Chapter Eight

Troye

“What’s wrong? Tell me!” Dallas asked for the third time, shaking my shoulders as my mouth opened and closed like a fish out of water.

I pulled back from his grip with wide eyes, my mind swirling.

Alphas and Omegas do not have relationships. They don’t banter with each other; they don’t lie in the same bed together at night. They don’t even speak to each other unless it’s a command. I molested an Alpha. I had my hands all over him. I kissed his neck over and over again when he was sleeping, knowing how he would react if he were awake.

This cannot be happening to me.

I backed away from him, shaking my head back and forth, trying to think of some sort of excuse. Some way to get myself out of werewolf purgatory. I practically broke every law in the book. I was going to be banished—or worse—from Eastern, I could feel it.

“Troye! Talk to me! Are you okay? Do you need a doctor?!” He kept advancing towards me, but I only stepped back.

“No, no, no Dallas..” I quickly turned around the table, heading for the front door, my body shaking uncontrollably.

But he was there first. He stood completely still in front of the doorway, arms crossed over his chest, looking at me curiously but with unmistakable worry etched on his face.

“Troye. Listen to me. I need you to tell me what’s wrong or I wont be able to help you.”

I gulped nervously and stood still. I looked around me, but there was no escaping him.

He voiced my internal plan, “No way. You’re staying right here.”

I ran my hands over my face, cursing God or whomever the werewolves believed in. First I was bitten, wasn’t that bad enough? Do I seriously need to be banished as well? I swallowed back tears. Dallas didn’t need to see me cry.

But before I knew it sobs erupted from my traitor of a body. My shoulders shook with my sadness and fear.

“Troye, oh my god,” and suddenly his arms were wrapped around me so tightly I had no choice but to stand there and cry. I’ve already broken every Eastern law, who cares anyways?! I might as well go and fuck “beta Sam” while I’m at, violating law 34 of the Omega Code.

He smoothed down my hair and whispered words of reassurance in my ear, but even that didn’t cease my pain.

After a while he released me form the embrace, but still held his hands firmly on my shoulders.

“Troye, I don’t care about what is going on or who is making you feel this way, but—look at me, pup—I promise you I will protect you. I care for you. I do.”

I couldn’t ignore the flutter in my heart and the glimmer of hope inside me when he pulled me back into a bone-crushing hug, cementing his words.

“I will always care for you. I will always protect you,” he whispered and immediately I felt as if we were one.

The hug was short-lived as the shrill ring of Dallas’ phone made me jump and squeal. He chuckled, pulling out his phone. His bright face suddenly dropped as he checked caller I.d. and pulled the phone up to his ear.

“Dallas Chamberlain,” he announced in an authoritative tone that was nothing short of sexy.

“Alpha, we have a problem.” The man on the other line spoke, loud enough for my wolfy ears to hear. Although he didn’t know that.

He paused and glanced up at me. He swallowed, eyes flickering as he took in the man on the other line.

“There is an unidentified wolf prowling the territory. Your beta is on his way, he seems to think it’s a rouge.”

Dallas clenched his fists at the mans words.

“I’ll be there soon. And don’t do anything until I arrive!” He growled back into the phone then quickly ended the calling, shoving it in his back pocket.

Rogues? Territory? Alpha? This was Western business.

The thought immediately brought me back to the terror of violating the code of my own pack, except for some reason the thought of Eastern didn’t form the pit in my stomach that I expected it would.

“Troye I’m heading out. Sam.. Sam needs me.” He quickly fumbled for his jacket and shoes.

“Why can’t I come?” I questioned, wondering what he may respond.

“It’s just not a good time Troye. Now stay right here. DO NOT move until I call you,” and with one parting look of guilt, he opened up the front door and disappeared.

                                                            ~~

Dallas

“With all due respect Evans, don’t you think we should send our scouts out and not just sit in here like cattle waiting to be slaughtered?” He gave me a disapproving look as if I were some disobedient child. “Look Evans. I know you’re not keen on the idea of giving your pack up to a stranger, but it’s not my fault you never wanted a son. So I’m just trying to make this transition as easy as possible and start carrying my weight around here. So don’t make me feel like fool, do something!” I all but shouted down in his face.

Hey, being 6’5 has its advantages.

He narrowed his eyes at me then turned away. I could feel my toes curling at his incompetence. So I acted.

“I want Division One patrolling the fence, Division 2 on the interior. Think pack house, civilian homes, anywhere someone might be in danger. If you find any trace of the rogue or anyone else for that matter, I want everything reported directly to me. Don’t tell your buddy, don’t tell your mom, and don’t even tell your beta. Tell me. Is that clear?” A chorus of ‘yes sirs’ erupted throughout the meeting hall. “Then what are you waiting for?”

My scouts poured out the front door, eager to begin their mission. A ghost of a smile appeared on my face and pride surged through me. Now I remember why I loved being an alpha.

