“Maybe Grier has another connection to werewolves. I didn’t exactly have a long conversation with him. All I know is I felt uneasy around him.”
“Do you worry about Sid?” David asked after a moment.
“A little. Not like I would if he was an omega.”
“I’m sure River worries more about him than the rest of us.”
“River worries about everyone in the pack, and even though Sid’s left it, I’m sure River still hopes he’ll come back.”
David was quiet, and Josiah glanced at the second alpha. In the back seat, the girls chattered as they played with their dolls.
“I’m perfectly aware that River would have taken Sid as a mate after Patrick died if it weren’t for the promise he made me,” Josiah said, eyes on the road.
David didn’t say anything.
“And that if he had, Sid wouldn’t have left the pack,” Josiah added.
“I’m not blaming you for Sid’s decisions,” David said. “From what River’s told me, Sid wasn’t eager to mate anyone after Patrick died.”
Still, Josiah knew that in a normal pack situation—one where the first omega wasn’t half human and against sharing his mate—the mating would have happened, and events would have gone in a different direction. One that would have undoubtedly been better for the pack.
“Don’t blame yourself, either,” David interrupted Josiah’s thoughts. “You’re half-human. You can’t deal with the idea of more than one mate. That’s not your fault.”
“Jax once felt the way I did, but he came around,” Josiah said. “Maybe I’ve been unfair to River. As pack alpha, I’ve tied his hands to some of his responsibilities.”
David didn’t say anything, and Josiah knew it was because he’d spoken the truth.
* * * *
That night in their bed, Josiah made love to River with his mouth and hands. He sucked the alpha’s cock until River exploded and then proceeded to tease him all over with lips and tongue until River was steely hard and ready to go again. At which point Josiah climbed atop his alpha and sank onto River’s engorged cock, wincing a little at the stretch even though his body had prepared him with slick.
As Josiah began undulating his body, River watched him with glass-green eyes.
“What’s going on with you tonight?” the alpha asked after a moment, fingers digging into the omega’s hips with every thrust of Josiah’s hips.
Josiah’s head fell back, and he moaned. “What d’you mean?”
River grunted as Josiah tightened around him. “You just seem…unusually horny tonight.”
Josiah leaned forward, long curls falling into his face, and gazed down at his handsome lover. River’s cock felt like a boulder in his ass. A sleek, throbbing boulder. “Heat’s coming on.”
River grunted before raising his knees and planting his feet on the bed. He began hammering into the omega, making Josiah’s body sing with every stroke.
Biting his lip to keep from crying out, Josiah rode his mate, fingers making indentations on River’s chest. The omega’s ass slapped against his mate’s groin as he bounced until River flipped them on the bed and drove into him from above. Slipping his right arm under Josiah’s left knee, River pulled Josiah’s leg up and zeroed in on the omega’s swollen prostate.
“God Almighty, River!” Josiah curled his toes as his orgasm crashed over him, leaving him totaled.
River forced his heavy knot past the rim of Josiah’s hole, lodging himself, and then turned so they rested on their sides.
Legs wrapped around River’s hips, Josiah lay panting against his mate’s shoulder. The alpha’s knot inside him made the omega feel owned—something that had become equally as important to him as the pleasure River gave him when they coupled. Ironic, since when Josiah had been claimed by River during his first heat, the omega had feared his autonomy would slip away.
River pushed Josiah’s sweaty curls away from his face.
“Ready to tell me what’s really going on?”
Annoyance at the smug look on his mate’s face dispelled Josiah’s post-coital fog, and he instinctively tried to pull out of River’s arms, but the knot lodged inside him held him in place.
“Can’t I initiate sex without having an agenda?” Josiah snapped.
River ran his hand soothingly over the omega’s back. “Sure, but this time you do have one. Something is definitely bothering you.”
“No, I’m fine,” Josiah said. He was. He just had a little lingering guilt from his earlier thoughts about Sid.
