(30). When Alpha meets Omega. Chapter 30: the war is over I'm coming, my love ..The White Peak wolves are shellshocked when they hear howls that don’t belong to them and are floored when wolves barrel into the heart of their pack. Half of the wolves stand there as valley wolves flood the mountain, but are quick to react when they’re knocked down to the snow and attacked.In a matter of minutes, every wolf is fighting, rolling around in the snow, but those who are in opposition to Richard retreat to the caves in human form to show their surrender. The valley wolves outnumber the mountain wolves easily, but the valley wolves are smaller, not as brutal, not even with Ricardo’s training. Blood spatters across the white snow with every wolf that’s attacked and it’s pure chaos.One dead mountain wolf lies in the fray already but the fighting has only just begun and not everyone is guaranteed safety by the time it’s over.Everyone gives Ricardo and his brother a wide berth, allowing the
(31). When Alpha meets Omega. Chapter 31: Ricardo is home and home is where Carlos belongs..Carlos stays seated on the hard floor against the cave wall for the duration of the fight, twisting his wrists around in every way possible to free himself. His results garner no success, only reddening the soft skin of his wrists from the friction of the metal.Throughout the fight he’s felt Ricardo’s pain, just lessened, and he resists his wolf from crying out to his mate because any move like that could result in a worse outcome.Everything becomes chaos outside and then suddenly, silence.Carlos stops squirming and listens, leans forward as far as he can to hear any noise, any indication of what’s going on, but then he hears his howl and Carlos has never been filled with so much relief in his entire life. They’ve won, everything’s going to be okay, he’s coming home.His heart thuds in his ears and he wriggles around more as he senses Ricardo coming to retrieve him, his wolf whining, en
When Alpha meets Omega .Chapter 32: saving the little wolfy .Unscheduled trips into town were one of Clyde’s least favorite parts of living out in the country. He could handle a lot of the more unsavory features of rural life- wild animals, days spent alone, cold nights, dodgy electricity, unreliable cable, slow internet. Some of them even suited him, like the long hours spent with his animals, or the fresh food he grew in his backyard gardens. He couldn’t quite provide everything for himself however, which meant he needed to make routine runs into town for supplies he couldn’t make, salvage, or grow on his own.Usually, those were trips he relished. He’d plan to meet up with his best friend Jeremy, have a rare lunch or coffee that he didn’t have to make and clean up himself. Then he would leisurely do his shopping before heading home, relaxed and fulfilled after his monthly social interaction and with his truck full of the things he needed to keep his little farm happy and hea
When Alpha meets Omega .Chapter 33: newest animal companion .Morning came and went, but Clyde forgave himself the decision to set his snooze for a while. After such a hectic, late night, he thought he deserved it, and the animals could wait a couple hours for him, just for today.When he climbed out of bed, he nearly slid on the hardwood in his socks as he screamed out a surprised yell. The ‘dog’ (it was so much larger than any dog he’d ever seen) was standing in the doorway to his room, head cocked to one side and bad leg held awkwardly off to one side. Clyde gaped.The vet had said that he might pull through the night, but he’d need a vet’s help to get him on his way to recovery. He’d said he should bring him in, cross his fingers for survival. He certainly hadn’t mentioned anything about him being up and walking around, looking for all the world as if he was fine- save for the splinted leg. The dog hopped forward, not putting any weight on the bad leg, and Clyde flinched.“Ni
When Alpha Meets Omega.Chapter 34: can a dog be that big and furry? . Clyde didn’t call Nathaniel in the morning, but Nathaniel did call him.“Hey, just wanted to check up on your highway rescue situation. He still kicking?” Nathaniel asked, and he sounded a little distracted, like he had his hands busy while he spoke.Clyde was well into his morning routine, halfway between feeding chickens and mucking out the barn when his cell phone had started going off. He didn’t get many calls, but his internet router helped boost the cell phone signal. He kept it on him and charged, in case of emergency. When you lived alone near the woods and did labor for a living, you never knew what could happen.Cookie was miraculously even better that morning. Clyde had managed to coax him into taking off the bandages at least, though he left the splint itself alone. He’d sat flabbergasted for long minutes, searching the fur for evidence of the deep gashes he’d counted and described to Nathaniel onl
