Auctioned Omega

by Kellan Larkin

  “We should be safe if we can get away from pack territory and up the mountains.”

  Peregwin shuddered. “You would live in the mountains? Alone?”

  Rohan didn’t blame him for thinking it was inconceivable to live without a pack. Hell, he’d thought that way before he’d been exiled. “I’d rather be alone than live in this awful world,” he spat. “Where an alpha would sell his omega just to avoid caring for his own child.”

  Peregwin’s lips pressed tight. Clearly Rohan had given him something to think about.

  “I’ll leave you,” he said. “Knock on the door if you need anything.”

  He climbed the ladder clumsily with his pregnant belly. When he’d closed the door, Rohan turned to Briar.

  “Has your heat really passed?”

  Briar nodded. “I think so.”

  “Good.” He kissed him on the head.

  “Thank you,” Briar said, leaning into him. “For helping me through it.”

  “I think you know I’d do anything for you.” Rohan stroked down the gentle curve of Briar’s back, growling possessively. “You’re mine.”

  Briar gasped, as if he didn’t believe what he’d just hard, so Rohan repeated it.

  “You’re mine.”

  “Can I ask you something?” Briar said hesitantly, as if he didn’t really want to know the answer to what he was about to ask. Rohan’s heart sped up in his chest, because there was so much of his past that could push Briar away just as their bond was growing. He simply nodded.

  Briar’s soft blue eyes bored into him as he asked, “Why were you exiled?”

  Rohan flinched, but answered honestly. “I killed my pack master.”

  Briar sucked in a breath.

  “I was second in command in my old pack. One night my pack master was beating an omega. I thought he was going to beat him to death...” He sighed. “I didn’t mean to kill the pack master when I fought him off, but I guess maybe I thought he deserved to die.”

  He clenched his teeth. To his surprise, Briar nuzzled closer to him.

  “I don’t believe you’d ever hurt someone unless you had to. I’ve never met anyone as kind as you.”

  Rohan swallowed, hoping that would be the end of the questions for now. He couldn’t tell Briar what had brought him to the omega auction. Not until they were in the mountains and Briar could be sure he could trust Rohan completely.

  “Rest now.” He kissed Briar’s head. “I’m going to scout things out, see if there’s a spot we can slip through the Bloody Fang’s territorial defenses.”

  Briar nodded, laying his head back down on the makeshift bed. Rohan smiled. Once he’d broken through Briar’s feisty defenses, he was all too eager to be obedient.

  Rohan only hoped he would never lose that trust.

  Briar

  Rohan had been gone for over six hours. Briar bit his nails anxiously. He shouldn’t worry. After all, he’d seen Rohan fight off a wolf in his human form. There was nothing his alpha couldn’t handle.

  And yet, if something were to happen to him...

  Briar closed his eyes and wouldn’t let himself think of that. Rohan would come back. He would come back, and they would escape to the mountains where they would have a family and live happily ever after.

  Yes, it was a fantasy, but he needed an escape right now.

  He stopped pacing the cellar and lay back down, letting his mind fill with images of their happy future together. But his daydream was interrupted by a sharp pain in his abdomen. He doubled over. Could his heat still be upon him? This felt different.

  Another throb stabbed through him and he gripped his stomach. Maybe he was just hungry. He crept up the ladder and wrapped softly on the trap door. Peregwin appeared almost immediately, a cheerful smile on his face.

  “You can come up,” he said. “The village is practically empty. The alphas are all out searching for you.” He chuckled. “Little do they know you’re right under their noses.”

  Briar swallowed. He might’ve been safe, but Rohan was out there with all those alphas as he tried to scout safe passage for the two of them. Not for the first time, Briar wished he was an alpha, someone powerful who didn’t need protecting.

  “Can I fix you something to eat?” Peregwin asked.

  “Please.” Briar rubbed his stomach as he ascended into the small, one-room hit. “I’m starving.”

  Peregwin opened a cupboard where salted meats hung and took down some strips of cured venison.

