by Maggie Walsh
He wasn’t always like this. In his early adult life, he had lived as others of his kind, what was deemed normal for a vampire his size, and he had been happy, normal, but then in the months that he and Fane had been held captive in Russia by that bastard polar bear shifter Gregor, things changed.
Fane was the only person in the world that knew what happened to him and vice versa, although he now wondered if Fane shared what happened to him with his mate. While being held by Gregor, Oberon had gone to hell and back, and since their rescue he had revisited that time in his life many times in his thoughts and dreams. At first he had been angry with Fane for not having gone through the same horrors he had, but he got over that quickly when he realized Fane had experienced his own hell in captivity, and they both relived those nightmares for years after, and still did at times.
He thanked the gods every day for having Fane by his side. In the months that followed their rescue, they had turned to each other as they always did before their captivity, and shared their stories with one another. They had helped each other get through the worst of it and were one another's strength whenever one of those dark memories resurfaced. It was one of the reasons he and Fane were so close and so protective of each other. And Fane was the only person who knew that their time under Gregor’s control had changed him, had now made him want things he shouldn’t. Dark things. But no matter how hard he tried, or what he did to get past it, the need always returned.
Many times, Oberon thought about taking his own life because of it. He fantasized about walking into the sunlight and just becoming no more, blinking out of existence, but all those thoughts were futile. A vampire’s predisposition to survive wouldn’t allow him to take his own life, so he had to suck it up, push those thoughts and his dark desires down deep and go on with his life. His miserable, unfulfilled, shame-ridden, despicable life that it was now. And all thanks to that fucking polar bear.
A tear escaped his eye and rolled down his temple as a memory came back to him, and he was once again overcome with shame and disgust with himself. The images flew through his mind, making him shake with fear, but also with need.
Fane had been tortured and beaten many times during their captivity and so was he, but what Gregor had done to him, and he had allowed his men to do to Oberon, was so much more than Fane had to endure. Oberon was grateful that his best friend hadn’t gone through what he had, but he wished he hadn’t either.
“Down on your knees, bitch!” Gregor’s voice rang out in his head. The cold, demanding voice that was filled with evil.
Oberon had fought him. He had always fought, but in the end it never did any good. Gregor and his men would only torture him more and force their will on him. After a few weeks his resolve had weakened and Oberon just didn’t want to fight anymore. He hoped that if he just gave in that they would leave him alone, or think him worthless and kill him. When they came for him again, he couldn’t stop his natural instinct for survival and he fought, but when he realized something inside him liked it, liked everything they were doing to him, everything, liked fighting them, and loved being forced to do those things, shame and disgust filled him. With each time they came for him after that the need grew, the darkness intensified, and when it was over, the shame and anguish sunk deeper into his soul.
He had prayed that it was only the circumstances that he had been in and that when he returned to a normal life that all of those desires would fade, but they didn’t. The more he fought against them, the more he tried to ignore them and push them down, the stronger the need became, until he just couldn’t take it anymore. Those were the times he would run and seek what he craved in those rooms at the club in Chicago. After a few days of accepting what he wanted and living his desires, Oberon would lock himself in a hotel room for a few days to punish himself for what he had done, what he had allowed others to do to him, then he would return to New Orleans and his nest, promising he would never allow it to happen again, but they were always empty promises. The need would build until he couldn’t handle it anymore and he would go back and start the whole process over again.
But now that he was here what would he do? Oberon knew moving to the tundra wouldn’t automatically change him and stop the darkness inside him. He knew it was still there, bubbling deep within, growing slowly and soon it would become too much to bear. And being here, seeing the things he did on a daily basis with the way the wolves lived, the freedom with which they shared their domination and submission, even if others were around, made it harder, not easier.
