Page 22 of Taming The Omega

A reason for the gamma’s rejection had occurred to him quickly, as well.

“Do you have a mate you’re going to tonight?” He’d asked the question with his heart lodged in his throat, as if he’d had the right to care one way or the other.

“No, I’m not mated. Never have been.”

The answer had sent relief coursing through him fast enough to make him light-headed.

Caleb had continued to rub his back in that amazingly soothing way and offered up far more detail about himself than Seth could have expected.

“I’ve actually only been with the Rogues for a few months. Remember I said I was raised in a pack up in Canada. Finn came looking for gammas for extra protection, and my old alpha had more than he needed. I was low-ranked, so here I am. Will came along for, um, well reasons that are really his to tell.”

Seth had curled up in a relaxed heap, covering Caleb’s lap like a living blanket. “There must be omegas or sigmas here looking for a mate.” Why he continued to pick at the sensitive topic, he’d never know. Or, rather he did know, and although he’d chided himself for his interest, he couldn’t stop.

“Sigmas, sure. Other than you, our omegas are mated and breeding or newly whelped.”

Other than me. The casual way that Caleb had included Seth into the pack had been both irritating and comforting. It implied that Seth wouldn’t be given a choice about staying, and yet he couldn’t deny that part of him felt relieved at the idea.

“Aren’t you going to mate with one of the sigmas?” As if it had been any of his business.

Caleb’s hand had paused at that question. A tension had risen in the gamma’s body that had been easy to detect.

“I’m not sure I’m mating material. I don’t think I can handle breeding a mate and watching them go through the whelping. It, ah, doesn’t always end well. It didn’t for my mother, anyway.”

“Oh.” Seth had digested that information with great sadness, not only because he’d seen it happen to many in his pack. Caleb’s grief was a palpable thing. “Was she an omega?”

“No.” The petting had started back up. “A sigma, so you know she didn’t breed very often. I was ten when she died trying to bring my brother into the world. We lost them both,” he’d added with a heavy sigh. “My sire was a broken gamma after that.”

Seth rubbed his cheek against Caleb’s chest. “You’re afraid that will happen to you.” He’d stated it as fact because the answer was obvious.

“Yeah.”

After a few more minutes of silence, the gamma had stopped his petting and carefully pulled Seth up to a sitting position. His gaze had roamed Seth’s face, focusing on his lips so long, Seth had thought he might kiss him.

“Of course, I’m going to stay with you. Lorcan has taken me off guard duty so that I can watch over and take care of you. But, I’m going to sleep on this rug while you are going to curl up on the pallet.”

“Why?” Looking at Caleb’s mouth, he’d been actually disappointed in not getting that kiss. It would have been his first, and he was curious about what it would feel like to have his mouth ravaged by the gamma.

“Because being physically close to you gives me and my dopey dick bad ideas.”

“Bad?”

“Inappropriate.”

Understanding had dawned. “You mean the fun games we play where we both come so hard my cock feels like it exploded?”

Caleb had smiled. “Yeah, those.”

“I don’t understand. What’s wrong with them? I’m not some little pup or anything. Don’t I get a say? In anything?”

He’d tried to turn away, petulant over his lack of control. Caleb hadn’t let him get too far.

Turning him back, he’d stared down at him with a grim expression. “Of course, you have a say, but have you considered that you are now living within a pack with a strong alpha? You’re all grown up, Seth. Mature omegas are easily thrown into heat by their alpha.”

“Oh, right.” Of course, he’d thought of it only hours before the conversation had taken place. Living a feral life, he hadn’t had to worry about that situation at all. “I should go. Leave. It’s the only way to prevent it.”

Caleb had shaken his head once, firmly. “No.” He’d run his hand down the puckering scars of Seth’s still-healing wounds. Then he ran that same hand along Seth’s prominent ribs. “You’re in no condition to do anything other than stay here, eat and rest.”

“But not play.”

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