Page 6 of Saving His Omega
“Yes, sir.”
Tripp hesitated a moment. Blake gave him a subtle nod and that got the omega’s feet moving. He followed Brent without a backward glance.
Once the boy was out of earshot, Graham made himself focus on Blake. “We need to talk.”
“Yes, sir.” Like Tripp, Blake kept his gaze downward.
“It’s okay to look me in the eye. I prefer it, actually. This pack is different than what you’re used to. Of course, you know that. It’s why you came.”
Blake lifted his chin, although he looked at a spot somewhere around Graham’s nose. “Yes. I learned about computers and the internet while working with humans. That’s how I found the Green Mountain Pack. I accessed shifter forums in a library. That’s…”
“I know what it is,” Graham assured him using the kindest tone he could manage. “You were clever to figure it out. And you managed to make your way in a human world to care for Tripp. That’s no mean feat for a sigma. You should be proud of yourself.”
Blake shrugged, then wiped his nose with the back of his hand. “I only did what was necessary for my brother and if I were really smart, I would have gotten him away from our old pack sooner.” Now the sigma did look Graham in the eye. “Please be gentle with him. He’s…been hurt so much.”
Graham’s wolf rose and howled. It was hard to keep himself under control. “I need to know more about what happened to him. We’re mating tonight and I know he’s terrified.”
Blake nodded. “He is, but I’ve been telling him all along that he needs to have a new mate and I’m hopeful this time will be different.”
Graham hardened his stare. “I can assure you that will be true. I won’t beat him. No one gets hurt that way here. It’s not in my nature to be abusive and even if that weren’t true, Elijah wouldn’t tolerate that from anyone.”
Blake shuddered. “Our old alpha didn’t care what Tripp’s mate did. When I tried to tell him, he beat me badly enough to need the healer. He said it was none of my business what a dominant did with his mate. That Tripp was his property and he could break what he owned if he wanted to.”
Because the sigma was clearly trying not to cry, Graham cupped the back of his neck and applied a soothing pressure. He didn’t normally exert his power as a dominant, but this situation obviously called for it.
Blake calmed after a few minutes, closing his eyes. He sighed. “Thank you, Beta.” He opened his eyes. “It wasn’t only the beatings, which Tripp never did anything to deserve.”
“Of course, he didn’t!” Graham hadn’t meant to be so harsh, but his vehemence seemed to help Blake even more.
The sigma blinked back tears. “He damaged him in ways I couldn’t see. The bruises on the outside were obvious. The way he moved, though, told me he hurt on the inside, too. That last night, I went to check up on him, not that there was anything I could do except slip him some tea for the pain. Tripp was begging his mate to stop whatever he was doing, and the sounds…” He shook his head. “I couldn’t stand it. I rushed into their den and I could see the fucker hitting Tripp. He would have killed him. I’m sure of it. I had no choice, but he deserved to die,” he added with a defiant look.
Graham let go of the sigma, mostly because he didn’t trust his own reactions. Every part of him was strung as tight as a bow. His wolf nearly vibrated with the need to tear something apart. He had to walk off some of the tension, making small circles until he was under control again.
“I’ll be good to him. You have my word. Tripp will never know that kind of violence again. This time, mating will be different.”
Blake gave him a watery smile. “It’s all I can ask for, Beta. He’s a…an omega, so deserving of care. More, he’s Tripp. That makes him special.”
“For me, too.” As he said the words, Graham had never felt the weight of his status of a dominant more. Mating with Tripp was going to be the most important duty of his life.
****
Tripp sat twisting his fingers around the comforter as he waited for his new mate to come and claim him. The room he’d been brought to by none other than the alpha-mate himself was small and lit by a lamp that ran on electricity. That was nice. He’d grown used to the human luxury and convenience and the Green Mountain Pack had its own generator, according to Wren. It helped to augment the sliver of light shining through a high, narrow window. The table the lamp sat on was jammed into a corner along with a small chest of drawers. The den really wasn’t big enough. Or maybe it was that the bed placed there took up too much room. He’d grown used to sleeping in such a thing while living in the human world. They were more comfortable than pallets. Unlike those in the dingy motels they’d been able to afford, this piece of furniture was well-crafted and designed to accommodate a dominant. He felt adrift on it, but that was nothing. Soon, the only thing he’d feel was his new mate pushing that hardness into him, hurting him, using him. He hated it, all of it—the pain, the sticky remnants dribbling out of him, and the utter lack of control over his own body.
The pup rolled and kicked, perhaps because of Tripp’s agitation. And it reminded him that this time, the claiming would happen while his belly was distended and everything ached from carrying the pup. How awkward was it going to be kneeling on all fours, and would the mounting hurt the pup? He didn’t think so. Dominants were driven to mount often and omegas were destined to whelp many pups. Surely, the Gods made the different natures to fit together. If mounting alone endangered pups, dominants would be in a constant state of conflict, both wanting the pleasure of using their mates’ bodies and wanting to sire as many pups as possible. Of course, Victor never seemed concerned about whether he was risking his pup with the awful things he’d done. He probably had understood just how far to go in his cruelty without risking his progeny. Tripp himself hadn’t mattered a bit.
No, he wasn’t going to think like that. Blake had said this pack would be different, and Graham had been kind to him so far. He had to believe that wasn’t an act to fool the alpha into giving Tripp to him. Elijah didn’t appear to be easily duped and Wren was clearly happy with his mate, so he had to trust both their judgments in this.
Footsteps had him looking up, his stomach and fingers tightening as Graham came into view.
The beta leaned against the doorjamb and frowned. “I hadn’t realized how small this storage room is. It will take a month for a house of our own to be built, if the sigmas pull out all the stops. Would you be more comfortable staying with my parents?”
Tripp’s mind froze as he tried to make sense out of what the beta was saying. “Whatever you say, Beta.”
The frown turned into a slight smile as the beta stepped into the room and shut the door behind him. He sat on the edge of the bed. His weight depressed the mattress and the sheer size of his dominant body took up a lot of space.
“It’s Graham, remember? And I’m asking what you would like.” He sighed. “Look, I know as the dominant in this mating, I’m in charge but I don’t intend to just do whatever I like without taking your feelings into account. So…are you comfortable staying here until you’re ready to whelp?”
Tripp didn’t know how to answer. The truth was that he wouldn’t be comfortable anywhere. Not yet, anyway. Maybe not ever. He couldn’t remember a time when someone had asked him his opinion about anything, either. But the beta—Graham, call him Graham—stared at him expectantly, as if he really did have to tell the man what he wanted.
