“Ricky.” Derrick frowned, as if he was searching his memory banks. “As I recall, you’re Clive’s mate.”
“Mate? Don’t make me laugh. Clive doesn’t give a shit whether I end up dead from this suicidal mission,” Ricky said defensively.
The emotion rippling across Don’s face wasn’t all that hard to read. Ricky swallowed, tasting the palpable and overwhelming rage there. Somehow he suspected it was rage not because of what he was sent here to do, but rage on his account.
“Clive. Is that the wolf who hurts you?” Don’s voice grew frighteningly quiet and dangerous.
“How do you know that?” Ricky whispered, suddenly not liking the fact that this man seemed to take more interest in him than he wanted.
“From the way you’ve reacted ever since I’ve chased you down. Abused wolf is written all over you.”
Ricky stiffened at his words. He unconsciously felt himself bend down to pick the fallen box of Tofurky off the ground.
He gritted his teeth and said, “I’m not asking for pity, especially from someone like you, Don.”
A sudden shove suddenly sent him stumbling back and Ricky caught sight of Don’s angry and narrowed eyes. “What the hell does that mean?”
“It means a strong dominant wolf like you will never understand what it’s like for us weaker and submissive wolves,” Ricky spat, then turned to Derrick. “You’re the New Haven pack second? Congratulations.”
Derrick frowned, the expression on his face unreadable. The slender man beside him began to speak, but he placed a gentle hand on his shoulder. That single tender gesture told Ricky the other man was more than just another wolf. He was Derrick’s mate and Ricky understood why the man would never be returning to the Starr Mountain pack. It was a well-known fact that Derrick Starr wasn’t just the Alpha’s prodigal son: the Alpha considered him an overweight embarrassment. Derrick wasn’t overweight any longer and he didn’t appear like an embarrassment either, Ricky mused with some satisfaction.
“I see,” Ricky said with a heavy sigh.
“What do you see?” Derrick asked.
There was a quiet strength to him that Ricky envied. A subtle strength Don didn’t possess. While Ricky could sense his power, he wasn’t afraid of him. He reminded Ricky of a steady rock, while Don was all fire. He wasn’t just a fire Ricky was sure would burn him, but one that could consume him.
“That it’s no use trying to convince you. You’ve found your mate and a place here,” Ricky choked. Unexplainable hot tears filled Ricky’s eyes. Damn it all. These men didn’t have to see him cry. “So I’m found out, what’ll happen next?”
“For now, nothing. We need to discuss this matter with Carlos, our pack Alpha.” Derrick seemed to understand the stricken expression on his face, because he patted his shoulder. “Don’t worry about the rumors. He’s not so bad.”
Don snorted. “We need to make sure that you won’t leave town though. That’s why you’re staying with me for the duration.”
“What? No way in hell will I be staying with you.” The outburst came out of Ricky’s mouth before he knew it. “Can’t I stay with Derrick and his mate instead?”
“I think Jack will kill you before that happens,” Don said dryly, nodding to the slender dark-haired Gamma. “Why, afraid of me?”
“No.” Ricky shoved the melted Tofurky box into his arms.
Don didn’t bother with putting on his shoes and shirt and Ricky suspected it was purposely for his benefit.
“What’s this?” He frowned, gingerly holding out the box as if it was poison.
“We can share. Weren’t you eyeing it earlier?”
“Hell no. I was eying the frozen steaks above it, who the hell eats that shit?”
Ricky gave him a cold look. “Vegan werewolves do.”
While Don’s laughter sounded sexy, it irked Ricky. Don finally stopped, noticing his glare. “You’re kidding, right?”
“No I’m not.” Ricky attempted to wrench the box back, but Don held it at arm’s length. He snarled, “Give it back then!”
“Alright then, we’ll be leaving you two alone,” Derrick said awkwardly. After their footsteps faded away, Don finally gave in.
“Hey, Don?”
“Yeah?” Don finished dressing up.
“Why didn’t the residents blink an eye after you know, you shifted and all?”
“We have an agreement with the humans,” Don grinned at his wide eyes. “Welcome to New Haven, Ricky.”
