by TJ Star
“We are just trying to get you use to the people right now and how thing work around here. Galen has plans to build you a studio here for if you choose to paint, but if that is not how you want to make your living or what you want to do with your life then we can help you figure out what it is you like best.” Ryan said patiently trying not to show how excited he was for the omega to like the place he worked and the people he worked with. Though he didn’t want to push or crowd the omega that had been through so much already.
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They stopped by several of the shops in town that he frequented and Ryan introduced Seth to the owners and workers there. Then they went to the DMV and got information on getting a license. Walking into the office he saw June glance up from her chair to the side of the desk as she must have been showing Connie more about the computer systems they used. June done a double take and then stood to great them. “Morning Mr. Rivers, hope your trip wasn’t too taxing. I left everything on your desk as requested.”
“Thanks June, this is Seth, Seth this is June our office coordinator and this is Connie she is in training to take over for June.” Ryan said making the introductions then added, “She was pertinent in getting the paperwork through with the lawyers and to the offices in your old town so we could get here so soon.”
“Welcome home Seth, we are glad to have you. I hope you like it here it is a very friendly place to live.” June stated as she shook his hand.
Connie grabbed his hand next and said, “If you need me to help you keep them in line Seth just holler, I’m not afraid to clobber them over the head when they need it. This seems to be a good group of people to work for I am sure you will like it here.” With this she gave a small side glare at the boss hoping he would understand she would protect this one and to look out if he stepped out of line.
Ryan showed Seth back towards his office after the tour and then started working on some of the piled up work. Seeing how bored he looked he was about to suggest he go check out Galen’s area of the building, but then he heard some of his pack coming down the hall.
It was three of his best workers and two of his least favorites. Crew, Ryder (Ry), Samantha (Sam), and then Bryan and his crony suck up Jim. Not sure what was going on he had Seth come stand behind him so they were united and the others would be on the other side of his desk once they got there. He seemed nervous but didn’t say anything.
Crew was the project leader with Ryder and Sam as backup. They had been some of the first to join the pack after they had moved here and got started. Crew had stumbled upon the other two in another state surrounded by a pack of rogue wolves wanting to steal their motorcycles while they were sleeping.
What they had not counted on was the fact Ry and Sam had used scent neutralizer to block their scent. So they had heard them coming and fought back. Even so the odds were against them until Crew showed up in wolf form already out hunting game. They had been like the three musketeers since then.
Once they got in there they all seemed to speak at once, until he got them to finally calm down and then Crew and Bryan were they only two trying to speak. “Bryan shut up and let Crew speak then you will have your say!” Ryan said using barely a hint of his alpha voice.
“As you know we are all up on the McCade project, you wanted us to break in the two new pack members that showed fortitude for construction work since it was one of the easier projects. Several times they have been caught harassing the new members. Sam, Ry, and I all have intervened and tried to get them to back off and act right. Ry caught Jim purposely giving one of them false measurements for the lumber we needed cut even though Jim knew the right measurements. He walked off smirking and laughing to himself so Ry jumped in to correct the incident before money could be lost. Sam caught Bryan kick a ladder out from under one of them and if she had not been there to put it back or if they had not grabbed on to the frame fast enough that would have been injuries or possibly life threatening.”
Crew took a couple calming breaths before finishing, “We have been looking out for the new pack members and I took Bryan to task in the parking lot over the ladder bit. I won’t let my fellow pack be hurt but he and his crony are still trying to sabotage the jobsite and won’t quit harassing the two new members on our team.” He stood there with the other two waiting to see if his alpha would be angry he fought the other pack member without permission.
If it meant he was kicked out of the pack so be it he was not going to stand by and let bullies pick on those weaker than them. He had stood up for Sam years ago when she joined the construction team and when the other lower members in the pack thought she shouldn’t be there and he would stand by these two as well. “I take full responsibility for any actions taken.” At this Sam and Ry came up behind him to say they supported his decisions.
Now Seth was holding onto the chair Ryan was sitting in, Crew was obviously an alpha like Nathan was but not as powerful as Ryan. His emotions were all over the place but he seemed to be the one wanting to do good, he wished he could calm him but he was too scared of him. Ryan put a comforting hand on Seth’s then turned to Bryan and asked, “What do you have to say for yourself?”
“Any mistakes those two newbies made were their own. We have not been harassing them the only thing we was trying to do was get to know them better. See if they wanted to join us for drinks or what not. We were just trying to be friendly and they refused to be friendly back. That beta got all offensive when I laid one on him like he was too good for me. Tried claiming he was straight and all but I can tell he’s not. I can’t stand liars so we were just haven a bit of fun teasing him and his boyfriend coworker, even though he claims he is straight.” Bryan smirked like he was happy he showed that wolf.
Then Jim popped up with, “Yeah and we never would of beat up the two of them any of those times if they just been honest. We wanted some action too is that so much to ask?”
