Rightfully His Omega

by Angelique Voisen

  Rightfully His Omega

  Angelique Voisen

  Werewolves mate for life.

  A rare omega, Charlie has experienced and tasted Hell’s finest. When Charlie was twelve, he died and saw his home burned down, his pack rendered extinct, and his fated mate, Caleb, taken. When Caleb returns ten years later, he intends to claim what he lost.

  Caleb’s link to Charlie is unbreakable, stronger than any marriage bond. Harder now, scarred, and a reputed killer, Caleb is the kind of dominant werewolf who doesn’t understand the word no. Caleb isn’t the only one who’s changed. Charlie’s all grown up now.

  If Caleb thinks Charlie’s going to bend before he breaks, he has another thing coming.

  eBooks are not transferable. They cannot be sold, shared or given away as it is an infringement of the copyright of this work.

  RIGHTFULLY HIS OMEGA

  Dubious Series

  Copyright © 2016 ANGELIQUE VOISEN

  ISBN: 978-1-943576-75-3

  All Romance eBooks, LLC Palm Harbor, Florida 34684 www.allromanceebooks.com

  This is a work of fiction and any resemblance to persons, living or dead, or business establishments, events, or locales is coincidental.

  All Rights Are Reserved. No part of this may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever with out written permission, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

  First All Romance eBooks publication: April 2016

  Prologue

  Past

  After tossing and turning for what seemed like the hundredth time that night, Liam had enough. He groaned, forced his eyes open, and tossed aside his comforter in annoyance.

  Was the radiator set on high again?

  Liam’s clothes were plastered to his skin. A little bite of winter air would set the world right. Liam shuffled over to his window and drew open his curtains. He forgot about his discomfort. Liam stared, rubbed at his eyes, unable to believe what he saw.

  Trinity Valley—the sleepy and secluded town up in the mountains he called home—was burning. Fear crawled down his spine. His heart ceased beating.

  “This isn’t real,” Liam whispered.

  Liam wanted to throw up. He dug his fingers into the wooden ledge. Hackles raised, teeth bared, his spiritual wolf vehemently disagreed.

  The vermillion flames looked real enough. So did the almost caricature faces of the screaming folks running out of their homes, trying to salvage their belongings. It would have been cartoon-funny, if it hadn’t been Liam’s entire world going up in flames.

  Faced with extinction, the pack did its best to hide itself from the rest of the supernatural community. Because certain members of their clan carried a unique strand in their shifter DNA that enabled omegas to carry natural-born wolf children, even males, generations of them had been either kidnapped or hunted down over the centuries, leaving a scattering of a few families. Each member in the Trinity Valley pack knew this day would come.

  Liam fisted his hands. Why did this have to happen now, right when his life seemed perfect?

  He’d gotten straight A’s at school. Janice Mills agreed to be his date for the school dance, although Liam had only asked her out because he had the hots for her older brother Troy. Liam even survived his first successful shift and had finally been formally acknowledged as a member of the pack.

  Liam yanked up the window. Smoke filled his lungs, making him erupt into violent coughs.

  The door to his room slammed open. Liam bared his teeth, ready for anything. He might still be a wolf cub, but he’d put up a fight. It was only his father and Matthias.

  “Thank God. Come with me, Liam. There’s no time.”

  Liam wordlessly gaped at him. Matthias growled, took a step towards him, and began yanking at his arm. Liam followed, and somehow managed to unglue his tongue.

  “What’s happening, Dad?”

  Matthias didn’t answer him, only dragged him down the flight of stairs.

  “Answer me!” Liam screamed, confused and angry his father treated him like a child.

  “There’s no time,” Matthias growled.

  Liam froze when he caught sight of the large werewolf blocking the doorway. At twenty-four, Caleb stood over six-feet, every inch of him padded with ink, scars, and muscle. Caleb scared the hell out of Liam. The pack also considered the dominant wolf his supposed mate. Liam’s intended half.

  Caleb’s mother came to Matthias as a gift from a rival wolf clan. The last thing Matthias expected was the discovery his young and untouched bride hadn’t been a virgin after all. Caleb had been the pup his mother, his mother’s pack, and Liam’s pack never wanted.

