He also thought it unfair that a breakfast meeting didn’t have any actual breakfast.
Odin took a seat on the couch next to him, speaking in quiet undertones.
“What’s gotten into you today? Normally we’d have to tie you down to keep you still this long.”
Jay’s dream from the night before came back to him, a sense of dread washing over him. He curled up tighter and shook his head. There weren’t words. Or, if there were, he didn’t have them.
Odin didn’t press him. That was one of the things Jay liked about him. He knew when to talk, when to listen and, most importantly, when to eat. Jay never went hungry when Odin was around. Byron wouldn’t let him go hungry either, but the Alpha sometimes forgot to eat and Jay wouldn’t eat until he did. He saw it as loyalty; Byron was his Alpha. Odin just thought he was silly.
He passed the tablet over to Odin, watching as the man flicked through news sites lightning fast. Jay didn’t know what was so fascinating about all those headlines about places and people he didn’t know. Why did people care so much?
Byron’s phone rang and the Alpha glanced at the screen. His expression had Jay sitting up. It was someone important.
“Odin, will you get this?” Byron called and a second later the phone sailed through the air towards them. Odin caught it neatly, answering it as he sprang to his feet and stepped out into the hall.
Byron watched the door after he left, an uneasy expression on his face, and it was enough to have Jay on alert.
Seconds later, the door opened again.
“Byron, you need to take this.”
“Excuse me, gentlemen,” his Alpha said politely, getting to his feet, and crossing the room unhurriedly. Jay got up and met him at the door, stepping outside right behind him. Odin shut the door firmly and they moved a little ways down the corridor while Byron talked.
Jay picked up bits and pieces from the one side he could hear clearly and the muffled tones coming from the phone. It was Sebastian. Something bad had happened. They were asking for help. Then Byron was assuring them they’d do everything they could.
“It’s Adam and Ben,” he said as he ended the call, his face a mask of concern.
Jay had met them when they’d visited Ro and Seb’s baby. “Their house was attacked last night; their son Noah has been taken.”
“Who’d want to take a kid?” Odin asked at the same moment Jay asked, “What about Xander?”
“Xander is safe. It seems they may have taken Noah because he’s an Omega.”
Odin was surprised, but Jay wasn’t. “An Omega?”
“Yes,” Byron replied. “I had no idea either. They were keeping it under wraps. Only a handful of people knew.”
“I knew,” Jay said, earning him raised eyebrows from the two men.
“How?” Byron said.
Jay shrugged. “He’s like me.” He didn’t know how else to explain it. There was a familiarity he felt around Noah the same as with Ro and the other Omegas he’d met.
“Who took him?” Odin asked.
“They have no idea. They’re asking for help. As many people as we can spare, as many ears to the ground as we can manage.”
“I’ll get the word out,” Odin said, pulling out his phone. “We’ve been listening out for any news about Omegas since the trade talks. I’ll see if there have been any grumblings recently.”
“Good, I’ll go speak with my uncle, see which teams we can free up.”
Byron stepped back in to finish up with the businessmen. They left a few minutes later, looking disgruntled at the abrupt ending of their meeting.
They were back in the car before Jay thought to ask the question he couldn’t think of an answer to.
“Noah’s just a baby. He won’t be ready to mate for years and years. So why would they take him?”
Byron glanced over at him, his expression grim.
“I don’t know, Jay. Maybe they thought it would be easier to take him while he’s small than when he’s bigger. He’s easier to control at this age. Easier to train.”
Jay shuddered at the word train. That was what those traffickers had tried to do to him. And it was a word used by a business associate of Byron’s when he’d said something Jay didn’t like and put his hand on Byron’s elbow. Jay had growled at him. He’d said Jay needed training. “A few days with a whip and a leash and you’d have that mongrel under control.”
Odin had escorted the associate out and Raventree hadn’t done business with him again. But Jay couldn’t stop the words from playing on his mind.