Ryan stood and dismissed Crew and his friends, then picked up the phone and told June he needed file number 13. Putting down the receiver he turned to the two wolves before him, “I am going to speak slowly as to get my point across.” He said using his full power now that the others were gone.
The air was thick with it as he said, “Not that it matters, but those two newbies as you call them are cousins raised by their grandparents in the same home. Now I DO NOT tolerate violence, harassment, of any kind what so ever in my pack. NO ONE has the right to take or try to take something from anyone else especially when repeatedly told NO. Had I not had company today I would see you out myself because that is how angry you have made me and how disappoint I am in you.”
There was a knock at the door and he hollered enter, “You are both to leave this area and not return. If you are caught in our territory again by any member you will be answering to me directly the next time and you will not get off as easy as you are today. Do you understand me?” Once they nodded he waved to the pack enforcers to escort them off pack lands.
“Seth lets go for a ride one last stop before lunch I need to go to the job site check on the new pack members and the job site. See how many more we need to add to the team.” Ryan said pushing in his chair and motioning for him to follow.
They got in the car and drove through the town and out into the wooded area on the other side before he spoke again. “Are you okay Seth, I am sorry you had to see that, I tried to make sure to keep my anger in check but I know you had to be feeling how angry I was at those two since you were standing next to me.”
“I-it was just that there were so many in a small space and there was so much anger. I know at least two or more of them were alphas and when everyone was talking at once, well everything was so confusing.” Seth paused took a breath then added, “I didn’t know what to expect, but it helped being near you and once I saw you had total control over the situation I was able to calm down.”
Heartened by his response Ryan smiled and put a hand on his knee, “I am glad you trust me and that you are getting to kno
w my pack, I am just sad that this had to happen.” He gave Seth’s knee a squeeze then let go and concentrated on driving.
Chapter 17 Seth
Seth looked around at all the materials, equipment, and machines as they drove up to the jobsite. Ryan handed him a hardhat to put on and they met up with and he was officially introduced to Crew. Crew showed them around the site and how things were going and Ryan told him that the enforcers were taking out the trash as they spoke. Mass pack text and emails concerning the two banned members would be sent out once they were escorted off pack territory they would include pictures of the two in human and wolf form.
Seth was looking at the work being done on the inside as the two spoke in the open doorway to the building under construction. He ran his hands over the walls that were freshly dry walled and couldn’t help but think ‘blank canvases. He walked further into the room hands trailing on the wall as he looked around him, but not good enough because next thing he knew he ran into someone. “Sorry, I’m so sorry I wasn’t watching where I was going.” He said standing back up and dusting off his pants as he backed away.
“It’s okay, just got to keep your eyes open around here it can be dangerous if someone is using tools. I’m Joseph, but everyone calls me Jo, you must be new here.” Jo said holding out his hand to shake. Then continuing on, “I’m new here too. Mika and I moved here after our grandma passed away. He says this is a good area to live and that we can learn a lot here.” He paused in his speaking as he saw the alpha and team leader approaching. His cousin must have seen them coming because he soon showed up at Jo’s back and came to stand between him and the others.
At this Seth backed up and apologized again, “I am sorry it was my fault I bumped into him, I should have watched where I was going but I’ve never been in a place being built. It makes me want to paint on all the walls and the ceiling too is blank.” He said the last looking up then got embarrassed and looked down.
“It’s okay Seth no one is mad, just worried I am sure because of the dangerous environment. That is why I had you put on the hardhat to help you stay safe.” Ryan had come up behind him and put an arm across his shoulder to comfort him, he was happy when he leaned in.
He looked up to Mika and Jo and said, “I wanted to come out here personally to extend my apologies for the behavior of the two pack members that were bothering you. They have been dealt with and are being escorted from the territory as we speak. I hope that in the future you feel you can come to me no matter how small or unimportant you may think the situation to be. It is important to me that all my members feel safe. This is your home now I hope you feel like you can come to any of us as fellow pack members in the future. Is there anything I can do to help you or anything you need?”
Mika relaxed his posture relieved the alpha had taken their side. He knew that Crew, Ry, and Sam kept standing up for him and his cousin, but he had been afraid that since they were so new to the pack no one would believe they weren’t to blame. They were lower position wise and in their old pack that meant they were forced to do what they were told or even at times be with who they were told to be with.
He had gotten them out of there as soon as he could save up enough money to get as far as them could. “Thank you, we appreciate it, and I will remember if anything happens in the future.” He offered his hand knowing that while it was more a human gesture that it would also show how sorry he was he had not come to his alpha when he should have.
Seth was glad to see them shake and these two seemed a lot nicer than the two in the office. He got to meet the others as well as a few of the operator crew that were onsite that day. He was glad though when it was time to eat and they went back to the house, it was just a bit overwhelming for him for the one day. He stayed home while Ryan went back to work; he rested for an hour then felt the need to paint.
