by L. C. Davis
"I don't remember that much anymore," Yuri admitted. "It was cold. It snowed most of the year, and there was a beautiful forest I used to play in with my sister."
"You have a sister?"
Yuri's gaze fell to the table. "She was killed in the war. With my mother and father."
"I'm so sorry," Benjamin said, reaching across the table to cover Yuri's hand in his. "We don't have to talk about this if it upsets you."
"No," Yuri said, unconsciously gripping the alpha's hand. "It's nice. No one ever asks where I'm from. Sometimes it feels like my past was just erased."
"What were they like?" he asked gently. "Your family."
"My mother was beautiful," Yuri murmured. "She had long, dark hair like my sister, Talia. I didn't really know my father. He was away a lot. My mother was...sad. She wasn't his only mate, but she loved him and I think he loved her, in a way. She used to tell stories about how he'd bring her flowers when she was young, and when she talked about him, she'd melt a little. She didn't smile much, but her eyes did sometimes. That's how I could always tell she was thinking of him."
"What were your parents' names?"
"Dina and Vasyl." Yuri brushed away a tear that slid down his cheek and sighed. "It was a long time ago. Feels like another life. I don't really even remember them well."
"People stay in your heart longer than they stay in your head," said Benjamin. "If you're any indication, I'd say the Ice Canyon wolves were a formidable pack if ever there was one."
Yuri smiled a little. "It was very different from yours. I love my pack and I always will, but now I think maybe it's a good thing that things are different."
"I would never ask you to pretend you're something you're not, Yuri," Benjamin said, looking him in the eye. "Or to forget the past. I know I can't give you what you had, but I'd like to be the one who gives you what you want and need, now and always. Whatever I can do to make you feel at home, I will, but I don't want you to think I expect you to be someone else. You're everything I could want just the way you are."
Yuri stared at him, trying to pick up on any hint of flattery or dishonesty in the alpha's tone. Of course, he found none. Only the love and gentleness that had always been there, no matter how much he wanted to see something else. "Thank you," he murmured, relieved when Benjamin's energy shifted and he changed the subject to a lighter topic. Somehow, the alpha seemed capable of reading him the way he should have been able to read everyone else as an omega. By the time the diner closed, Yuri found that he had lost track of time entirely. Benjamin made him laugh in ways no one else had, and he began to realize that the alpha wasn't quite as buttoned up as he liked to appear. At least, not around him. There was something appealing about the idea of being the one someone so perfect could loosen up around. It didn't make Benjamin any less perfect, but it made Yuri feel a little more like they belonged on the same planet.
Yuri lingered by the doorway, feeling more acutely aware of his lips than he ever had as he wondered if the alpha would kiss them. He wet them slightly, letting out a slow breath so Benjamin wouldn't notice the way it faltered.
For the first time, Yuri realized that he had been enjoying himself too much to remember to be unenjoyable. So much for their date being a deterrent.
Oh well, he thought. There was always next time, assuming Benjamin didn't come to his senses before then. "Thanks for...this."
Benjamin laughed, a husky sound that sent shivers down Yuri's back. When the alpha leaned in and tipped his chin up, Yuri's eyes fluttered shut of their own accord. The brush of Benjamin's lips against his was everything he remembered and then some. When the alpha pulled away, Yuri staggered a bit, gripping the doorknob for balance.
"Thank you for giving me a chance. Maybe next week you'll give me another?"
Yuri was surprised and more disappointed than he wanted to admit to himself that Benjamin wanted to wait so long before seeing him again. Of course, the Cold Water Pack was far away and the round trip would take up much of the day. Benjamin might not have held the title of Alpha yet, but it had become clear to Yuri during his limited time in the pack that he fulfilled the role in nearly every other sense. He had more important things to do. It was a mystery why he bothered to come at all.
"Sure," Yuri breathed. "That sounds nice." He railed at himself inwardly but couldn't muster the protest or the apathy he had planned. He remained in the doorway as Benjamin walked down the steps.
