A New Beginning

  River growled and clamped his teeth into the mating bite. Josiah arched off River’s chest, and the alpha clasped his fingers around the base of Josiah’s dick to hold back the orgasm, cock pumping shallowly into the omega’s ass.

  “I admitted it! Let me come. Please, River!”

  With a hard thrust, River slammed against Josiah’s prostate. The knot broke, and Josiah felt River shuddering through his climax, still squeezing Josiah’s cock, filling the omega with potent seed while holding him on the edge of release.

  “River!” Josiah cried out, desperate, but River continued gently thrusting, none of it enough. Knowing River like he did, Josiah wasn’t at all surprised the alpha’s cock remained hard even after climax.

  Josiah moaned, rolling his head over River’s shoulder. His cock stood stiff and red, the tip dripping white. It looked obscene sticking out of River’s hand.

  “You feel all my cum in you? Beg me, my omega. Beg me to make you scream. I want to hear how much you want me. I’ve got my dick so far up your ass, my cum should be spilling from your mouth.”

  Josiah was way past letting stubbornness keep him from what he wanted. “Please let me come, River, please, please. I want you more than anything.” He nearly sobbed the words.

  With a grunt, River flipped them over, holding Josiah down and pounding into him like someone possessed. Their bodies slapped together, the noise filling the room along with the squish of River’s spunk spilling out of Josiah’s body and the creaks of the bed. As soon as River’s hand left the omega’s cock, Josiah began to come, his release spilling for a solid minute as River fucked him into the mattress. Josiah screamed into the pillow, warm euphoria pouring over him.

  “Oh, my God, you’re such a shit!” Josiah groaned as the last of his climax ebbed.

  River pulled out, the shrunken knot tugging at the omega’s rim and sending a last spurt onto the bedspread.

  River rolled onto his back, one hand behind his head.

  “I guess you’re pretty pleased with yourself,” Josiah said, voice muffled by the mattress.

  “Yup.”

  Josiah pulled himself up enough to scoot closer to River so he nestled beneath the alpha’s arm. He licked the patch of hair beneath River’s arm, then bit it.

  “Ouch!”

  “Oh, did I hurt the big, bad pack alpha?” Josiah asked, eyes innocent. River pinched Josiah’s ass hard, then slapped it. “Ow!”

  “Behave,” River said, “or I’ll turn you over my knee.”

  Josiah didn’t find the idea as objectionable as he should. Seeking to change the subject, he remembered what Mark had told him earlier that day when Josiah had gone to the Congress to work for a few hours.

  “A rogue arrived at the camp yesterday and announced he was forming his own pack.”

  “Did he get any takers?”

  “Yeah, all the alphas and betas, but they want omegas. It may mean trouble. I hope those at the omega refuge who plan to go to Angel Hills will go soon. Mark’s got double guard on them now.” Josiah closed his eyes, listening to his alpha’s even breathing.

  “What’s this new pack called?”

  “The Hashi Valley Pack. The guy’s got property there.”

  River grunted. Josiah couldn’t tell what his alpha thought of the news. River’s fingers traced the crack of Josiah’s ass, back and forth.

  “So?” Josiah asked, trying to keep his voice steady. He bent his knee, draping his leg over River’s.

  “What?” River dipped a finger between Josiah’s ass cheeks and circled the omega’s wet hole.

  “What does this mean? Will we be rival packs?”

  “We don’t have to be,” River said. He slowly pushed his finger inside Josiah, who laid his head down and moaned into River’s broad chest. “But they’d better not try anything with my omegas.”

  Josiah shivered, the air in the room cool on his drying skin, ripples of pleasure radiating through him as River found and proceeded to torment the omega’s swollen prostate. Josiah bit into River’s skin and wrapped his hand around River’s hard cock, pumping it in time with River’s finger’s movements. The two came within seconds of one another.

  Josiah bent and licked the spunk from River’s cock.

  “Sleep,” River whispered in Josiah’s ear after the alpha had laid him down on the bed again. Josiah had no trouble obeying.

  * * * *

  Josiah handed Mark a glass of iced tea and sat back down on the porch swing. Blooms on the trees had fallen to be replaced by new leaves. The day was warm, but a breeze drifted through the screen.