“Josiah.” River’s tone held a warning that Josiah was determined to ignore. He leaned forward and ran his tongue along the seam of River’s lips.
The pack alpha returned the kiss for several seconds before pulling back. “Don’t try to distract me, omega mine.”
Josiah tangled his fingers in River’s long, dark hair. “You’re imagining things, not to mention ruining the moment.”
River gave a little thrust of his hips that pushed his knot against Josiah’s prostate, sending a spark of pleasure spiraling through the omega.
“I’m not ruining anything.” The alpha swiveled his hips until Josiah’s eyes rolled back in his head and the omega moaned.
“Tell me.”
“Y-you’re not playing f-fair,” Josiah said.
“If you would have answered me the first time I asked, I wouldn’t have had to try to get it out of you.” River continued to gyrate his hips, and Josiah’s cock filled quickly at the stimulation to both his stretched rim and his prostate. “Josiah. Answer.”
Josiah panted through the rising tide of nirvana. “C-can’t…when you’re d-doing that,” he managed to say.
River stilled, and Josiah dug his fingers into his alpha’s broad shoulders and whimpered.
“Talk,” River said.
Josiah avoided his mate’s gaze. “It’s nothing.”
River jabbed at Josiah’s prostate again and waited.
Knowing River could keep this up for a long time, Josiah let out a breath. “I was talking with David earlier. About Sid.” He squirmed on River’s cock until River stilled him with a firm hand to the ass.
“I was thinking about how Sid would still be here in the pack if I hadn’t made you promise not to mate anyone else. I guess I just feel…kind of like I let down the pack.”
“Are you saying you’re willing to take more mates into our relationship?” River asked seriously.
Josiah’s eyes snapped up to meet River’s. “Hell, no!”
The alpha chuckled.
“Then what’s the point of torturing yourself about it?” He pulled Josiah in closer, hugging the omega to his broad chest. “I’m perfectly happy with only you as a mate, as I’m sure I’ve told you before. I’ll say it as many times as I have to, though, until it sinks into that thick skull of yours.” He kissed the side of his mate’s head. “But Josiah, even if I had taken Sid on as a second mate and someone else as a third and then a fourth…”
Josiah stiffened in River’s arms, and the alpha chuckled again before whispering into the omega’s ear, “You would always be my favorite and most beloved mate.”
Josiah pulled back enough to look into River’s eyes. “I’m not sharing you.”
River smiled and kissed the omega on the tip of his nose. “I’m not asking you to. You’re the one who needlessly brought this subject into our bed.”
Josiah opened his mouth to protest, but stopped, knowing he’d been acting all night as though he was trying to make up for something.
“Sorry,” he said instead.
River rolled Josiah onto his back and kissed him, hard, tongue delving deep into the omega’s mouth. He nibbled his mate’s lips before pulling back.
“Apology accepted.”
“Now will you fuck me?” Josiah asked, the words were barely out before the alpha began to thrust, rubbing the large knot at the base of his cock against Josiah’s inner gland until the omega was crying out with every breath. Seconds later, his cock erup
ted between them, pulsing almost painfully.
River bowed his head and sped up, fucking Josiah hard and fast. His big body trembled as the knot broke and let loose his seed.
Josiah clenched around River’s cock, the warmth of the alpha’s release filling him.
Eyes soft with the orgasm still coursing through him, River tightened his hold on Josiah. “I love you, my omega mate. Always. Never forget that.”
Tears pricked Josiah’s eyes, and he kissed River softly.
After the alpha pulled out, Josiah turned to spoon up to his mate’s front, too exhausted to get up and wash. They fell asleep like that, and Josiah was able to let go of his guilt over his possessiveness.
Chapter 13: David
The full moon, surrounded by millions of stars, shone like a beacon over the roof of the single-story motel. David knew he couldn’t screw up. He’d sworn he could remain alert, and Josiah had stuck up for him. He had to do this right. But his body tingled with anticipation at seeing Jax again.