A death grip on my arm turned my attention to Don Evans, the elder Alpha who currently ran Western until I was officially capable.

“What in the hell do you think you’re doing son?” He seethed at me through gritted teeth.

“What am I doing? What are you doing? If you’re trying to get your entire pack killed before nightfall, be my guest and do nothing. But I’m certainly not about to wait around and find out what this wolf is capable of. Now are you?”

He sucked in his bottom lip, gray stubble around his chin glistening with sweat. He gave me one last glare before turning and walking away from me, knowing I had won.

Now that’s how it’s done.

Alpha?

A familiar voice broke into the walls of my brain. My beta was ready to report.

Any news Sam?

Division 2 found the wolf lurking around the pack house. We have him detained. Bringing him to Danny. Will report later.

I smiled. Sam was beta, but he couldn’t keep himself away from the action.

Good work. Let me know when he is locked up. The wolf needs to be on watch day and night. Interrogation will do tomorrow.

Copy that.

A hush fell across the members of Western gathered in the hall waiting for news as I cleared my throat.

“Our able scouts have captured the rogue and are in the process of detaining him in confinement with Danny and will be watched at all hours. Interrogation will begin tomorrow. There is nothing to worry about. You are free to go home once I receive final word.”

Sighs of relief and ‘thank you alpha’s were heard around the room. I wiped the sweat off my forehead with the back of my hand, catching a glimpse of my watch. Shit. It was already 12 am. Annnd I forgot to call Troye. Tomorrow’s gonna be a long day.

I got the final word from Sam about 10 minutes later and repeated it to my pack. Saying a final curt goodbye to Evans, I jumped in the car to hopefully make it home within the hour.

                                                            ~~

I tried my hardest to close the front door without making a sound, but of course it shuts and sounds like someone’s been shot. I cringed, and then turned around to head upstairs.

I was met with a sight that melted my heart.

Troye, sitting on the bottom step, asleep, leaning his head on the wall. He was still in the same place as when I left him. He seriously took that “do not move until I call” statement pretty literally. I chuckled.

Suddenly his head shot off the wall, eyes alert. He jumped up at the sight of me.

“Dallas!” He exclaimed, “finally!” He looked me over head-to-toe as I smiled. He was checking to make sure I wasn’t hurt.

“So?” He asked, his hands on his hips.

“So.. what?” I responded, grinning at his stance.

“Did anyone in the pack get hurt? Where’s Sam?”

I looked at him confused. Pack? What is he… then it hit me. He was just referring to my pack of friends, well they were my pack of werewolves, but he’s probably heard me say pack before.

“Ohh, you mean Chase and them?”

“Yeah him.. and the rest of Western. Did you catch the rogue or what?”

Saying my jaw dropped to the floor was an understatement. Troye.. and werewolves? It wasn’t possible!

“Wha-what are you..?” I tried to form words but I was just too dazed and confused and downright concerned.

“Oh, yeah. I forgot. Um, here, come sit at the table,” he grabbed my elbow and dragged me to the counter. I uneasily sat down, still confused and still concerned.

“How.. how do you..?”

“Dallas. I’m.. I’m from Eastern. I’m a changling. I was bitten by a rogue about a year and half ago,” he spoke slowly and with deliberate caution.

I gaped. This could not be right. If Troye was a werewolf, I was the tooth fairy.

I laughed awkwardly. “You’re kidding right?” I asked, looking him up and down for emphasis.

He scoffed and threw an orange at me. “I get it! I’m small! Well I am an omega after all…” he trailed off, obviously intimidated by the probably creepy look plastered on my face. Troye. An omega. It was great.

“Troye, that is so cool. Now I don’t have tip-toe about pack business around you!”

He threw another orange at me.

“This is not cool! I shouldn’t even be telling you this! You’re an alpha, I’m an omega. We don’t associate. This goes against everything I’ve been taught. Honestly I have no idea how Alpha Grey hasn’t come over here and banished me yet.”

I burst out laughing. That’s why he was acting so weird before! His pack is so conservative; I’m surprised they even mate at all. They probably refer to sex as an act of the devil. They had these super traditional beliefs that omegas were bred to serve and alphas bred to lead and if anything got in between those ideas, you shouldn’t be part of the pack at all.

“Troye those laws are ancient! Yanno you’re allowed to have same-sex mates now adays, and mating between wolves of different rankings is not only allowed, but encouraged. Something about diversity in culture… but anyways don’t let it get to you. Eastern’s just a bunch of old geezers.”

I finally got him to crack a smile. “I, I ran you a bath.. I though you’d be exhausted from the rogue thing, and could use some time to unwind, but it’s probably gone cold by now,” he said softly, almost embarrassed.

I grinned and ruffled his hair.

 “Maybe having an omega around won’t be so bad after all.”