  “Thanks,” Mark said and took a long swallow. Leaning back, he gazed out at the back yard. “You guys have done wonders with this place.”

  Josiah smiled, proud of the pack house and property. “We owe a lot of it to you.”

  Mark looked surprised. “Me? I haven’t done anything.”

  “Your support when we came to the city meant everything. I can’t begin to thank you.”

  Mark waved that away. His eyes scanned the outdoors.

  “What’s up with you?” Josiah asked. “Who’re you looking for?”

  “What? Nobody.”

  “Right. Come on. You look like you did every day at lunch when you had that crush on a girl in math class.”

  Mark took another sip of tea. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

  Josiah changed the subject. “How’s Beth? Set the date yet?”

  “No, not yet. We’re not in any hurry.”

  Josiah frowned. “I thought you guys were dying to get married. What’s going on?”

  Mark shifted in his seat. Josiah got the feeling his friend was avoiding looking him in the eyes.

  “Trouble in paradise?”

  “Leave it alone, Josiah.”

  Josiah raised his brows. “Josiah? Not Josey? You must be pissed. Look, everyone goes through rough patches. That doesn’t mean—”

  Mark set his glass on the side table. “Would you leave it alone?” Something in the back yard caught Mark’s attention, and immediately his demeanor changed, going from annoyed to…struck.

  Josiah turned around to see Jaime walking across the yard toward the house. Josiah looked back at Mark. His friend was sitting up straight, attention fully on the approaching omega.

  “Mark,” Josiah said, but it was as though his friend didn’t hear him.

  When Jaime opened the door to the back porch, Mark stood up, knocking over the table, his glass of tea going with it. Jaime stopped in his tracks, and as Josiah was looking right at him, he saw the omega’s surprise followed by intense desire before Jaime shuttered his expression. He nodded at Mark, ignoring Josiah as though the first omega was invisible—perhaps he was to the two of them—and slipped into the house. Mark looked after him.

  Josiah crossed the space between them and righted the table before plucking ice cubes from the floor and chucking them into the empty glass. When he straightened up, Mark still stared at the door where Jaime had entered the house, and realization dawned.

  “Oh, my God. Mark, when did you start liking men?”

  Mark jerked around. “Huh?”

  “You looked at Jaime just now like you wanted to kiss him. I thought that whole thing was a one-way street.”

  “What do you mean?” Josiah had Mark’s attention now. “Are you saying he likes me?”

  “You didn’t know? He had a huge crush on you, but I told him it was a lost cause. You’re straight and not about to leave Beth.”

  Mark pushed his dark hair out of his eyes and looked away.

  Josiah studied his friend. “At least I thought that was the way it was. Because you’re straight. And in love. Aren’t you?”

  Mark sat down, still avoiding Josiah’s gaze. “Just because you’re gay doesn’t mean everyone is, Josey.”

  “I never said it did, but I saw what I saw. There’s no shame in it, you know. You’re just bisexual.”

  “No, I’m not. And I wasn’t looking at him in
any certain way. You’re imagining things.”

  Josiah sighed. He was glad when the girls, having woken from their naps, came running onto the back porch and threw themselves onto Mark’s lap. The next hour was spent playing with them, and when it came time to leave, Josiah pretended he didn’t notice Mark looking around for Jaime.

  “You’d better decide what you want, or somebody’s going to get hurt,” Josiah couldn’t help warning before his friend drove off.

  He turned to a shadow walking out from behind the stables. “Fuck, Jaime, you scared me! Were you hiding from Mark?”

  “That obvious?”

  Josiah chuckled. “He was acting really weird. Maybe…I don’t know.”

  “It doesn’t matter. Don’t worry about it.”

  Josiah looked at his feet. “I thought he was happy with Beth, but now I’m not so sure.”

  “I’m sure he’d be much happier with Beth than forced out of the closet,” Jaime said before walking away.

  * * * *

  The moon hung full, round, and impossibly bright in the night sky. The pack would run all night, and Josiah would love to be with them, but he’d opted to stay at the pack house with those who couldn’t go on the run. Unfortunately, the girls would never be able to go, so someone would always have to stay with them; but that day, Josiah was concerned about his pregnant pack mates.

