Blue Moon III: Call of the Alpha (15 page)

Thinking of how strong Lion was, how strong his brother Alpha still was, after all these years. Omega actually felt inadequate. Alpha was at least in his early forties too, but he looked at the top of his game, as much as he ever had. Omega hadn’t missed Hawk’s amazing physique even after being retired by a bullet in the leg a couple years ago. Hell, even Call worked out daily with Alpha to keep his skills sharp. Instead of being responsible, Omega had taken the retirement hard and had used his time to drown his isolated thoughts in expensive bourbon and underground fights. He didn’t have a partner to make him feel something. He was alone. In a foreign land and alone.

He wanted to get back up and run another few miles, run from the seclusion, but didn’t think he could use another muscle in his leg. Instead, he unpacked one of his blankets and made a small fire to keep the large predators away. Besides, just in case a snake happened by his makeshift camp, he’d already have a fire hot to cook it up.

As the day wore on, he watched the flames dance around in front of him, the embers glowing brightly, and the flickers licking up into the sky. He’d just made up his mind that he wasn’t – his body wasn’t – going to make it back for dinner, when the smell of saffron drifted over his nose. It was strong enough and delicious-smelling enough to make him forget his fatigue a moment. His eyes snapped to the left when Lion’s large body finally came into view. Omega turned his head away, he didn’t want to watch Lion close in on him, he damn sure had no strength to outrun him, and he certainly wanted a few more seconds to ignore the satisfied feeling that he got in his gut anytime Lion paid him extra close attention.

“You’ve been gone a long time.”

“You keeping track?”

“Yes, I am.”

“Well, there’s no need,” Omega said defiantly, leaning back and crossing his hands behind his head like the smell coming from Lion’s bag wasn’t making his stomach growl louder than any animal out there.

“I don’t recall you eating lunch.” Lion’s voice held a commanding edge, but more passion and care than anything else.

“My protein bars are more than filling,” Omega lied, his eyes everywhere but on that beautiful fucking face watching him so intently.

“That’s not fine. Fine if on a mission, yes, but if you’re not, then you should make sure you’re getting proper nutrients at balanced intervals.”

“I’ve been doted on enough… all my life. I’m capable of caring for myself.”

“I agree,” Lion said simply, sitting down near him, but not close enough to touch. Lion placed the square carrier that was strapped to him on the ground in front of him and opened up the lid. Without a second thought, the nostalgic smells made Omega sigh in contentment, and Lion’s pleased grin was sexy as hell. The smell of oil and the aromatic fragrances reminded him of the Order. Made him think of growing up. Reminded him of Persia. Lion was Persia. Lion reminded him of home. So he didn’t fight it when Lion handed him a container that was still quite warm, with condensation covering the lid. His mouth watered. Tah-dig. How long had it been? How long since he’d had the authentic cuisine of his homeland? Lion brought it to him… and … and he appreciated the hell out of it.

“Eat. Hydrate. Then we’ll talk.”

Everything in him wanted to drop his eyes and answer respectfully out loud to this man, but he didn’t. Still being rebellious. What was a shame was that Omega recognized it in himself. Recognized his stubbornness. Gods knew Alpha had pointed it out enough as he matured. Now he wondered if he’d ever been a good partner to Alpha. Had he honestly complimented him or had Omega weighed him down so much that he’d forced the closest thing he had to a real older brother into early retirement?

No longer rebelling against his empty stomach, Omega took a large bite of the crispy rice, the texture still crunchy. He closed his eyes and nodded his head, not sure what he was saying yes to.

“I take it you like it?”

Omega paused only briefly when he heard Lion speak again. Damn that tone, the accent, all of it made Omega hot… and frustrated. He wasn’t ready. He knew what Lion wanted from him, but he wasn’t ready. The man was beautiful in every way, but what turned Omega on the most was Lion’s unmasked authority, his directness in wanting to handle him. The thought of not being alone was appealing, but not at the expense of never working again. After the Order was restored, he planned to go back to the Elders and request to be reinstated. He had more work to do, more good to do. Then maybe he’d be worthy of calling himself Alpha’s brother. Or Lion’s partner. Retired Navy SEAL Commander John Marion’s brother-in-law. Or a trusted ally of the military’s notorious, blessed seer, Hawk. He was surrounded by great men. Omega still had to find his greatness.