“Are you sure he’s in there?” Brooks asked, looking uncertain. David reached across the front seat of River’s Mustang and took the beta’s hand in his.
“Yes. See how the curtain is pulled back over a chair? That’s the signal. Are you ready?”
Brooks turned large hazel eyes to his mate and studied the alpha a moment before nodding.
David’s heart contracted. Brooks had never once doubted him, and the alpha knew how much seeing Jax meant to the beta. He was determined to allow the two to have their reunion while keeping his distance, making sure no danger came to the two men he loved most.
David looked around to make sure no one was watching them before climbing out of the car. The two werewolves paused on the sidewalk, all their senses on alert, before walking toward the door bearing the numbers 117.
David knocked. Immediately, the door swung open, and David ushered Brooks inside. When he turned from closing the door, Brooks was already in Jax’s arms.
Jax smiled softly at David over the beta’s shoulder. Wearing a navy button-down shirt and dark slacks, long dreads cascading over his broad shoulders and a diamond earring in his ear, he looked even sexier than the last time David had seen him, although an aura of something David couldn’t identify hung about the human. When Jax took Brooks’ face between his hands, the alpha’s eyes landed on the gold band resting on the fourth finger of Jax’s left hand, and possessive rage coiled in David’s chest.
“I’ve missed you,” Jax said to Brooks, and the beta surged forward to press their mouths together in a kiss that quickly grew heated.
David watched for a few moments, before stepping forward and pressing his lips to Jax’s, savoring the feel of their softness and the once-familiar scratch of beard against his skin before licking his way inside for a taste while Brooks pressed kisses to David’s neck.
With his hand resting on Jax’s side, David could feel the warmth of the human’s body beneath the material of his shirt. Although he wanted more than anything to tumble onto the bed with his mates, he reluctantly pulled back and watched as Jax and Brooks continued to kiss.
David walked to the window and looked out, resisting the grunts and moans of pleasure behind him.
“Jax, please,” Brooks begged, and David’s cock jumped at the sound of his mate’s need.
“I can’t. I’m sorry.”
David turned.
Brooks lay rumpled on the bed, but Jax was sitting up. His shirt lay on the floor, and his jeans were undone.
David walked over to the human. “It’s okay; you can. I’ll keep watch.”
Jax turned tormented eyes to the alpha and shook his head.
“I can’t. Sorry, but I just…can’t.”
David and Brooks shared confused looks, but they didn’t press Jax about it. David assumed Jax needed to keep himself in his role or risk ruining the operation. Sex with one or both could damage the mind set he’d worked so hard to develop over the past year.
Jax stretched out on the bed and lifted an arm in invitation for Brooks to snuggle underneath. He lifted the other and raised a brow to David, who fought himself a moment before giving in and settling down on Jax’s other side lacing his fingers with Brooks’ across Jax’s midsection.
“I suppose we should get down to business,” Jax said, long fingers running through Brooks’ sandy-brown hair.
“Have you learned anything else?” David asked.
Jax’s expression darkened. “I have a relatively good feel for the building now.” He removed his arm from around David long enough to take out a map he’d drawn of the parts of the place he’d seen and what he’d figured out while blindfolded. He handed it to David.
“They call it the Omega Oasis. An underground ring brings omegas in from all over the U.S.” Jax shook his head. “This goes much deeper than we thought, although I don’t think the government’s involved. Just a group of rich perverts. As far as I know, Parker keeps his proclivities under tight wraps. While shouting to the rooftops that werewolves are disgusting abominations, he’s privately sporting wood for the omegas and going to the place every chance he gets. His constituents would be horrified.”
“What can we do to rescue those omegas?” David asked, hating to think what the victims had to be going through.
Jax leaned his head against the wall, looking troubled. “I don’t know. The place is underground and heavily guarded.”
“What if you just concentrate on taking Parker down?” Brooks asked. “Bust the whole thing wide open. With the new law protecting shifters, the FBI should be interested in this.”