  Sid sat studying in the dining room, a small lamp glowing over his head and Sawyer’s pups asleep nearby. Josiah had noticed Sid spent a lot of time in the city these days—much more than necessary for his schooling. It wouldn’t be long before River would notice and want to talk to the beta about it. Diego and Abram had stayed behind along with one of the alphas to guard the pack who weren’t running.

  Upstairs, Josiah checked on Sadie and Sophie, who lay sleeping in the double bed that had replaced their crib. Their dark heads touched on the pillow, and as Josiah bent to kiss each of them, their sweet, child scent warmed him.

  The house was quiet, and it didn’t take long for Josiah to fall asleep. He was awakened by a small, scared voice.

  “Josiah?”

  Josiah rubbed his eyes and sat up. “Sam? What’s the matter?”

  “I don’t feel well. I want Leo.”

  Josiah swung his legs over the bed. “Is it the baby?”

  “I don’t know. Can I get in bed with you?”

  Josiah stood and wrapped his arms around his trembling friend. “I don’t think Leo would appreciate the scent of River and our bed all over you. Let’s go to the omega den. I’ll turn on the baby monitor in the girls’ room and take the speaker with me.”

  Downstairs, Josiah found Jaime in the kitchen having a snack of crackers and cheese. He hadn’t been able to shift, although Josiah had tried to help. Jaime took the baby monitor from Josiah and said he’d listen for the twins.

  The night sky held a million stars surrounding the ethereal moon, and Josiah took a deep breath of warm, sweet air as he helped Sam along the path. Diego greeted them from the bench under the oak and told Josiah Abram was taking his turn circling the property.

  Inside, someone had left a nightlight above the kitchen counter. Soft snoring came from the living room where Nick lay, his son asleep on his chest. The baby was a cute little thing with a shock of black hair that contrasted starkly with the white onesie he wore. His fat little legs were drawn up like a frog, and his right cheek on Nick’s chest pressed his pink mouth into a pretty bow. Nick had finally settled on the name Brett, and Josiah was sure he wasn’t the only one who wondered if the moniker could have anything to do with the baby’s sire. Since Nick remained tight-lipped on the subject, they’d given up on ever knowing.

  “Come sit with me,” Josiah whispered to Sam and led the pregnant omega to the oversized blue chair they’d purchased at a yard sale. The two omegas easily fit, and Josiah pulled a gold woven throw over them as Sam settled with his head against Josiah’s chest.

  “Do you hurt?”

  “My back,” Sam murmured. “I wish Leo was here.”

  The alpha likely wouldn’t be back before daybreak, but Josiah wasn’t going to say that. “He’ll be here soon.” He stroked Sam’s silken hair, admiring the gold flecks in the brown. Sam’s long, dark lashes fluttered shut and the omega’s breathing evened out. Josiah leaned his head back and dozed.

  Sometime later, the sound of whimpering and the hard clasp of Sam’s hand on his own brought Josiah awake. He blinked. The clock on the wall told him only an hour had gone by. Sam squirmed beside him.

  “It hurts. Please get Leo. Isn’t he back yet?”

  Nick was sitting up on the couch changing Brett’s diaper. “Are you in labor?”

  “I don’t know.” Sam’s face crumpled in pain.

  “He might be.” Josiah slid off the chair. “I’m going to see if I can call them back.”

  “Do you think they’re close enough?” Nick asked.

  “It’s worth a try.” Josiah glanced at Sam. “Will you get him comfortable in one of the bedrooms?”

  “Sure.”

  Josiah walked outside into the eerie silence, tilted his head back, and let out a long, beseeching howl that seemed to echo off the distant mountains. He stood listening. A couple of dogs from down the road answered, but no wolf called back.

  The front door opened, and Briar appeared on the porch. “What’s wrong?”

  “I thought you went on the run,” Josiah said.

  “I did for a while, but they headed for the gap, and I didn’t want to go that far.”

  Josiah’s heart fell. If the pack had run that way, it was certain they’d not be back before daylight. “Shit. Sam’s probably in labor, and he wants Leo.”

  “Aw, poor kid. Who’s in the den?”

