The Alpha's Heart: Lost Omegas Book Five: A M/M Shifter Romance

by Claire Cullen

  Terrance continued to stare at Luke, who felt uneasy under his gaze.

  “They’re such fragile looking things. I’ve always wondered what it would be like to have a taste of one.”

  “Once we’re properly mated and bonded, you can try him out. I don’t normally share, but for someone like you, I could make an exception.”

  Luke shuddered at the words, as Jeremy’s hand ran along his hip.

  “We have a deal. We’ll fight with you to regain Eagle Creek, Elliot has Etta, you source us another Omega, and I get him for a night.”

  They shook on it in front of him.

  “I’ll see you upstairs.” Terrance left and Jeremy growled under his breath.

  “Greedy bastards. I wouldn’t be surprised if they decided to steal you out from under me during the battle. I’ll just have to make sure there’s no mistaking who your Alpha is.”

  Jeremy’s hand on his shoulder bent him forward, then both his hands grasped the waistband of Luke’s pants, shoving them down. He heard Jeremy fumbling with his own clothes before both hands grasped Luke’s hips. Trembling, he panted with fear as tears fell from his eyes and splashed on the floor below him.

  The door opened again, startling them, Jeremy’s hands jerking his hips backward.

  “Terrance needs you upstairs. Someone has arrived with news from Eagle Creek.”

  “I’ll be there in five minutes.”

  “He said now. He sounded pissed. I wouldn’t keep him waiting.”

  With a growl of frustration, Jeremy’s fingers dug into his hips then let go, the Alpha stalking towards the door as he did up his pants. “I’ll be back, Omega. To take what’s mine. Don’t move a muscle.”

  Luke stood there, frozen, as Jeremy went out the door, his footsteps disappearing upstairs. He didn’t move even as the minutes passed, even as he grew colder.

  Andrew stirred behind him.

  “Luke, what’s…”

  There were sounds from upstairs, people shouting, doors opening and shutting and car engines starting.

  “What’s happen- happening?”

  Andrew's voice was rough, his words slow. Luke realized Jeremy wasn’t coming back and bent down to fix his clothes.

  Andrew was watching him with confusion.

  “Luke?”

  “They’re leaving.”

  “Leaving? To go where?”

  “To take back Eagle Creek.”

  The door opened, startling them both. Luke hadn’t heard anyone come down. Was he wrong? Was Jeremy still here?

  “Luke?” It was Etta. She came right over, leaning towards him and whispering words into his ear.

  “We have to go, now. Most of the wolves have cleared out. Jeremy and Terrance are gone. This might be my only chance and I won’t leave you here. You can, walk, right?”

  He nodded and she took his hand leading him towards the door. Halfway there, he slowed, turning to glance backward.

  “Andrew…”

  She stopped, looking from Luke to the other wolf.

  “I’m not taking that bastard with us. He’ll probably kill us the first chance he gets.”

  Luke wasn’t so sure of that. Andrew had been nice to him.

  “Come on, Etta, you're smarter than that. Think of me as insurance if you run into more FW. I’m your pass to walking away from this nightmare.” Andrew seemed far more alert than he had been moments previously. And on oddly familiar terms with Etta.

  Etta seemed torn.

  “Please, Etta," Luke tried.

  She turned back to Andrew.

  “Can you walk?” she asked, her voice a harsh whisper.

  “Not far. How were you planning on getting out of here?”

  “There are a few cars around the back, keys hanging on the back door.”

  “So, you were just going to walk out of here, with Luke, and you didn’t think anyone would notice?”

  “They’re distracted.”

  “But they’re not blind. Or deaf.”

  “Alright, what do you suggest?”

  “The door to the cellar below us, is it locked?”

  Etta gave Andrew a sharp look, then crossed the room and opened the door, stepping out into the dark. She poked her head back in a moment later.

  “It’s unlocked. But I don’t see how that’s going to help you.”

  “There’s a trapdoor. Or there was. They might have sealed it off. It’s towards the back.”

