Ripples of Threat

by Rebecca James

“So, you should have fallen on your ass instead?” Grey’s eyes crinkled in the corners. He shook his head. “No, you shouldn’t have talked to another alpha alone, but you won’t do that again. Let’s forget it, okay? I want to talk about what’s going on with you.”

  Gabriel sniffled and wiped his tears away, unconsciously scooting closer to Grey on the bed. His alpha’s scent was strong enough to overpower even Gabriel’s limited faculties, and the omega drew it in in gulps, welcoming the calm it elicited.

  “What do you mean?” he asked groggily.

  Gabriel could feel Grey studying him.

  “You should have been able to find your way out of the woods. Couldn’t you smell anything? Home? Me?”

  Gabriel shook his head. “Not at that moment, no. Since I got pregnant this time, I have periods where my senses aren’t as heightened. You must have been inside, or I probably would have caught your scent. “

  Grey rubbed Gabriel’s arm. “And being cold? Does that happen a lot?”

  A small smile curved Gabriel’s lips as he basked in the loving attention of his alpha. “Not a lot.”

  “We’re going to get to the bottom of this. River wrote to me and said when he tried to find the healer woman-”

  “Farrah,” Gabriel murmured.

  “Farrah, yes. He discovered she’d passed away.”

  Gabriel’s heart dropped, and Grey pulled the omega closer so Gabriel’s cheek pressed to Grey’s chest, the hairs growing there tickling the omega’s skin.

  “She was such a good friend to all of us in River’s pack.”

  Grey growled low. “You’re in my pack now, and I’ll take care of you.”

  “I know.”

  Grey tugged at Gabriel’s braid, drawing the omega’s head back and kissed him, overpowering his senses. Gabriel clung to him.

  When Grey pulled back, he said, “River will be sending a human doctor here. A woman who had visited his pack before.”

  Lax and stupid from his alpha’s kisses, Gabriel could only nod, although somewhere deep inside, he was alarmed Grey was allowing a human onto the compound.

  “Evidently, she’s been studying our species for a while,” Grey added.

  “Okay. Did you find out about the rogue omegas?” Gabriel asked.

  “River said something’s happened to keep them from coming for now.” Grey kissed the top of Gabriel’s head. “Were you afraid when you got lost in the forest?”

  “Not really. I just kept thinking about you and how I’d wronged you. Then I got so tired. I didn’t mean to fall asleep.”

  Grey sighed, arms tightening around the omega. “I shouldn’t have stayed angry so long. I’m sorry.” He rubbed Gabriel’s back. It felt good. “I think you should drink some of my blood again.”

  Gabriel forced his heavy eyes open and snuggled close to Grey’s offered neck. The omega sunk his canines into the skin, and his alpha’s blood flowed into his mouth and down his throat in greedy swallows, warming Gabriel’s chilled bones. Gradually he completely relaxed in Grey’s arms. The omega drank, more and more time going by between swallows, until Grey gently nudged at the omega’s chin and Gabriel disengaged and settled against the alpha’s chest.

  An undetermined amount of time later, Gabriel heard the front door open and close and lifted his head to see Ian standing in the doorway with Finny. The little boy had a chocolate donut in his hand, dark icing all over his face.

  “Looks like someone had fun at Justin’s,” Gabriel said, voice hoarse with sleep.

  Ian kissed Finny’s head. “We’ve been talking about how important it is not to run away from the adults, haven’t we, Son?”

  “Squirrel,” Finny said before holding his donut up to Ian’s mouth.

  The beta took a bite and licked the chocolate from his lips. “Yeah, I know, but do not chase squirrels. I’ll show you how we can get them to come eat from a feeder, if you really want to look at them up close.”

  Finny’s eyes lit up. “Now?”

  “Not now. Tomorrow.”

  Grey rose from the bed and crossed the room to take Finny. “I’ll let him shower with me, and we’ll have another talk about staying with adults.” He headed for the bathroom after accepting a bite of donut from Finny.

  Ian approached Gabriel on the bed. “You okay?”

  Gabriel nodded. “I apologized again to Grey. I really did a stupid thing with Duncan, and I didn’t even fully realize it until today when I was sitting in the forest thinking.”