Ricky wasn’t sure why a shot of warmth filled him at those words. He began to feel shaken and he followed Don back to his apartment. The feelings he associated with those words troubled him. They felt wrong. The New Haven pack might have welcomed a strong Beta like Derrick into their arms, but a different sort of welcome awaited a treacherous weak Omega like him.
His stomach did an odd flip as he watched the line of Don’s strong back. Ricky was right about the curve of his ass. It was rounded and firm, just the way he liked them. He shut his eyes tightly for a moment. If the next few days were his last, at least he’d spend them in style, tumbling in the sheets of a gorgeous wolf.
Chapter Two
The three largest wolves in the New Haven pack hunkered down in the backyard of their Alpha to have an impromptu barbeque. Their Alpha, Carlos Medina, had just come from a run, so all he wore was a pair of jeans and an oil-stained apron that read “like my cooking or get eaten” while he readied the grill.
“I was having a good run up in the mountains hunting some deer. When I came back to town the first thing I get is a call from the town mayor about my two Betas,” Carlos began conversationally.
Don and Derrick traded worried looks with each other. While Don didn’t lie to Ricky about their Alpha being a decent pack leader, he could be temperamental at times. Not good for a man with high blood pressure, although most people wouldn’t guess that Carlos had health problems just by looking at him. The man’s padded bulk of muscles could even give Derrick a run for his money.
“Well, boss.” Derrick licked his lips when Carlos held out a hand, motioning to Derrick not to speak.
With knife in hand, Carlos knelt down to his fresh kill, which was nestled between the covers of an old canvas sheet. The strong smell of blood hung in the air, coppery and especially alluring when Don imagined the fresh meat that accompanied it. Only a single ring of teeth dotted the deer’s twisted neck. It was a fast and efficient kill.
“As I was saying, the mayor calls me, telling me my usually most behaved wolves are wrecking havoc by the grocery.”
Carlos didn’t look at either of them while he worked. He was an expert butcher. Like his kill, each slice was precise, giving way to tender red meat that made Don’s stomach rumble. Being one of the few wolves that didn’t eat meat Derrick looked unmoved by the tempting offering.
“On one hand, I was thinking it was fine if one of my enforcers was simply flushing out an unwanted intruder. I’d just settle things with the mayor. It’s another thing when you’re told your wolves are acting indecently in public. Now that is an embarrassment.”
Both of Carlos’ hands were covered in blood, but he had even slices of steak now. These, he threw on the grill. Don didn’t know why he bothered. Werewolves naturally ate hunted meat raw, but perhaps their Alpha was tormenting them a little. Well, just him anyway, since being a diabetic wolf that didn’t eat meat meant that all Derrick ate were sugar-free goods made by his mate.
Carlos let the uneasy silence drag on, making them sweat before he finally spoke. “So what is it about this wolf, Don, that you’d almost fuck him in broad daylight like a bitch in heat?”
Don stiffened. “I didn’t fuck him, Carlos. He just gave me an unexpected blow job.”
“Oh boy.”
Don chose to ignore Derrick’s comment. Since he was a newcomer, the other Beta didn’t know Carlos as well as he did. They’d known each since they were boys. Grown up together, served together, and got bitten together. Then they’d spent the
next few years controlling their beasts, and after that, tried to shape the group of rejected wolves they were saddled with into a functional and formidable pack. Carlos sighed, and began to serve his chops onto plates. He then offered a plate to both of them. Don eagerly gobbled it up, while Derrick looked at it tentatively. One look from Carlos made him nibble its edges. On any other normal day, Don would tease him about it, but there were other important matters at hand.
“Well then, Don. What’s your assessment of this wolf you’ve decided to spare? What makes him so different that you’d reconsider killing him on sight like any other shifter spy sniffing around town?”
He’s our mate, Don’s wolf argued, but he urged the beast to shut up. Now wasn’t the right time to bring that particular sensitive nugget of information out, not until he heard what their Alpha decided.
“The Omega’s relatively harmless.” Don considered his next words carefully. Carlos munched on his steak, watching him intently. “If he’s a spy, then he’s a poor one. He was really frightened, Carlos. I’m not sure if he volunteered for the job or he was forced into it, but he seemed reluctant to go back to his own pack. Even at the cost of his life.”