His reaction hadn’t gone unnoticed by Byron, who took off his seatbelt and slid across so they were sitting side by side, pressed close together.
“Don’t worry. We’ll find Noah and get him home to his parents. Glenoak have a lot of friends. We’ll do everything we can to bring Adam and Ben’s son back to them.”
Jay turned his head towards Byron, nodding against his chest.
He felt the oddest pang of sadness at the words. Noah, a little Omega boy, was missing, and all these people would come out searching for him and that was a really good thing. But if that was good, if that was right, then why had things been so different for Jay? If Omega were precious and important, why had he been left alone, abandoned in a forest? And why had no one ever come back for him?
Chapter Five
“He didn’t want us to go.” Adam’s voice broke the stillness. They’d finally got Xander settled in bed just after dawn and they were sitting at the kitchen table, cups of untouched coffee sitting in front of them.
“Who?” Ben asked.
“Noah. He didn’t want us to leave him. He cried and screamed. He’s never done that before. We shouldn’t have left him. He knew and he tried to tell us and we just walked away and let them take him.”
There were tears flowing freely from his mate’s eyes. Ben reached over, laying his hand on top of Adam’s.
“We couldn’t have known. Noah has always been the clingier of the two, since they were tiny. It just looked like another phase of that.”
“No, I knew it wasn’t. He usually loves going to stay with Lianna and Sam. He’s never been like he was yesterday.”
“He couldn’t have known what was going to happen, Adam. No one could.”
“Someone did, someone planned this. Someone who knew he was an Omega.”
“Or they guessed. You’ve said it yourself a thousand times. He and Xander are so different. I think Xander’s Alpha-ness just serves to highlight Noah’s Omega nature.”
They contemplated that for a few moments, lost in their grief.
“What do we do?” Adam asked, wiping the tears from his cheeks.
“We wait to hear back from James and Fenrir’s Warriors. Seb is talking to as many packs as he can. We’re going to get as many eyes and ears on this as possible, then as many boots on the ground as we can muster. Someone knows who did this. All we have to do is work out who and find out where they’ve taken him.”
“Do you think they’ve hurt him?”
Adam voiced words Ben couldn’t even bear to contemplate.
“No. He’s worth a lot to them and they took too many risks abducting him. They’ll be taking very good care of him.”
“No one took good care of me, or Luke, or Jay or Ro for that matter.”
“That was different.” But was it really? Ben had to shut down that line of thinking. Right then, they were helpless. As much as every bone in his body itched to be up and doing something, there was nothing to do but wait.
“Maybe there’ll be some sort of ransom demand for his return?” Joel suggested from his spot by the door. Seb had left him with them while he made arrangements and Ro took care of Chloe and Alicia’s children.
They could only hope it was something that straightforward.
Ben’s phone beeped, and he glanced at the screen.
“Seb wants us to bring Xander to the Pack house. Ro has the other kids there. Safety in numbers, I guess.”
�
��He’s right. We need to be free to leave if there's news.”
“I’ll go get Xander out to the car, hopefully he won’t wake up,” Ben said, getting to his feet. He was outside the bedroom when his phone rang. Expecting Seb, he answered without looking at the screen.
“Hey.”
“Hello, Benjamin.”
It took a few seconds to place the voice.
“Terrance.”
“I’m glad to see you haven’t forgotten who I am. I certainly haven’t forgotten who you are. The man who stole my Omega, who killed my son. Who helped steal a second Omega out from under my nose and whose friends have cost me many allies.”
“What do you want, Terrance?”
To gloat, Ben guessed, if the news of Noah’s abduction had reached Gray Valley.
“To tell you of a very good deal I just closed. The Migones were kind enough to put me in touch with their supplier of Omegas. Unfortunately, he was very reluctant to part with any given the scarce supplies. So, we made him a very good offer. An Omega for an Omega. He gives up one he has, ripe for mating, and we give him another to add to his collection. In sixteen, seventeen years, when they’re grown, we’ll buy them off him too, presuming we don’t have enough of our own by that stage.”
