always this forward?”
“No, not in the slightest,” I giggled, shaking my head. “I just want to not beat around any bushes and tell you what you need to know so that you don’t keep me apart from the man I love.”
“Okay, then let’s start with Taggart. How did you guys meet?”
That br
ought a smile to my face immediately just thinking about it. “The first full moon after my claiming ceremony Alpha Hooker informed me I was going to be the prize for a pack hunt. I was enraged, scared, and worried for so many reasons. Taggart won me. I saw this gorgeous, huge wolf racing over the pack lands towards me and suddenly I wasn’t afraid anymore. Then he shifted into the most handsome man I’d ever seen.”
“What happened after he won you? From my understanding the winner got you for a week to do with as they pleased.” He frowned at the idea and I liked George a little bit more and relaxed.
“We had to have sex right there, but he wasn’t like Alpha Hooker or the Betas had been with me. It was like he was putting on a show that I was a toy but he did little things to make sure I didn’t get hurt.”
“For instance?”
“He waited to make sure I’d adjusted to the size of his dick by pretending he was out of breath from the chase,” I explained, still with that goofy in love grin on my face. “He lifted me onto his lap as if to take me deeper but it was so I didn’t get hurt on the rocks and twigs on the ground. Then he whispered in my ear to play along and scream in pain so no one knew I was enjoying it.”
“So he kept you safe,” George murmured as he wrote down some notes. “And after you left the pack lands and were alone?”
“He never touched me the whole week except to hug me when I was upset,” I answered with a sigh. “Taggart was a perfect gentleman. He didn’t take advantage of me and only went as far as putting an arm around me while we had a movie marathon.”
“Did he ever tell you why that was?” The man seemed intrigued now, and a little surprised.
“He said I was a man, a beautiful man, who shouldn’t be treated as a possession or award to be won. He told me that a man like me should be worshiped when I allowed it and never made to do anything I didn’t want to. Taggart still tells me that no matter how bad things get. He wants me to know that it’s not my fault I’ve been treated the way I have and only because my inner circle was a bunch of assholes. Real men don’t treat people the way I have been, he says.”
“He’s right,” George agreed with a smile. “Do you believe that?”
“Yes, in my head,” I admitted with a shrug. “It’s hard sometimes to understand that in my heart. I do feel like a possession with everyone else but him. I was sold by my parents, abused by my inner circle, and pimped out to my pack. It’s not supposed to be personal but to me it was very personal if that makes sense.”
“Yes, actually it does. It’s common for most Omegas, no matter what they’ve been through, to feel that way.”
“Because that’s how the Council sees us,” I griped bitterly.
“We’re working on that,” he replied softly, sympathy shining in his eyes. “One thing at a time, Dewey. You’re free from the hell you lived for too long. That’s step one. Step two is getting you to where you belong with a good pack and an inner circle that will treat you as you deserve. Once there, if you were so inclined, I know Tristan and Carson could always use help speaking with Omegas and giving the Council firsthand reports on how things are going.”
“Will the Council see the notes you take from our sessions?” I asked hesitantly, not sure if that would be a good or a bad thing. Carson trusted this man and I got the feeling he was very neutral in all things besides simply wanting to help. He didn’t seem to have any other agenda besides that.
“Not unless you want them to,” he hedged slowly, giving me a curious look. “They only get a summary and a recommendation of what course of action should be next to get you healthy again.”
“If I let them see everything will the people mentioned besides my inner circle be punished?” That was a big one for me. Ryan shouldn’t go free while my Alpha and Betas paid for their abuse.
“You’d have to testify at their hearing but if you gave me an official abuse report against someone in your old pack we can have them arrested.” He schooled his shocked reaction almost immediately. Yeah, I bet most had no clue that it wasn’t just the inner circles that abused Omegas… It could be most of the pack like mine had.
“Then I give you permission to show them everything,” I said quietly after a few moments of thought. “If the Council thinks the problem is solved by taking out the inner circle they could put another Omega there to be hurt as I was. You might want to get a recorder because I don’t think you could write this all down without your hand hurting.”
“Would you like to discuss this with Taggart before we proceed?”
“No, he supports whatever I choose,” I answered as I looked into his eyes. I knew what he was trying to figure out with the question. I’d read up on Stockholm syndrome and people suffering from it didn’t make choices of their own without deferring to their captors. “He wanted to run away to keep me safe. I was the one who wanted to come with Carson and give the Council a chance and he never complained and supported my choice.”
