Getting Close to the Omega (35 page)

mundane. Finally the Shaman said, “The Fates needed to see

that their faith in the wolves was not misplaced, by allowing

your birth. Look around you Dean. Eleven Alphas on your side.

Only one against. Those are the odds the Fates were looking

for when they placed you on this earth, and gave you the gift

of being an Omega. Hopefully, in generations to come, more

Omegas will come, although that will take time. You are the

first step in a long process towards pack healing.”

“So my birth and all the abuse I went through was just a

fucking game for the Fates? A gamble? Throw the dice and see

where they fall – to hell with the consequences for me?” Dean

didn’t know why he felt so angry, but he was. Ron could have

killed him before his first shift. It was him that went through

the years of abuse – seeing his parents killed in front of him,

taking the beatings and the frequent rapes. Not the Fates. Him

– a poor little pup alone in a world of hatred.

Shaman Paulo looked at him as though he knew every last

thought that Dean had. “You survived. You are strong – a lot

stronger now than you would have been if you have lived a

normal life. Without the abuse, you would never have left your

pack. You would have never met Kane and your other friends.

You definitely wouldn’t have met your mate. Everything
does

happen for a reason.”

“And for what it’s worth,” the Shaman added. “The Fates were

greatly saddened when Ron started abusing you, but it is not

their place to interfere directly. They truly despaired of ever

finding an Alpha that could be a role model for other packs.

But they didn’t have to find one, because you did when you

had the strength to escape, and when you accepted Kane’s

offer to live with him. And over time, you have found ten

Alpha’s from four packs, plus Matthew – who are all standing

here today, prepared to die to protect you, if that’s what it

takes. You are the catalyst that made that happen, and over

time, you will see – more will come. The role of wolf shifters,

and Alpha wolves in particular are changing with every little

action you do.”

“I didn’t mean any disrespect,” Dean said quietly, not sure

what to make of what the Shaman was saying, but worried that

the Fates might feel angered with him somehow. He’d just

found Matthew and the last thing he wanted was the Fates to

take his mate away. He might have survived abuse, but losing

his mate would crush him completely.

“We all get annoyed at the Fates sometimes,” Paulo said

patting Dean’s shoulder comfortingly. “But for now, Matthew

has had his fun, and proved his point, and there is one more

piece that has to be played in this little event. Come on.”

Dean looked up and felt bad that he hadn’t been concerned

enough while his mate was fighting. But his heart gave a little

leap when he saw Matthew standing aside, thankfully dressed

and waiting for him. Without any hesitation Dean flew into his

mate’s arms, jumping up, knowing that Matthew would catch

him, hold him and never let him go. Buried in Matthew’s neck,

Dean almost missed it when Shawn started to speak. But the

word ‘retribution’ hit his ears, and he lifted his head to listen.

“…retribution for the attack on four packs will be severe. As

Shifter Guardian it is my job to ensure that all shifters are

treated fairly. You Ron, haven’t treated anyone fairly since you

took over as Alpha here in Jefferson City. I wish it was my

place to order reparation for Dean, for the death of his parents,

for taking his virginity so violently and without consent, and

subjecting him to so much abuse for many long years, but that

time is past and nothing you have taken can ever be given

back to the man you treated so badly.”

“So,” Shawn continued, and Dean was sure he wasn’t the only

one who noticed how evil the man’s grin had become. Shawn

was a beautiful man, but he had a wicked streak that not many

people saw. “After consulting with the other Alphas here, it has

been decided that you don’t have the funds, land or resources

to make up for what you have done to them either. So we will

take something from you personally – your mate.”

“But that will kill me,” Ron said with a gasp, clearly not too

worried about losing Gretchen, but not wanting to lose his own

life.

Shawn shook his head. “In normal situations that would be

true, but I’ve done my research and spoken to the spirits about

you and your mate. If we wanted your death at our hands,

Matthew would have already done it. He had every right,

considering what you did to him and Dean. However, it seems

that Gretchen is just as deceitful and as manipulative as you

are. Your mate, and I use that word loosely, already has a

mate, and it’s not you. She used magic to trick you into biting

her, and magic to keep the scar on her neck from healing

properly. She never was, and never will be your true mate.”

“Then I’m well shot of the bitch. You will be doing me a favor

by taking her away,” Ron snapped and if looks could kill,

Gretchen would be dead. Clearly they had not enjoyed a happy

mated life.

“Exactly,” Shawn continued. “But when I said we were taking

your mate, I wasn’t talking about Gretchen. From this moment

forward you will have no mate. You will be unable to get or

sustain an erection ever. Your sex drive from this moment

forward will be non-existent and as such so will your Alpha

power. Your destined mate will be directed to someone else

who will love and care for her the way she deserves. As you

tried to take the one Omega in the land away from his life and

his love, we have now given you the honor of being the one

wolf shifter in the land who will be, for all intents and purposes,

a eunuch.” Shawn flung his hands at Ron in a flourish, leaving

the man gripping his dick through his pants, as though to ward

off the attack.