When Alpha Meets Omega.Chapter 35: leaving the pack has consequences . The rest of the week passed uneventfully. By the fourth day, the dog’s leg was so healed that he was stepping through the brace of the splint and jumping up and down on his own, every time. It worried Clyde, but also comforted him that he clearly wasn’t in pain. He’d convinced himself that second night that he’d simply overblown the level of injury. Maybe a blood vessel had been nicked, or some other explanation for the truly horrible amount of gore that still flashed behind closed eyes when he wasn’t paying attention.Clyde’s attachment to the dog grew steadily by the day. Between sleeping in the bed next to him, keeping him company while he worked in the yard or the kitchen, and the occasional act of service Cookie provided, Clyde was dreading the vet visit. Not only would he have to admit to Nathaniel that he’d gotten jumpy about the injuries- which were clearly surface wounds, if a week’s care cleared t
When Alpha Meets Omega.Chapter 36: We found you..The rest of the week was companionable and refreshing, and with each passing day, Lance became more and more attached to this human who’d saved him on the side of the road. Before leaving the Pack, he hadn’t interacted much with humans. Jorge and Erik tended to deal with their human contacts himself- people like Nathaniel, who supplied medical equipment and medicine, as well as others who could purchase goods on behalf of the Pack.Some of the older Wolves could travel into a human town and buy things themselves, though they rarely did so anymore. Modern technology made interacting with humans risky and best done on pack terms instead of in the middle of a bunch of humans. At least, that’s what Jorge usually told them. Lance was a headstrong, curious person and he’d often asked about their hairless neighbors, who didn’t change forms with the moon or hunt their own prey.Now that he’d started living with Clyde, he couldn’t help but
When Alpha Meets Omega.Chapter 37: yet another fight .The next day Clyde finished his morning animal routine and then loaded himself into his truck. It was his usual trip into town for supplies as well as his typical lunch date with Jeremy, he’d explained to Cookie, who spent the morning shadowing his human more closely than usual. If they were bold enough to show themselves directly to him, he wasn’t convinced the enemy Pack would stick to the night time either. Attacking a human was strictly forbidden, but then, typically so was crossing Pack territory unless you wanted to start a major conflict.Lance knew this presented the perfect opportunity to reveal himself to Clyde. The Change, as they called it among the Wolves, was a rare vulnerable state for the otherwise quickly healing and incredibly strong beings. Caught between forms, they couldn’t easily defend themselves or move quickly, muscles and bones halfway between two disparate forms. Doing so in front of Clyde would onl
When Alpha Meets Omega .Chapter 46: I want you to choose me . “Come here.” Lance whined, and it broke the daze Clyde had been locked in, watching. He was careful not to trip over the side of the tub, but once he was in the spray it was as if the entire world dropped away, just the two of them and the warm cascade of water. They kissed as the dirt, mud, and debris from the impromptu wrestling match washed away, and by the time they started to explore with their fingers again, they were mostly clean. Blindly, Clyde reached for the soap and used it as an excuse to run his fingers over the almost impossible shapes of Lance’s chest, his abs, the adonis lines leading down into his quickly hardening cock. “So pretty, like a dream.” Lance murmured, and Clyde could have choked at how closely it mirrored his own train of thought. He was just thinking how impossible it was for someone like Lance to wind up with him, like this. Something more out of his wildest fantasies than something real
When Alpha meets Omega .Chapter 45: no one wants to be a passing fancy. “You’re covered in mud, you can hop in first if you like.” Clyde offered, still not facing Lance. Neither of them mentioned that Clyde was covered in a good deal more mud. He heard Lance step fully into the room, but instead of going for the bathroom door, he moved until he stood just a foot behind the human. Clyde held his breath unconsciously. “I could…” The younger man admitted, and then the warmth of his broad palm pressed against his bare back, and Clyde gasped at the unexpected contact. Lance leaned in further. “Or we could go in together.” He suggested, and he sounded somehow shy and sexy all at once. A little defensive, like he was ready to snatch back the words if Lance balked, or play it off as a joke if he laughed. Clyde felt like his chest was full of helium, too light to speak, and he opened and closed his mouth a few times while he tried to think. “I- well. Yes, we could. Um. But we haven’t.