  She disappeared again and Andrew gingerly got to his feet, leaning heavily against the wall.

  “Hell of a day, huh, Luke?”

  He sounded in much better spirits than Luke felt was right, given the circumstances.

  There was the sound of something being dragged across the floor in the next room and Etta returned, breathing hard.

  “They’d covered it over but hadn’t blocked it. What now?”

  “It comes out a mile west of here. It was an old, broken down cottage but Gray Valley rebuilt it. My guess is they decided they liked having an escape route but weren’t too happy with it being used to carry out a raid. That’s how they lost their last Omega.”

  “Even if we go through, we’ll only be a mile away, on foot.”

  “Not if Luke and I go through while you take a car and meet us there.”

  Etta blinked.

  “That’s… that’s actually not a bad plan.”

  “I don’t know what the other side of the tunnel is like. We may not be able to get out, you might need to unblock the trapdoor.”

  “I’ll need to be quick.”

  “We’ll all need to be quick. But if you seal the tunnel entrance after us, they’ll be wondering where the fuck we went. It’ll buy a little time.”

  Andrew sounded confident and sure of himself. Etta, on the other hand, seemed torn.

  “Okay, fine,” she capitulated. “Let’s get going before someone comes down to check on you or look for me.”

  Luke went to help Andrew who was still using the wall as a crutch.

  “Let me,” Etta said, stepping forward. “It’s like the lame leading the lame with you two.”

  As the crossed the room, Andrew spoke quietly to Etta.

  “You’re making the right choice. Elliot’s a sick bastard and without your father around to put pressure on Terrance to keep him in line, they’ll just be happy it’s you and not one of their own.”

  Etta didn’t reply.

  “Fenrir’s Warriors can keep you safe.”

  “You betrayed us. Lived as one of us. And now you've killed them, my family.”

  “That wasn’t our choice. There were other options but your father wasn’t willing to see reason.”

  “And what about Luke? You sure kept him safe.”

  Luke listened intently for Andrew’s response as they slowly climbed down the steps to the cellar.

  “Things were never meant to go this way, but you’re right, we took risks with his safety that we didn’t have any right to.”

  They reached the trapdoor. Andrew leaned heavily against the wall and gestured to the floor. “You go first, Luke. I’ll be right behind you. I’d suggest we shift but neither of us are in any shape to do that right now.”

  Etta helped lower him down into the dark. It took a moment for his eyes to adjust and then he was crawling forward. The tunnel was small, closed in, the air stifling. He heard Andrew hiss under his breath as he climbed down after him.

  “I’ll get to the other side as soon as I can. Hurry,” Etta called to them.

  The trapdoor closed, the sound of something heavy scraping across the floor above them.

  “You heard her, Luke. Let’s go.”

  He moved forward, hearing nothing but the sound of his heart beating very fast in his chest and the air pushing in and out with each breath. He could feel Andrew’s presence close behind him.

  His palms scraped along the ground as he shuffled along, his knees too, until each movement was a sore, stinging action. And then, without warning, there was no more t
unnel.

  “Why have you stopped? Luke?” Andrew's voice sounded strained.

  “We’re there,” he said.

  “Can you see the trapdoor above you; can you open it?”

  Luke put two hands up, feeling the rough wood above him, and pushed. It didn’t give. He tried again, harder this time, ignoring how it made his body ache, the sharp pain at the back of his neck drilling into him. It gave, finally, swinging upwards. He followed it, standing, and using his hands to lever himself out.

  They were inside a stone shed, light coming in from a single window. A face appeared in it and, startled, he stepped backward, saved from tumbling back into the tunnel by Andrew.

  “Etta,” he said, pointing.

  There was the sound of metal clanging and then the door swung open, the daylight blinding.

  “Oh, hell,” Andrew said, startling Luke who turned to find the other man looking him up and down with dismay. “What did those bastards do?”