When he’d eaten enough of the crust, he delved into the fragrant rice. The starchy carbohydrates slowly, but surely, replenishing his muscle glycogen from the ridiculous workout. Even feeling full and sated on the inside, his body was still too damn worn to do anything.

“You are not well. You’re stressed and your body is tightening into one big knot of tension and strain,” Lion informed him, as if Omega didn’t know that already. “I can see the muscles spasming in your neck and I know it hurts. What have you done to your body out here?”

“Thank you for the food, but I don’t need you to tell me what’s best for me.” Omega clenched his teeth, his voice dropping deeper and angrier. Lion could make him want to rub against him one moment and the next want to strangle that all-knowing attitude right out of him. A loud clap of thunder pierced the air, causing a few birds to scare away into the sky, seeking shelter from the incoming storm. It had sure come on fast. He must have been too focused on his exercising to pay attention to the change in weather.

“It will pour down soon. Since I don’t think you have a tent in that backpack, we should head back to the house. I’m not particularly fond of sleeping face down in the mud if I don’t absolutely have to.”

Fuck! Lion wanted him to walk – fast – four miles back. Omega wasn’t even sure he could stand right now he was so beat. Putting his body through that kind of discipline after not working out in months. He’d screwed up. If Lion hadn’t come out to find him, none of them would’ve known he’d been so stupid. But he was sure Alpha would’ve come for him if he hadn’t returned before the storm. He had to come up with something.

“I’m going to stay. Fuck walking back right now. I’m not afraid of rain and a little dirt. Besides, I have blankets.” Omega settled back like he was in for a long stay. Sharp bolts of lightning streaked across the sky, just as another hard burst of thunder shook the ground beneath them.

Lion stood, brushing of his black pants. His long hair was hidden beneath his scarf, but Omega knew how prettily it gleamed in the night’s natural light. Now towering over him at his full height, Lion didn’t look like the kind of man you disagreed with. “I don’t care what you have. You’re coming back with me. I know you’re hurting. I can help you if you’ll trust me, Erik.”

“Why do you keep doing this to me?” Omega asked irritably. He was disgusted with himself. He’d sunk to a whole new low. He feared he wasn’t even worthy to sleep in a comfortable bed.

“Come on,” Lion said more aggressively. “On your feet.”

It took a while, but with a little assistance from the tree trunk, Omega finally worked his abused body off the ground. The more involuntary grunts of pain that escaped his parched lips, the madder he got at Lion for making him show his insecurities and weaknesses. When he was standing fully, he looked up into proud, hazel eyes. “There. Are you fucking happy. I’m standing. Now leave me alone.”

Lion walked forward until he’d pushed Omega up against the aging bark, looking at him with concern. Leaning in, Lion began to rub his hands up Omega’s arms, which were glued to his sides. When Lion gripped his wrist and pulled his arm up, it fell right back down like he had no control over it. “What in the heavens have you done?” Lion whispered, his forehead knotted with concern as he slowly rubbed more of Omega’s muscles.

“Just leave me,” Omega pleaded again, this time feeling more defeated than ever.

“You just don’t get it do you? I won’t leave you. I won’t abandon you,” Lion responded. “I brought you food. I came for you. Does that mean anything?”

“Look. I’m not as stupid as you think. I know what you want. If that’s it, go ahead and take it. I don’t give a fuck. Then, when you’re done, maybe I can get some rest.”

Lion pushed harder against Omega, making him moan his pleasure and sneer in frustration at the same time. “I don’t swear. Have no use in my vocabulary for the harsh words. But you’re making me reconsider.”

“Fuck you,” Omega snapped.

