Zander came around so he was standing beside Ro, Nix, and Maddox, and he spoke up. “Can I just say that this mission was…” His friend’s voice trailed off, his eyes going to the omegas.
“Yea,” Nix spoke up.
“Thanks for bringing us along,” Maddox added.
“Couldn’t have done it without you assholes.” Even as he spoke to his team, his eyes were drawn towards his mate, and whenever their eyes locked, Oliver smiled at him, then looked away quickly. His mate’s shy smile seemed to be doing something funny to his chest area.
Maddox's voice interrupted his thoughts. “Care to explain why you keep staring at that particular omega?”
Ronin broke eye contact with his mate, reluctantly meeting Maddox’s gaze. His friend’s eyes on him were serious.
“Wondering why I can’t take my eyes off my mate?” He knew that wasn’t the best way to break the news that he’d found his mate, but he couldn’t help it.
“Your mate? What? For real?” Maddox’s mouth curved in a small smile. “Congratulations.”
Nix and Zan must have been eavesdropping since they both congratulated him as well and patted him on the back.
“What are you doing standing here with us?” Nix asked.
Ronin chuckled. “I’m not exactly sure what to do next,” he admitted.
“How about you go over there and start by saying ‘hi.’ I have a feeling your omega needs his alpha after everything he’s been through,” Maddox suggested.
Ronin grinned and nodded. “Why am I hanging with you assholes when my mate is five feet away?”
“Fuck off,” Zander snorted.
“I was thinking the same thing,” Nix added, chuckling.
“Lucky bastard,” Maddox shot, but patted him on the back, although it was more like a shove towards Oliver.
Oliver met his gaze, and he gave Ronin a slight smile. Ro walked over to his mate's sleeping bag and held his gaze as he asked, “May I?”
The omega simply nodded, and Ronin lowered himself beside him.
Ollie shifted so there was barely any space between them, and that was when Ro knew that his mate was at least on board with the two of them.
As he sat there enjoying the warmth coming from his mate, Ro took a moment to soak in the vision that the goddess had blessed him with. His omega… Fuck, it felt so right to say that. Oliver had the most beautiful hazel eyes he had ever seen. His complexion was lighter with a fine dusting of freckles over his nose, which were complemented nicely by his short light-caramel-brown hair. His mate was much shorter than he was, maybe not more than five and a half feet, but his wolf began to pace agitatedly when Ro realized that, although he had a slender build, he looked like he hadn’t eaten well in weeks. Fucking Anton! Well, they would take care of that, and his wolf readily agreed.
Ronin wasn’t sure what to do next. If his brothers were around, they would give him so much shit for the fact that he was literally tongue-tied in front of his mate.
“I’m Ronin... and you’re Oliver.” His eyes were on his mate’s face as he finally took the time to study his features. He was stunning. “Or, may I call you Ollie?”
“You know my name?” Ollie’s eyes on him were round.
“I saw you outside earlier. Remember? Anton said it.” He hated even mentioning that bastard's name in his mate’s presence. He was about to apologize to his mate in case it caused him any distress, but he watched as warmth filled Ollie’s cheeks as he nodded.
“Ollie. I mean, yes, you may call me Ollie.”
The shy smile Ronin's mate gave him had that warm feeling in his chest returning.
Like it’s left since you saw him.
“Ollie,” Ronin repeated, and he couldn’t tear the smile from his face.
Roman had apparently won their bet because it was true, there was no denying it—not that he wanted to—their bond, or chemistry, or whatever one called it...
They belonged together.
There was no way he could stay away from this man before him.
“I don’t know, uhh...” His mate flushed and lowered his gaze.
“You can tell or ask me anything,” Ronin said. He wanted to reach out and take Oliver’s hands in his, but he didn’t want to do anything to make his mate feel uncomfortable. He didn’t know what he’d been through, and now was not the time to ask.