  “We have to get going. Any second now they’ll notice I’m missing, not to mention the two of you,” Etta interrupted.

  She helped Andrew out to the car, Luke pulling the door open so he could climb in. Etta let Luke into the front passenger seat, then ran around and got in behind the wheel.

  They drove off, their speed throwing Luke back against his seat.

  “Pass me that phone, will you?” Andrew said to Luke, indicating the shiny metal thing sitting between the seats. He reached for it, about to hand it back, when Etta’s hand closed over his.

  “Who are you calling?”

  “My people.”

  “No, no way. I’ll drop you off somewhere and then you can make contact. Not before.”

  “Etta, we’re in serious trouble here, all three of us. How long do you think we can stay off Gray Valley’s radar?”

  “The rest could be gone for hours.”

  “What had them all leaving in such a hurry?” Andrew asked the question like he already knew the answer.

  “Your people took Terrance’s youngest son hostage. He’s only a kid.”

  Andrew laughed. “It’s a wind-up. A way to clear the decks. The FW have lots of tricks up their sleeves. It won’t take Gray Valley long to figure that out and then they are going to be on our tail. We need to be off the roads before that happens.”

  Etta clung tight to the steering wheel and didn’t answer.

  “Look, the FW arranged for something they knew would get them to leave. Which means they’re nearby. They’re probably planning a direct assault to find us. Let me call them, save some lives.”

  Etta nodded once and Luke passed the phone back, watching as Andrew pressed buttons in rapid succession.

  “Hey, it’s me. No, I’m out, with Luke and Frank Migone’s youngest daughter. We’ve been in better shape. Traveling north along the Gladeway. Where can you meet us?”

  He hung up.

  “They’re an hour away. But there’s a safe place we can wait for them.”

  “Where?”

  “Take the next left and I’ll direct you from there.”

  “No, I want to know where we’re going.” There was a sharp bite to Etta's voice that Luke didn't like.

  “I only know directions. I’ll call them as we go.”

  Luke watched as Etta fumed silently at the wheel but followed each of Andrew’s instructions, taking them further and further from Gray Valley. From Jeremy. At least, he hoped they were.

  “Turn left just after that large rock.”

  “What? That’s not a road.”

  “Trust me, turn left, right there.”

  They slowed to a crawl, traveling along a tight path amongst the trees.

  “Start to swing to your left right about… now. Okay, stop here.” It was a redundant instruction, the trees were so close together, there was nowhere to go.

  “This is it?”

  “Yeah, this is it.”

  “Okay, then get out. Luke and I need to get back on the road. I’m sure you’ll be safe until your people get here.”

  Even as Etta spoke, Luke noticed movement between the trees.

  “They’re already here, Etta.” Andrew’s voice was quiet and gentle but Luke could see the panic in Etta’s eyes at his words.

  Her hand went to the keys but a car appeared in the distance behind them, blocking their only way out.

  “Luke, run,” she yelled, throwing open her door.

  Luke did likewise, diving out and running through the trees. He heard Etta behind him, but there were other people too, Andrew’s voice calling to them. Then Etta, screaming.

  “No, let me go. Let go.”

  Her words forced Luke to slow and he turned back towards her. He knew he should keep running, there was nothing good for him back there. But Etta had helped him escape, not once but twice. And everyone seemed to think he was valuable, a good bargaining chip.

  He ran back in her direction, hearing other voices around Etta’s. Bursting through the trees, he saw her being held by two men.

  “Let her go,” he shouted and all eyes turned to him. It was a struggle to speak with all the attention on him.

  “Let her go and I’ll go with you, willingly.”

  “Luke, no! Run!” she shouted but another Warrior was on him in seconds, dragging him forward.

  James was there, holding one of Etta’s arms.

  “Get them in the cars,” he said, his expression dark, even as Etta twisted and fought in their grips.

  “No, don’t hurt her. Please don’t hurt her.”

  It was Andrew who answered, though James' dark eyes focused on him.

  “It’s okay, Luke. She’ll be safe with us. Just like you’ll be.”