Almost everywhere he went, he could find some couple or moresomes, fucking or sucking, kneeling for their lover, their Dominant, or bending to his will, and each time he came across one of these scenes, Oberon watched the Master exude his dominance over his submissive and he wanted to drop to his knees too. He would envision the Master forcing him to do what he was doing to his submissive. Then his gaze would go to the one on his knees or bent over, and Oberon would see the acceptance and bliss written all over the man’s face, and he wanted that as well.
Wetness covered his hand and Oberon grunted as he shivered, then looked down to find his cock still in his hand and his cum splashed everywhere. Shit. He had come with thoughts of his dark desires. Shame seeped in again and Oberon began to cry.
CHAPTER 8
Dell
So far so good. Ridge, Caleb, and Julius were squared away at Marlo and Fane’s, and they seemed to be getting along. Councilman Vane had arrived yesterday afternoon, right on schedule with two guards. After pleasantries the councilman apologized for his rudeness. He informed Dell there was something serious taking place in Greece, and he was needed on a Skype meeting with the other Council members, and would most likely have to be locked away for the rest of the evening with his guards standing outside his room.
Dell explained that no apologies were necessary, that he understood the constraints on the Councilman's time. Marlo had shown the man to his room and they had sent up a tray of food later that evening.
Now, Dell stood on the steps of the Community Center with Jude on one side and Ridge on the other. Tug stood to Jude’s left and Caleb to Ridge’s right. They each stood stoically and on guard, but outwardly appeared relaxed. Marlo, Julius, and the Councilman stood away from them to his left with their personal guards close by as Fane and a few of his enforcers patrolled nearby, staying alert.
Dell had been informed about an hour ago that a convoy of cars had crossed over into his lands and he knew it would take them an hour or so to reach the center. They had stayed indoors, out of the bitter cold until five minutes ago when he instructed Legion to go get Cyrian from the guest room they had given him a few weeks ago after he, Silvan, and Julius had come to the York pack unannounced and Silvan tried to kill Fane, and to bring the witch into the meeting room in the Center, and to stay with him.
Although Cyrian was not allowed to roam the pack during his stay, Dell had made sure the man was treated with respect. Not only had Cyrian really done nothing wrong, but he was the key to Dell getting what he wanted from Cyrian’s mother, Lady Salle. Dell would have never called her that on his own, but Cyrian had given him a few pointers on how to deal with his mother, and Dell was grateful for that. Anything that Cyrian could help them with, to get on the powerful witch’s good side, was welcome and very helpful.
Silvan, on the other hand, was a fucking elitist bastard, and had been kept in a guarded shack on the other side of town. He had been treated humanely, given food, a bed, and lavatory, but other than that, the man could rot out there as far as Dell was concerned.
Brooks and Raiden appeared around the corner and quickly approached, then Raiden shifted. “The convoy just turned onto Main Street, Alpha,” Raiden informed him respectfully.
“Thank you, Raiden. You and Brooks disappear into the shadows, but stay close at hand,” he instructed. Both men nodded once, then Raiden shifted back into his wolf and they turned and took off into the nearby tree line, vanishing into the darkness, now t
hat the sun was almost gone and the night was upon them.
A few moments later, he heard the rumble of engines and Dell clasped his hands behind his back, but relaxed his shoulders. The cars stopped in front of him, the driver’s stepped out of the three vehicles, then ran around to the rear passenger doors and opened them.
First out of the lead vehicle was a man dressed in a floor-length fur coat with a big fur hat on his head and fur boots on his feet. Nothing on him was exposed, except for his face, and it instantly bristled when the cold hit him. The man grabbed the sides of the coat and pulled them together tighter and Dell wanted to laugh, but he held it in. The damn ugly, offensive thing was already closed tighter than a virgin. He understood the elements of the tundra was hard for people who were new to the region, but for god's sake, the man had just been in a car that Dell was sure had been blasting with heat and he would only be outside for a matter of minutes.