"Goodnight, Yuri."
The omega gulped. "Goodnight," he said, watching long after the alpha had disappeared.
Chapter 19
BENJAMIN
"How did it go?" Sue asked, looking up from the dishes in the sink as Benjamin came through the kitchen door. Heinrich had installed a dishwasher the year after the house had been built, but she always insisted on washing the glasses by hand because she "didn't trust machines." Benjamin leaned down to kiss the top of his mother's head, taking a dripping plate out of her hands to dry it.
"It went well. I think. He agreed to see me again next week."
"Next week? That's a ways away, isn't it?"
"I've got a lot coming up, between meeting with Zane and the Council on dad's behalf," he explained, putting the plate away in the cupboard before taking another. "That and I'm trying not to spook him. Again."
"He'll come around. There's not an omega in this world who's immune to the persistent wooing of a devoted alpha," she teased. "Particularly one so handsome."
Benjamin rolled his eyes. "You might be a bit biased in that regard."
"You've been over here every night this week," she said, eying the dish in his hand. "Go home and rest, I don't need the help."
"I am kind of tired," he admitted, yawning. Pulling all-nighters wasn't as easy as it had been during college and there was no spacing out Council reports with wider margins and bigger font to cut corners. "Where's dad?"
"He's upstairs sleeping."
"This early? He's usually a night owl."
Sue let the glass in her hand sink into the soapy water and the look on her face made Benjamin regret asking. He reached out and pulled his mother into a gentle embrace. She felt lighter than usual, like she might break if he wasn't careful. He made a note to watch her more closely to make sure she was taking care of herself while she cared for her husband. "He'll be alright," he promised, calling on faith he didn't feel he had much right to. Denial had ebbed away into a kind of hollow acceptance after Heinrich's diagnosis.
Sue nodded, dabbing at her eyes with the edge of the dish towel as she pulled away. "It's the medicine they have him on. The side effects aren't as bad as the other ones, but they make him tired."
"Maybe that's a good thing," Benjamin offered. "You know him. If he doesn't have to rest, he won't."
She nodded, giving him a thin smile. "You're such a comfort. To both of us. I don't know what we'd do without you."
"You both put up with me all my life," he teased. "About time I returned the favor."
Sue shook her head. "I just wish it was as easy to tell your sister. She knows a bit, but she doesn't understand how serious it is and I'm not sure I want her to. Not yet."
"She's an adult now," Benjamin said gently. "She's never going to grow up if we keep sheltering her. We need to be together now, as a family. It'll be hard, but she deserves to know and she deserves a chance to prove she's stronger than we give her credit for."
Sue sighed heavily, sinking into a chair at the table. "I know you're right."
"I could talk to her if you want."
"No," Sue said, patting his hand. "I appreciate that more than you know, but you've got enough on your plate. She needs to hear it from me. Go on, now. We don't need you falling asleep at the Council meeting."
Benjamin chuckled, heading to the door. He paused for a moment, glancing back at his mother. "When you see dad, tell him thanks for the advice."
"I will. Mind if I ask what it was about?"
He considered it for a moment before a smile tugged on
his lips. "Let's just say it was unsolicited but on point."
Sue laughed. "Sometimes that's the best kind."
Chapter 20
BENJAMIN
Benjamin sat across from Zane, watching beads of sweat form on the young alpha's forehead. He knew what it was like to be in Zane's position. He had been there himself. Looking back, he understood all the grief Jenny's father and brother had put him through and the experience gave him no empathy for his prospective brother-in-law. If he wanted Lita's hand, he could sweat a little. The final decision was hers, as their father and mother had decided it would be long ago, despite the felicity their own arranged marriage had brought them, but that didn't mean Zane needed to know that.
"I, uh, really care about your sister," Zane stammered, taking a sip of his fifth glass of water. He didn't drink, or at least had the sense not to do so in front of Benjamin, which was a point for him. "She's special. Not just because she's an omega or because I imprinted on her, but because of who she is."