  “I wish I had more variety to offer you,” he said as he put the meat in front of Briar. “The island we’re on has been pretty picked clean of forageable foods, so we mostly rely on meat brought back by alphas hunting off the island.”

  “I’m too hungry to complain,” Briar laughed, grabbing a piece of meat and biting it hungrily. It wasn’t a balanced diet for an omega, but it would fill his stomach.

  “What’s that necklace you wear?” Briar asked, eying the thick metal band around Peregwin’s neck. It had a hole for a key in the side, and large metal tear drop shapes hung from it.

  “Oh this?” Peregwin touched the necklace, as though he wore it so often, he’d forgotten it was there. “It’s more of a collar, really. All omegas in the Bloody Fang wear them. The weight prevents us from swimming off the island.”

  Horror shocked up Briar’s spine as the implication of those words sunk in. The alphas put weights around the omegas necks so that if they tried to cross the river, they would be pulled down and swept away to their deaths. The omegas really were prisoners here, with no way of escaping the cruelty of their alphas who didn’t even see it necessary to provide proper food for them. An alpha could survive fine on meat alone, but omegas needed diversity in their diets, berries, roots, vegetables. The fact that omegas weren’t allowed to leave the island even to forage was unimaginable to Briar.

  This all seemed to be lost on Peregwin, who continued on as if he hadn’t just said one of the most vile things Briar had ever heard. He sat at the table and hummed to himself as he wove long strips of grass grass together, forming a basket shape.

  “What are you making?” Briar asked, taking a seat and biting off a piece of the meat.

  Peregwin smiled, rubbing his belly. “A bed for the baby.”

  Briar smiled too, thinking of the day he might care for Rohan’s pups. He bit into another slice of meat, but another sharp pain in his abdomen made him drop it to the table.

  “Are you okay?” Peregwin asked.

  “I think it’s just my heat.” Briar said, rubbing the tender spot in his abdomen.

  Peregwin frowned. “You heat should only last twelve hours at most. Are you sure you haven’t been injured?”

  Brair nodded. “It’s just this sharp pain in my stomach. I’m sure it’s just my heat.”

  Peregwin’s lips pressed together. “That sounds more like implantation to me.”

  “What?”

  “Implantation.” Peregwin set his work down. “Did they teach you nothing of reproduction in your old pack?”

  “They—wait—reproduction?” Briar stuttered. “Y-you mean like babies?” Another sharp pain stabbed through his belly.

  “Yes, babies.” Peregwin shook his head as if he couldn’t believe he had to explain this. “Implantation happens when your alpha’s seed embeds within you during your fertile period, making you pregnant. It sometimes causes pain and cramping.”

  “That can’t be what this is.” Briar gripped his abdomen. “It can’t be.”

  “Well, it is just after your heat, that’s when implantation is most likely to occur.”

  Briar felt suddenly sick. “But we didn’t—Rohan never...”

  “Oh.” Peregwin shrugged. “Yes, I suppose pregnancy would be impossible if he never mated you.”

  “Well, I mean, he did… but that was the day before my heat, before I was fertile. I couldn’t be...”

  Peregwin rolled his eyes. “An alpha's seed can live for days in an omega’s body waiting until he’s fer
tile. Did you take no interest in reproduction back in your old pack?”

  The truth was, he hadn’t. He’d known that eventually he’d be obligated to mate with an alpha, but he’d vowed not to think of it until the day it was forced upon him. Briar never thought he’d want to bear an alpha's pups until he met Rohan. And now he wanted that more than anything, but…

  “This isn’t the time.” He shook his head. “I can’t be pregnant. I can’t.”

  “Only one way to know for sure.” Peregwin sighed, getting up from the table and fetching a vial from one of the cupboards. “I have this leftover from when I tested for my own pregnancy.”

  “What am I supposed to do with this?” Briar asked, staring at the bottle.

  “Drink it.” Peregwin said. “If the tincture comes out blue when you pass it from your body, then you’re pregnant.”