Dell could see people emerge from the third car, as the fur-covered Councilman gave him a curt nod, then stepped aside, going toward where Marlo and Julius stood with the other Councilman. Dell had nodded his acknowledgment of the man, then turned his attention to his other visitors. Everything was so formal that Dell wanted to cancel the whole thing and tell everyone to get the hell off his lands, then let Fane kill the asshole, Silvan, for what he had done to him and Marlo and just wash his hands of the rest of it, but his pack needed to make a deal with the witch for the safety of them all as well as Ridge’s pack, and the head Councilman himself had called Dell asking for this conclave. He said that there were things the council wanted to talk to him and Ridge about, and that hopefully they could help each other. So, Dell had accepted, curious as to what he could do for the Council and what the Council could do for him in return.
A leg swung out of the middle car, followed by a woman, also dressed in a fur coat, but nothing as ostentatious as the Councilman had been wearing. She straightened on her high heels and immediately, her entourage from the third car went to her side. She exuded confidence and power. Her stance demanding attention and respect. The witch wore her hair perfectly coiffed on the top of her head in a stylish bun and wore a classic hint of makeup, nothing overly done or garish and her clothes were in fashion, but not overindulgent.
The woman's gaze locked on his and Dell nodded once, respectfully, then descended the last few steps, with Jude, Tug, Ridge, and Caleb still at his side, and met her halfway. Lady Salle stopped before him and gave Dell a controlled smile, but he knew it was forced. She held out her hand to him and Dell took it in his own, then raised it to his lips and placed a soft kiss to her leather-gloved hand. “Lady Salle, welcome to the York Pack.”
“Well, aren’t you a gentleman. I must admit, I didn’t expect a pack full of wild beasts to have such manners. Seeing as your kind don’t have any experience with women,” she mocked.
Dell could feel the ire of insult coming from his wolf, but he pushed it away and kept his demeanor relaxed, controlled, and calm. “The men of the York Pack have no issues with females, Lady Salle, seeing as my mother was Alpha Mate in the York pack for almost a hundred years,” he stated respectfully, but making a point as he released her hand.
Her eyes widened slightly as if she was surprised by his announcement, but he could see there was no real surprise there. Everything she did, from her words, her facial expression, and the way she held herself, was a carefully constructed show. “I had no idea that females were this far north. So, you and your... dogs do have a way of procreating then, hmm?”
That one almost had his wolf raging, almost. Dell kept the soft smile on his face, but he knew she could see his offense in his eyes, so he let it shine as he stared her down hard. Before he could answer her, Ridge stepped forward, his voice cold and steely as he replied, “Whether our wolves or Alpha York or myself can procreate or not is of no real concern of yours, Lady Salle, but what should concern you is your total disrespect of Alpha York and myself.”
Dell had no problem with Ridge stepping forward, and didn’t take it as an insult, or Ridge being disrespectful to him. On the contrary, Dell thought it was a wonderful show to these outsiders that they stood together and were a united front.
The witch turned her head, her gaze meeting Ridge’s and she flashed him a sugary sweet smile. “I meant neither of you strong, virile men any disrespect. I was only showing my surprise and ignorance of your kind,” she said the last part as if the words were dog shit on her tongue.
“And what kind would that be?” Dell asked, his jaw now clenched. He had an idea of exactly what she meant.
Councilman Vane stepped forward and Dell could feel the nervous energy rolling off him. “I don’t think Lady Salle meant anything by it, Alphas,” the man said quietly, trying to calm the tension that now surrounded them.
“I think I know exactly what she is implying,” Dell sneered.
The witch met his gaze again, a smirk on her face as she tried to innocently ask, “And whatever would I be implying?”
“Your kind? Did you mean shifters, wolves, or faggots?” Ridge fumed.
Instantly her gaze flicked back to Ridge. Dell saw the challenge leave her eyes, replaced by a touch of fear. A moment later it changed to mischief, and Dell instantly stepped forward, invaded her space and growled, “Don’t even try it, witch.”
He heard a few gasps from around him, but Dell never stopped looking at the woman. She turned her attention back to him and he saw a flinch slightly from the hardness of his gaze. “Whatever do you mean?” She asked so innocently, but he heard the faint tremor in her voice.
