(11). When Alpha meets Omega. Chapter 11: Broken Bonds don't heal .Now alone outside, Carlos has time to breathe in the crisp night air. It’s cold, goosebumps creeping along his bare arms, but the anger inside is boiling. His stomach burns and it hurts because Ricardo is not at his side and their bond is practically shattered. Shattered into tiny pieces he doesn’t want to clean up, not right now.He crouches down to pick up the pile of clothes left behind. The only thing intact is the sweater because it’s so thick, but the pants and underwear are shredded. The sweater smells like sandalwood and Carlos can’t seem to let go of it even when the meeting ends and wolves slink out of the meeting hall, and all he can feel is pitiful eyes behind his back.“Erik said that if anyone else wants to say stuff like that, he’ll kick them out of the pack.” Leo says, standing a comfortable distance behind Carlos. “Jeff has always been a hot head, Carl. Especially with his mom. . . You can't blame
(12). When Alpha meets Omega. Chapter 12: You came--You called .Almost two days into the Ricardo’s disappearance, the pain has hardly subsided and Carlos doesn’t have the energy to leave the infirmary. Whenever Jorge and Yara came in, they brought with them a spare change of clothes for Carlos and some food that hasn’t lasted for long. Carlos’s weak, doesn’t want to go anywhere, doesn’t have the motivation to do anything but sleep for hours on end like he’s in hibernation or sadly look through the books.He can’t stay here forever.And Leo thinks the same.On the second morning, said best friend practically bursts down the front door to the infirmary.“I can’t let you mope in this bed anymore,” the younger omega states, crouching next to the cot. “Come on, get up, we’re going outside. It’s so nice out and you need a bath and get some sun.”Carlos blinks at Leo and frowns. He does need a bath, he doesn’t smell 100%. “But I don’t wanna leave,” the omega croaks, squinting when he l
(13). When Alpha meets Omega. Chapter 13: All he needs is an omega to reel him in .The alpha grins at that, wading over to close the distance between them. “Everything affects me more, remember?”The omega clears his throat and leans back against the rocks. “I didn’t think you’d come back.”That sobers them both, reminding them of exactly how harsh their last interaction had been. Ricardo looks properly chastised, which surprises Carlos, considering he’s almost seen nothing except pride and a bit of arrogance coming from the mountain wolf.“I didn’t mean what I said,” Ricardo finally says, which Carlos is figuring out by now that this is probably as much of an apology as he’s going to get. “When I left, it felt— God, you have no idea how bad it hurt, but I was too proud to come back, too stubborn. I didn’t think you’d want me back. But I remembered. . . you said you liked flowers and rabbits so . . .”“No, thank you,” Carlos replies shyly, “you remembered and that’s. . . that’s n
(14). When Alpha meets Omega. Chapter 14: When Alpha meets Omega.Ricardo isn’t allowed in the omega den for obvious reasons, so it’s Leo that helps Carlos with the bedding. Kai offered to take Ricardo to storage to find some clothes, which leaves Leo free to whine at Carlos without either of the alphas hearing them.“It’s not fair,” the younger omega gripes, hefting an armful of blankets over his shoulder. “You’re leaving me forever!”Leo’s being so overdramatic. “I’m not leaving forever, you know where to find me,” Carlos huffs, “besides, once you mate with Kai, you won’t be in the den anymore. You were gonna leave me first.”“But who am I supposed to cuddle with at night until then?”“Uh. . . “ Carlos’s stumped there. “Yourself?”“You are the actual worst . Why are you my best friend?” Leo laments as they make the trek back up to the infirmary, and he wrinkles his nose when they get there. “Why didn’t they give you one of the old cabins? Staying here is so lame.”Carlos rolls h
(15). When Alpha meets Omega. Chapter 15: maybe in the future .As luck would have it, Leo begins to show signs of having a heat not even twenty-four hours after Ricardo’s return. He’s affectionate enough on a normal day, but pre-heat Leo to exceptionally cuddly. If he isn’t clinging to Kai, nosing along the alpha’s neck, he’s hanging off Carlos, complaining about how hot he feels and how his head hurts.As wolves mature, their heats and ruts usually come and go with the cycle of the moon. A full moon means a stronger pull to mate, often sending alphas into a rut and omegas into a heat. It’s not a full moon, but wolves in their late teens and early twenties are prone to off cycle heats and ruts, so it’s really not a cause for concern.Pre-heat symptoms usually last a day, and they consist of feverish symptoms, a need for physical contact, and nesting, among other things. Carlos’s helped Leo through heats before, but with Ricardo here. . . well, he can’t stay holed up in the omega
(16). When Alpha meets Omega. Chapter 16: don't like you smelling like another alpha The next morning, after wriggling out of Ricardo’s hold in bed and promising him he’d be back, Carlos slips out of the infirmary and decides to check up on Leo in the den. When he gets there, however, he discovers that Leo is not in his nest, where he should be.A wave of mild panic takes over Carlos as he backtracks out of the omega den and resorts to his sense of smell instead. He knows Leo’s scent, has been around it since the younger was born, and he finds himself breaking into a run towards the forest chasing after cinnamon and. . . alpha musk.You’ve got to be fucking kidding me.Carlos almost stumbles over a fallen log but regains his balance and storms through the forest until he’s right on top of them. Them. “Leo!” the omega calls, and when he thinks he hears muffled voices nearby, he doesn’t care about privacy as he bursts into a clearing and finds Leo and Kai together on a blanket, anot
(17). When Alpha meets Omega. Chapter 17: what is happening? .And that’s how they find themselves in the river.Dragging Ricardo out of bed this early is a feat, but Ricardo’s awake and alert because he just wants the faint smell of Kai off the omega as soon as possible.After making Ricardo turn around again while he undresses, Carlos slips into the water and wades over to where the alpha is, leaning against the rocks on one side of the riverbed expectantly.“You know, you’re going to have to get over me seeing you naked. What are you going to do when we shift together?”“I’m going to make you face away from me during that too.”“You’ve got to be the only wolf still concerned about modesty.”The omega sticks his tongue out in response.“Get clean, little omega,” Ricardo orders with a cluck of his tongue, sinking lower in the water until it brushes over the tops of his shoulders. “You smell.”Carlos grumbles but disappears below the water completely for a few seconds before emerg
(18). When Alpha meets Omega. Chapter 18: he would do anything for his omega .Ricardo and Carlos make it back to camp just in time to see Jeff, Gavin, Jedidiah, and several other wolves appearing out of the tree line. The hunt looks like it was a success. Several of the younger alphas and betas are dragging deer behind them in addition to lots of rabbits and even some fish.Jeff and Ricardo haven’t seen each other since the pack meeting, but the tension is palpable the instant the two alphas lock eyes.“Ricardo . . .” Carlos says quietly, lacing their fingers together and squeezing once. “Don’t. Please .”The silver haired alpha’s mouth twitches once, a reflex of wanting to curl his lip back over his teeth in a dominant snarl. But with Carlos at his side, Ricardo visibly swallows and averts his gaze as they continue walking into the camp.“Surprised to still see you hanging around, mountain wolf,” Jeff calls out across the clearing, a sneer twisting his features into something ug
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