"We can agree on that much," Benjamin said, leaning over his untouched food. The restaurant was casual but the meeting was anything but and he didn't have much of an appetite. He hadn't slept much, either, and not long after their meeting, he was due for his date with Yuri. "As for whether or not you've really imprinted on her, that remains to be seen."
Zane's Adam's apple bobbed. "How can I prove it?"
"I'm less interested in destiny and more interested in the practical side of things," Benjamin admitted. "Whether you've imprinted or you haven't, there are more important things. Like what you intend to do with your life."
Zane blinked. "Well, I'm gonna be Alpha one day."
"Yes, I'm aware of that," Benjamin sneered. "But your parents are still pretty young. I can't imagine they'll be stepping down anytime soon. I assume you'll be doing something with the extra time you have on your hands since you dropped out of college?"
Zane loosened his collar a little, sitting back in the booth. "I just didn't see the point in it when I don't really need a degree to lead, you know?"
"No, I really don't know," Benjamin mused. "Then again, I do have two, so what do I know?"
"Two degrees?" Zane's voice raised a little.
"Business management and finance," Benjamin said with a shrug. "Packs need money to run, you know?" he asked, subtly mocking the younger alpha's casual affect. "Your packmates work, I assume."
"Sure," Zane said hesitantly. "Yeah, of course they do."
"That's how it is in Council packs. I'm glad to know we have that much in common," Benjamin said with a patient smile. "And here I thought the Red River wolves were an anomaly."
Zane gave a stilted laugh and polished off another glass of water.
"It takes a lot to run a pack," Benjamin continued in a casual tone. "We try to be as self-contained as possible, and that takes doctors, farmers, teachers, midwives. But we can't do everything on our own. There's still the matter of services like the Internet, cable, water, electricity, just to name a few off the top of my head."
"Yeah, it uh, takes a lot to make a pack run."
"That it does. Everybody has to do his or her part. Especially up at the top," he said with a pointed smile. "Wouldn't work very well if everyone else was working hard while the leaders slacked off, now, would it?"
Zane gulped. "No, but... I mean, being Alpha is a full-time job, right?"
"That it is. Amazing how your father managed to balance that with his legal career," Benjamin said, rapping his nails on the counter. "And you," he said, gesturing in Zane's direction. "You must have big plans already if you're so busy you couldn't even stay in school. So, what is it? How are you contributing to the pack to prove to the others you'll make a good Alpha one day? Volunteering at the hospital? Maybe an internship with an electrician, or a plumber, something useful you can use to maintain the infrastructure?" He snapped his fingers. "I know. You're training to be a midwife."
"Of course not," Zane grumbled, looking away. His face was red and it was a tossup as to whether the color was due to embarrassment or irritation. A little of both was Benjamin's best guess.
Lita would kill him if she ever found out her brother was grilling her "one true love," but it was worth it. Zane was a good kid, but he lacked direction and Benjamin knew he was getting off easy compared to the third degree Heinrich would have given him if he was there. "You see, the thing about mating is that it joins two packs together. Now, as far as I know, your pack and my pack share a lot of the same values. Family, hard work, honesty. That's our legacy. The thing about a legacy is, it takes generations to build and just one to tear down. You and me? It's our job to make sure that legacy doesn't end with us."
Zane nodded, and all traces of the cockiness with which he had strutted into the diner vanished. In its place was the very same weight that had settled on Benjamin's shoulders back when Jenny's father had given a nearly identical speech to him. "I get what you're saying."
"That's good," Benjamin said, leaning back.
"If I re-enroll in classes, will you give your permission for me to take your sister as my mate?" he asked, looking Benjamin up and down with reverence. "I know you're the acting Alpha now."
