Saving His Omega (The Green Mountain Pack #1)

Chapter Three

Like all of the places in the pack where sigmas toiled, there was a flurry of activity, although there was more than the usual amount of men standing around and talking. As he and Tripp approached, even those who had appeared to be occupied made no effort to hide their curiosity. He knew these men and understood they meant no harm, but their sudden focus on Tripp made the omega tense to a degree that alarmed Graham. Releasing Tripp’s hand, he drew him closer to his side and wrapped his free arm around the boy’s waist. The omega relaxed a fraction but didn’t truly release his tension until his brother came out of the barn.

“Blake.” Tripp said the name under his breath.

Graham had to mentally, as well as physically, pry his body away from the omega’s. “It’s okay. You can go talk to him.”

Tripp went to his brother as fast as his short legs and big belly would permit. Blake, though, had already started toward him and chewed up the ground between them. He enveloped Tripp in his arms and hugged him as close as the unborn pup would allow. Over Tripp’s shoulder, however, Blake stared at Graham. There was question in his gaze, as well as apprehension. A conversation before the mating was in order.

Graham caught up with them and stuck his hands in his front pockets to keep from grabbing the omega back into his possession. “How’s it going, Blake?”

The sigma broke the hug, although he stayed close to his brother. “Everything’s great, sir. Thank you. I’ve been offered a job making furniture if I don’t want to work the fields.” He shrugged. “I’m happy to do whatever’s best for the pack.”

“Blake’s a wonderful woodworker.” As usual, Tripp spoke in a low tone and his gaze never strayed from the ground. “He made lots of money doing it in the human world.”

The timid, fearful omega was not as much so when it came to his brother, apparently.

Blake put his hand on Tripp’s shoulder, a tight smile on his face. “I did what I had to do to take care of Tripp, but I’m really good with whatever the alpha wants me to do.”

Both of these wayward shifters were trying hard to protect one another and not make waves in their new pack. Graham was responsible for both of them now that they were part of his family.

He gave what he hoped was a reassuring nod to Blake. “Elijah likes everyone in the pack to reach their best potential. I’m sure if you want to continue making furniture that we can sell to the humans, the head sigma will place you there.”

“Thank you, Beta. Albert said as much to me after we discussed my skills.”

“That’s all settled then.” Graham paused and looked around. He waved at a young sigma, who was Draco’s younger brother. “Brent.”

The young man, barely out of puphood, came loping over. “Yes, Beta?”

“Take Tripp back to the longhouse and find him a place to lie down. He needs to rest before supper.” Although it was an excuse to give Blake and him privacy, it was also true that the omega had been on his feet for a while. Putting them up and taking a nap would do him a world of good. The night was going to be a stressful one.

“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.

“This is fine, thank you. Graham.” It seemed the safest choice. Someone had gone to a lot of trouble to provide this room for their mating. He didn’t want to appear unappreciative.

Graham seemed satisfied with his answer. “Good.” He stood. “We’re, ah, going to mate tonight. You know that, of course. And this isn’t your first time, so you know what’s coming.” The beta cleared his voice and he seemed…nervous?

Not possible. He’s a dominant.

Graham started to undress, sitting again to kick off his boots and strip off his socks. “The thing is, it’s going to be different. I think your first time being mated and all the times you’ve been mounted haven’t been the best experience. To say the least,” he added in a mutter before standing again.

He stripped off his shirt and all those dominant muscles gleamed in the lamplight. His arms were like sinewy rope and his broad chest narrowed to a V of rippling abs. Every inch of tight skin was a series of steep hills and sharp valleys. The sight gave Tripp mixed emotions. As a servient, he appreciated the raw power on display, but also feared it. That was even more so when Graham slid his pants down and off. A long, thick cock sprang forward, eager to claim him. The tip of it was a shiny red and the shaft had bulging veins on either side. Large balls hugged the man’s body. The beta’s dick was bigger than Victor’s had been, which seemed impossible. And terrifying.

All Tripp could think was that Graham was right—this time would be different; it would be worse. Naturally, a dominant wouldn’t think like that. They viewed achieving their own pleasure as something a servient should find pride and happiness in accomplishing. It was an honor to service a dominant no matter the price paid. Tripp knew better. It was impossible to find any satisfaction when in pain and feeling degraded. Mounting brought joy to dominants only and the best a servient could do was endure without complaint.

There was no way he could say any of that. He simply dropped his gaze and tried not to voice his fright.

Graham placed one knee on the bed. Tripp immediately turned onto his hands and knees, not needing to be told what to do. He was trained well enough. Instead of pushing between his legs, however, the beta took him gently by the shoulders and turned him around again. He settled him onto his back and lay on his side facing him.

Tripp didn’t understand what was happening and couldn’t help flinching when the beta cupped his face.

Graham stroked Tripp’s cheek. “Please don’t be afraid of me. I will never hurt you.”

Tripp could only gaze up at the ceiling and nod. The man sounded sincere and probably was. Something would happen, though, to test that intent. Tripp would make a mistake or bother him in some way and then the promise would be broken. This was the way of dominants. He could only hope that Blake was right that things wouldn’t be as bad, and maybe pretty good—most of the time.