Dell released a deadly growl. He knew the witch wouldn’t understand it’s true meaning, but his pack would. “Pull your powers back now,” he demanded. “You even whisper or mouth one chant and my... dogs will rip you and your people apart before you even utter two words,” Dell threatened in a deep, cold voice.
A chorus of answering growls sounded around him and the witch’s gaze flicked from side to side as she turned her head. He knew what she was seeing. With his one growl, all his men within a mile, over a hundred of them, had heard him and had come to their alpha’s aid, ready to defend against any threat and surrounded their gathering. The guards he had positioned nearby had quickly moved to their group, standing beside Tug and Caleb as well as being at his back and showing their snarling faces through the gaps between him and the others, and none of his wolves were happy. He could feel the anger and disgust rolling off them. When she looked back to him, Dell could see the terror within. “How did you…” she started, but then stopped. He knew what she was going to ask.
“Because I can feel your magic. As it built inside you, even a little, I felt the tingle of its call. This is your only warning, witch,”―he said the word as if it was a curse and beneath him― “If you or any of your people try to use magic against my pack, it will be the worst mistake you have ever made. You may be able to hit one of us with your spell, but you will never get all of us.” Dell then raised his head and let out an ear-piercing howl.
Within seconds, over two hundred wolves came running from all directions, and everyone in their group turned and gasped at the sight. As the seconds ticked by, more and more wolves appeared, all moving closer, all snarling and ready to strike at their Alpha’s command.
“Mother! Stop this!” Cyrian cried out from behind him. The Salle witch turned her attention to her son's voice, and Dell could see the relief within her gaze as the rigidness in which she held herself seemed to deflate and she relaxed.
“Cyrian!” She called to him, relief evident in her tone.
“I’m okay, Mother. Alpha York has been very good and kind to me. He and all his people have shown me nothing but respect and care. He is a good, honorable man, Mother.”
He suddenly understood why she had been such a tight ass and had purposely tried to insult him and his people. She had been afraid for her son’s wellbeing, and he couldn’t fault her for that. Dell felt his wolf pull back and his anger subside. Lady
Salle looked back to him and met Dell’s gaze, her eyes brimmed with tears and she gave him a grateful smile. “I apologize, Alpha York, Alpha Heart. I…” She stopped and swallowed hard.
“We understand, Lady Salle. If any of us had been in your mindset, we may have acted the same,” Ridge replied, and gave her a soft smile. Good, Ridge had understood the reality of the situation as well.
Dell held out his hand to her once again and the witch looked down at it in surprise, then back to his eyes and gave him a real smile this time as she took his hand. “Your son is a good man who was caught up in a bad situation that was out of his control. I understood that from the start, My Lady. I promise you, he has come to no harm here.”
“Thank you,” she replied.
Dell bent his arm and placed her delicate hand on it, then offered, “Should we go inside now where it is warmer, so that you may see for yourself that your son is safe, and we can all get acquainted?”
She chuckled. “Yes, thank you. I would very much like that,” she replied, then looked shyly toward Ridge and the others as her eyes filled with regret. “I’m sorry if I offended you all about being…”
“Gay?” Caleb chuckled, as he smiled at her.
Her cheeks blushed and Dell found it endearing, especially on a woman her age. “Yes.”
Ridge took her free hand and smiled, as he said, “It’s all good. We understand your concern for your son and not knowing what he may have gone through while here.”
“Thank you, Alpha Heart.”
Marlo stepped forward, giving her a delighted smile. “Lady Salle, I’m Marlo Keto, we spoke on the phone. Welcome to the York Pack. If there is anything you need during your stay, please feel free to come to me.”
She gave Marlo a friendly smile as she released Ridge’s hand and offered it to Marlo. He clasped her hand and they shook. “Thank you so much, Marlo. It is nice to finally meet you. You’ve been so helpful to me and my people. I apologize if I have insulted you.”