“I could hear you before, and now it’s almost like I can feel you. I knew the moment you were close, even though I couldn’t see you.” Ollie’s eyes on him were questioning. “I’m new to the whole ‘wolf’ thing.” His mate lowered his voice when he said wolf, almost like he couldn’t believe he was saying it. “Jax—and the other guys—kinda explained things to me.” Ollie met his gaze briefly, but his eyes flitted away. “I guess, uhh… they said… areyoumymate?” His mate asked the question in one breath, and when Ro glanced down, he saw that Oliver was wringing his hands, and his cheeks were even redder than before.
Ronin would come back to the whole new to the wolf thing. Before asking what Ollie meant by that, he took his mate's hands in his. “Look at me, Ollie.” His mate kept his eyes on their joined hands. “Please,” Ronin added in a soft, pleading voice.
When Ollie finally did, Ro said, “Thank you,” while smiling at his mate. “I am your mate,” Ronin continued, and the magnitude of what that meant hit him. Ollie was his to love, to cherish, to protect. “I would love to be your mate, if you’ll have me.”
He made sure to make his mate aware that it was his choice. Ronin swore he would always make sure Oliver knew he had a choice.
“I know you don’t know me, and you probably have a hard time trusting a word I say, but I swear to you, I will always keep you safe.”
Ollie’s eyes on him never wavered as he listened to every word Ro spoke.
“We have a connection,” Ollie whispered. “I thought it was crazy, but I heard a voice in my head saying, ‘We’re here. We’ve got you,’ and I believed it immediately. I knew I was out of harm’s way.” Ronin let Ollie keep talking. “I felt safe,” his mate whispered. “I haven’t felt that in a long time.”
Right at that moment, Ronin really regretted not killing Anton. “As long as I live, I will do everything in my power to make sure you always know and feel you are safe. And I swear we have time, so don’t worry, there’s no pressure.”
Ronin didn’t realize he was holding his breath until his mate nodded and his lips curved into a smile.
“Thank you for coming to rescue me,” Ollie whispered.
“I always will, but hopefully you never need rescuing again.”
His mate's eyes twinkled, and he saw a spark of his personality. “But I love having my own knight in shining armor.”
“How about you stay safe, and we role play the knight part.” Ronin watched as Ollie’s eyes widened. He thought maybe he’d scared his mate off, and he was about to apologize.
“I’ve never role played before, but I would like to try.” Ollie’s voice got even lower, and his eyes darkened, going from a gorgeous hazel to almost fully black. “Is this the naked kind?”
Ronin started coughing. Yup, his mate would keep him on his toes. And he was looking forward to it.
Ronin kept a hold of his mate’s hand, even as his gaze skimmed over the camp. His eyes landed on Cybil and Sophie as they talked between themselves. Sophie seemed to be trying to self-soothe, rocking back and forth where she sat while just staring into the fire. Ro knew it was going to take some time, after everything they had been through, for any of them to be even halfway to okay. But he also knew they were in good hands with Zander, Marco, and Nix. And when they got to Wildwood, he knew they would all definitely find a home.
The omega who sat beside his mate was fair-haired and looked tired as he quietly stared into the fire. Ronin didn’t dare begin to think of what hell they had been put through. After a short time, he turned and seemed to study Ro before looking away and leaning over to whisper in Oliver’s ear. Not wanting to intrude, Ro busi
ed himself by standing to get another log for the fire. He made the trip quick, neither he nor his wolf wanting to be far from his mate, and when he returned, Ollie was standing waiting for him with one of the omegas behind him
“Is something wrong?” Ro asked as he hurried to Oliver’s side.
“Jax asked if he would be able to bathe. He hasn’t in almost a week, and he really wants to wash.”
Ro looked from his mate to the omega who was timidly watching him with pleading and hope in his ice-blue eyes
“I think that we can make that happen, Jax.” Ronin smiled at the omega. “Does anyone else need to wash?”
Jax slowly nodded and motioned for Shawn and the other male omega to join them.
Ro made sure to keep a smile on his face as they approached and stuck his hand out. “I don’t think I’ve officially been introduced yet. I’m Ronin, as I am sure Ollie has told y’all,” he said while looking at the omega he had not been introduced to.
