Page 17 of Feral: Part Two
It’s an almost physical shift in the bond, an understanding and trust that doesn't seem possible given their history. The connection snaps into place, Kael letting out a purr that's real close to a claiming roar, the sound vibrating through the small bathroom and making my own Alpha instincts respond.
Slate curls up around Preston again, my mind reeling with the implications of what just happened. I’ve heard stories of Alphas letting out a claiming roar, but I’ve never actually known someone who’s done it.
"I don't think I've ever felt something like that before," I admit, my voice barely above a whisper.
Kael doesn’t speak at first, moving to turn on the sink faucet to simulate the sounds of a shower. "It felt right, but... I don't have his trust yet."
"In time you will," I assure my cousin, seeing a change in him. I never thought he’d open up like this. He’s not exactlysoft,but the understanding that comes with being a pack Alpha has accelerated over the last few days and I fucking love it. "He walked beside you, didn't he? It's only a matter of time."
Kael just nods as we exit the bathroom and close the door before moving back into the kitchen. Ulysses is standing at the edge of the kitchen table, Malik offering us a sheepish smile as he sits beside him. No doubt Ulysses cussed him out, asking where our Omegas are.
“So? Where are they?”
Kael doesn't miss a beat. "They're bathing."
The council member's eyebrows raise slightly. "Both of them?"
"Yes, we made a mess of them both and then they kicked us out to wash each other. It's a common occurrence."
I have to hand it to Kael—the lie comes out way smoother than anything I would have been able to conjure up, with just enough detail to sound authentic without being overly elaborate.
I snort, playing into the deception. "Kael is pretty ticked off about it that Slate likes Preston more than him."
The council member's expression shifts to something that might be amusement, before his expression reverts to neutral indifference. "I'm not sure I believe this, but I'm also not going to barge into that room because I know how protective Alphas can be over their Omegas."
Relief floods through me, though I'm careful not to let it show on my face.
"I’ll be back through and you'll need to have them ready so that we can assess Slate's progress."
All three of us nod in agreement, doing anything and everything we can to shuffle him toward the door. The longer he stays, the more likely it becomes that our carefully constructed lie will fall apart.
But he's not quite ready to leave yet. "How is Slate faring? Have there been any changes recently?"
I shrug, deciding not to answer that question and state something else entirely. "I noticed that there were fewer guards today," I say, deflecting with a question of my own.
Ulysses’ expression tightens slightly. "That was just a shift change, but it shouldn't happen again."
His answer feels loaded and a little too stiff, but I don’t push. It just tells me we’re not any safer than we were walking into Wolfscorge. He glances around again, almost as if he’ll pick something out we haven’t hidden. However, Slate all but lives in his room, only coming out for meals and the occasional shower when he wants to use the larger one across the hall.
We haven’t been all that inviting and while I’m nowhere near as awful to Slate as my cousin, I haven’t exactly been…nice.
Ulysses clears his throat, dragging me back to reality. "I'm satisfied that the pool house is not being lived in and that all occupants are living in the main house," he says finally, the tension leaving my shoulders. "Just one last question. Has Slate joined in on any sexual activities recently?"
A grumble hits my ear and I twist around to jab Kael in the side. He quickly swallows the sound but doesn’t fix the irritation in his expression. "Why is any of that important? He's our Omega, he's doing fine, and I really would like to be ready for when they're done with their shower so that I can help them into their... nest."
Preston deconstructed that and now we have a den. I should be weirded out that all our biological impulses are changing and morphing, but it’s kind of cool. Like a grown-up fort for our Omegas.
"Let me see their nest and I'll go."
I snort, leaning back against the wall to play off how much all this shit is bothering me. "When you come back, you can ask them to see their nest. I'm not giving you access to that without their permission." I raise one of my eyebrows in jest, wondering if Ulysses has ever even had an Omega of his own or even been attracted to one. Everything he does is so clinical and if I did let him anywhere near Preston’s nest, Preston would have a meltdown. But Slate? Slate would tear that man apart.
I might actually like watching it.
"Okay, I'll be back around once I check on some of the other packs." He finally heads for the door, and I have to resist the urge to physically push him out. The relief I feel as he steps over the threshold is almost overwhelming.
The moment the door closes, I turn to Malik. “Hey, Leek, it seems we have two feral Omegas now. Two beautiful foxes curled up together in the bathtub.” The shock on our Beta’s face is priceless.
Slate
