Adam stared at him and Ben stared back, momentarily speechless.
Remembering himself, he took two steps into the room, putting a finger to his lips to warn Adam to be silent. The Omega didn’t look reassured to see him, confusion and fear the only emotions Ben could decipher from his face.
Ben crouched next to him, speaking in a hushed whisper.
“Adam, I’m going to get you out of here.” The Omega didn’t react to his words. What if he’d made a mistake? Maybe Adam had had time to see the advantages of being a Pack’s Omega.
“Unless you want to stay?” Ben questioned, suddenly concerned. That got a reaction, Adam lunging towards him, grabbing a handful of Ben’s shirt in his fist.
“Please don’t leave me here,” he breathed.
Ben let one hand brush Adam’s cheek, feeling the Omega’s soft skin beneath his fingers.
“Follow me. We need to be quiet, okay? No talking. Stay close.”
He stood, helping Adam up as he did, the Omega still clinging to him. The walk through the house felt like the longest he’d ever made, each footstep heralding a new fear that someone had heard them. But the house slept through their escape, even as they reached the cellar door. When they entered the cellar, Ben risked a whisper as he pointed to the trapdoor.
“You need to change, quietly, and jump down into the tunnel. Follow it until you reach the end. Sam’s waiting for us. I’ll be right behind you.”
Adam managed the change near silently, then disappeared down into the dark. Ben pulled off the pilfered clothes then climbed down in human form, pulling the trapdoor closed. There was little chance they’d miss the scent trail that would lead them right to it, but there was no point making it too easy for them.
He changed, grimacing as the confined space made it awkward, then followed Adam. With relief, he reached the other end, using his back paws to launch himself up into the empty stone house. Sam’s grinning face was the first thing he saw, then Adam, still in wolf form, standing just behind Sam.
Sam did his best to block the tunnel entrance, using stones to cover the gap left by the broken trapdoor. Then he shifted and all three of them headed back towards the bikes. Ben led the way, Adam behind him and Sam following them both. He set a fast pace, knowing time was of the essence. As soon as they realized Adam was gone, as soon as someone recognized Ben’s scent, all hell would break loose. They needed to be long gone.
The bikes came into view and he slowed to a stop, scenting the air. Nothing, just the faint smell of exhaust fumes. He moved forward, hearing Adam and Sam behind him. They’d be most vulnerable while they changed, so Sam stood guard in wolf form while Ben and Adam changed. Ben kept watch while Sam changed, a nervous Adam standing close by.
They dressed, Sam pulling spare clothes from the back of his bike and throwing them to Adam. Ben caught sight of fresh bruising on Adam’s abdomen and forced the burning anger down. He needed to keep his cool.
“Let’s get out of here,” he said once they were all clothed.
Chapter Sixteen
Adam thought he must have been dreaming. That seemed much more likely than that Ben had come to rescue him and he was now clinging to the back of a motorbike as they made their escape. They traveled in the dark, the lights of their bikes providing the only illumination on the back roads they were keeping to.
But he could feel the cold breeze across his skin, smell the night air, and see the road ahead illuminated by their headlights. And there was no mistaking the presence of the Alpha sitting in front of him, Adam’s arms wrapped around his middle. They drove for far longer than it had taken to get from Ben’s house to the Porter’s, so they weren’t going home. The sun rose, and they didn’t slow down though the roads became busier, traffic surrounding them.
They pulled in at a diner sometime later.
“Just a short stop, to eat, use the restroom, then we’ll get on the road again,” Ben said as reached a hand toward him to help him off the bike.
“Where are we going?” Adam felt brave enough to ask.
“We need to pay a visit to another Pack,” Ben said as they crossed the car park.
“Are they going to buy me from you?” It was the only reason Adam could think of to explain why they’d come for him. They’d gotten a better offer from someone else.
That stopped Ben in his tracks as he turned to look at Adam askance.
“No, it’s… it’s nothing to do with you. Not directly at least. It’s Lianna’s Pack. Sam’s girlfriend. We have to go underground for a while, to keep you off the Pack’s radar. He wants to talk to Lianna, make sure she understands.”
