It took a momentous effort to lift his head and focus his gaze on the ring. Thorn and Harrison stood facing each other, ready and waiting for the go-ahead. They’d both stripped until they were wearing very little. Daniel knew what that meant. This wasn’t a fight pitting human again human, but animal against animal. Would Thorn’s stag be able to best Harrison’s lion?
Thorn’s head turned, meeting Daniel’s gaze. Daniel silently tried to impart every wish and prayer he had in him that Thorn would come out the victor. He didn’t deserve to die for someone as worthless as Daniel.
“Please, Thorn,” he whispered. “Be brave.”
He knew the alpha couldn’t hear him, yet Thorn smiled and winked at him, turning his attention back to Harrison.
Oliver wrapped an arm around Daniel’s shoulders as the soldier acting as referee blew twice on his whistle. There was a pause as both men shifted, rushing to get their bearings again, and then Harrison attacked.
Chapter Thirty
Thorn took Daniel’s warning to heart. As soon as they shifted, Harrison’s lion went on the attack, but backed off just as quickly. Thorn guessed at his plan—put him on edge with a handful of head-on attacks and trick him into exposing his flank. Then Harrison would go for his back legs, hamstring him, if he could. That would be enough to severely hamper Thorn’s ability to move. And facing an apex predator like Harrison, his biggest asset was his agility. He wouldn’t let Harrison take that from him.
He played along as Harrison attacked again, even letting the alpha get a swipe in with his claws, drawing blood. He heard gasps from the crowd but ignored them. As wounds went, it was superficial, but he could see Harrison’s confidence growing.
The lion started maneuvering around, and Thorn knew he was making his move. So he helped him out, leaving himself vulnerable to an attack from the side, pretending he was too distracted waiting for Harrison to come at him from the front. All he needed was an opening, and if Harrison fell into his trap, he would get just that.
They danced around each other, Harrison throwing in one more head-on attack for good measure, narrowly missing being grazed by Thorn’s antlers. And then he feinted right, moved left, and went straight for Thorn’s back legs. If Thorn hadn’t known exactly what Harrison was up to, it might have worked. Daniel’s whispered warning had told him all he needed to know.
He leaped into the air and swung around, slamming his antlers into Harrison’s exposed flank. The alpha bellowed loudly, a roar that shook the room, but all his struggling did was impale him deeper on Thorn’s sharp horns.
Before the alpha could recover his senses enough to lash out, Thorn yanked himself free and backed away. He could see that he’d done significant damage to Harrison. Blood flowed freely down his side, darkening his coat. But the lion wasn’t done yet. He pushed himself upright, roared again, and then raced straight at Thorn. Thorn knew what he did next would look crazy to those watching—he shifted back to human form.
He heard shouts of dismay from the crowd as Harrison barreled down upon him, but being smaller and more agile as a human, he was able to dive out of the way of the lion as Harrison careened past, unable to stop himself from slamming into the wall at the edge of the room. Thorn shifted back again, antlers at the ready, as Harrison, dazed and furious, pushed back to his feet. He set his sights on Thorn and charged once more.
But he was all emotion and no strategy, something that had been trained out of Thorn long ago. All Thorn had to do was angle his head and wait, catching the lion easily and tossing him across the room. Harrison slammed into the ground and slid across the floor, leaving a trail of blood in his wake. When he came to a stop, he stayed down. He was still alive, his chest moving sluggishly up and down, but there was no fight left in him. Not today. Thorn heard Harrison’s pack yelling at him to get up, but the alpha didn’t move. Thorn was tempted to finish him off—it wouldn’t take much—but he glanced at Daniel and thought better of it. Harrison had held Daniel captive for years and made him suffer. Was it not justice that Harrison would now be the one imprisoned, the one forced to bend to someone else’s rules?
He looked to the referee, who was checking his watch and eyeing Harrison uneasily. When there was no sign of the alpha getting back up, he blew his whistle three times.
“Fight’s over. The elk wins, the lion loses.”
