by Nora Phoenix
18
It was time for another pack meeting. Palani tried to hold these bi-weekly now. Sometimes they ran as short as fifteen minutes, just a simple run-down of everything that was new. Other times, they ran for hours when there was more they needed to discuss. Bray appreciated them, valuing the open communication from the alpha and his second-in-command.
Of course, he knew most of what they shared already, but it was good to hear others react, especially when it was hard news, like tonight. Bray’s own heart was heavy as he tried to assess how others would react. Kean would stay, he had no doubt, but what would Ruari do? He couldn’t fault the omega for leaving after tonight, but what about his son? It would mean Bray would lose the opportunity to be in Jax’s life.
“Guys, thank you all for coming,” Palani started, and Bray settled down in the back, where he could see everyone.
Kean and Ruari weren’t that far from him, the omega feeding Jax while Kean glanced sideways every now and then with hearts in his eyes. They looked good together, he had to admit, Kean’s every action and gesture signaling his tender care for Ruari. He’d make a great dad for Jax. Better than him, and that thought made him look away and take a steadying breath.
“I’m afraid we’ve got some hard news to share, so I’m gonna start with that and we’ll go from there.” Palani looked at Lidon who quietly stood behind him as if to get his strength. The alpha reached out for Palani’s hand, then pulled him close so he stood in front of him, his alpha literally behind him.
“We have credible evidence that a militant group is planning an attack on this ranch.”
A loud wave of gasps ran through the pack.
“We don’t know when and how, but it’s aimed at us specifically. This group knows we’re a pack, and they’ve found out Lidon can shift. They’re determined to stop the wolf shifters before more will come.”
Palani’s voice cracked at those last words, and Bray felt it too, the deep emotion at the thought that people wanted to kill them simply because of who they were, of how they lived their lives.
“They’re armed, they’re training, and they’re dangerous,” Palani said. “And even though Prime Minister York knows, he’s not inclined to stop them at this moment.”
That resulted in some angry murmurs, and Palani wasn’t even telling the whole story, which Bray had heard from him. The sheer balls of a prime minister to engage in blackmail was beyond comprehension, and Bray respected the hell out of Lidon and Palani for refusing to give in to a man who was more than comfortable playing with the lives of his constituents to further his own cause.
“We wanted you all to know this, so you can make a decision. You are free to leave the ranch at any time, and we will not blame you for doing so. This is a credible threat, and everyone should decide for themselves if they’re willing to risk it. Again, we won’t fault anyone for leaving,” Palani said.
“No one should stay if they don’t want to,” Lidon spoke up. “I want to make that absolutely clear. If you decide to leave, no hard feelings.”
“Does leaving mean leaving the pack as well?” Kean asked, and Bray’s heart sank.
Was the beta considering leaving? Had he misjudged him? Did that mean Ruari was leaving as well? His chest stabbed at the thought.
“Yes,” Lidon said. “We completely understand if people leave because they didn’t expect this. But if you leave, you leave the pack. You can’t be a part of the pack if you're not willing to face this threat together. That’s also because we’ll be shutting down all traffic in and out of the ranch as much as we can for security reasons. We won’t allow commutes anymore.”
“What about Maz and Rhene? They’re in the pack but live in the city half the time,” Urien said. “No offense, but I want to know what the rules are.”
Palani nodded. “We’ve informed both ahead of this meeting. They have a choice to move in full-time or leave the pack.”
Bray sat with bated breath, awaiting how many the pack would have left. He was staying, not even a doubt, but he didn’t have much to lose. For others, that was different. He wasn’t even sure what his own father would do, now that Sven was pregnant.
“Lidon, alpha, I’m sorry, but I can’t stay. I have my daughter to consider, and I can’t endanger her.”
That was Urien, sounding deeply apologetic. What a hard spot for him to be in, losing his job and his place to live. Still, Bray had expected this from him, and his guess was there would be more.
Urien hesitantly walked up to Lidon, who hugged him hard. “I understand, cousin. Be well.”
Jawon, Servas, and Ori were whispering with each other, and others started doing the same.
“I’m staying,” Rhene said.
“But what about finishing your degree?” Palani asked, clearly stunned.
“That can wait. I’m not leaving both of my brothers and my nephew,” the alpha spoke, sounding more mature than he ever had before.
“I’m staying as well.”
“Maz!” Enar gasped, jumping up. “You can’t—”
Maz cut him off by raising his hand. “Doc, stop. My place is here, now more than ever. I’m staying.”
That was unexpected, Bray thought, but man, was he happy to not only have another alpha join them, but a doctor at that.
“We’re staying,” Grayson said, and Bray’s heart was a little lighter. “We’ve successfully fought off the previous attack, and I have every confidence we’ll do it again.”
“Previous attack?” Ruari asked.
Right, the omega was new, so he hadn’t heard they’d been attacked before.
“About a year ago, a small group of men attacked the ranch when many of us were out. Grayson and Vieno hid, while Bray and his men were able to fight off the attackers,” Palani said.