The meaning of Terrance's words was clear and anger and fear warred within Ben at the knowledge that this was the revenge he'd always feared was coming.
“You took Noah.”
“Consider it reparation for the wrong you’ve done to me.”
“Where is he?”
“On his way to his new home, of course. Don’t worry, he’ll be raised under the strictest of discipline. I’m sure Adam and Luke can tell you all about it.”
That could only mean one thing.
“Tobias?”
“Temperamental gentlemen, isn’t he? Well, you wouldn’t know I suppose, your little warrior friends never did manage to find him, did they?”
“Tell me where Noah is, right now or…”
“Or what? Even if you came at me now, overran Gray Valley, that wouldn’t get you anywhere. We've already handed Noah off to Tobias in exchange for quite a beautiful specimen. And Tobias seems to be good at disappearing. I know what it’s like to lose a son, Benjamin. And now, so do you.”
The call cut off. A sound had him turning to see Adam a few steps behind him, pale as a sheet and shaking his head.
“No. Not Tobias.”
Ben took a step towards him but Adam backed away.
“He could be lying.” Ben knew he was grasping at straws.
“You know Terrance. Was he lying?”
Ben looked down, shaking his head. “No. He was ringing to taunt us.”
Adam clapped a hand over his mouth, a sob escaping. “He’s just a baby. He doesn’t deserve this.”
His knees buckled and Ben dived and caught him, lowering him to the floor and kneeling next to him.
“I know, but we’ll find him, I promise.”
“James looked for Tobias for years and never got close. What if it takes us years? What if we never find him?”
Ben didn’t have any answer for that, rocking Adam gently back and forth.
“We know who now Adam, we know why. It might seem like terrible news but we know more now than we have since it happened and that brings us one step closer to finding him.”
Adam’s hands clung to his shirt, twisting the material in their grasp.
“I know what Tobias will do to him, to our sweet baby boy. We can’t let that happen.”
“And we won’t. I promise you. We will find him and bring him safely home.”
It was a long morning waiting in vain to hear news. Seb and Martin spent most of the time on the phone, updating everyone on what they'd learned and alerting every Pack between them and Gray Valley to keep an eye out for Gray Valley’s people traveling through their territory. Once that was done, they focused on trying to drum up support to act against the rogue Pack. Ben made a few calls of his own, but no-one in Gray Valley was picking up the phone. Terrance's influence, he guessed.
Seb came to find them just before midday, both Ben and Adam growing ever conscious of how the time was slipping away.
“I just heard from Alicia. Lianna is okay and they’re on the way home. I’ve also heard from the Pack Council. They want to try the diplomatic approach first. They’re sending a group to talk to Terrance this afternoon.”
Ben snorted at that, rubbing a hand across his face.
“Could that work?” Adam asked, and Ben struggled with how naïve and hopeful his mate sounded.
“It may do,” Seb replied, even as Ben shook his head.
“Words aren’t going to solve this. We’ve been fighting this battle since he had my parents killed. He knows his days are numbered.”
Adam threw an indecipherable look his way but Ben shrugged away his discomfort. He was saved from having to deal with it by his phone ringing.
“It’s James,” he said and took the call outside.
When he returned to the room a few minutes later, Adam’s eyes immediately sought him out. He hated the expectation laid on his shoulders, that somehow, he would fix all this. He feared, with every beat of his heart, that he would fail. Noah was suffering for his mistakes and no one else’s. That must have been clear to everyone, Adam most of all.
“James has been speaking to the Pack Council. He wants us to join them. If they’re talking to Gray Valley, if they’re making some sort of deal in exchange for Noah’s safe return, we’re going to want to be there.”
Adam sat up straight. “When do we leave?”
“As soon as possible.”
“We’ll look after Xander,” Seb promised. “He’s in good hands.” It went without saying but Ben was still glad he’d said it.
“Adam, if you want to stay here, with Xan-”
“No. I’m coming with you.”