  Normally, that would soften Liam’s opinion of him, but Caleb’s “fuck-you” attitude had been hard to like. Matthias and the other pack leaders made it worse for Caleb and Liam when the seers announced Liam, being an omega, would someday bear Caleb pups to carry on their fading line.

  Matthias ignored him completely and spoke to Caleb. “Don’t make me regret trusting you, Caleb.”

  “I’ll do what’s necessary to take care of your fucking runt.” Caleb’s gaze shifted to Liam.

  Liam hated how Caleb looked at him—like he was an inconvenient responsibility, just like the way his father saw him. Cold eyes and a frozen heart perfectly described Caleb.

  “I don’t want to go with him,” Liam whined.

  His voice sounded small and insignificant. Liam knew he was being a brat, but the last thing he wanted was to go with a man who completely hated his guts. Caleb said so from day one.

  Matthias pushed him into Caleb’s huge muscled arms. Liam thought Caleb would let him fall. Take some pleasure in watching him trip and fall on his face, but Caleb easily caught him. Liam’s relief vanished when he felt Caleb’s hands around his waist a second later.

  “Hell, no!” Liam shrieked.

  Caleb mutely tossed Liam over his broad shoulder like he was a sack of flour.

  “I won’t fail you,” Caleb told Matthias, toneless, but underneath it, Liam thought he sensed something.

  Real emotion his fourteen-year-old self couldn’t understand.

  “You better not,” Matthias said. A warning.

  Caleb turned, heading for the door. Liam twisted his head, trying to get one last look at his father’s face.

  Turn. Look at me, damn you.

  Matthias didn’t bother sparing one last look at his son. That was the last time Liam ever saw his father.

  “Go back. We have to take Dad with us,” Liam insisted. When Caleb didn’t listen, Liam pounded his tiny fists at Caleb’s back, but it felt like hitting a brick wall.

  “Stop that, runt,” Caleb practically growled out, carrying Liam to the beat-up pick up in the driveway. He yanked open the door beside the driver’s seat and dumped Liam in. Caleb took the wheel, locking the car before Liam could slip out. “Put your seat belt on. Try something funny, and I will fucking knock you cold. You understand, brat?”

  Caleb’s charcoal pupils bled to a dangerous shade of wolf yellow. Liam could practically feel Caleb’s animosity and anger coming off his powerful body in waves. Liam believed him. He once saw Caleb break a challenger’s back with his bare hands in an official pack duel.

  With shaking hands, Liam reached for the belt. He must have taken too long because Caleb leaned over and did it for him. The mere brush of Caleb’s body touching his sent off a strange reaction in Liam. His spiritual wolf fastened its gaze on Caleb’s enormous killing machine with interest.

  He suddenly felt hot and uncomfortable, and Liam couldn’t understand why. Caleb hit the accelerator and drove like a madman. The truck wove through chaos, past other vehicles crammed with people, pets, and belongings, and even
past screaming folks on foot.

  “We have to stop and help them.” Liam clutched at Caleb’s huge forearm, but Caleb batted him away.

  “No. Matthias’ instructions were clear. No stopping until I get you somewhere safe.” Caleb’s tones sounded clipped, to the point.

  “You’re heartless,” Liam accused.

  He winced when Caleb’s unshaven cheek twitched in annoyance. Stupid of him to start a fight with Caleb in the middle of an apocalypse, but Liam couldn’t help himself. Anger ebbed into him like a steady flow—anger at his dad, at Caleb, at the world’s unfairness. He needed to let it all out, and Caleb happened to be conveniently there.

  Liam had a thousand other unkind things to say, except Caleb’s soft next words—delivered with deadly precision—stopped Liam cold and made him feel incredibly foolish and stupid.

  “I’m not your enemy, Liam. Someday, you’ll realize I’m the only one on your side.”

  Caleb’s gaze remained on the road ahead, his focus intense. They drove out of the town proper now and started down the mountain path. More questions buzzed in Liam’s head. Who burned the town down? Enemies certainly, but which ones? Were they looking for something, or did they simply desire the extinction of the pack?

  A cold chill crawled down Liam’s spine as the realization dawned on him. There was only one reason for the destruction—him, or those like him. A heavy weight settled in the pit of Liam’s stomach. It couldn’t be. Why would they attack Trinity Valley after months of quiet peace? Had that peace been fabricated, an illusion so the pack would let down their guard?