  “Pass it from my bod—”

  “Oh, good moon, I mean piss. If your piss turns blue in twenty four hours then you’re pregnant.”

  Briar’s hands shook as he took the bottle and downed it in a heavy gulp, praying to the moon that he wasn’t pregnant. He wanted children with Rohan more than anything, but being pregnant in their current situation was out of the question. He didn’t know how long it would take to reach the mountains, and it would only be harder with his body growing heavy with child. He remembered how weak and fatigued his old friends had become in the first weeks of pregnancy. There was no way he’d be able to keep running if he were with child. He wished Rohan were there to comfort him.

  Then another thought occurred to him.

  What if Rohan never came back? What if he was caught by the packs? Briar’s stomach sank to a new low. Without the alpha who impregnated him, their child would wither and die inside of him. He clutched his stomach protectively. Already their potential pup was in danger.

  Peregwin gave him a sympathetic look. “I’ll pray that the moon protects you.”

  Just then, the door opened and Briar sighed with relief, only for it to turn into a gasp when he saw that the alpha entering the hut wasn’t Rohan.

  The alpha licked his lips. “Thought I smelled something tasty in here.”

  Rohan

  The cry of fear sent panic down Rohan’s spine. That was his omega’s call. He turned on his heals, bounding back to the hut. Why had he left him? He cursed his stupidity.

  If his omega was harmed, there wouldn’t be a Bloody Fang alpha left alive come sunrise. He ran faster, harder, the scent of alphas practically suffocating him as he dashed to get to his omega.

  He could smell Briar’s scent as he approached the hut. Damnit, he should have mated him again before he left, but he was afraid being so close to his heat that he might’ve gotten pregnant.

  But he'd be better off pregnant than dead.

  He stormed into the hut, immediately taking in the scene. Peregwin huddled under the table cradling his round belly protectively. And in the middle of the room, Briar was in his wolf form, snarling back at a massive alpha wolf, preparing to pounce at the much larger creature’s throat.

  Despite his terror, a surge of pride swelled in Rohan. His little omega was a fighter.

  Briar’s eyes went wide as he saw Rohan, but the other alpha was too focused on Briar to notice him. Just as the alpha was lunging, Rohan leapt on him, tackling him to the ground and biting into his throat.

  It wasn’t long before the alpha stopped moving.

  ‘Come on,’ he barked at Briar.

  Briar looked at Peregwin huddled under the table, but the other omega hissed, “I’ll be fine. I’ll tell the pack that you both stormed in here and killed the alpha. Now Run!”

  The two took off dashing as howls rose up around them. Damnit. The other wolves must have heard Briar’s cry. At least if the alphas were being drawn to the center of the territory, that could create an opportunity to pass through their defences.

  Rohan had been scouting all day, but every route out of Bloody Fang territory was heavily guarded. They wanted his omega. And they wanted him dead. He quickened his pace, nipping at Briar to move faster.

  The woods around them shook with the sound of dozens of paws pounding against the ground. Just ahead lay the other river that marked the end of Bloody Fang territory. Would the alphas continue to pursue them once they got across?

  A shadow bolted from the trees, aiming not for Rohan, but for Briar. Rohan slammed into the attacking wolf, knocking him to the ground before his teeth could touch the omega.

  He looked to Briar, and barked, ‘You run ahead of me.’

  ‘What?’

  He growled. This wasn’t time for his omega’s defiance. ‘I said run ahead of me. Get across the river. I’ll slow them down.’

  Briar let out a small whine, but obeyed, bolting ahead of Rohan and plunging into the river. Another wolf came running out from the tree cover, but Rohan wasn’t going to let them get across the river.

  He’d die to protect his omega.

  He bared his teeth, clashing hard against the other alpha. This was just like the arena. He remembered back to the moment he’d first set eyes on Briar, how he’d just wanted to wrap the shivering omega in his arms until he knew everything would be okay. Then he remembered all the shifters there who’d been ready to exploit him, enslave him, torture him.