  Ian sat beside Gabriel. “Grey’s going to get mad every once in a while. It’s what he does.”

  “Still. I shouldn’t have gone to talk to Duncan like that.”

  “Live and learn.” Ian leaned down and tenderly kissed Gabriel on the lips before pulling the blanket over him. “Finish your nap. I’ll call you when dinner’s ready.”

  Gabriel watched Ian leave, thinking he’d never be able to sleep again, but minutes later, he was out.

  Chapter 15: Vincent

  Vincent lay cradled in Kale’s arms, Craig’s hand rubbing circles over the omega’s sore ass. The two men had taken him hard, one after the other. For so long, it had been only Kale. Now Craig was taking an active part, and Vincent found he loved every minute of it.

  The day had been long, and the kids hadn’t wanted to go to bed. Jasper had been particularly irritable, having gotten up before daybreak, and Ryan followed suit, refusing to take his bath and winding up in the corner on the naughty stool for ten minutes. Vincent hadn’t brought it up with his mates, but he was beginning to see glimpses of an alpha in the older boy. Time would tell.

  The sun had set hours ago, and all Vincent wanted to do was sleep, but he’d overworked that day and couldn’t relax. Kale and Craig had finished building the extra room, and Vince had insisted upon helping move things in. The alpha and beta had carried the heaviest furniture, but Vincent had managed to wear himself out nonetheless. Being with his mates helped rejuvenate him, especially the scent of his alpha, and he knew by morning he’d be feeling good again. Vincent thought of Gabriel, and wondered what was wrong with the omega that he was always so tired and listless. It was frightening, and Vincent found himself worrying more and more about his friend. Eyes closed and cheek resting below Kale’s arm, Vincent pushed those thoughts from his mind and concentrated on listening to his mates talking as they cuddled him between them.

  “I never got to ask how the alpha meeting went this morning,” Craig’s voice rumbled at Vincent’s back. Curious, the omega waited for Grey’s answer.

  “Grey’s omega’s been having health issues, and Grey’s been trying to find a healer woman who used to live near River Wolf compound.”

  So much for pushing away worries over Gabriel, Vincent thought.

  “Today he received a letter from River saying that the woman had passed away. He recommended someone else to help Gabriel. A human doctor.”

  “To come here?” Vincent felt Craig’s body stiffen at his back.

  “Only if we agree. The alternative is taking Gabriel to Cascade City, which would leave us without our pack alpha for an indeterminate amount of time and could prove dangerous for Gabriel in his current weakened condition.”

  “What was decided?” Craig asked.

  “We voted to allow the woman to come here. Xavier remembers her and agrees she’s helpful and not a threat. He said she’s a doctor and saved River’s mate’s life by performing surgery at their compound.”

  “Surgery?”

  “I can’t remember what the circumstances were.” Kale gave Vincent’s bare ass a gentle squeeze. “Vinny? You remember the lady?”

  Vincent lifted his head and squinted up at Kale. “Yeah. Her name was Angela, and she did save Josiah’s life by taking out his appendix. He’s half-human, remember.”

  “Oh, yeah.” Kale bent his arm under his head and looked at the ceiling. “Well, none of us thought she could do any harm coming alone. Pretty brave of her to do it, I say.”

  “When’s she coming?” Cr
aig asked.

  “As soon as the letter gets back to River, I guess. The meeting broke up when Milo’s omega came to tell Grey Gabriel was lost in the woods.”

  “Lost?” Vincent asked. How would a werewolf get lost on the compound?

  “Evidently the pregnancy’s affected his senses.”

  They lay quietly for a while, and when Kale began to snore, Vincent rolled over to face Craig to find the beta was still awake.

  “You think it’s a good idea, that woman doctor coming here?” Craig whispered.

  Craig’s change in behavior toward Vincent was still so new, warmth filled Vincent’s chest at the knowledge the beta wanted his opinion. “Sure. If Gabriel needs help, she should come.”

  “But having humans on the compound is what broke up River’s pack.”

  “It was a lot of things combined,” Vincent said.