  “That’s right, runt. Only a handful of omegas survived. You’re one of them.”

  “Oh, God,” Liam whispered.

  Caleb chuckled, the sound a cruel jab to Liam’s fragile emotional state. “God doesn’t exist, runt. We take fate by the balls, then fuck, fight, and live however we want.”

  Liam stared at him. “You’re insane.”

  “Crazy keeps me alive.”

  Only the headlights of the pick-up illuminated the snow-covered road in front of them. Oaks and pines rose on either side of them, looking menacing. Liam could imagine their unseen enemies, hiding amidst the woods, waiting for the right moment to strike. He swallowed, sat straighter in his seat, and peered out the window.

  “Relax. It’s just us. Matthias and others distracted the dumb fuckers so every remaining omega and his protector could make a clean getaway.”

  “Telling me my father volunteered to give up his life so I could live isn’t reassuring,” Liam snapped.

  Something inside him had cracked, maybe the parts holding his sanity together. God. Why would Caleb drop that bomb on him now? Liam didn’t want to know, didn’t want to face the awful truth, because this was nothing but a nightmare he could wake up from. Except it wasn’t. Dreams wouldn’t be able to replicate the tendrils of self-loathing creeping inside him like a poison.

  “I wish I was fucking dead. I didn’t ask for any of this!” Realizing he just shouted, Liam hunched in his seat, shocked when Caleb gripped his jaw and turned his face so Liam now looked at him.

  “Don’t waste their sacrifice. Be fucking grateful you’re alive. Killing yourself or simply just thinking about it would dishonor their memory.” Caleb released him and returned his attention to the road.

  Feeling ashamed and a thousand times shittier, Liam wished he could shrink back against the chair and disappear.

  “What’s going to happen to me now?” Liam finally asked.

  It felt like hours had passed. Snow fell in clumps outside his window. Inside, there was nothing but growing discomfort. Caleb hadn’t said another word since. Liam realized he didn’t like the silence. Without anyone to talk to, his mind became fixated on the fact his town burned because of him. He’d take arguing with Caleb any day.

  Thank God, Caleb spoke, except his answer hadn’t been the one Liam wanted to hear.

  “We’re heading over to one of the pack’s safe houses in Sweet Creek. It’s about a day’s drive. Matthias said there were some decent folks, old friends of his, willing to take you in for a while.”

  Liam clutched at the sleeve of Caleb’s shirt, panicked. “You’re not coming with me?”

  “I thought you hate my guts.”

  “Don’t leave me. Please. You promised Dad to take care of me. Aren’t you supposed to be my protector and mate?” Liam blurted out the words in desperation.

  Caleb’s humor faded. Liam thought he caught of the glimpse of the young man Caleb hid so well underneath his tough exterior. Then, like water, Caleb’s mask settled back in place. Liam’s heart fell.

  “Sorry, runt. You’re not safe with me, and I got some unfinished business to take care of,” Caleb said.

  “What business?” Liam demanded.

  “I’ll tell you when you’re older,” Caleb answered.

  “You sound like my dad and every damn adult in the pack,” Liam said hotly. He crossed his arms, feeling his spiritual rise to the surface, riled up by his intense emotions. “You know what I think?”

  “What?” Caleb sounded distracted. Probably not even bothered about Liam any longer. Liam knew Caleb saw him only as one thing. Deadweight.

  “You can’t wait to dump me somewhere. No more stupid kid to take care of, right?” Liam was on a roll. He couldn’t stop and didn’t want to. All the frustration, rage, and helplessness seething inside Liam wanted out. “Actually, you must be happy the town burned down. You always talked about leaving, don’t you?”

  Liam knew he’d gone too far with that one. Caleb growled, nearly losing control of the wheel. The vehicle swerved, but Caleb quickly righted it back again. Instead of driving on, Caleb stopped by the roadside. Liam froze when he caught sight of Caleb’s eyes. Caleb looked furious enough, the edges of his pupils started bleeding to wolf. Well, Caleb was always angry, but not like this.