  They were put in separate cars, Andrew going with Etta in the bigger car. Luke wound up in the backseat of a smaller car with James beside him.

  “Let’s get out of here. We’re cutting it close.”

  Luke didn’t understand the words. When James reached for him, he slid to the floor, curling up as far away from the Alpha as he could. He’d been so close to being free, again, and now he was back to where he started.

  Chapter Ten

  The car journey back to Eagle Creek was quiet but tense. They all watched the roads, worried about being spotted as they crossed Gray Valley territory. All except Luke, that was. The Omega an unmoving bundle on the floor.

  James tried to speak to him but Luke either wasn’t hearing him or was ignoring him. If the latter, it was more than deserved. He tried to touch him once but Luke had whimpered at the light press of his fingers, pushing closer to the floor.

  He called Graham to let them know they’d found them, calling him again when they were closer.

  “How are things on the ground?”

  “Quiet. Sentries here are saying there’s nothing. Sentries on Gray Valley’s border have just seen the group heading back to the Pack house. They don’t seem to have spotted Andrew’s trail or yours.”

  “First piece of good news all day.”

  “Well, here’s the second. Our first group of arrivals should be here early tomorrow morning.”

  “That’s great, Graham. Well done. We’ll be back inside an hour. Call if there’s any trouble.”

  “Will do.”

  The other car was behind them. James only hoped they were having more luck talking to Etta than he was communicating with Luke. The Omega was curled up so tightly, James couldn’t make out an inch of skin, just his hair and the dark clothes he wore. But he could smell blood and that was never good.

  They pulled up outside the Pack house and got out. He was relieved to see Etta climb out by herself, looking angry and anxious as she took in her home and the strangers surrounding her. He left her in the care of the others and went to deal with Luke.

  The Omega hadn’t moved, still curled up on the floor of the car. Opening the door, he waited for Luke to acknowledge him but the Omega was still, nothing but the quiet sound of his breathing.

  “Come on. Time to go inside,
” James said. Luke’s head jerked up at his words and it was then James realized he’d been asleep. He took advantage of his drowsy state, reaching to pull him from the car. But there was no fight in him, the Omega’s body pliant, his head down-turned. He could see bruised and bloodied skin.

  Sandra called to him, a clear sense of urgency to her voice.

  “Graham, take Luke inside. Get him and Etta settled.”

  He jogged inside to find Sandra, who was in the dining room, Andrew laid out on the table.

  “How is he?”

  “Still in one piece,” Andrew said, trying to sit up. Sandra pushed him back down. “Barely. He needs a doctor. There are wounds that aren’t going to heal without treatment.”

  “Zack’s on his way here. He’ll patch you back up.”

  “I’m sure he has better things to be doing.”

  “You’re first on his list.”

  “First. Ouch. How did I swing that?”

  “The other injured have been well taken care of. They’re dispersed between our safe houses and Glenoak.”

  “How many did we lose?” Andrew’s expression turned serious and James stepped forwards to lay a hand on his shoulder.

  “Five, including Paul.”

  “Damn it.” Andrew lay back, shaking his head. “It didn’t have to be this way.”

  Graham appeared in the doorway.

  “James, we have a problem.”

  “What?”

  “More who. Luke.”

  “He’s trying to run?”

  “No. He’s injured, it looks pretty bad. Pamela is trying to check him over but he won’t let her near him.”

  “Go,” Andrew said. “I’ll keep until Zack gets here.”

  Pamela had taken Luke upstairs into one of the bedrooms. She was standing by the door, staring into the room.

  “He’s filthy. He needs those wounds cleaned. But he won’t let me get close. I could pin him down…” There was clear reluctance on her face

  “No, I’ll deal with it.”

  “Better you than me,” she said, stepping past him into the hallway.

  He went inside, noting the first aid kit open on the bed, and the basin of water and towel sitting on the dressing table. What he couldn’t see, at first glance, was Luke.