Carlos frowned, turning to Derrick. “Ricky Starr’s from your old pack. What do you know about him?”
“He carries the Starr family name, so he’s probably one of my father’s many bastards. I don’t know him personally, but I do know that sack of shit he calls mate. Clive isn’t a dominant wolf any submissive wolf would go to willingly for protection.”
A thin growl tickled out of Don’s throat. He could feel his pupils dilating as his control over his human half wobbled. The way Ricky smelled and reacted was still fresh in his mind. Deeply rooted fear rolled off him in waves and every muscle in his body tensed.
Carlos ignored him, but Don had a feeling the Alpha noted how he reacted. “What kind of wolf is he then?”
“The kind that’s a last resort. In the Starr Mountain pack, only the strong survive. The weak are expected to fend for themselves. Sometimes that means baring their throats and bellies to another dominant wolf who won’t hesitate to abuse them,” Derrick said sourly.
“We can’t allow him to go back to them.” The words burst out of Don’s throat before he could control himself.
The urge to protect the weaker wolf, to curl himself possessively against the Omega was so strong it nearly overwhelmed him. The thought of another wolf wanting to take advantage of what was rightfully his drove him crazy to the point of insanity. With only his baser and primal bestial instincts guiding him, he’d hunt down that bastard and rip him to shreds until there was nothing of him let to find. Once that wolf was gone, he’d leave his marks all over Ricky so everyone knew the little Omega belonged to him.
Submissive wolves appealed for the protection of dominant wolves, and the dominant wolf would fight and defend the weaker wolf with their lives. That was how it worked.
Dangerous thoughts. After so many unsuccessful matings, didn’t I swear to myself I’d never bother finding one again? Those wolves meant nothing to him though. Don had never reacted as strongly to anyone like how he reacted to the other Omega.
“Do you want to adopt him and take him home then, Don?” Carlos asked him in a mocking voice. “What happens if you tire of him?”
“I won’t tire of him, Carlos. What’s your verdict on this?”
“The Starr Mountain pack will have someone tailing him from a distance,” Derrick observed. “They’ll probably be wondering why they haven’t heard from him by now.”
“Ricky won’t tattle.”
“Don, how many times have you told the other wolves to not let emotion get in the way of cold logic?” Carlos asked him calmly, although Don could see his patience was at an end. “If he could report nothing, then he’s free to leave, but only because you both say he’s relatively harmless.”
“If that’s your decision, then that means I can do what I want with him, right?” Don challenged, despite knowing he was pushing the boundaries of their friendship.
“Give your Omega a fucking-tastic send-off if you wish, but I want this matter closed and dealt with.”
Once Carlos retreated inside the house, Don spoke to Derrick in a low voice. “You’re sure there’s another wolf from the Starr Mountain pack involved?”
“I’m sure.” Derrick gave him a long look of appraisal. “Don, you really care for this wolf, don’t you?”
Don ignored his question. For some reason he was a hundred percent certain who Ricky’s contact would be, and he needed to be the one to deal with him.
“I need you to pass a message to the other pack enforcers. They can keep tabs on this intruder, but none of them are allowed to touch him. It’s my kill. You understand?”
Derrick slapped his shoulder in agreement. “I’ll pass the word along. It’s your kill.”
****
Ricky paced the length of Don’s small but comfy apartment, occasionally glancing at the clock in the living room. His nerves weren’t just frayed. They were shot to hell. Time seemed to crawl at a painful pace and walking restlessly like this wouldn’t do him any good.
During the chase just now, he’d lost his smartphone and it would’ve been too suspicious to backtrack and find it with Don breathing down his neck. Despite the sexual tension threatening to burst between them, the Beta still distrusted him. Pity was the only reason Don and Derrick let him live. Don even trusted him enough to leave him in the apartment alone, but Ricky had a feeling if he’d crossed the line, the Beta wouldn’t hesitate to do what needed to be doing.
“So why am I still here?” Ricky wondered out loud, glancing at the clock again.