There was a flurry of shouting from Harrison’s group, and an omega broke away from them, running toward Harrison. He stopped before he reached him, set his sights on Daniel, and charged. Thorn moved on instinct, blocking the omega’s path, looming over him as blood dripped from his antlers. The omega went pale, eyeing him with fear as he backed down, retreating to stand with the rest of his pack.
Only then did Thorn shift back, taking the damp towel Brax offered him and wiping off the worst of the blood. Most of it wasn’t his.
“It’s done,” Brax said, handing over his clothes. “Let’s get the hell out of here.”
“You’ll get no argument from me,” Thorn said, dressing hurriedly. “Never again would be too soon.”
He made a beeline for Daniel and Sammy, taking the cub into his arms and hugging him tightly.
“He wasn’t scared, was he?” he asked Daniel.
“We were both terrified. But I didn’t let him watch.”
“Good,” Thorn told him. “The car’s outside. Let’s get out of here.”
Daniel glanced past him to where Harrison’s pack and two army medics were crowded around the lion’s body. “Is he…?”
“Still alive. He’ll have plenty of time to mull over his mistakes while he lives out his life behind walls too high to see over.”
He waited until Daniel tore his gaze away, and then they followed Oliver and Brax to the door.
“They’re just going to let us leave?” Daniel sounded disbelieving, his gaze darting around to the soldiers standing guard.
“Pack law says they don’t have a choice. I won, fair and square.”
“I belong to you.”
“You belong with me,” Thorn said gently, emphasizing the distinction. “You and Sammy are part of our pack now, for good.”
Daniel nodded slowly, letting Thorn lead him out into the parking lot out front. They climbed into the back behind Brax and Oliver. Thorn helped Daniel buckle his seat belt and fastened Sammy into his car seat.
“Rest, if you can,” he told him. “There’ll be plenty of time for talking later.”
Daniel obediently closed his eyes and rested his head against the car door. But Thorn could see how tense the omega held himself. It would take some time before they got back to where they had been. Maybe they’d never get there, maybe they’d have to find a new normal. It didn’t matter. Daniel and Sammy were safe, were coming home with him. As long as he had that, they could work on the rest.
Chapter Thirty-One
Daniel divided his time on the journey back between keeping Sammy entertained and pretending to sleep. He suspected Thorn saw through him, but the alpha didn’t call him on it. The closer they got to the pack, the deeper the pit of dread in Daniel’s stomach. He’d made so many mistakes, put so many people in danger. Hell, he’d put Thorn’s whole pack in danger. All their cubs might have suffered for his selfish stupidity. If he was lucky, Thorn would forgive him, eventually.
Brax and Oliver drove them right to their door, promising to call by the next day and check on them. Daniel carried a sleeping Sammy inside, settling him down in his bed, aware that Thorn was following his every move. He spent a moment just watching Sammy sleep, relieved at the peace on the little boy’s face. That was all thanks to Thorn.
Aware that he couldn’t hide from the consequences of his actions any longer, he tucked the blanket a little tighter around Sammy and straightened, following Thorn out into the hall and through to the alpha’s bedroom. Their bedroom now.
Thorn undressed, his back to Daniel. Daniel stood quietly at the end of the bed and waited for the alpha’s attention to fall on him. He was distantly
aware that he was shaking. He didn’t feel cold, just detached as he waited for what was to come. Waiting was the worst part. He let his head fall, his gaze on the floor. A few tears slipped free and soaked into the carpet.
He heard the alpha move closer and felt the heat from Thorn’s body as he stood in front of him.
“I know you’re mad,” he croaked out. “I know I betrayed you, and I deserve what— whatever—” He couldn’t get the rest out, shaking too hard in anticipation as Thorn reached for him.
Strong arms wrapped around him, pulling him against a warm chest. It took longer than it should have to recognize the simple act of being hugged.
“I’ve got you,” Thorn murmured. His arms tightened as he lifted Daniel off the floor and carried him into bed.
As Daniel was laid down on the mattress, he tensed up all over again.
“Easy,” Thorn murmured, settling down next to him. “I’m not him.”