“Since Angela spoke to him, and we have suspicions this is a nation-wide thing, Mark’s been in contact with the FBI,” David said. “They’re keeping an eye on Parker.”
“He has plenty of people to do his dirty work,” Jax said. “They’ll have to catch him red-handed.”
David sat up on the bed and turned to look at Jax who remained relaxed, still stroking Brooks’ hair. “You can set him up. But please be careful, Jax. This is only going to get more dangerous for you. Do you think Blake suspects at all?” David hated even saying the man’s name, but he worried for Jax’s safety.
“He would never be taking me to that place if he did, and Parker must trust me to some extent to allow it.”
“Are you sure? Couldn’t it be a trick to see if you’ll tell the Congress?” David asked, stomach knotting.
“I’ll just have to make sure he never has reason to think I’ve leaked anything.”
“How’d you get away tonight?” Brooks asked.
Jax kissed the beta’s head and held his hand out to David, curling his fingers in invitation. With only the briefest of pauses, David settled down again. He continued to listen with his wolf for any sounds outside, but lying so close to Jax eased some of his tension.
“I drugged him,” Jax said.
Brooks and David both looked at Jax in surprise.
“You what?” David asked.
“I put something in Blake’s nightcap to ensure he wouldn’t wake up until morning. I’ll be back home and in bed before he ever opens his eyes.”
Brooks looked unconvinced. “Are you sure? What if it doesn’t work well on him, and he wakes up sooner?”
“I’ve tested it on him. Don’t worry.” Jax leaned down and kissed Brooks soundly before doing the same to David. The alpha felt like he could sink into those lips forever but allowed himself only a few seconds to enjoy it.
Jax smiled. “Enough business. Tell me about our kid. I want to know everything he’s up to.”
Brooks eagerly began relating all the new things Jarrod-Grant had learned to do.
David listened with one ear while remaining vigilant. Could it be possible their hell could be over soon? The alpha was afraid to hope.
Chapter 14: River
Sometimes River felt like two people: the pack alpha he’d always been, in charge of many lives and confident in doing so; and Josiah’s alpha mate, completely smitten by t
he half-human half-omega and willing to do anything for him. Unfortunately, those two people were not always in agreement with each other.
As pack alpha, River knew he should have taken Sid as a mate when Patrick had been killed. If it weren’t for his promise to Josiah, he would have, and Sid would still be safe as part of the pack.
Would he? River asked himself. Sid told you he wasn’t interested in mating again. He chose to leave the pack and go to school.
River hadn’t hesitated to reassure Josiah he shouldn’t feel guilty, so why, when he was alone, did he continue to second guess himself? And why did he carry a vague resentment for the promise he’d made not to take another mate? He couldn’t help wondering if he should have gone with his gut with Sid and let Josiah grow to accept a polygamous relationship just as the omega had learned to accept everything else about werewolf life. No doubt, Sid would also have accepted River’s decision, and it never would have occurred to him to go to school.
Wolf packs had run successfully for thousands of years because of tradition, and River had gone against that tradition when he’d decided to let humans onto the compound. Like Josiah. But what it always came down to was River couldn’t regret Josiah, so he might as well stop thinking about the what ifs.
“What are you thinking so hard about?” David interrupted River’s thoughts. He stood shirtless and sweating, white-blond hair sticking to his temples and curling about his ears.
River blinked, wondering how long he’d been standing by the barn, looking off into the distance.
“Just wondering if we should plant some wheat next year,” he lied.
“We could,” David said. “But I call bullshit. That wasn’t what put that tense look on your face.”
River sighed. He might as well tell. He’d admitted his thoughts on the matter to his second-in-command before, minus the part about resenting Josiah sometimes. He laid it all out there, and when he’d finished, David grinned.
“You mean to say you two aren’t the perfect couple after all?”
“Shut up,” River huffed.