  Fear gripped Liam. What if he’d pushed Caleb too far? Would Caleb throw him out of the car and into the cold winter night? Liam could shift to avoid freezing to death, but where would he go? He’d lived in Trinity Valley his entire life.

  As one of the pack’s remaining prized omegas, he’d never been allowed to venture out of the mountains without a protector. Liam had been taught all his life that was the best solution. Better to be safe and protected, rather be exposed to the greed and violence of the world. Until now, he’d never seen Trinity Valley as a kind of prison, but it was.

  “You listen to me, you little runt,” Caleb began. He gripped the wheel so hard, his knuckles turned white.

  Liam didn’t know why he suddenly grabbed hold of Caleb’s inked and muscled forearm. Maybe he really believed Caleb would really abandon him. “Caleb, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean those words. I’m just so angry.”

  He began stroking Caleb’s arm, like he would the family golden retriever when Taffy needed reassurance. Miraculously, it worked on werewolves, too, judging by the even rise and fall of Caleb’s chest. Caleb’s wolf pulled back, but Liam knew the beast was always there, watching. Unlike Caleb’s human half, Liam liked his wolf a lot better.

  “Are you going to take revenge on them? Is that it? I can come with you. Help you out. Be a lookout, that sort of thing,” Liam suddenly said. The idea appealed to him so suddenly, like a light bulb turning on. Liam latched onto it with stubborn determination.

  Caleb’s lips twisted. For a second there, Liam saw past Caleb’s arrogance and anger. Saw something like pain, before he put back his mask. “Thanks, runt, but you’ll only get in the way.”

  Liam let go of Caleb. He clenched his fists at his sides to avoid punching Caleb. Of course Caleb would say that. Caleb hated him with a passion, even wished he didn’t exist. If Liam didn’t, Caleb could be the future pack alpha like Matthias. If Liam and the other omegas weren’t born—

  No use thinking about the past. He couldn’t change that, and Liam couldn’t persuade Caleb either.

  “Keep me. Protect me. Isn’t that your job as my mate?”
<
br />   Caleb gritted his teeth. “Where did you fucking learn emotional blackmail?”

  As if Caleb had any emotion left, but Liam kept that to himself. “Did it work?”

  “No,” Caleb scoffed. “You listen, runt.”

  Liam lifted his knees to his chest, annoyed by the seatbelt, but if he unfastened it, Caleb would put it back on. He knew he’d already lost the battle. Why waste his breath and energy when the outcome proved inevitable?

  “I’m listening.” Liam wasn’t, not really. Why should he? But Caleb’s next words stopped him cold.

  “Discarding you is the last thing on my fucking agenda. You got that, Liam?” Caleb pointed out. It struck Liam how that was the first time Caleb ever used his name. Not runt. Caleb continued, “No matter how long it takes, I swear I’ll come back for you.”

  Liam’s heart galloped in his chest, threatening to burst. Why did he feel strangely flushed and uncomfortable? Hating Caleb suddenly seemed stupid, too. Caleb drew a long chain inside a shirt, linked to a plain golden band. A ring that belonged to his mother, Liam knew, and Caleb’s most treasured keepsake. Without another word, Caleb yanked at the chain, catching the ring with one hand, and offering to Liam, palm up.

  “Caleb, this is…I can’t,” Liam whispered.

  “Think of it as insurance, that you’re more important than a ring, so I’ll definitely come back to you.”

  Those unexpected words evoked a surge of warm emotions. With shaking hands, Liam took the ring and slid it down his ring finger. It felt like a proposal of sorts, but Liam didn’t say those words out loud in case Caleb decided to take back the ring and his promise.

  The rest of the drive was silent, but Liam felt the weight of the cold metal on his finger strangely comforting. They stopped once at a gas station to refill and get some food and drink before moving on. Soon enough, the car passed the Sweet Creek welcome sign. Liam’s stomach churned.

  “Be brave, runt. No tears, remember that,” Caleb finally said as he drove into the main town center.

  “I’m not strong like you or Dad,” Liam murmured. He kept twisting Caleb’s ring on his finger, over and over, a nervous gesture. Dread filled him as they passed more shops and faces he didn’t recognize. Strangers. Nothing felt right or recognizable. Was Sweet Creek another kind of prison?