He’d lost one of his men that day, Bray thought, which still upset him after all this time. He still made monthly payments to the man’s mother to supplement her meager pension now that her only alpha son was dead, and he knew Lidon did the same. It wasn’t enough, and it didn’t bring him back, but at least she was taken care of.
He’d missed Ruari’s reaction to Palani’s words, too lost in thought to pay attention, but he spotted the omega walk out a minute later, Kean staring after him with a look of bewilderment. Maybe he needed time to think? Bray couldn’t blame him, not with a young baby he was putting at risk, but the thought of Ruari leaving left him shaken. He needed more time with him, time to prove that he could be a good influence on his son, that he was worthy to be in his life.
At the end of the meeting, they’d only lost Urien. Everyone else had decided to stay, including Lidon’s cousins. Everyone, except Ruari, who had never returned after he’d walked out. Bray was elated with that result, having expected to lose more people.
“What was up with Ruari?” he asked Kean when the meeting had ended.
“I don’t know. He went pale and said he had to leave. Maybe he wasn’t feeling well? I texted him but he didn’t reply, so I was about to check up on him.”
Something tightened in Bray’s stomach, something that felt an awful lot like worry. “Can you let me know if he’s okay?” he asked.
Kean studied him for a second or two, then nodded. “I will.”
Ruari wasn’t even sure what excuse he had made up to get away. All he had known it was that he had to get out of there, because he couldn’t breathe. He knew his departure had been conspicuous, he’d caught the weird glances from Kean, but he had to go. Ever since, he’d been pacing his room, Jax blissfully asleep in his little crib.
It had clicked, all the snippets he’d heard, when Palani had told about the previous attack. Ruari’s stomach had heaved as he realized he knew who was behind it.
His father.
Months ago, right before he'd found out he was pregnant, he'd overheard a conversation. He’d escaped to go to the club for his second heat, and when he came back, the punishment had been severe. He’d been locked in his room again, but this time with
out daily trips outside. His father had been livid, and Ruari hadn’t understood why exactly. What was the difference between an alpha shoved into his room to fuck the living daylights out of him and an alpha in a club? But then that one day, his mother had forgotten to lock the door behind her after visiting him, and he’d snuck downstairs for a bit of fresh air.
He’d tiptoed past his father’s office and he’d been talking to someone Ruari didn’t know, someone whose face he hadn’t even seen. His father had left the door open, very unusual for him, but that was maybe because he assumed Ruari was safely locked up.
Ruari had caught only snippets of the conversation, but it had been enough to determine his father had authorized some kind of attack on a ranch. It had been unsuccessful, Ruari had deduced from the two minutes he’d listened in, his shock rising with every word he’d caught. What the hell was his father involved in?
He’d always known the man was a massive asshole, and it had been no surprise to him he was capable of violence, but to find out he had flat out ordered an attack that had killed people? It had left him shaking. It also made him wonder what else his father had been involved in, because if he had done this once...
A few days later, he’d found out he was pregnant, and that was what had made him leave, the knowledge that his father was more than capable of killing. He’d done it before…and had planned to do it again.
“We underestimated them,” his father had said. “We’ll regroup and get them next time.”
Apparently, that time had now come. How had he not made the connection that it was the pack, this ranch his father wanted dead more than anything or anyone else? He’d known of his father’s intense hatred for the CWP, for anyone promoting change, especially those who wanted to better the position of omegas. His father was more old school than the staunchest traditionalists, determined to keep the old rigid structures and hierarchies in place. And the return of the wolf shifters? That was pure horror to him.
Ruari should’ve known, should’ve deduced the pack was the target, but he hadn’t until he’d learned about the previous attack. And now his father was gearing up for another attempt.
Could he keep this a secret from the men, that it was his father who was behind this? They knew who it was, he’d gathered from Palani’s words, but what if they found out it was his father? Would they kick him out? He'd only been here for a little over two weeks, not long enough for them to get to know him well. They’d look at him differently, and he couldn’t blame them. It was his father who had caused them so much pain already and was about to do it all over again.
Maybe he should leave on his own, before they found out. His thoughts went to his own son. If there was another attack, Jax might be at risk. Should he leave? They’d be safer, wouldn’t they? Yet the thought of leaving sent him almost into a panic.
He didn’t want to leave. He wasn’t sure what had happened that he had gotten attached to this place, to these men so soon, but he didn’t want to go. There was Kean and their special connection, which had given Ruari hope for a future. He wasn’t sure how it was possible that he and Kean had gotten so close so fast, but they had. They’d only had a few dates, but Ruari found himself dreaming of a future with him, the happy ever after he’d thought he’d lost forever.
But it was more than that. It was the friendship with Vieno and Sven. It was the safe place he had for himself and for Jax. And if he was honest, it was also Bray. He wasn’t sure how the alpha fit into his life, but he couldn’t shake the feeling it would be good for Jax to have his biological father in his life. It was all of this, plus the peace in his soul of feeling safe and loved and at home. He didn’t want to lose that, but could he keep this horrible secret from them?
No, Ruari couldn’t do it. He couldn’t keep this from them. No matter how scared he was for their reaction, he had to tell them. What a horrible coincidence he had ended up here, that the place he'd grown to love was the very place his father hated so much.