“So what will you do with me?” he found himself asking.
Ben didn’t answer, pushing open the diner’s door and ushering Adam in ahead of him. Sam followed them inside.
“Order some food to go. I’ll take him to the restroom.” Ben said in an undertone to Sam before the Alpha herded him across the diner to the bathroom.
After using the facilities, Adam washed his hands and face, avoiding his image in the mirror.
He jumped when a hand settled on his shoulder. “How are you holding up?” Ben’s voice was quiet despite the fact they were alone in the restroom.
“Okay.” What else could he say? The muscles of his abdomen ached, his stomach was sore and empty and he didn’t understand what was going on. But he wasn’t locked in a room in Gray Valley’s Pack house.
“We have to keep moving. If we stay anywhere for too long, we risk them finding us. And that would be bad for all three of us.”
“I understand.” He didn’t, not really, but it seemed better to play along.
They returned to the diner just as Sam was paying for their order. Ben took the food and headed out, Adam following him, while Sam made use of the restroom.
“We’ll find somewhere quiet to eat. Too many eyes and ears around.” Ben told him as he helped him mount the motorbike.
Sam joined them and they set off again. They didn’t travel far, stopping at a nearby wood. They pushed the bikes into the trees and out of sight of the road then sat down on a bed of pine needles to eat.
There was a lot of food and the smell had Adam’s stomach grumbling. Sam opened a container and passed it to him, then Ben handed him another. He peaked inside. One had pancakes. The other sausages, bacon, toast.
“Eat up. We might not get the chance to stop again until dark.”
There were bottles of water and paper cups of coffee. Ben took a gulp from one and spluttered, a grimace crossing his face.
“That one’s for Adam. Cream and sugar. This one’s yours,” Sam said with a laugh, handing the second cup to Ben.
There was silence between them for a while, nothing but the sounds of food and drink being rapidly consumed.
Adam didn’t hesitate too long before tucking in himself. He’d spent nearly a week with the Alphas. He knew they didn’t share Tobias’ views on feeding Omegas. Besides, he was starving and that overrode most of his fear.
“We can wrap up what you don’t eat up and bring it with us,” Sam said to him after a few minutes. “Don’t make yourself sick trying to eat it all.”
Adam slowed down at Sam’s words of caution, sipping at the coffee. The cream and sugar helped but he still found the taste bitter. He couldn’t understand how Ben could drink it without that. There were a lot of things he didn’t understand about the Alpha.
“Who will you sell me to, if not the Glenoaks?” He hesitated to ask the question but part of him needed to know.
Sam’s head came up and he frowned at Ben. “I thought you explained.”
“I haven’t had the chance,” Ben replied, “and now isn’t the time.”
His tone was sharp and Adam hunched in on himself.
“So, you’re happy to let him go on thinking he’s going to be sold to the highest bidder?” Sam snapped back at him. Adam curled up more, trying to make himself less of a target for their anger.
“Ben, look at him. He’s terr
ified.” Sam’s last words were softer and he stood as he spoke. “I’ll give you two a few minutes.” He walked off, disappearing in among the trees.
That left Adam alone with Ben, who hadn’t said a word, jaw clenched, one hand fisted on his knee. When he spoke, he didn’t look at Adam.
“I’m sorry I let them take you.”
Adam had had little experience with apologies. He didn’t know what the right response was.
“But you came and got me,” he said.
“Yeah, about that.” Ben turned towards him. “We’re not selling you, Adam or giving you to another Pack. You’re going to stay with us.”
Adam couldn’t hide his surprise. They were keeping him?
“You’re going to mate with me?” Why else would they go to so much trouble?
“Right now, let’s just focus on getting you healed up and somewhere safe. We can work out what happens after that later. I just want you to know that we aren’t going to hand you off again. Okay?”
Ben met his eyes finally, the intense look on the Alpha’s face causing Adam's heart to thump harder in his chest.
“Yes, Alpha,” he whispered.
“It’s Ben, Adam, not Alpha.” Ben's voice was tired.