"It's not really my decision," Benjamin admitted with a shrug. "Our parents always wanted Lita to be the one who chose her alpha, mate bond or no mate bond, and that's a decision I intend to honor. That said," he added before Zane could get too comfortable, "I do reserve the right to make your life a living hell if I think for one second you aren't doing everything in your power to be the alpha and the mate my baby sister deserves. Are we clear on that?" he asked, offering his hand.
Zane stared at it for a moment before returning the handshake with a strong grip. "We're clear. I mean what I said. Lita's the best thing that ever happened to me. I know I don't deserve her, but I'll do whatever it takes to come close."
Benjamin smiled, relaxing for the first time since he had stepped into that diner. "Zane, if I didn't believe that, we wouldn't be here."
Chapter 21
YURI
Yuri found himself sitting next to Benjamin on a blanket draped over the dormitory rooftop. One look at the exhausted alpha who had answered the door and he had decided their plans to go see a movie at the Mountain Ridge theater could wait.
Ever since Yuri had arrived at the Cold Water Pack, Benjamin had scarcely seemed to stop from sunup to sundown and never looked anything short of peppy. Yuri could only imagine what kind of hectic week had finally gotten the best of him. Even more of a mystery was just how much he cared how the alpha's week had gone, or how often he had sprung to Yuri's mind.
A rooftop picnic was far more romantic and intimate than Yuri would have liked, but it was better than dragging Benjamin out when it was already so late. Besides, the other omegas who had seen them out at the diner were already giving him scandalous and sometimes downright envious looks. Better not to fuel the rumors when nothing was going to come of them. It was more of a struggle to remind himself that Mountain Ridge was his new home each day, but Yuri was determined to cement that fact in his mind.
Besides, a hastily prepared meal of sandwiches and iced tea was hardly a profession of love. Yuri dismissed the way his heart skipped a little at the idea of cooking for Benjamin and being the one he returned home to after a long day. That fantasy was as dangerous to indulge as it was foreign. In all his life, no alpha had ever triggered the desire to fawn they and serve they seemed to inspire in most omegas. He had always fancied himself as different, above that kind of adoration and subservience. He knew what alphas were really like, after all. Maybe Benjamin was different, as far as alphas went, but Yuri reminded himself that he would never be like those other omegas. Soulful blue eyes and strong arms that made him feel safe and lips that begged to be kissed couldn't change that. He wasn't that weak...
"Something on your mind?" Benjamin asked, having just finished his meal.
Yuri realized he had been caught staring and scrambled for an excuse, b
ut all he could come up with was, "It's chilly. Maybe winter's coming early."
"It is a bit cold," Benjamin mused, shrugging out of his jacket. Before Yuri could protest the kindness, the alpha draped the heavy leather jacket around his shoulders and Benjamin's comforting scent enveloped him, weakening his resolve even further.
"Thanks," Yuri murmured.
Benjamin smiled, relaxing against the rooftop door as he stared out over the lights below. "The pseudo-city isn't really my thing, but I'll admit, it's beautiful here at night."
"Yeah, it is," Yuri agreed.
"You're happy here?"
The question took Yuri off-guard, like so many of the other things the alpha did and said. "Sorry?"
"You just seem more relaxed lately," he said in that gentle tone. "Like you've settled in."
"Not really," Yuri admitted, cringing internally. What are you doing? This is your chance. Say yes...
"Oh." Benjamin seemed less enthusiastic than Yuri would have thought. Concerned, even. "I hope everyone is treating you alright."
"They've been wonderful," Yuri said quickly. Benjamin never ceased to perplex him. Here he was, a runaway omega who had shamed the alpha who had a rightful claim to him, and Benjamin was worried that he wasn't being treated fairly in a situation he had made of his own making. "I don't know. It's just that ever since I was taken from my pack, I've been trying to find a way to get back. Even though it doesn't exist anymore, I guess I'm still just looking for my center."
"That makes sense."
Yuri looked up, startled. "It does?"
"Not that I know what you've been through, but I can relate in a sense. To the feeling of searching for something that isn't even there."