  Another alpha came at him, but he fought both his attackers off with teeth and claws, sending them sprawling to the dirt. When a third, and then a fourth and fifth came at him, he was running on pure fury and adrenaline.

  Time blurred into one savage moment. He couldn’t even feel the pain from the claws and teeth attacking him. All he could think of was keeping Briar safe, giving him a chance to get away.

  He fought until he could feel his body giving out, muscles throbbing. A ragged breath escaped him as he plunged his teeth into the flank of another alpha. How many had he fought off now? The sun was beginning to rise, glowing faintly at the horizon. He just wanted to get back to the soft embrace of his omega, but he had to keep pushing himself no matter how much his limbs screamed with pain and exhaustion.

  As another attacker leapt at him, he took a step back. Then another. He was losing ground. Damn the moon. He grit his teeth and fought back harder, but when a set of claws raked down his side, leaving deep, gouging wounds, he knew this fight was over. He could retreat, or die.

  He only hoped Briar had gotten far enough away.

  He snapped and snarled as he backed closer to the river. Fangs came at him from every direction, but he dodged them, slinking backward. His bleeding wound throbbed as he threw himself into the river.

  Water filled his nose and mouth. The gashes in his side burnt with pain and he barely had the strength to keep his head above water. He had to swim. He had to make it back to his omega. He had to… he had to…

  ***

  Rohan’s head ached as he opened his eyes.

  He wasn’t dead.

  Yet.

  Every muscle in his body burnt with agony as he sat up, but his heart pounded with urgency. He had to find Briar. He struggled to his feet, only to collapse back down as pain radiated from his side. He put his hand to the wound, only to realize it’d been plastered with leaves.

  He looked around, realizing he had no idea where he was.He was laying in a bed of moss and grass. The air didn’t carry the scent of the river. How had he gotten so far from the water, and who had bandaged his side?

  But more importantly, where was Briar?

  He stood again, wincing, but refusing to give in to the pain. He took a step forward, holding in a groan and clutching his bandaged side. He was in much worse shape than he’d realized. It must’ve been pure adrenaline keeping him going through the fight. He prayed to the moon that he’d given Briar enough time to get away. His head throbbed with each step, but he had to get to his omega. He sniffed the air, but in his human form, he wasn’t able to pick up Brair’s scent at all. But he might’ve just been having trouble picking up the scent because of the throbbing in his head
threatening to burst through his temples.

  He took another step, feeling the bandages on his side coming loose, new pain shooting through the raw skin. His body begged him to lay down, but he couldn’t until he knew his omega was safe by his side.

  He tried to shift into his wolf form so he could pick up his omega’s scent, but his body resisted, too exhausted from the fight and constant running. He collapsed onto all fours, still trying desperately to shift, even as his muscles screamed with agony. He was growing dizzy, but he couldn’t rest now. Black spots took over his vision, growing larger as his head swam.

  No…

  He couldn’t pass out now…

  As darkness clawed at his mind, he picked up a familiar scent, and then the most beautiful voice in the world broke through his haze.

  “Rohan!”

  Briar

  Briar dropped the woven basket of berries he’d been gathering, rushing to where Rohan was sprawled face down in the dirt. What had his foolish alpha been thinking? It was a miracle he was still alive after Briar found him bleeding to death on the river bank.

  He tsked as he saw what a mess Rohan had made of his careful bandaging. The deep scratches in his side had been torn open again just when they were beginning to heal over. He hated seeing his strong alpha worn so thin.

  Briar put a hand under Rohan’s shoulders and helped heave him back into the bed of dried grass he’d made. It was a much shorter journey than the one he’d made earlier when he’d pulled Rohan from the muddy river bank, but it was a struggle to move the hulking alpha nonetheless.

  “You’re safe,” Rohan breathed, putting a hand to Briar’s cheek.

  “Of course I am.” He nuzzled into the warm hand. “But you’ll be in danger if you don’t rest.”

  “No… time…” Rohan groaned, easing himself up again.

  Briar pushed down against the alphas chest. “Don’t be foolish.”