He stood on the back patio with the canvas that Galen had brought over before he got there and he had his paints in his travel bag. Once he was set up he picked up the brush and was in the zone. He had not even realized the time or heard Ryan coming up behind him until he heard him say wow.
Then Seth started and turned to see the look on his face. Wondering what it was for he looked back at the painting and could see a small housing area with a pond or small lake in a forested area with trails for walking and a park on either side of the lake. There were kids playing and people coming to or from some houses. Cars on the streets or in the driveways and the neighborhood sign near the turnoff in the very bottom corner of the painting.
Seth put his brushes down, his hands were cramped and he needed to clean up the mess of his stuff off the patio. “I lost track of time. I do that sometimes when I paint. Sorry, I will have this cleaned up soon.”
Ryan pulled his hands into his own and started rubbing them. “I could tell and no hurry. I have been standing here watching for ten minutes and I was trying to stay quiet and not disturb you, but it was just…do you have any idea what you painted Seth?”
“No alpha, I picked up the brush one minute and then the next I heard you.” He said as he watched Ryan’s thumbs rub circles on his sore hands. He wondered if this alpha would embrace his painting gift or think him weird because of it. Seth patiently waited to see what the outcome would be.
“This is the housing community we were at today, granted only three of those houses are in progress now with five done in each of the other sections around the area the land has not been cleared yet for all the homes to be done or so all can be seen from each other yet, but that is the final outlook. Though we had not thought of the trails we had discussed the playgrounds and were deciding where best to put them in the community to benefit everyone. The streets and houses and the lake that is all on the map and blueprints we worked up for the project.” Ryan looked back from the painting down into his eyes and said, “You truly are amazing Seth!”
He shivered at the contact and the praise from someone not trying to use him but just appreciating him. He knew he had a long way to go with what Galen had called healing, but he was already feeling drawn more towards his alpha. “Thank you Alpha.”
“Call me Ryan unless we are in a formal meeting. Do you think I can show it to the brothers?” His alpha asked, “We have a meeting next week and I would love for you to come and show them this.”
“If it pleases you, sir.” Seth was happy but nervous too. Would this turn into something bad like with his old alpha. Ryan must have sensed something because he come and put his arm around Seth’s shoulder comforting him.
“Let’s go order a pizza and watch a movie on the couch and relax. What do you say, time for ourselves?” Ryan asked with a smile. “Sound good?”
“Sounds very good.” He replied.
Chapter 18 Ryan
Ryan brought the pizza to the coffee table in front of them along with their drinks. Then he put in the movie and let Seth choose his seat. When the movie was in he sat right next to Seth as close as he could get. He was tired of taking his time, his wolf was so tired and impatient, and tonight they would at least see how he reacted to some close attention from his mate.
After eating his fill and making sure Seth had had enough, his old alpha being the bastard he was seemed to with hold food as punishment or make him wait to eat. So it has been a bit of a chore to get him to realize that is not how things are done here and to eat his fill and freely. Now that the food is put up and a few snacks for later set out he sat and put his arm around him.
Staring at the screen not saying a thing waiting to see if Seth did. His shoulder tensed at first but he said nothing then returned his attention to the movie. Not long later he was leaning into Ryan, not much at first just a little, but then a little more.
Ryan took this as a sign and used his other hand to reach over and take hold of Seth’s hand and hold it using his thumb to rub circles over it. He heard his intake of air and wondered if he’d withdraw his hand but he didn’t. Ryan had picked an action drama a long one and they were at one of the
sadder parts now before the turn of events. Seth leaned in putting his head on his shoulder and Ryan smiled content, using his other hand to rub Seth’s shoulder and arm in comfort.
Ryan deemed it a success by the end of the movie Seth had gotten so wound up and distracted and emotional that he had been half sitting in Ryan’s lap while clutching his shirt waiting for the final moment of the movie to be revealed. Enjoying the time Ryan just put his arms around him and let him know he would not take advantage any more than Seth wanted. His wolf was so arguing with him though, and had to go for a run as soon as he had seen Seth off to bed.
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Over the last week they had worked on driving, even Nathan and Galen had gotten into it and helped Seth learn. It wouldn’t be long before he would be confident enough they hoped that he would be comfortable to drive on his own. He was already learning to cook and do lots of things that he had not been allowed to or not had the opportunity to do. Occasionally members of the pack seeing them teaching him would smile and holler out a hello and pretend to jump aside.
Ryan escorted a nervous Seth into the conference room at work. They were going over the progress of the community project and he really wanted his brothers to see the painting. It wasn’t long before Nathan, Galen, Crew, Ryder and Samantha filed in. “Good morning everyone.” Ryan said, “How have things been going on the job site since we fired those misfits? How are the new replacements working out?”
“Things are running a lot more smoothly and more efficiently.” Crew said looking to his other team mates. “Defiantly the team is better oiled so to speak and even with the new members there has not been a lag in adjustment time as one would expect.” Ryder put in leaning back in his chair.