When Alpha meets Omega.Chapter 44: that’s a me thing. And a you thing.. Something didn’t add up.Clyde slipped out of Lance’s grasp and ran to pull open the barn doors. His flock flowed out as it usually did in the morning, looking no worse for wear. The other animals seemed fine too, as did the chickens in their coop. Nothing was out of place except for the deer.Lance knelt by the corpse and considered his options. He could shift and try to track the scent of the Wolf who brought this, it was still fresh enough that rigor mortis hadn’t set in yet. He could stay in human form and help Clyde move it off the property, or he could take care of it himself while the human did his morning chores. His mind raced as he tried to figure out the best way to keep Clyde safe, trying to figure out what the enemy Pack wanted from this little charade.Clyde helped make up the choice for him as he stepped back up next to the mess.“We need to get this off the back porch, I’ll get a tarp.” The hum
When Alpha meets Omega.Chapter 43: the whole equation doesn’t add up . Clyde held up a hand and made a downward pushing motion, the universal sign to ‘slow down’.“Hey, hey, it’s okay. Yeah, you can come over here.” He agreed, and Lance could have leapt across the cushions if he wasn’t deliberately trying to keep his cool. He parked himself directly next to the human and then tipped over so that he half-leaned on Clyde’s chest. Immediately the warmth of his body leeched into Lance’s own, and he could have gasped for how much better he felt. He’d never lacked for contact in the Pack- there was always someone around to rub shoulders with, hug, wrestle with, or lean on. They did it without even thinking or asking. That’s just how the Wolves were.Once he’d found Clyde, interacting with him that way as a Wolf had seemed natural and easy. It wasn’t until last night that he’d realized exactly how different he and Clyde really were, how much they still had to learn about one another.I
When Alpha meets Omega.Chapter 42: werewolf wars, cuddles and shit . “Oh… so your only choice was to fight Erik and take over a job you don’t want and don’t think you’re suited for, or…” Clyde repeated Lance’s words from the previous day.“Or leave. Yeah.” Lance hung his head and stared at the floor. He’d had plenty of time to agonize over his decision, but he knew each time he thought on it that it hadn’t been any real decision at all. Erik was a good alpha. Beyond being stupid and foolish, and being sure he wouldn’t stand a chance of winning, Lance knew that him challenging Erik wouldn’t be good for the Pack no matter if he won or lost. If he lost, he’d have to leave anyway, but he’d fall outside of Erik’s good graces. The man was like a second father to him, and Lance couldn’t bear the thought. If he won, the Pack would be thrown into chaos and put under his inept leadership. Lose-lose, for everyone.“I’m so sorry, Lance. That’s- that’s horrible.” The human fumbled for any r
When Alpha meets Omega.Chapter 41: fight or leave: a hard choice to make . “What’s so funny!?” He demanded.“You?! You’re an ‘alpha’? That’s a real thing?” He managed to get out, between fits of giggles and gasps for air. “You, the puppy who likes it when I rub his belly? You, who practically rolled over for me when I was pissed last night? You’re an alpha?” He asked, finally getting it out of his system. Lance stared back, aghast. He stuttered his response.“W-what? Of course I am! I mean- I- What do you know, anyway?” He finished, lamely. He crossed his arms and tried to puff up like he would if another Wolf challenged him. Clyde breathed deeply, trying to control his face. He took a step forward so he was in Lance’s space.“I know you sometimes bark in your sleep, like you’re chasing a rabbit. And I know you pick around turnips in your dog bowl and leave them behind, just like a little kid who doesn’t want to eat his vegetables. And I know you sometimes chase butterflies in th
When Alpha meets Omega.Chapter 40: claimed by the silly alpha . He woke to the sizzle of bacon frying in the kitchen, and Lance jolted upright. He rolled off the couch and onto four paws just in time to keep himself from eating carpet. Looking around warily, he took in what his senses were telling him- Clyde’s soap, the faint smell of animals tracked into the house, and the overwhelming bacon scent. Dishes in the kitchen and the bleating of sheep outside the back door. The human was already awake and had taken care of the animals’ morning routine, and was now making breakfast.Lance hesitated, trying to decide if he wanted to face this morning in his Wolf skin or his human one. The coward in him wanted to stay a Wolf, but… Memories of Clyde’s hurt face from the previous night rushed back, and he was hurrying on the Change before he even really thought about it. He needed his words, needed to explain why he did what he did in a way Clyde would understand.Once his knees no longer
When Alpha Meets Omega.Chapter 39: tomorrow is not promised .“Wait! You can’t tell Nathaniel about-” Clyde spun on him and jabbed a finger into Lance’s bare chest.“I’ve had about enough of you telling me what I can and can’t do. I’ve known Nathaniel a long ass time and he let me take you home with me. I let you sleep in my bed. He owes me this explanation, and I don’t care about your little ‘Pack’ or its secrets or whatever kind of fucked up werewolf ‘Code’ you’ve got going on. I’m calling him, and he’s going to tell me the truth or I'll go over there and wring it out of him the old fashioned way. Now sit down and be quiet.” Clyde was breathless as he finished, and Lance backed up helplessly into the seat as he watched the human dial the number.The conversation went predictably, as Lance could hear both Clyde’s near-shouting tone as well as the din of Nathaniel’s voice on the other end of the line, even from this side of the kitchen. Clyde demanded to know why Nathaniel had hi
When Alpha Meets Omega.Chapter 39: cast out yet again .“Wait! You can’t tell Nathaniel about-” Clyde spun on him and jabbed a finger into Lance’s bare chest.“I’ve had about enough of you telling me what I can and can’t do. I’ve known Nathaniel a long ass time and he let me take you home with me. I let you sleep in my bed. He owes me this explanation, and I don’t care about your little ‘Pack’ or its secrets or whatever kind of fucked up werewolf ‘Code’ you’ve got going on. I’m calling him, and he’s going to tell me the truth or I'll go over there and wring it out of him the old fashioned way. Now sit down and be quiet.” Clyde was breathless as he finished, and Lance backed up helplessly into the seat as he watched the human dial the number.The conversation went predictably, as Lance could hear both Clyde’s near-shouting tone as well as the din of Nathaniel’s voice on the other end of the line, even from this side of the kitchen. Clyde demanded to know why Nathaniel had hidden t