It was nearing six now, three hours past the agreed upon meeting time. Somewhere outside the borders of New Haven, Clive was waiting impatiently for his first report, and Ricky suspected he wasn’t all that happy. The prospect of a thrashing didn’t appeal to Ricky, but his body was used to taking beatings. What he wouldn’t be able to take was the emotional beating he’d give Don if he continued to involve the dominant wolf with his problems. Ricky’s wolf was never this attracted to any other wolf and he still couldn’t entirely make sense of the confusing mess of emotions he harbored towards Don.
“I know nothing good would come out of this, so why am I still here waiting for Don to come back? Why don’t I just leave?”
Just thinking about Don’s hand fisting his hair as he guided Ricky to his waiting and eager cock made him flush with desire again. It had been hours since Don left him, but his skin still tingled with anticipation when the other man’s flesh brushed against his. What he wouldn’t give for their flesh to violently collide, and their beasts to fight and tangle with each other again.
He hooked a finger into his shirt and sniffed, closing his eyes to inhale a lungful of the dominant Beta’s wonderful scent. Ricky made his decision. He was a coward and had always been a coward, but he wasn’t running this time to save his own skin. The thought of indirectly hurting Don was just something he couldn’t swallow.
“If you keep rubbing your little nose all over my scent like that you’re going to drive me mad.”
Ricky jumped at Don’s voice. A shiver crawled down his spine at the man’s wonderful masculine laugh. Fuck. Damn him and his sexy laugh. Noticing the other man had an armful of groceries with him, Ricky followed him to the kitchen and leaned against the counter, crossing his arms. His stomach rumbled, even though he’d already devoured an entire box of microwave Tofurky patties.
Strange. I don’t smell meat at all.
Greedily eying the bags, he asked, “You did some grocery shopping?”
“I’m cooking dinner. You look a little worn out. Why don’t you get some rest?”
“Why? I’m not tired.” Ricky yelped when Don leaned over the other end of the counter and grabbed his shirt.
He sniffed at Ricky, then pressed his nose to his cheek and slowly sniffed his way downward to his neck. The strangely intimate gesture ma
de him shudder, especially when he felt Don’s wet tongue lick the side of his neck. Wetting his lips, Don licked Ricky’s neck again, as if he wanted more than a mere taste. It felt like the other wolf was intent on marking his territory. The thought made the bulge in Ricky’s jeans grow embarrassingly larger. Possessed suddenly by need, Ricky eagerly leaned forward when he felt the edge of Don’s teeth.
Don abruptly let him go. “You smell and taste like anxiety. So get your little furry ass to bed. My bedroom’s just past the living room.”
Disappointed but not angry, Ricky only nodded and obeyed. He understood all too well what would happen if Don marked him. That path would only take him a step closer to being claimed by the other wolf, and he couldn’t have that if he wanted nothing to do with Don.
The last thing he wanted to do was hurt the only man who’d showed him some measure of kindness. Don could be one scary son-of-a-bitch dominant wolf, but some part of Ricky knew the Beta would never hurt him intentionally.
The press of the bed’s warm cotton sheets against his tired body made him sigh. Ricky breathed in Don’s scent deeply because that was all he was getting. Safe. He felt safe and it was a wonderful feeling not needing to be alert every second because hurt was just around the corner. Why he even thought of leaving earlier made him feel foolish. After what seemed like a long time, Ricky let himself be lulled into a deep and dreamless sleep.
It was the smell of something spicy and heavenly that woke him up. Rubbing his heavy eyelids, Ricky pulled the blanket off him and padded out the room. The smell of curry and spices wafted through the entire apartment, making his mouth water and his stomach rumble. The smell lured him back to the kitchen where a full pot was shimmering with thick yellow curry.
“Had a good nap?” Don asked.
Physical hunger was replaced by another kind. Barefoot, wearing only a pair of jeans and a faded thin cotton blue apron, Ricky practically salivated at the sight of Don’s exposed flesh. He could see the other man’s nipples through the almost sheer apron, and the curl of dark hair trailing down to the line of his jeans.
Vegan-licious Omega Page 2
