Page 1 of Omega's Breed

Chapter One

“Gammas are pretty thick on the ground in these parts, so sure, I can spare one if he wants to go.”

Finn gave the grizzled alpha a sincere smile and nodded. “Excellent, sir. I was hoping that would be the case.”

He drained his mug of beer and looked around at the betas and gammas seated at the rustic table. For the most part, they struck him as an aging and surly lot, taking their affect from their alpha. He wasn’t sure any of them would fit into the Rogue Pack. Still, beggars couldn’t be choosers, and Lorcan was counting on his returning with at least one new gamma to strengthen their pack. He’d struck out twice already with others. Giving up fighters was a hard thing for any pack to do, and he had nothing to offer in trade except relieving them of one extra mouth to feed. This Canadian pack seemed fairly primitive, living mostly off the land, so he’d hoped from the moment he’d entered their sparse lands that his offer would be appealing.

The alpha, Magnus, leaned back in his chair and gave Finn a toothy grin in return. He snapped his fingers. “More beer!”

A young male omega appeared out of nowhere, a pitcher of beer in his hands. The boy was smaller than most and slender to the point of being skinny. Raggedy clothes hung off his frame and his hands shook as he lifted the heavy container to refill first the alpha’s mug, then Finn’s. He gave the boy a nod of thanks, not that the kid was looking. The omega kept his gaze firmly down, so that only his fan of thick lashes showed. His light brown hair was pulled back in a long braid, leaving his pretty face on full display. High cheekbones, pink lips, and pale skin—he must be some lucky guy’s mate.

When the omega tried to move away, however, the alpha reached out quick as a snake and grabbed the boy’s arm. The poor omega jumped and became even paler, but he didn’t fight the hold, simply rocked to steady his footing. His too-thin chest heaved in obvious fear.

Magnus leaned forward and pinned Finn with a hard stare. “Of course, if you want one of my gammas, you’re going to have to take this omega, too. That’s my condition.” Letting go, he settled back again. The omega didn’t move a muscle.

Finn frowned. “I don’t understand. You’re giving up an omega?”

With a nod, Magnus said. “Yes.” He flicked his hand toward the boy. “I want this one gone. I won’t lie to you, he’s a handful. Disruptive. But, he’s fertile, so I expect a new pack like yours could use the breeding stock regardless.”

If the omega was hurt by his alpha’s condemnation, he didn’t show it other than a bit of rosy spots coloring those pale cheeks and a tightening of his grip on the pitcher.

The meaning of the alpha’s words sunk in. “You say he’s fertile? He’s whelped already?”

Magnus took a long drink and sneered as if tasting something sour. “Once last year.”

“And, who is the sire?” He couldn’t imagine any male shifter letting his mate, let alone a pup, go to another pack.

“Who knows?” Magnus shrugged. “This little slut offered his ass up to every male who wanted to mount him, yet refused to mate with anyone.” The alpha scowled. “No one was good enough to his way of thinking, I suppose, and we don’t do forced matings in this pack.”

Seriously? Finn kept himself from voicing his skepticism out loud. From what he’d seen of this alpha and his pack, he wouldn’t have been surprised to learn that omegas were forced to mate with someone of their alpha’s choosing. That was the norm in many even more modern packs.

“Anyway, the boy has no family left and no one has claimed the pup as his, so it goes with its father. Of course, your alpha may choose to kill it if he wants to breed off this bitch himself and keep his line pure.”

A sound like the one an animal would make in its moment of death erupted out of the omega’s mouth, and he staggered toward the table. Finn grabbed the pitcher before it toppled out of the boy’s hold and set it on the table. Putting his hand on the trembling omega’s shoulder, he tried to catch his eye.

“It’s okay.” He kept his tone low and soft and forced down his anger at the alpha. “We’ll take you both.” He flicked his gaze at Magnus. “We’re mostly a pack made up of discards from others anyway. We gladly accept a breeding omega and his pup. We’re trying to grow our numbers, after all.”

Magnus merely grunted at the statement, but the omega slowly raised his eyelashes to peek at Finn. Bright green eyes shone up at him, shiny with tears. “Thank you, sir.” His words were spoken almost at a whisper.

“You’re welcome. Now, go and pack. I want to leave soon.”

The omega glanced at Magnus, who waved him away. “Go on. You’re his problem now.”

With a jerky nod directed at no one in particular, the boy shot off. Magnus watched him leave with an expression that didn’t look relieved or even indifferent. There was a strange sort of hunger to it. Before Finn could ponder its significance, the alpha turned his attention to him.

“You’re welcome to stay the night.”

“Thank you, but I’ve got a long journey back, and I prefer to hit the road and put in a few miles, or rather kilometers, behind us before retiring.” Picking up his mug of beer, he took a long swallow. He felt a bit unsettled. “Now, the gamma?” He looked around the table. “Who’s it going to be?”

Magnus snorted and got to his feet. “No one here. These are my most trusted pack members. Come, I have someone in mind.”

Standing, Finn followed the alpha out of his longhouse and into the brisk spring afternoon. He’d started his trip as soon as most of the snow had gone. This far north, there were still some patches on the ground here and there with late storms always possible.

Magnus led him to a spot at the far end of the compound. A very large, red-haired wolf came loping out from the tree line at the alpha’s sharp whistle. The gamma stood with his head cocked, waiting for orders.

“Change,” Magnus barked.

A mountain of a man unfolded in front of them, standing considerably taller than either Magnus or Finn. This gamma was bigger even than Lorcan. Impressive, although it was hard to tell what was lurking beyond those vividly blue eyes.

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