It was Shawn who was the first to take his hand and timidly shake it. “You already know me from earlier, but I want to thank you so much for saving us. This is Marco,” he said, as he pointed over to the dark-haired man at his side.
Marco looked up with clear green eyes and smiled, but instead of taking the offered hand, he pushed forward and gave Ro a hug, repeating “thank you” over and over. Ro stood there, not quite sure what to do, and so he tapped the omega on the back in what he hoped was a comforting gesture.
“Hey, hey, hey. Get your own mate!” Ollie joked as he playfully smacked Marco across the shoulder, causing all the omegas to laugh.
Glad to see that their spirits hadn’t been completely broken by their captivity, he took them over to the van so they could get some bathing supplies.
Ronin left the camp and led the omegas to the river. It was just the men, Sophie and Cybil having gone earlier.
He made sure to face away as the omegas undressed and got into the river, to give them some privacy. When he finally heard splashing and was sure they were decent—as decent as one could be being fully naked—Ronin turned around and took in the four men, including his mate, as they got washed up in the water. Ronin caught a glimpse of Shawn’s back. The omega had scattered red lines up and down his back that appeared fresh, and also healed scars that looked like they’d been left over from beatings. Ronin’s eyes travelled to the other omega, Marco, and he had much of the same.
Ro had known Jax was hurt, but apparently not how badly. He had bruises covering his back and a large handprint around his arm. He couldn’t imagine what his chest looked like.
Ronin closed his eyes for a moment, needing to brace himself before looking at his mate
Oliver was a different case. When they caught the omegas, he seemed relieved, just like the rest of them, but he wasn’t scared. He didn’t have a single welt on his body—at least none that Ronin could see.
“Thank fuck,” Ronin muttered, but he immediately felt bad. Even as he was grateful his mate was fine, he felt horrible for feeling that way when it was clear the other men had been brutalized.
Oliver must have heard him because he turned around and glanced in his direction. He stood in the river, just staring back at Ronin. Ronin managed a smile, all the while his mind kept wondering why Oliver didn’t have the same marks the others did. Maybe he would have to double back and have a little chat with Anton. He had a feeling the fucker had an explanation, and Ronin already knew it wouldn’t be altruistic.
Chapter Nine
Ollie
Oliver sat in the circle watching the flames as they danced. It had been a long and emotional six months. He'd lost track of how long he had been captured until Ronin told him what day it was.
A part of him had never thought it would come to an end—or at least not a happy ending—but to be free and sitting around a fire again, and with a mate, Ollie lowered his head to his shoulder and took a surreptitious look at Ronin behind him. The alpha—or in this case his alpha—must have been watching him because their eyes met and held, and Ronin’s lips curved into a smile. Ollie couldn’t help smiling back. For the first time in what felt like forever, Ollie was hopeful, like anything could happen.
He heard a yawn to the left of him, and Ollie looked over to find Jax sliding further down into his sleeping bag.
“Sleepy, huh?” He couldn't help running his hand through Jax's hair. Even though Jax was older than him, there was just something about him that brought out Ollie's protective instincts. Maybe it was the fact that his friend was five feet even and maybe a hundred pounds soaking wet.
Jax yawned again, and Ollie couldn't help it—so did he. “Super sleepy,” Jax sighed.
This was the first time that Jax had ever said that. Maybe it was because he finally felt safe, as usually his friend had a hard time falling asleep.
“I think I’m gonna go to sleep too,” Shawn chimed in on the other side of Jax. He tried maneuvering himself into his sleeping bag, but he hadn't lowered the zip enough, so he huffed and stood. Ollie couldn't help chuckling when he saw the hoodie one of the alphas—Maddox—had loaned Shawn fell well below his knees.
“I think I've been waiting so long for today to walk out of that building, and I guess a part of me isn't ready to go to sleep...” Ollie’s voice trailed off.
“We're out of there.” Jax’s voice had him looking at his friend who was basically swallowed up by his sleeping bag. “You... We're not going to wake and be back there.”
Shawn chuckled, although it wasn't exactly humor filled. “Trust me, I understand how Ollie feels. I can't believe I am falling asleep in clean clothes. I feel like it’s been years.” His friend sighed and closed his eyes. “I still can't believe someone came to get us out.”
