Page 21 of Saving His Omega
Garth’s lips turned up with even more and obvious contempt. “You know who I’m talking about. The sigma and the breeding omega. We scented them already so don’t try to lie.”
The increased discourtesy of the stranger’s tone and expression got everyone’s hackles up, ready to protect their alpha, as they always were. The tension running along the line of dominants was palpable. Graham found himself almost wishing for something to trigger the dispatching of these unwelcome guests. He had to stay under control, however. It was the alpha’s call as to how this would all play out, and the guy didn’t have the luxury of indulging his own desires the way Graham wanted. Whatever happened, it had to be for the good of the entire pack.
Elijah folded his arms, his demeaner becoming slightly sterner. “All right. Blake and Tripp are here. They came looking for sanctuary and I granted it.”
“They’re runaways.”
“So I assumed, and they admitted as much right from the start.”
Garth took one step forward, which was greeted by a growl from Draco. The rest of the pack members moved closer to the alpha.
The gamma was smart enough to hold out his hands and remain where he was. “Then you’ll have no problem handing them to us. Our alpha demands their return and we’ve traveled long and hard to recover them.”
Elijah didn’t answer right away. He simply stared at the foreign gamma until the guy ratcheted down his aggression by taking a small step back.
Satisfied, Elijah answered bluntly. “You can’t have the omega.” He gestured toward Graham as the gamma opened his mouth to protest. “The boy is now mated to my beta and therefore belongs to my pack.”
The gamma sputtered for a few seconds, making Graham wonder why the Low Country alpha hadn’t sent a beta to handle any negotiation. Too arrogant, perhaps, sure that recovering the missing pack members would require only muscle and no brain.
“He’s breeding with another’s pup!”
Elijah raised his eyebrows. “We did notice that fact.”
The gamma had no immediate response. He furrowed his own brow as he worked out what to say. Then he switched his gaze to Graham. “You had no right to claim him.”
Graham didn’t bother to hide his contempt. “A widowed omega already ripe with a pup. Why wouldn’t I take the opportunity?” He deliberately made it sound as if Tripp were nothing more than a prize to seize. Shifters such as these would understand the primitive explanation for what he’d done.
Garth practically growled his frustration. “He’s our alpha’s son and he wants him and the pup back. They belong to our pack.”
“They belong to me!” Graham shifted his face for a moment to bare his wolf’s teeth.
Eligah held his hand in front of Graham as if keeping him in check. “There is nothing to discuss here about the omega. He’s the beta’s property and will remain so. That being said, I am prepared to compensate your alpha for the loss of the omega, the pup and the sigma.”
“I-I’m not here to bargain.” The gamma was clearly out of his depth now.
Elijah gestured toward where the pack’s vehicles were lined up, waiting for use. “You’ve had a long journey. I’ll trade you a large SUV for your return trip, plus enough provisions to last you the whole way without having to hunt or interact with humans. We have many goods that your pack would find useful, too. We’ll trade generously for the shifters your pack has lost.”
The offer threw the gamma completely off. No surprise. This type of discussion was not in the gamma’s repertoire of skills. If they were lucky, he’d accept the offer just to relieve himself of the discord in his own brain.
“No.”
Shit. They weren’t lucky. When faced with something he couldn’t handle, this guy had fallen back on what he knew best—stubborn adherence to orders.
“You will hand them over now.” The gamma foolishly took a step forward.
Draco broke rank and lunged to put himself between Garth and Elijah, snapping and snarling a warning that made Graham’s wolf howl with delight. He shushed him, worried about how Tripp’s wolf would react if he heard it.
“Stand down, Draco.” Elijah’s order was issued in a low, calm voice wrapped in steel.
The young gamma did as ordered, but his impulsive effort to protect had the desired effect. Garth backed off a few paces.
“We must bring the two runaways back.” There was a hint of fear in his voice now.
Elijah shook his head once. “You can’t have the omega. That’s simply not happening so there is no point in speaking of it further. Unless, you want to fight the boy’s mate over it?” Elijah shot Graham a glance. “Sure, he’s a beta, smaller than you, not built for fighting as much as you are. But he’d be battling for his mate and that will make him extra vicious. I wouldn’t want to tangle with him.”
The alpha let his words hang in the air, waiting for the gamma to work things out on his own.
“Fine.” Garth spat out the one word as if it were poison. “The sigma comes with us. He killed the omega’s first mate and that is a transgression that cannot be ignored.”