  “If River hadn’t allowed humans to come, would he have lost his pack?”

  Vincent had to admit he probably wouldn’t have. “Still, River mating Josiah started it all, and nobody’s going to be mating this woman. She’ll just come and help and then leave.”

  “I hope you’re right,” Craig grumbled, turning onto his back and closing his eyes.

  “I think I am.” Vincent closed his eyes, but sleep wouldn’t come. Remembering events at River Wolf pack made him uneasy. He knew the pack’s unease at River mating “the human” had started the ball rolling. Josiah had been half-werewolf and omega, but nobody had known that when the young man had arrived at the compound as part of the humans’ attempt to understand the werewolves and improve relations between the two species. The abrupt mating that followed had turned the pack on its head. If River hadn’t allowed Josiah to visit the compound, none of the murmurings against him that came after were likely to have happened.

  At first, after the initial shock had died down, Vincent had thought everything would be okay. But then Josiah had become pregnant and bore River twin girls, and that had been the lightning bolt that had set the pack in flames. No females had ever been born into werewolf society, and their gender only proved they were more human than werewolf. After their birth, it had only been a matter of time before River’s strongest dissenters began making plans to take him down.

  Vincent still thought River would have won if he’d fought for his title, but the pack alpha must have had his own doubts, for he’d willingly given up and left with a handful of supporters. The omega shivered, remembering the dark days that had followed, more than glad he had volunteered to be one of the omegas traded to Angel Hills. He’d grown to love his new pack, but sometimes he couldn’t help but think of River and the others and wonder how they were faring in Cascade City. Living among so many humans had to be frightening. He thought of David, River’s second-in-command, and his complicated relationship with the human, Jax. Were they still together? Vincent had always imagined their romance doomed to fail, no matter how much they appeared to be in love.

  Gradually, after the omega’s thoughts had run their course, Vincent’s eyes grew heavy and the sounds of his mates’ gentle snores lulled him to sleep

  * * * *

  A few days later, Vincent was hanging clothes out to dry when a howl went up atop one of the high cliffs.

  “The human must have arrived,” Craig said, looking across the lake toward the main part of the compound.

  Vincent hung the last shirt on the line. “Want to go see? I remember Angela as being very nice. She asked the omegas a lot of questions. I’d really like to stop at the new omega den anyway.”

  Craig nodded. “Okay. I can take Ryan by the schoolhouse while we’re out.” They’d decided the boy would start going there the next week.

  Craig called the boys from where they were playing in the shallows and the family began walking around the lake.

  Vincent thought the exercise felt good. He still hadn’t had any morning sickness and had his fingers crossed that he wouldn’t. He felt sorry for Gabriel, having so much trouble with his pregnancies.

  As Vincent and Craig passed James’ house, Vaughn came to the door with J.J. in his arms.

  “Where are you guys headed?”

  “To the schoolhouse for one,” Vincent said. “We also want to see Angela.”

  “Is that what the howl was about? I heard she was coming to help Gabriel.” Vincent fell into step with them, and the three kids shifted and ran ahead of the adults.

  As they rounded the lake, Vincent spotted Duncan sitting on his dock, fishing. The alpha had been outside more and more often lately, and Vincent wondered if Duncan was keeping an eye on the construction of the barn or if the alpha had tired of being such a recluse.

  Craig raised a hand in greeting as they passed the alpha, who nodded his head but kept fishing, seemingly uninterested in the arrival of the human.

  “He’s an odd duck,” Vincent said in a low voice to his twin.

  “James told me he’s kinky as fuck,” Vaughn said.

  Vincent raised a brow. “What do you mean?”

  “That’s what I asked. James said he didn’t know what all the guy liked, just that he often went to Echo Valley to quench his desires.”

  “What’s at Echo Valley?”

  Craig wasn’t paying attention to the omegas’ discussion, as he was busy throwing a stick to the pups and laughing over them play-fighting over it.

  “Others who enjoy ropes and stuff like that.”

  “So…he likes to tie someone up before fucking them?”

  Vaughn shrugged. “I guess so. James said it’s like taking the alpha/omega thing to another level, only without the omega. ‘cause no omega’s gonna want to be tied up. Held down maybe, but not whipped for pleasure.”