“It’s done,” Shawn said with a wicked smile. “Now Gretchen,”

he continued, turning to face the blue clad witch. “I believe you

ran out on a certain rabbit shifter, who is your fated mate. The

little man is quite upset, as you can well imagine. He is

demanding your return, and indeed would have been here to

collect you, if it wasn’t for the fact that there are so many

wolves in the room. He had no desire to be prey, despite our

assurances that he would be safe.”

“I’m not mating with a puny rabbit,” Gretchen shrieked and at

least a dozen wolves all winced. Wolf hearing is so acute that

high pitched noises can be painful, especially at volume. Dean

stifled his giggle in Matthew’s hair, and enjoyed the soft

caresses Matthew was giving him under the huge shirt he was

wearing.

“You have no choice,” Shawn said firmly. “As reparation for the

harms bought on the Jefferson City pack, and the four other

packs represented here today, it has been decided that you will

lose your magic and become an ordinary mortal. Your rabbit

shifter mate has asked that you be returned quickly – he wants

to capitalize on your ability to have kittens as often as possible

before you age. Then, as is the way of the rabbits, he will take

another wife and you will serve as nanny to his children.

Rabbits can have up to three mates, given their strong need to

procreate, so you will be kept far too busy to worry about

interfering in wolf affairs again.”

Silencing Gretchen’s curses with another wave of his hands,

Gretchen disappeared. Shawn looked at the Shaman. “Was

that everything?” he said. The Shaman nodded and smiled, “all

the way it is meant to be.”

“Great, then it must be time to go home,” Kane said, going

over and draping his arm over Shawn’s shoulder. He looked at

Damien and Claude, who both nodded and the men all turned

to leave the room.

“Shifter Guardian, please Sir, a question before you leave?” It

was Brian, who was looking at Ron as though Ron was the

scum of the earth.

“Yes,” said Shawn raising his eyebrow in a question.

“Our Alpha, with no sex drive, will become more ineffective

very quickly,” Brian said, but that wasn’t a question. Shawn

just nodded and indicated that Brian should continue. Sex was

important to wolves, and now that Ron couldn’t get a hard

cock, his days as Alpha were numbered. Shallow but true.

Testosterone ruled the pack and Ron would lose his drive to

rule along with everything else, now his ability to have sex was

gone.

“Well, there are no other Alphas in this pack. What do you

suggest we do?”

“Are you mated Brian? You are clearly the strongest wolf in

your pack.”

“No Sir, I managed to evade the Alphas order to mate. I

wanted to wait for my true mate.”

Shawn looked at Shaman Paulo and they seemed to be talking

telepathically for a moment. A sort of should we tell him, or

shouldn’t we. Then Shawn grinned, “There is an Alpha in your

very near future as a mate, Brian, should you chose to look

after the pack’s interests in the meantime. As a mated pair I

am sure you will benefit the members of this pack greatly.”

“A female Alpha, Shifter Guardian?” Dean could understand the

surprise. He didn’t think there were any female Alphas. Strong

female wolf shifters, definitely, but wolves were a patriarchal

society.

“Nope, I didn’t say that,” Shawn said with a smile. “But

definitely an Alpha. It’s up to you to decide if you will allow

yourself to be claimed when you meet him. It will be the best

thing for your pack.”

The look of horror on Brian’s face had Dean giggling into

Matthew’s neck as his mate carried him from the room, out of

the house, and down to the waiting cars.

“Hey Shawn,” Matthew yelled as Shawn went to follow Kane

into one of the vehicles. “Any chance of that one last favor?”

“Oh yes, I forgot,” Shawn yelled back. “Have fun you two,” and

he flicked his fingers one more time. Seconds later Dean, still

in Matthew’s arms, found himself in the living room of his own

home.

“Shower, food and then bed,” Matthew said firmly, holding his

mate close. He wanted Dean with every fiber of his being. His

cock was hard and leaking in his jeans from fighting, and from

simply having Dean in his arms. But his mate had other needs

that had to be tended to first and Matthew was going to see to

them before he ravaged his mate for the next, who knows,

forty years or so.

“Kiss first,” Dean said, and then
he
thanked the Fates for a

man that listened to him because Matthew’s kisses were an

event all by themselves.

As Dean’s lips met his, with none of the hesitancy that had

been there just a week or so before, Matthew gave a mental

sigh of relief. He felt as though he had been on emotional roller

coaster for days, alternating between worry, fear for his mate,

and undeniable loneliness while Dean had been out of his arms.

Now he had his mate back, he didn’t think he would be letting

the man out of his sight anytime soon. He reminded himself

that he said the same thing at least twice before and it took

just two minutes with the Alpha and Dean had been taken

again. Maybe he should just handcuff Dean to his wrist, then

his little Omega might be safe.

Although the only thing that Dean was in any danger of right

that minute was Matthew himself, because Matthew’s cock was

straining his jeans and he had an overpowering urge to fuck

and claim his mate all over again. Being apart from Dean had

tested both man and wolf to the limits of control. Trying to

keep a solid hold on his sexual desires, because when it was all

said and done, he was an old Alpha wolf shifter with a high sex

drive, Matthew planned to give Dean his kiss, and then feed

him, and get his little mate clean, before tucking him into bed

for some well needed rest. A perfect plan, and Matthew was

going to stick to it.

“I need you, Matthew. I need you to be in me so much I
ache

with it. Please, Matthew, please.”