Page 25 of Taming The Omega

“In what way?” Even as Lorcan asked the question, Caleb had a sinking feeling in his stomach. This had to be about Seth. Haldon assumed the omega was one of the Rogues, and at this point, he was right.

“One of your omegas came wandering in, wiggling his slutty ass at our sentries. Then he ran away before we could question him.”

Caleb felt the growl rising in his throat. How dare this asshole speak about Seth that way? They made it sound like the omega was asking for the attack that could have easily killed him.

Lorcan made a subtle sign with his hand to knock it the fuck off. With effort, Caleb swallowed down his anger and kept quiet. Still, he worried about what Lorcan was going to say and do. Seth wasn’t truly a member of the pack, and given the recent confrontation with Caleb’s old pack about Will’s pup, Annie, he worried that Lorcan would hand Seth over to Haldon. He knew the alpha wanted to avoid stressing his pack with fighting.

“I know who you’re talking about.” Lorcan sounded almost bored. “He’s a new pack member and didn’t mean to go astray.”

Caleb’s breath caught. Lorcan was accepting responsibility for Seth’s actions! He hoped that meant the alpha intended to protect Seth from any retribution. And, if Haldon needed more blood to shed to assuage any slight over the territory breach, Caleb would be more than willing to provide it. He could take any kind of punishment so long as it meant protecting a weaker pack member.

So long as it means protecting Seth.

Yeah, there wasn’t any point in pretending to himself that the little omega with the hurtful past and fear of pack life hadn’t gotten under Caleb’s skin. In only a few days, Seth had become important to him to a degree that left him feeling uncomfortable. He didn’t want to care so much for another shifter. This was how you got hurt. Really hurt. The kind of hurt that dug in deep and never healed.

“What do you want in restitution?” Lorcan’s question snapped Caleb back into focus.

The beta started posturing. “Well, I can’t say I want anything other than the boy who breached our perimeter.”

Before Caleb could leap forward and rip the guy’s throat out, Lorcan took what looked like a casual side step. It effectively blocked Caleb from acting on the impulse.

The alpha shook his head. “Haldon knows that’s not happening. He may have been willing to sacrifice his own son in furtherance of his agenda, but he should know me better than that. I’m not giving up a member of my pack purely to apologize for something so trivial.”

The beta opened his mouth. Lorcan overrode him. “What does he really expect me to give him?”

The beta rubbed at his chin, as if contemplating the answer. Even a gamma could see that it was all posturing, a game to make it seem like Haldon was being magnanimous to accept anything other than Seth’s hide.

“We can always use more supplies. I suppose we can work something out.”

“I’m gratified to hear it,” Lorcan drawled. Then he whistled sharply.

Deidre came bounding out of the woods and shifted beside her alpha. The sight of a naked female distracted the Haldon boys, not surprisingly. Shifters might not be a modest species, but they had strong sex drives, and Deidra was an impressive sight.

“One of my betas,” Lorcan said with a brief wave of his hand. “As you may recall.” Yeah, probably because she’d beaten the crap out of many of them during skirmishes between their packs. “She’ll coordinate getting the items we agree to.”

The alpha took a step closer. “Now, how much of an affront do you think one small omega is to the mighty Haldon?”

****

It took less than an hour for the deal to be struck and for Haldon’s emissary to leave loaded up with a goodly amount of food, carpentry and woven goods. Lorcan had struck a hard bargain, making even Caleb worry a few times that he was about to tell Haldon’s beta to go pound sand. In the end, though, both sides had given and gained enough ground to claim victory.

“Well,” Lorcan said rubbing at his eyes. “That settles that. I don’t like the fact that at least two of those gammas are unfamiliar to me. Haldon has recruited new blood.”

Caleb stepped up to him. “Thank you, sir, especially given what you just said.”

Lorcan furrowed his brows. “Are you thanking me for doing my duty?”

He was taken aback for second by the question. “Yes, sir. I mean, no sir.” He huffed. “It’s just that Seth isn’t a member of the pack. Not really. Officially or anything. You didn’t have to pay Haldon anything.”

“Look, Caleb. My head is splitting, which happens when my mate and daughter are in the least amount of danger, not to mention the dozens of others that I’m responsible for. I know we’ve been kind of leaving the door open to the idea that Seth might leave. Frankly, that’s a game I’m not even trying to play anymore. He’s a vulnerable omega. This is a safe pack for him to join. End of story. Oh, and by the way, your probationary period is up as of now. You’ve more than earned your right to be here.”

The alpha wordlessly stalked over to the longhouse. It took Caleb a few seconds to process the guy’s declaration before hurrying to join him. He entered the great room as Lorcan enveloped his mate and pup in his arms. Relief was a palpable thing among the pack members, and everyone slowly returned to whatever they’d been doing. Even though the pack had managed to fight for its territory and even fend off a minor battle with Haldon’s pack over some trouble with Kyle, it really was way too vulnerable still. Any outside threat could prove fatal. And, if Haldon was bringing new muscle into his pack, the Rogues needed to, as well. One extra gamma such as himself would not be enough.

The issue was one for the next council meeting, however. His most immediate concern was the omega sitting in the corner of the couch next to Joey. Seth’s gaze was already trained on him, and they kept their eyes locked as Caleb approached him. Whatever welcome he’d been expecting, the omega surprised him by launching himself to his feet and slamming into Caleb.

Even with his breath knocked out of him, Caleb managed to steady them both and wrapped his arms around the boy. “Hey, what’s this?”

“I was worried about you,” came the muffled reply.

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