  Vincent’s eyes got wide. “Whipped? For pleasure?”

  “I told you it was kinky. James said it’s a bigger thing in the human world. They even have these places to go where everyone gets into it.”

  Vincent looked back over his shoulder at the burly alpha sitting on the dock and shuddered. “Fenrir’s teeth, I can’t imagine.”

  Vaughn laughed. “Me neither, but to each his own.”

  “That must be why he’s not mated.”

  “James said he used to be, but his mate died in the great sickness.”

  That bit of news made Vincent pity the alpha, who probably couldn’t find anyone else suited for his kinky needs.

  They arrived at the schoolhouse and went inside. Canaan was seated on the floor in the middle of a circle of small children.

  “Is this a bad time?” Craig asked the other beta. “I wanted Ryan to see the school before he starts next week.”

  “Of course.” Canaan rose gracefully to his feet. “We’re having show-and-tell right now.” He looked at the three pups peeking out from between their fathers’ leg with obvious interest. “Would you boys like to join us?”

  The children immediately shifted and ran to join the others in the circle.

  “If you want to leave them for a bit, that’s fine,” Canaan said.

  Craig nodded. “Okay. Be back in about twenty minutes.” The three men walked out into the sunlight.

  Vincent pointed toward the crowd gathering by the omega den. “The human must be over there.”

  “Guess she doesn’t scare easily,” Craig said.

  The petite woman was dwarfed by the werewolves, but she stood straight, smiled, and greeted each one of them pleasantly.

  “There’s another human with her,” Vaughn whispered just before she noticed them and smiled.

  “Hello, Dr. Newman,” Vincent said.

  “It’s so good to see you two again! Vaughn and Vince, right? I couldn’t forget such handsome twin omegas,” she said, eyes twinkling. “This is my colleague, Dr. Bridges Talcourt. He came with me at the last minute, because his calendar unexpectedly cleared. He’s our resident expert on pregnant werewolves.”

  “We thought you wouldn’t mind staying in the new omega den, but Mr. Talcourt will have to stay elsewhere, I’m afraid
,” Grey said. Vincent noticed Gabriel looked pale.

  “That sounds just fine,” Angela said. “Bridges is accustomed to sleeping in all kinds of places, aren’t you?” She turned to her companion, who nodded.

  “I assure you, that’s true. Most recently, I’ve been traveling from pack to pack all over the eastern coast.”

  “We’ll get you settled then,” Grey said. “In about an hour, we can head to the dining hall for dinner and talk more.”

  “Great.” Bridges flashed a bright smile, and Grey led the man away. Craig said he’d go back to the schoolhouse while Vince and Vaughn followed Ian and the others to the omega den.

  “Oh, this is lovely,” Angela placed her satchel on a table in the room that had been prepared for her and looked around. “Gabriel, sweetheart, sit down before you fall down.” Angela indicated a padded chair near the bed, and Gabriel gratefully sank onto it. “Don’t worry; we’ll get you feeling better in no time.” She patted his arm and turned to the others in the room. “Are any of you knowledgeable about herbs?”

  The omegas looked at one another.

  “Not really,” Justin said. “But doesn’t London grow some?”

  “Yeah, in his garden,” Gabriel said, rubbing the back of his neck. “Not sure how much he knows about them, though. He just grows some for cooking purposes.”

  “I think we also have a few books identifying herbs,” Ian added.

  “Great,” Angela said. “That will do for the time being. I think there are several natural remedies that might help Gabriel.”

  “Why do you think he’s like this in the first place?” Ian asked, hand on his mate’s shoulder. “I mean, werewolves don’t normally have health issues, and when they do, they quickly heal. Omegas are known for being excellent breeders. This is Gabe’s second pregnancy, and he’s feeling worse this time than he did the last. Grey sent you information about his issues, correct?”

  Angela nodded. “He did. To answer your question, I really don’t know, except to say that there have been problems in the past few years that we’re taking note of. In fact, not too long ago, another omega originally from River Wolf Pack had difficulty giving birth. Sawyer?”