Page 5 of Omega's Bears

A voice comes floating through the mouth of the cave. “Ryan!”

The man jumps a little and looks back over his shoulder. It’s a strange response to see from such an intimidating man. He looks guilty and a little cowed. He glances at me again and glowers, but some of the power has been sucked out of it now. He’s not in charge here, and maybe by coming in here and bullying me the way he is, he’s even going against orders. That gives me hope.

Ryan—if that’s his name—ducks back out of the cave, leaving me on my own again. I pull my jacket tightly around my shoulders. It’s cold in here, cold enough that I wish I could take my bear form. But I know I shouldn’t. Right now, before we’ve even spoken, it could be seen as a challenge or an act of aggression, and if all of us shift and it becomes a brawl, I’m going to lose.

A moment later, another man comes in. This man looks a bit more civilized than Ryan—he’s better groomed and is wearing a t-shirt that appears to be clean. He’s also looking at me with frank curiosity instead of hostility, which is a little easier to take. Nonetheless, there’s something ominous about him, and for some reason, I’m even more nervous than I was when Ryan was here. At first, I can’t figure out what it is, but then he moves close to me and I catch an unmistakable scent. Alpha.

This is the man in charge.

He doesn’t sit down. I wish he would. I wish he’d put himself on my level. I don’t dare get to my feet in his presence. I don’t know, yet, how much trouble I’m in. “Who are you?” he asks, regarding me.

“I’m Cami,” I say, unsure what he’s looking for.

“You’re a shifter,” he says.

It’s not a question, so I don’t even consider lying about it. “Yes.”

“What brings you here? You’re not local, are you? We’ve never seen you in this area before. We’ve never tracked you.”

“I’m not from here,” I agree. “I drove up from...from Montana.” I balk at telling him I’m from Montana. I don’t want to give away any more information than I need to up front.

“Why did you drive up here?” the man asks. “You must have known this territory was claimed. All shifters know this is the territory of the Hell’s Bears.”

“I did know,” I admit. “I was looking for you.”

His eyes narrow. “You were looking for us? Why?”

“My clan died out,” I say. “I’m on my own. I’m looking for a new clan, and...well, I thought of you.”

“You thought you’d fit in with the Hell’s Bears?” He looks me up and down. It’s not flattering. I can tell he’s thinking I won’t be able to keep up with the rest of them, and he’s right. I wonder if any of them have figured out yet that I’m an omega. My value to them doesn’t lie in my ability to run with the pack. I’m good for other things.

“I know it’s not something you anticipated,” I say. “But I need the protection, and I think I might be able to contribute to this clan. I think you’ll be glad you took me in.”

The man looks thoughtful. “I’ll have to discuss it with the others. They’ll want to question you. Find out who you are and if they think you can be trusted.”

“Aren’t you the alpha?” I ask.

“That’s not how we do things,” he says. “I don’t use my power that way without considering their opinions. I won’t bring someone new into the clan if they don’t agree. You’ll have to win everyone over if you’re going to stay.”

“Okay,” I agree.

The man nods. “I’ll bring them in then, and you can meet the clan.”

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