“But everything I did—” There had to be consequences. There were always consequences.
“Everything you did, you did for love of your son.”
Daniel tried to sit up, shaking his head, but the alpha drew him back down again.
“Shh. You’re safe now. I love you, and you’re safe.” Thorn pressed against his back, his arms wrapping around Daniel and holding him close.
“Yes, we have a lot to work through. But we’ll do that with words, Danny. Not with fists. Never with fists.”
“But… but I…”
It couldn’t be that easy, could it?
“Shh, I know. But I’m not Harrison. I could never be him. Think about everything you know about me, Danny. Really think.”
“You love me?” After everything, could that really be true?
“I love you. I love you for who you are, not what you can give to me. You went back to Harrison to protect Sammy, and me, and the pack. That wasn’t betrayal, that was bravery and sacrifice. That was putting the people you care about first.”
“I… I didn’t think there was any other choice.”
“I get that, I do. You’d hidden the truth for so long, you didn’t believe you could come clean. That’s something we’ll talk about. Trust. How to build it, what it looks like, what it feels like. It won’t be easy, Danny. But we’re not alone in this.”
That was something Daniel desperately wanted. To be around people he could trust, people he knew they’d be safe with.
“We’d been alone for so long until I met you. Just me and Sammy, trying to survive. I didn’t think alphas like you existed. I thought you were just in those romance novels I used to sneak home from the library.”
Thorn huffed out a laugh. “I’m not perfect, Danny. Far from it. Remember, I was just as lonely as you when you landed on my doorstep, falling away from my pack and stubbornly not doing anything to stop it. You gave me a reason to try again, something to strive for. Someone to fight for.”
“You did fight,” Daniel said quietly, remembering those heart-stopping moments when it looked like Harrison had the upper hand.
“And I won. For you. So you and Sammy could sleep easy at night, knowing you were safe, knowing you were free.”
Daniel’s heart thumped hard at that. “But… we’re not free. We’re yours now.”
Wasn’t that what the fight had been about? Which alpha owned him? He’d been Harrison’s, and now he was Thorn’s.
Gentle hands turned him around, Thorn catching his chin and tipping his head up to peer into his eyes.
“In this pack, no one owns anyone else. You’re my mate, and that’s a forever thing, but that doesn’t give me ownership over you. We’re no different from Oliver and Brax or Josh and Cole. We’re lovers, mates, friends. Equals.”
“I’m not your equal.” Daniel would never be good enough to be an alpha’s equal.
“We have different strengths in this relationship, sure. But we are equals. I—” Thorn cut himself off, stroking his thumb across Daniel’s cheek. “We’ll work on that, too. Come on, time to get some sleep.”
Daniel rested his head against Thorn’s chest and let his eyes close, lulled to sleep by the steady thump of Thorn’s heart.
When he woke, it was light out, and a little demon was jumping up and down on the bed next to him.
“Daddy, can we have pancakes for breakfast?”
It took Daniel a long moment to get his bearings, freezing when he heard Thorn’s low chuckle next to him.
“I was going to suggest we sleep late, but we can’t keep little tummies waiting, can we?”
The alpha pressed a kiss to his cheek and sat up, reaching for Sammy. “Morning, kiddo. Did you say something about pancakes?”
He tickled Sammy’s belly, the little boy squealing and giggling as Daniel sat up with a yawn. It was a new day and a new start. He was determined to do it right this time.
Chapter Thirty-Two
Thorn had known it wasn’t going to be easy. They had Daniel home, and Harrison’s pack was no longer a threat, but their relationship was on tenterhooks. Neither of them knew quite where they stood, and their first day back at home was a chorus of awkward moments.
He woke the second night of Daniel’s return to find the bed empty next to him.
“Danny?”
There was no response, but Thorn could hear someone moving around in the kitchen. With a groan, he yawned and got out of bed. He checked on Sammy as he passed, happy to find him fast asleep.
He padded on toward the kitchen and paused in the doorway, watching the top of Daniel’s head as the omega scrubbed the kitchen floor.