“Yes, Ben.”
“Good. Come on, we’d better get back on the road. We have quite a distance to travel.”
The Alpha stood, calling for Sam as he reached out to help Adam to his feet. His warm touch sent tingles along Adam’s arm. The sensation spread when Ben’s hand cupped his cheek.
“I’m really glad you’re okay.”
The gentleness was something he was unused to. Harvey only ever touched him to hurt him. Tobias avoided touching them unless he was meting out punishment.
Ben’s thumb stroked his cheek for a moment before the Alpha stepped away. Adam couldn’t help his sigh. If he could convince Ben to mate with him, his life could be a lot more bearable than he’d ever hoped.
Chapter Seventeen
The press of Adam against his back as they drove was distracting. A good distraction from the gravity of the choice he’d made. It didn’t just affect him or Adam, but Sam too. No Pack could offer them shelter, not for long, not without drawing the wrath of Gray Valley down upon them. They were on their own.
They stopped in an out of the way motel for the night, paying for one room. Ben was taking no chances, so he and Sam took turns staying awake to keep watch. Not Adam though, the young wolf was exhausted from the traveling and still recovering from his injuries.
Adam’s sleep was restless, he tossed and turned as Ben watched. Every time he woke, heart racing, he’d seek out Ben, only relaxing once he set his eyes on the Alpha.
Dammit. Sam was right, there was something more there. The start of a bond? Or just the instincts of an Omega whose Alpha was dead. Ben wasn’t sure, but he didn’t think it mattered right then. They were only a few hours from Glenoak territory. They’d be there before lunchtime the next day, if they left early.
Adam groaned and whimpered, body contorting. Ben sat up, ready to wake him if it was a nightmare. But the Omega settled again.
A few minutes later the same thing happened again, Adam curling into a fetal position, knees drawn tightly to his chest. There was a sheen of sweat across his skin, his pulse was fast and his scent was off. Beneath his scent, there was the faintest hint of blood.
He sat on the side of the bed and called softly. “Adam, can you wake up?”
The Omega’s eyes opened and he tried to sit up, eyes darting around as he tried to get his bearings.
“Ben?” He winced as he spoke, one arm wrapping around his stomach.
“Are you in pain?”
Adam nodded. “My stomach hurts. Maybe I ate too much.” Then, after a moment’s pause. “I need the bathroom.”
Ben helped him up and across to the motel’s small washroom, then left him to it. Adam seemed to take a long time and he was just about to check on him when the door opened and Adam made his slow way back to bed.
“Better?” he asked.
Adam shook his head. He seemed confused.
“Is your stomach still hurting?”
“Yeah. And there was some blood.”
“You took a few blows to the abdomen, sometimes that can cause bleeding.”
“Oh.”
“Don’t worry. The Glenoaks have a medic, we’ll get them to check you over.” It was past time Adam saw a doctor after everything he’d gone through.
He rooted through their bags to find what he was looking for. Pain medication.
"Here, take these. They'll help with the pain." Holding up a glass of water, he helped Adam swallow the pills.
Adam got back into bed, Ben covering him with blankets. “Try and sleep some more. We’ll set off again in a few hours.”
He kept one ear on Adam and the other on the goings-on outside. It wasn’t the quietest of motels and twice the couple two rooms over had a shouting match, complete with glass breaking.
But it was Adam who was holding his attention. His pulse stayed fast, his body stayed hot and he didn’t settle. From the way he was curled up, his stomach had to be hurting. What really spurred Ben into waking Sam and getting them on the road early was the growing scent of blood. He woke Adam too, pulling back the covers and helping him up only to see a patch of red on the sheets.
“You’re still bleeding.”
“It hurts,” Adam said, body hunched.
“We need to get to Glenoak, we need their medic,” he said to Sam.
“I’ll call ahead, let them know we’re on our way.”