Lion held Omega’s hand while staring at him like he knew all of Omega’s deepest desires and fears. He felt pressure on the webbed part between his thumb and index finger and knew immediately what Lion was doing. He was trying to calm him, and it was working. It was useless for him to try to combat it. Lion’s other large hand was placed on the back of his neck, and as much as Omega wanted to fight it, he couldn’t. He wasn’t strong enough. Lion didn’t talk while he massaged and kneaded at the sensitive pressure points. Omega liked that Lion only spoke when he needed to. He didn’t disrupt the silence, he didn’t taint the moment they were having with unnecessary rhetoric.

After more rubbing, Lion stroked his cheek along the top of Omega’s head. “Your energy is unbalanced. I’m going to manipulate your meridian points if you’ll trust me.”

“I can take care of myself,” Omega said breathlessly, because while Lion asked for permission, his hands were already working their magic on him. He suddenly felt a wave of exhaustion come over him like he’d been drugged, but he knew Lion didn’t need any chemicals to put him under his spell.

“Shhh. Relax, now. I got you.” Lion rubbed harder on the back of his neck, making him tense at the pain right before those same muscles started to relax. “I got you.”

“No,” Omega just barely got out before he felt his eyes closing, his lids too heavy to force back open.

“One day, beautiful. You’ll stop contesting me.” Omega slumped back down to the ground, his body not his own. There were no words he could form to deny that statement. He heard movement around him, dishes being packed away and the smell of his fire being extinguished. When he felt sleep pulling him, strong arms were hefting him up, higher and higher until he felt like nothing could ever reach him again. Then he was moving.

He’s carrying me.

Omega wasn’t completely unconscious, but he was sure Lion had used the pressure points at the base of his skull to almost sedate him. At least now he had an excuse not to fight back. He let Lion carry him like he weighed nothing. Walked them through the forest as quietly and easily as he’d come. After a few more minutes, Omega stopped caring and turned his face into the broad muscles of Lion’s chest, breathing in the smell of saffron and Persian oils. Perfect.

Next thing Omega knew he was waking to the bright morning light of the next day, his brother sitting on the edge of his bed, a look of concern all over his face. Had he slept the entire time? The whole night? Did Lion dump him in the bed and leave? Omega lifted the thin cotton sheet that was draped over his lower half… naked lower half. His humiliation had taken on a whole new level of embarrassment. Had they all seen him being carried like an infant to bed? While the strong men sat and ate dinner and discussed strategies, Omega had worked himself into a condition where he couldn’t even walk back to the house himself.

Alpha spoke up when he noticed Omega looking around for any sign of his hulking savior. “Lion left about an hour ago, told me to sit here until he returned.”

Omega shook his head, certain he’d heard wrong. “What the fuck you mean, he told you to sit here? And you obeyed?”

Alpha looked at him like Lion looked at him. Like Omega just didn’t get it. After a few seconds, his brother handed him a thick drink with a straw in it and he grimaced, knowing what it was. He downed the thick protein shake in several large gulps and handed it back, happily taking the bottle of water next. “You know what? Never mind. Fuckin forget it. This is stupid. Or maybe y’all are right. Maybe I’m dumb as box of rocks.”

“And exactly how dumb are rocks?” Alpha inquired.

“Don’t Daskshaun. Okay. Not right now. No adages or lessons right now.”

“I must say, Erik. For the first time in many years, I truly can’t advise you on what’s best for you. It’s not my place anymore.” Alpha smiled like what he’d said was good news.

“So you’re dumping me, too?”

“Erik. I’ve never seen you this insecure. Even when you strayed from your destiny, you were always so certain of yourself.”

“Yeah, me either. I don’t think any of you need me here, Daskshaun.”

“I need you.”

“No you don’t. You just said—”

“Listen for a change, Eriktor!” Alpha said forcefully. “I will always need you. I will always love you. You are my brother. I’m just not your alpha anymore.”

Omega was getting pissed. Not only was his body aching even more than yesterday. The lactate his body produced from not getting enough oxygen during his workout had damn near crippled him. He hadn’t felt this kind of fatigue and muscle strain in years. He wanted nothing more than to jump out of the bed right now and pace back and forth in front of his brother until he understood reason. Until Alpha understood what Omega was afraid of.