“Danny? What are you doing?”
The omega glanced up at him with wide eyes but didn’t stop scrubbing.
“Come back to bed,” Thorn coaxed.
“I have to finish this.”
“It’s the middle of the night. You don’t have to finish anything.”
Daniel gave the slightest shake of his head and went back to scrubbing at the floors.
Thorn crouched down next to him.
“Daniel, the floors can wait. You need to rest.”
“But it’s not clean.”
“It doesn’t matter. I’ll wash the floors tomorrow. Right now, we should be sleeping.”
“No, I need to—” Daniel cut himself off, peering up anxiously at Thorn again. “I’m sorry.”
Thorn sighed. “Don’t be. The last few days have been a nightmare. But you’re home now, and everything’s going to be okay.”
Daniel started scrubbing again, but Thorn didn’t think trying to talk him out of it was doing any good. Whatever Daniel was worried about, whatever fear was plaguing him, it was about emotion, not reason. Action was what was needed, not conversation.
“Come on,” he said simply, lifting the omega to his feet.
Exhausted, fearful eyes peered up at him, Daniel shaking in his arms.
“Let’s go back to bed.”
Daniel took a half-step back but Thorn stopped him, tugging the omega into an embrace.
“Shh. I’m right here and everything’s okay. Sammy is fast asleep, the house is quiet, the pack is home. You’re here, our babies are safe, and it’s time to get some rest.”
The tension in Daniel’s small frame slowly eased. Thorn picked him up and carried him to their room. He settled Daniel back into bed and climbed in beside him. Daniel murmured fretfully, clinging to him with a shiver. He was exhausted, Thorn knew. More asleep than awake.
“Rest, Danny. Things will look clearer in the morning, I promise.” He wrapped his arms tightly around Daniel until he stopped shaking, his breathing evening out as he fell back asleep.
“That’s it,” Thorn murmured. “Sweet dreams, Danny.”
When he woke again it was light out and the bed beside him was empty once more. Groaning, he rolled over and pushed himself up, scrubbing a hand across his face. He could hear Daniel back in the kitchen. He hoped the omega wasn’t cleaning the floor again.
The smell of cooking food greeted him when
he stepped out of his bedroom. Sammy’s bed was conspicuously empty, and he could hear the cub chattering away as he approached the kitchen.
He stopped in the doorway, unsurprised to see Daniel frying bacon and cooking something in the oven.
“Morning, Thorn,” the omega greeted brightly. “Breakfast is almost ready. I‘m making waffles and bacon and those spinach poached eggs you like…”
“It smells amazing,” Thorn agreed. “But why don’t you sit down? I’ll take over.”
Daniel looked from him to the frying pan. “You don’t have the best track record with cooking. Besides, I’m your omega. It’s my job to take care of you.”
“Is that what scrubbing the floors in the middle of the night was all about?”
The omega avoided his gaze.
Thorn decided decisive action was needed. He crossed the room, nudging Daniel away from the frying pan and into a chair.
“But I have to finish breakfast…”
“I can handle it. Sit.”
Daniel perched on the edge of his chair, looking anything but relaxed.
“But how can I show you how good a mate I can be if you won’t let me clean or cook breakfast?”
Thorn flipped the bacon, stirred the eggs, and checked on the waffles as he considered his response.
“Do you think cooking and cleaning is what makes you a good mate?”
“It proves I can look after you, the way an omega is supposed to.”
“Oliver doesn’t cook,” Thorn pointed out. “Brax does.”
“But he’s a Defender, and an advocate. I’m none of those things.”
“You’re my mate. I don’t need or want you to be perfect, Danny. I want you to be happy. I want us to be happy.”
“I can make you happy. I’m trying.”
“I’m happy too,” Sammy chimed in. “And hungry.”
Laughing, Thorn started to plate up the food. “Can’t have that, can we?”
He set three plates on the table and took a seat opposite Daniel, who still looked troubled.
Sentinel (The Lost Pack Book 3) Page 16