  “Nick. I guess the three of us are it, unless anyone else has returned?”

  Briar shook his head, and Josiah turned back toward the small light in the window across the way.

  “Sid still inside?” Josiah asked.

  “Yeah.” Briar looked over his shoulder. “You notice he’s been leaving a lot?” The light of the moon reflected in Briar’s blue eyes and made strands of his inky black hair look silver.

  Josiah nodded. “Wonder what he’s up to?”

  “He’s made a lot of friends at school. He’s probably just meeting up with them.”

  Josiah had guessed the same, but he was afraid Sid’s jaunts would lead to trouble. The young werewolf might think he knew about the human world, but Josiah knew better.

  The scent of strange werewolf filled Josiah’s nostrils just before a movement in the omega’s peripheral vision had him turning his head to see a shadow appear from the direction of the driveway.

  Beside him, Briar stiffened and whispered, “Who’s that?”

  “No idea.” Josiah cleared his throat and raised his voice. “Who’s there?”

  The figure stepped into a patch of moonlight, and Josiah’s blood froze at the sight of the tall, muscular alpha. What was he doing in their pack territory? Did he have others with him? Behind Josiah and Briar, Diego came running, skidding to a halt between the two omegas and the strange alpha. The alpha was nude, having presumably come there in his wolf form. His hair and eyes were dark, and his large body corded with muscle. A long phallus with an obvious knot hung between two powerful legs.

  Diego bared his teeth. “Who are you?”

  “Peace,” the alpha said. “I’m here for what’s mine, and then I’m gone.”

  “What do you mean, here for what’s yours?” Diego had tensed, ready to shift and attack.

  “My omega. And my kid.”

  Josiah glanced at Briar, wondering if the other omega was thinking what he was thinking.

  “Who are you?” Diego asked.

  “Name’s Max. Now, where’s Nick? He must’ve whelped that pup by now.”

  Briar’s hand gripped Josiah’s arm.

  Diego motioned to Josiah. “This is the first omega of Cascade City Pack. You will defer to him while on our t
erritory.”

  Max turned his dark eyes on Josiah, but the first omega was saved from having to answer by Nick calling from the omega den.

  “Josiah! Hurry!”

  “Well, that answers my question, doesn’t it?” Max strode past the group toward the omega den. The obvious intent in Max’s tone sent Josiah’s heart racing. The alpha was going to take Nick whether Nick wanted to go or not.

  What a night for this to happen, Josiah thought as he hurried after Max; although, on second thought, Max may have purposely waited for the full moon to make his move. And what was familiar about the name Max?

  As they neared the omega den, and Nick caught sight of the alpha, the omega’s eyes widened, and he backed away from the door. He must have put Brett in his crib in the other room, because the baby wasn’t anywhere to be seen. Sam’s moans and cries of pain could be heard from another room.

  “What are you doing here?” Nick asked, plastering himself to the wall.

  Max’s smile was nothing short of frightening, and Josiah and Briar flanked Nick on either side. Diego had disappeared, and Josiah could only hope the beta had gone for help. River would flay him alive if he’d run.

  “It’s time to come home, baby,” Max said. “I’ve started a pack, and I need my omega.”

  That’s where Josiah had heard the name—Max was the rogue alpha who’d started a pack in the Hashi Valley.

  “Where’s the pup?”

  Nick’s face was as white as the moon outside. “What do you care?”

  Max advanced on them, and Josiah fought the urge to cower. “What’s that supposed to mean? I want my son.”

  “You don’t have a right to him,” Nick said.

  Josiah had to admire the omega’s pluck. Max was fucking scary, and Nick had to be feeling the pull of his alpha.

  “Like hell I don’t; I sired that pup. He’s mine.”

  “You raped me,” Nick said.

  Josiah heard Briar’s sharp intake of breath.

  “You can’t fucking rape an omega, you idiot, particularly not one for sale.” Max grabbed Nick by the arm and yanked him forward.

  From the other room, Sam called for Josiah.

  Briar moved toward the hall. “I’ll go.” He slipped out of sight.

  Nick struggled. “Get your filthy hands off me! I ran to get away from you. Can’t you take a hint?”