“Alright. Then let’s go.”
Chapter Six
Jay didn’t like to set foot in the Pack house. The handful of times he’d been there were clouded by the memory of being locked in the basement by men working for Byron’s father.
Byron had suggested he stay in the car with Odin but Jay refused, sticking close to his Alpha as they went inside. They didn’t stay long, Byron speaking with his uncle and cousins. Jay didn’t listen too closely to what was said, distracted by his own thoughts and worries.
It was a relief to return to the car, Byron a warm, steady presence in the seat next to him. Odin drove them home, but Byron cautioned they’d be leaving again as soon as Glenoak needed them.
He fell asleep before they reached the house, waking with a jerk as the car slowed to a stop. A hand touched his arm and he jerked away, lashing out with his free hand.
His wrist was caught in a firm grip before it met flesh, Byron’s concerned eyes watching him.
“What was that all about?” he asked, letting go as soon as Jay went still.
“Sorry, Byron,” he whispered, dropping his gaze. Byron gripped his chin with strong fingers, raising his head until their eyes met.
“Another dream?” he asked.
Jay tried to look away, sighing and letting his shoulders sag when the Alpha stroked a thumb along his jaw, the touch firm and cool along his heated skin, steadying him.
“Hey.” Byron’s soft words caught his attention. “It’s okay. Can you tell me about the dream?”
The driver's door opened and closed as Odin stepped out, giving them some space.
Jay opened his mouth to speak, but nothing came out.
“Okay,” Byron said, “Let’s go inside. You can talk when you’re ready.”
He stuck close to Byron as they went into the house, one hand clasping the hem of Byron’s shirt. The Alpha didn’t seem to mind when he was clingy, he usually brought Jay to his room or they lay down in the living room, Byron holding Jay close and tight, like he’d never let go. Those were the times Jay felt truly happy, felt truly safe. Because somewhere inside of hi
m was a little voice that said he’d been left alone before and it could happen again. If he was too much work, too much trouble, upset the wrong client, maybe Byron would decide he was better off without him.
They reached the kitchen and Byron turned to him.
“Do you want to go out to the woods for a while?”
Sometimes, when things were bad, when the walls were closing in on him, that was the only thing that helped. Distance and space. But, right then, he didn’t want distance and space. He wanted safety and protection. He wanted Byron.
Shaking his head, he grasped Byron shirt a little tighter, pushing himself closer until he was pressed against the Alpha.
The Alpha sighed, long and loud.
“Okay, Jay? This, whatever this is, it has to stop.”
His words were like the cattle prod the traffickers had used, shocking him back to reality and he took two steps back from Byron, wrapping his arms around his middle. This was it, he’d done it, crossed the line. Byron was fed up with him. He’d send him away. Hanging his head, he waited.
The loud beat of his heart drowned out Byron’s first few words. “…just one word at a time, Jay. I know it’s hard but I can’t help if I don’t know what’s wrong. I can see you’re scared but you are safe, under my protection like you’ve been since the moment I found you.”
Jay chanced glancing up at his Alpha. There was no anger there, just bewilderment. Byron stepped closer, cupping Jay’s cheek with a cool hand.
“Let’s go lie down for a while.”
Leading Jay to his room, he got them both lying on the bed, Jay on his side, his knees bent, his chin tucked into his chest. Making himself small so he’d look like he needed Byron’s protection. It was a stark contrast to when the Omega was under threat and angry. At those times, he’d be larger than life, standing tall with a growl that had sent more than one Alpha hurriedly backpedaling.
Byron slipped off his shoes and jacket before climbing onto the bed after Jay. As much as he’d tried to encourage Jay to sleep in his own room at first, this was where he ended up, night after night. Byron slotted his knees in behind Jay, pressing his chest against the Omega’s back and wrapping an arm across his front. Jay liked it, liked to be held tightly, to feel protected and cocooned.
The Alpha's Kiss: Lost Omegas Book Six: A M/M Shifter Romance Page 3
