Omega's Second Chance (Second Chance book 1)

6

"Red Dawn pack, Alpha Jacobs speaking, who's calling?"

That voice alone sent chills down Jackson's spine, causing him to tremble in fear, and Clayton's wolf to take further control. At this point, it had been completely forgotten that Clayton's father was even in the room as the man held his mate securely in his arms.

"Alpha Jacobs, this is former Alpha Hayes of the Crimson Blood Pack, how are you this afternoon?" Emerson had appeared on the opposite side of the desk from the couple and began speaking first.

Clayton looked up gratefully at his father and continued comforting his mate while his father handled the phone call.

"Alpha Emerson Hayes? I thought you were out of commission permanently since the death of your mate?" Alpha Jacobs replied, surprised.

"Oh I was, until a certain boy with sea-green eyes reminded me of some fond memories I had and what my reason for living was." At that statement, Emerson looked at Clayton and Jackson with a smile on his aged face, causing the boy to give a watery smile in return.

"Sea-green eyes?" A tone of amusement seemed to coat Alpha Jacobs's words. "Are you perhaps speaking of that Omega slut from Silver Moon? The one the Alpha was constantly attempting to subtly sell to the highest bidder while under his Beta's own nose?"

Clayton clung tighter to his mate and tried his absolute hardest to resist growling at the wicked man on the other end of the line.

"I am speaking of that boy. However, I don't believe him to be a slut by any stretch of the imagination."

Both Clayton and Jackson were highly impressed by how calmly and casually Alpha Emerson was speaking to such a vile creature as Alpha Jacobs.

"Oh? Are you sure about that? Because I heard he fucked his future Alpha, rejected the poor bastard, and then ran to the nearest pack to cling to their Alpha for 'protection'."

That did it. Clayton couldn't take another moment of his mate being disrespected. He slammed a fist on his desk while he raged at the Alpha.

"I can't sit back quietly and listen any longer, you worthless piece of trash! That's my mate you're disrespecting! You're the bastard that abused him in the first place and caused his parents to stop believing in him. So when "the poor bastard" found out they were mates and raped him, his own mother took that bastard's side. His mate rejected him in front of most of the pack! Of course he'd run away!"

Clayton took deep heaving breaths to calm down. It had only been a few days since the call with Jackson's old pack and the threat his ex-mate has delivered. Alpha Richards worked quickly, to prevent anyone from protecting the young man.

Jackson turned his body and straddled the man's lap as best he could, wrapping his arms around the man's neck. He placed his face in the crook of Clayton's neck and kissed it softly before whispering, "Thank you for defending my honor, mate."

Clayton shivered at the feeling and clung to his mate as he attempted to refocus on the phone call.

"When you say it that way, it sounds like his previous Alpha is spreading rumors to stop other packs from accepting the boy," Alpha Jacobs finally stated, after a few minutes of processing Clayton's words. "But why would he do something like that is the question."

Clayton calmed further as he heard the questioning tone in the other Alpha's voice. He realized that this wasn't the time to start more disputes with potential allies.

"Because Jackson is pregnant with the bastard's potential heiresses," Clayton responded simply.

This simple fact left Alpha Jacobs speechless.

"Are... Are you telling me that the reason Alpha Richards is looking for the boy is because of children?"

"Yes. He's willing to cause a war between our packs because Jackson is carrying his son's pups."

As the two Alphas continued their discussion, Jackson sunk into his own thoughts. He was going to be the cause of a war between neighboring packs that would lead to innumerable deaths, all because he ran away from home.

I can't let that happen. I can't be the cause of families losing loved ones all because I trusted the wrong person, Jackson thought.

With the two Alphas distracted, Jackson decided it was time to leave. He couldn't put other people at risk for his insignificant life.

He slowly removed Clayton's arms from around his waist, attempting to leave without anyone the wiser. However, his mate was more observant than he gave the man credit for.

Clayton focused on Jackson again while his father continued discussing with Jacobs about details of their potential alliance.

"What's wrong, mate?" Clayton asked worriedly. He felt the boy stiffen in his lap and knew something was definitely wrong.

"J-just need the b-bathroom," Jackson stuttered nervously, trying to control his heart rate in an attempt to conceal the lie.

Clayton knew Jackson was lying instantly. Over the last few days, Jackson had gotten a lot more comfortable with him and didn't stutter almost ever, unless he was nervous for some reason. He decided not to call the boy out on it for the sake of showing his mate the benefit of the doubt. He simply nodded but sent a quick link to Deven, who was posted near the entrance of the pack house, asking him to keep an eye out for their future Lunos.

He let the boy off his lap and watched him walk toward the door. The boy looked back at him and mouthed "I love you, mate," before he left the room, shutting the door with a soft click.

Clayton couldn't help but worry that something big was about to happen, but whether it was good or bad, it wasn't exactly known.

•••

Jackson quietly shut the door and made his way for the bathroom first. He hadn't exactly been lying when he said he had to go, just didn't mention that he wouldn't be coming back after.

When he was finished with his business, he looked for the easiest way to leave the pack house. He noticed Deven by the front door, and another wolf by the side door. When he realized the back door was unguarded, he quickly left and made his way to the woods that would lead to his old pack.

Immediately upon making it passed the border without getting caught, he was surrounded by a group of familiar smelling wolves.

The wolves parted and allowed another wolf to step up toward Jackson. With the sickening crack of breaking bones and the nasty pop of dislocating joints, the wolf shifted to show a man that caused so much pain and heart ache. He felt his heart twist with pain just looking at the man.

"Hello, slut," the man said maliciously. "Decided to return to your rightful place as my bitch?"

Jackson's body trembled and his pups moved restlessly in response to his distress.

Clayton, save me. This was a mistake.