Ben wrapped Adam in his jacket to keep him warm. He got onto the bike first, Sam helping Adam to sit behind him. Afraid that Adam couldn't have the energy to hold on properly, Ben had Sam take a blanket from the room to wrap around Adam's back bringing the ends in front of Ben and tying them tightly across him. That way, if Adam passed out, he wouldn't fall off and Ben would have time to stop. It was awkward and not the most comfortable for driver or passenger but it was the best they could do.
They drove fast, Sam navigating and Ben tailing him. Ben breathed a sigh of relief when they left the busier roads, and factories and houses became fields, farms, and sprawling woodland.
“They’re expecting us at the Alpha’s house,” Sam called back, as they turned down a winding road. Sure enough, when the house finally came into view, a small group stood outside, ready to greet them. The tallest was an Alpha.
One of the first to step forward was a woman, her eyes on Adam. “Get him inside. Upstairs, first room on the left.”
Sam helped unwrap the blanket and lift Adam off the bike.
The Alpha stepped forward as if to take Adam and Ben found himself growling under his breath at the threat to the Omega.
“Ben, chill. This is Sebastian, Glenoak’s Alpha,” Sam said, stepping between them.
“It’s okay. We can do the meet and greet later, why don’t we just get Adam inside and Alicia can check him over,” Sebastian said, taking a step back.
Ben picked Adam up and followed Alicia inside, Sam at his heels.
He got Adam settled on the bed and stepped back.
“Why don’t you wait outside?” Alicia said, in a voice that suggested it wasn’t a question. Ben was about to protest, but Sam snagged his sleeve and angled his head towards the door. “Let’s give her some space to work. Adam is in good hands.”
The Alpha was waiting outside the door.
“Sebastian,” he said, holding out a hand.
“Benjamin,” Ben replied, grasping his hand firmly.
“You have an Omega.” Ben had heard Sam talk about him often enough.
“That’s right. Robert. He’s downstairs. We didn’t want to overwhelm you when you arrived so we kept the numbers to a minimum. Why don’t we go down and I’ll introduce you? Alicia will need some time to do her thing.”
Ben was reluctant to leave Adam but Sam was giving him an encouraging look and Sebastian’s tone was so reaso
nable, it would look awkward to try and argue the point. He capitulated and followed them down.
There was no one to be found when they got downstairs.
“Ro?” the Alpha called. “I think he’s out working in the garage,” he said to them, in a tone that suggested fond exasperation "He's doing a project for college."
Sure enough, a small, dark-haired man entered through the back door a minute later.
“How is the Omega doing?” were the first words out of his mouth.
“Alicia is with him now." Sebastian turned to Ben and Sam. "How about coffee? And some breakfast? I’m sure you both could do with some. It sounds like you were in quite the hurry to get here.”
It was a long wait for Alicia to finish, Ben making it through a cup of coffee and two bagels before her footsteps were heard on the stairs.
“He’s going to be okay,” she said, before anyone could ask.
“But the bleeding?” Ben asked.
“An early miscarriage, I’m afraid. Probably brought on by the severing of his bond.”
There was a moment of silence as they all took in her words.
“Those blows he took to the stomach probably didn’t help,” Ben added, unable to keep the self-recrimination at bay. If he hadn’t let them take Adam…
“It would have happened anyway. When a mating bond is broken this early in a pregnancy, the chances of making it to term are less than five percent. In the initial stages, lycanthrope pregnancies are sustained by an active bond. A broken bond and there’s nothing there to nourish the pregnancy.”
There was something in Alicia’s tone that spoke of experience. Clearly, being the Pack medic, she’d have seen this before but it sounded almost personal.
“You can go on up and see him,” Alicia encouraged, while Ben tried to get his head around what she’d told him.
“I’ll come with you,” Sam said, getting to his feet.
“I think we need a few minutes alone first,” Ben said, and set off upstairs by himself.
He knocked on the door, then pushed it open. Adam was under the blankets, curled up, facing away from him. He didn’t move when Ben came in. The Alpha walked around to the other side of the bed. Adam’s eyes were open but he didn’t look up. Taking a seat on the edge of the bed, Ben reached for Adam’s hand.
The Alpha's Choice: Lost Omegas Book Two: A M/M Shifter Romance Page 7