He’d had no idea this was the group of men his father had been so opposed to. No, opposed wasn’t the right word. Opposed assumed somewhat civil methods, a political disagreement rather than taking matters into your own hands and sending armed men to…to what exactly? He wasn’t even sure what his father’s objective had been when he had his men attack the ranch for the first time.
From the little information Palani had shared, Ruari understood that Palani, Lidon, and Enar hadn’t even been home during the attack. It had been Vieno, with Grayson. Bray and his men, one of whom had been killed, Kean had whispered to him.
Had they been after Vieno? It made sense. His father’s strategy had always been to go after the weakest link, and he must have thought that getting to Vieno, probably kidnapping the omega, would ensure compliance from the other three. It was how his father fought and operated, and it made Ruari sick. He had to share this with the pack, had to come clean not only for himself, but also to protect the pack. Any and all information he could give about his father’s strategies could help them.
His mind made up, he texted Sven to ask if he could watch Jax and as soon as the omega arrived, Ruari headed out to find Palani. He’d decided that would be the best person to talk to, as he didn’t want to skip ranks and go for the pack alpha himself.
Palani closed his laptop when Ruari asked if they could talk and after a few minutes of chitchat about how Ruari was settling in, the omega decided it was time to come out with the truth.
“I have something to tell you.”
He took a deep breath, grateful for the quiet way the beta was listening to him, allowing him time to voice his thoughts. Palani listened to him without interrupting, then asked a series of questions that left Ruari impressed with how sharp his mind was. He told him everything he could remember, everything he’d ever overheard, everything about how his father worked and operated.
Ruari had no qualms about being open and honest with him. He had no loyalty to his father anymore, not after what the man had done to him, but also not after what he had done to the pack. This was his pack now, Ruari realized with a rush. These were his people, his brothers. God, he hoped they'd let him stay. He'd never wanted anything more in his life.
“Ruari, I can’t thank you enough for telling me this. I realize how hard this must be for you, considering this is your father.”
Ruari let out a breath he'd been holding, releasing his fear over how Palani would react. It had been nothing but support and understanding, and he could’ve wept with gratitude.
“He never was a good father to me,” he confessed. “And I swear I didn’t know when I came here. I had no idea why my father had attacked this ranch, back when I overheard that conversation. All I knew was that he considered them enemies, but not why. It wasn’t until I heard you guys talk about the attack that I realized this was the place. And of course, it makes total sense.”
Palani gave him a look filled with compassion. “He must not have been happy his firstborn was an omega.”
Ruari shook his head. “No, he wasn’t. He wasn’t aware at the time my mother consulted a fertility specialist behind his back, which turned out to be the very reason why I am an omega. But yeah, he made his disappointment in me clear from a very young age, so you can imagine what his reaction would’ve been like if I had told him I was pregnant.”
“He doesn’t know?”
“I didn’t tell him. I ran away from home, but I’m sure he’s figured it out by now. My father has a way of finding things out. I’m sure he ordered an investigation when I disappeared, so he must’ve discovered by now. But he hasn’t contacted me so far, so we’ll consider that good news.”
“He’s hired a PI to find you,” Palani said.
Ruari’s eyes went big. How did the beta know this? Had he known all along?
“And no, we didn’t know it was you he was looking for. I can’t tell you more than this to protect others, but he’s still looking for you, Ruari. I just wanted you to know.”
“Thank yo
u. I’m not surprised he’s trying to find me, but it’s not because he misses me or longs for a tearful reunion or some shit.”
“Jax?” Palani asked.
Ruari had to remind himself to keep breathing, because every time he thought about something happening to Jax, he got light-headed. “I’m afraid of what he’ll do to him, knowing that I have the gene,” he whispered.
“Oh, Ruari, I’m so sorry. What a horrible thing to fear. I hope you’ll stay with us.”
Ruari’s heart skipped a beat. “I can stay?”
“Of course you can stay. We won’t hold you responsible for what your father did or does, that’s not how it works. You’re a pack member now, one of us. Plus, my brother would kill me if I sent you away,” he teased.
Ruari smiled. “He’s a good man. I really like him.”
“Rightfully so. He’s one of the good ones, Kean is. Loyal till the bitter end.”
There was a layer to that statement that Ruari didn’t quite grasp, but he let it go. “Thank you for everything. This place truly feels like home to me.”
Palani smiled back. “We are so happy to have you here. You fit in wonderfully well. But Ruari, I need to tell Lidon about this, as you can imagine. Bray needs to be informed as well.”
Bray. Ruari hadn’t considered it, but Palani would want to inform their head of security about the threat against them. “Can you tell him without revealing your source? I don’t want him to know who my father is.”
“Yeah, no problem. He needs to know what you told me, not who told me. Bray will be curious, I imagine, but as a journalist, I’m used to protecting my sources. And I can imagine things are complicated enough between the two of you already to add this to the mix.”
Ruari breathed out with relief that Palani would not only keep his identity secret, but understood.
“Can I ask you something?” he said, still hesitant if this was the right thing to do.