Ollie glanced over at Cybil, Sophie, and Marco—they’d fallen asleep a couple of hours ago—and then back at Shawn. “Yeah, neither can I.”
Ollie glanced behind him again to look over to the van where Ronin was leaning, and his heart began racing.
He heard a chuckle from beside him, and he glanced in that direction to find Shawn watching him. “Goodnight!” Shawn winked at him.
“Night,” Ollie replied, and he watched as Shawn burrowed all the way down in his sleeping bag.
Oliver turned back over to Ronin and found his gaze was still focused on him. His cheeks heated and he looked away quickly and tried focusing on what was left of the fire. He pulled his legs into his body and put his chin on his knees as he stared into the dancing flames. Ollie had to admit he wasn't surprised when he heard footsteps coming from behind him, or that he already knew it was Ronin. His mate walked over and lowered himself down onto the sleeping bag to his right.
Ollie turned his neck to the side. “Hello.”
His mate smiled at him. “Hello. Hope you don’t mind me interrupting your peaceful night.”
Oliver shook his head from side to side, but didn't lift his chin from his knees. Instead, he tilted his neck further, looking up into the clear sky. He could see a million stars above them, and he couldn't help the chuckle that escaped. His brain was still wondering how he was even having this moment.
“Care to share what has you laughing?" Ronin asked.
“I just couldn’t have asked for a better night to get rescued.” Oliver said.
Ronin chuckled. “I guess I should thank the goddess for getting us here on a good one.”
Oliver could hear the teasing in his mate’s voice, and he tittered. “Tell me about your brother.” Oliver surprised himself with the question. “Is he like you?”
"Well I guess you would have to be more specific since I have four brothers," Ronin replied.
"Four, huh? I only have one, my younger brother Lucas, but I guess I meant your brother that's mated to Devon."
“Rome—well, Roman is his name—and I are very much alike in many ways,” Ronin said. “He’s my twin brother, so I’d say that’s par for the course.” Ronin had a fond smile on his face as he continued, “Of course, he’ll be the
first to mention how he’s the older brother.”
Ollie chuckled. “By how many minutes, or were you one of those took-a-few-more-hours kids?”
Ronin snort laughed. “He’s older by only ten minutes. Although to hear him call me baby brother, you would think it was ten months.” Ronin rolled his eyes and shook his head, but Ollie heard the love the man had for his twin in every word.
“I usually don’t let it pass without reminding him that it’s only ten minutes, and if he wasn’t such an impatient asshole, I would have probably got here first.”
Ollie snorted at that. “I’m pretty sure that’s not how it works.”
“You know, he said he knew,” Ronin mused.
“Knew what?” Ollie asked, brow furrowed
“Rome said he knew the minute he saw Devon that he was his mate. I didn’t believe much in that, at first.” Ronin’s eyes on him were intent.
Oliver looked down at the ground and asked, “You didn’t?” He lifted eyes back up and met Ronin’s gaze. “And what about now?”
Ronin lips curved. “I suppose I could see how it was possible, but don’t tell Rome. I know he’ll give me a hard time if he hears me say that.”
“I look forward to meeting him.”
“Well, I’m positive that will happen sooner rather than later.” Ronin chuckled. They were both silent for a moment, but it wasn’t awkward.
Whenever Oliver looked in Ronin’s direction, the alpha’s eyes were on him. Ollie could almost swear he could hear and feel Ronin’s heart beating, and it seemed to match his. Like somehow, they’d synced up like an iPhone plugging into the Mac it was programmed to.
He chuckled at the thought, but still, it was an amazing feeling.
And for the first time—well outside of the times he’d watched porn—Ollie felt his cock perk up and take interest.
“So, do you mind talking about Anton?” Ronin’s sudden question deadened that feeling quickly.
Oliver drew in a deep breath and held it for a moment before breathing out on a sigh. “He’s not my favorite topic of conversation, but what would you like to know?”
Home in His Arms Page 7
