Page 66 of The Night Wolf
The smile was every bit as disgusting as Sean remembered. “So you want to come back to me, huh?”
It was important that Sean keep his temper. He couldn’t afford to say anything out of turn, lest things get ugly. “No, I want to protect the people of both packs.” He narrowed his gaze. “That’s what an Omega does.”
A hush fell as the others in the room looked at one another.
“He’s an Omega? But they don’t exist. You said so.”
Ryker snarled as he glared at each person in the room. It wasn’t a surprise that they each turned away from his fury. “This one does, and he belongs to me.”
“No, he’s mine. Bitten and claimed.” Gareth tugged down the collar of Sean’s shirt and showed the mark on his neck. “And we’re going to be married as soon as this farce is over.”
The assembled crowd gasped, and Ryker slammed his fist into the wall and howled. “Get them out of here before I tear them both apart.” Margaret turned to take them out as Ryker snapped, “Your challenge is accepted. One week from today. Me and you, no pack interference. And so you know, once you lose, every person in your pack is going to beg for mercy as I bleed them.”
Gareth stood tall, his spine straight. “No, every person in your pack will be freed of you.” He looked down at Margaret. “And they’re going to learn what it’s like to have a true leader for a change.”
If Sean wasn’t already in love with Gareth, this would have put him firmly in that column. He was cool, collected, and showed his compassion without hesitation. Sean knew he’d made the right choice.
Margaret walked with them to the edge of the property. After they were through the gate, it closed, and she stood there, her hands clenched and tears in her eyes. Was this the first time anyone had shown her kindness? Sean was willing to bet it had been.
“Keep the faith, Margaret. We’re going to come back and fix all of this for you, okay?”
She bit her lip as she nodded, then turned and shuffled slowly in the other direction. As soon as she was out of sight, Sean smiled at Gareth.
“You were brilliant. The people are already looking at you as a means to a new life.”
“It’s weird. I thought I would be terrified, but I wasn’t. Seeing Margaret and how she’s suffered under Ryker, it made everything crystal clear to me. I thought this was a fight to save the Lydon pack, but there’s so much more to it, isn’t there?”
“There is. Ryker’s wealth comes from the packs he’s taken over, stripped of everything important, then left to rot. That’s the difference between you and him. You care for what’s yours, and it shows with everything you do. Margaret looked at you like you hung the moon and stars, and she’s just met you.”
A frown marred Gareth’s face. “Will she be safe? I don’t want Ryker hurting her.”
“I wish I had an answer for you, Alpha. Where Ryker is concerned, I wouldn’t put anything past him.”
“I’ve got to tell you, I am sick to death of this ‘master’ bullshit.” Gareth squeezed his hands into fists. “She’s a baby, and he’s treating her like a goddamn servant.”
“That’s because it’s what she is. Ryker believes in… indoctrinating the kids early.”
“No!” Gareth spun on his heel and headed back for the gate. “This ends here and now.”
“Stop!” Sean rushed to him and grabbed Gareth by the arm. “You can’t help them now. This has to be done by the rules. They have to see you defeat Ryker in open combat, otherwise you won’t be able to gain their trust. Believe me, you need that for…. Just, you need that.”
“This is wrong, Sean. I can’t just leave her there.”
“There isn’t anything to be done right now. Please, be patient. One week and—oh.” Sean clutched his stomach. “Oh shit.”
Gareth grabbed him and lifted him from the ground. “What’s wrong?”
“My stomach. I—” Sean screamed. “Gareth, I need Dr. Frank.”
Faster than Sean thought possible, Gareth sped to the SUV, then raced back to Lydon. He called Lyram and told him to get Dr. Frank to the clinic before they arrived. It wasn’t hard, considering they were hours away. When they pulled in, Dr. Frank was there, as was Lyram. Gareth carried Sean into the building, then placed him gently on the table. Dr. Frank shoved Gareth aside and hurried Sean into another room.
For the next two hours, Sean writhed in agony as Frank checked scans, did tests on the baby, and more. When he finished, he called Gareth into the room.
“What the hell’s wrong with him?”
Dr. Frank grinned. “Would you believe the eggs have shifted and lowered into the pouch?”
Gareth’s eyes went wide. “Eggs?”