The beta kept stroking his cheek with his thumb. “I’m going to show you that I can be trusted, Tripp. It starts with giving you the pleasure you should experience from being mounted. This isn’t only for me. You’ll enjoy it, too.”

Tripp doubted the man’s words until he leaned down and brushed his lips against Tripp’s. This was only the second time in his life being kissed and he was surprised to find that he really did like the contact. It had a soothing effect. At least it did until Graham claimed his mouth more firmly, his hand angling Tripp’s face for better access. He didn’t know what to do with his own hands or whether he should remain passive. That was the safest course of action, given his lowly status. Yet something stirred within him, not a frisson of fear, but of some unnamed excitement that caused his body to flush. The sensation intensified when Graham pressed his tongue against Tripp’s lips in a wordless demand to gain entrance. No, not a demand, more of a…plea?

He opened up on a half-sigh, half-whimper, not knowing what it would feel like for someone else’s tongue to invade his mouth. His eyes shut despite his wariness of what was to come. Graham’s firm grip ensured he kept his face right where he needed it to be and once that dominant’s tongue twined with his, he found he liked it. It was a gentle touch, one that coaxed him to join in instead of remaining still. Tripp shyly tested the invitation by stroking Graham’s tongue with his own.

A groan, deep and rumbling from the beta gave Tripp courage to participate more. While he didn’t dare touch this man in any other way, he used his lips to exchange short kisses once Graham pulled back to give them both an easier time to breathe. The beta slid his hands down from Tripp’s face to stroke his neck, then his chest. He plucked one of Tripp’s nipples, making him whimper and jump, although not from fright. Strange things were happening to his entire body. His skin became sensitive and his balls tightened. Something slick slid out, past the puckered ring of his hole. He clenched instinctively and shivered from the sensation. He remembered the same thing happening during his heat. Only then, he was mindless of what it meant and it didn’t stop his mate from hurting him during the mounting.

Graham let go of his mouth with a soft tug of his lower lip, then groaned and nuzzled Tripp’s neck. “Your scent is driving me mad. Gods, I want you so badly. Let’s see how ready you are.”

Although he had no idea what the beta meant by that last statement, he took some pride in hearing that he was somehow pleasing his mate-to-be. It was a first for him and was based purely on how the beta was giving instead of only taking. That alone might be enough to ensure a happier, kinder mating. He remained pliable as Graham rolled him onto his side facing away from him.

The beta ran his hand over Tripp’s rounded belly. “We’re going to be careful about this. It’s a bit of an obstacle. Still, I can have access to your neck for the bonding bite even in this position.”

Graham’s hand continued its journey past Tripp’s hip and across his ass. The man’s thumb slid down the crevice between the cheeks and circled his hole. Then it pressed inside, the slickness coming from Tripp easing the way.

“Oh!” Tripp couldn’t stop the exclamation even though he was used to keeping his expressions to himself. The shock of pleasure that ripped through him as Graham worked his thumb around Tripp’s channel was nothing like anything he’d ever felt before.

“That’s it, baby. Feels good, doesn’t it? You’re supposed to enjoy mounting as much as I do. I’m going to show you just how much.” He thrust his thumb in and out.

Tripp’s mind reeled from the intense sensations swamping him. He didn’t understand why they were happening or where they were leading. He cradled his belly with one arm while the hand of his other one clawed at the bedding. Something was building inside him. It was terrifying and thrilling. How can it be both? He clenched his hole as Graham removed his thumb entirely, in a futile effort to keep it in place.

Graham chuckled and peppered soft kisses along Tripp’s jaw. “I have something much better to replace it with.” He cupped Tripp’s balls and gave them a tiny squeeze before gripping his dick.

Tripp’s cock had fully hardened and risen as much as his belly permitted. It was impossible that the beta was lavishing it with attention, running his fingers up and down the shaft. Tension within him increased to a point where he started to shiver and moan. He wanted something, needed it, yet had no idea what to plead for even if he’d dared to speak of it.

“That’s it, baby. Almost there.” As Graham gave his words of encouragement, he positioned himself closer to Tripp’s back.

He knew what was coming but was too distracted by the pleasure to feel any fear. Graham’s cock slid past his hole, filling his ass, stretching the tender channel, yet there was no real pain. There was a fullness and a pressure that wasn’t strong enough to distract him from the wave crashing over him. Tripp arched against the man mounting him and cried out as his balls cramped and his dick jumped. Warmth splashed inside of him, and at that moment, Graham struck.

The bite at the back of his neck caused Tripp to cry out with a mixture of pain and pleasure. Then his mind went blank and his body collapsed into bonelessness. A deep howl reverberated inside his head. He knew that sound, understood he was once more connected to a dominant. And even though this mating had come with a dumbfounding experience of pleasure, his wolf didn’t dare make himself known. The animal part of him whimpered and curled deeper inside him. He wanted to reassure his wolf that this time seemed to be different. Exhausted as he was, all he could do was give into the blackness stealing over him.