“You’re very smart, Dewey,” he said with a sigh as he pinched the bridge of his nose. “That could make things more difficult.”
“Because I’m smart enough to figure out your unasked questions and you don’t know if I’m telling you what you want to hear so I can be with Taggart or if it’s the truth.” I surmised after a moment of thought.
“Exactly.” George looked as if he wanted to believe me, he really did, but I understood the position it put him in.
“Bring Tristan in and I’ll let him see in my head as I talk. He can be my bullshit meter if you trust him.”
“You’d be willing to do that?” His eyebrows shot up to his hairline in shock.
“I have nothing to hide, George. I’m telling you the truth, nothing more.”
He rubbed his chin in thought before smiling. “I don’t think that’s necessary since it was your idea. There are ways to see if your story is in sync with Taggart’s but not to the point that I feel he brainwashed you.”
“Then let’s begin.” I took a deep breath as he pulled out a small digital recorder and turned it on. Then I told him everything. I didn’t hold anything back, letting loose all the things and pain I’d pushed back. It was one of the hardest things I’d ever had to do, reliving hell like that. But if it could keep one person safe later from bad people then my suffering through it was worth it.
“I think that’s enough for today,” George said quietly an hour later. He looked a little pale. I’m sure he’d heard worse or just as bad of things as I was telling him. And while living it or witnessing it was horrid, listening to all the sordid details couldn’t have been easy either.
I nodded my agreement, tired and ready for something fun instead of dark and painful. He shut off the recorder and he gave me a homework assignment before we talked again tomorrow. I was interested to know what he could already have me thinking about to help me.
“I want you to write letters to Alpha Hooker, your Betas, and this Ryan saying everything you never could when they were around for fear of retribution. There’s no length requirement here, Dewey. Just go with what feels right and what you need to get off your chest. I want you to put how you feel on paper so later you can see how those feelings change as we work together more.”
“I can do that as long as I can borrow a laptop,” I said with a snicker when he raised an eyebrow. “My handwriting sucks big-time.”
“I’m sure Tristan has one you can borrow,” George replied with a wink and then raised his voice. “Right, Tristan?”
I heard a loud sigh from the other side of the door before it opened. “I wasn’t eavesdropping,” the large man mumbled as he joined us. “I was just hanging out in the hall in case I felt someone’s distress. Dewey doesn’t know you and talking to strangers is hard, George.”
“You’re a stranger to him as well, Tristan.” George countered, but Tristan simply shrugged.
“We’re both Omegas. It’s a different type of bond that makes us see each other as not being a threat.” I nodded in agreement with his assessment.
Granted, Tristan was in a league of his own with how huge he was, but I never feared him. “So if you guys are done I have a surprise for Dewey.”
“I like surprises,” I said cheerfully, ready to wipe away the past hour and the morose mood I was in. Tristan smiled widely as he threw me my jacket as we said our good-byes to George.
Five minutes later I was in the passenger’s seat of his SUV, bouncing with excitement like a kid taking a trip to the candy store. Ohhh, I hoped we were going to the candy store. I’d never been to one.
“So, I don’t know you and you don’t know me. I’ve only seen a bit of your past in the file the Council has on every Omega. I don’t mean to be condescending or assume things but I’d guess you were pretty sheltered before you were sold to your last pack like most of us were, right?”
“Yeah,” I snorted, rolling my eyes at the mention of my childhood. “I hadn’t even seen a movie until the first time I was with Taggart for the week. My parents thought TV would rot my brain and their investment so I wasn’t allowed to watch it or use a computer. And Taggart couldn’t act like he liked me, much less loved me, so we had to be careful not being seen out together having fun. I’ve never even been to a damn mall.”
“Excellent,” he drawled, with a wicked grin. “Then my surprise will be a welcomed adventure.”
“I’m going with your excellent means that we’re going to have fun and not excellent that my childhood was crappy,” I teased him.
“Yeah, pint size.” Now he rolled his eyes at me so I could see. “No one should have a crappy childhood. I’m not in favor of that. I just want to expose you to everything out there that you’ve missed.” He paused and bit his lip. “Well, maybe not everything. I’ll leave some of that for Taggart.”
I frowned at the mention of my man’s name and Tristan must have seen it because he reached for my hand. “What if the Council doesn’t let us be together and my deciding to contact the Omega Network just bit us both in the ass?”
