Runt [ManxMan]

Chapter Fourteen

If Dax had been surprised Tala survived an entire day following him around, he was in for a lot more surprises because a week later she was still sitting on the couch in the corner of his office.

She had backed off a bit, at least. She no longer came barging into his room unannounced, at least, and would occasionally wander off for brief periods during quiet times so her constant presence no longer felt suffocating.

Still, she followed him most everywhere, though they rarely exchanged words, and even as he grew accustomed to her silent presence, he never dropped his guard, and it didn't change how he felt about her or their arranged mating. Would it ever? Would he ever grow to care for the woman he was meant to spend his life with? He could tolerate her presence, he supposed, as long as she stayed quiet and out of the way.

But how long would that last? He knew she had to be growing as tired of him as he was of her, though was beginning to see what the purpose of this new arrangement was. He was no longer annoyed at the mere sight of her, no longer cringed—internally of course, he was as calm as ever on the outside—as soon as she walked into the room. She was, like it or not, growing on him. But was this the real Tala? He didn't think it could be, not after every previous encounter with her had been a very different person.

But he still found himself thinking about her with the young omega the week before, and as much as he wanted to believe this new Tala was the fake one... that had just felt too genuine to have been faked. It also didn't feel like her quiet persona was entirely fake either. It certainly gave Dax a lot to consider.

Another thing he spent a lot of time considering was the newest addition to the pack. Mason had really surprised him the night of the full moon. Not that Dax had ever believed him to be a normal omega, but there were not many wolves of any rank who would try to get anywhere close to a rogue, even fewer would attempt to directly defy their alpha, and he had never met an omega that fell into either category.

He hadn't seen the brothers since that day. Tala may have turned over a new leaf, but he still didn't want to risk putting her in the same room as them. Mav had given him updates when he came to give reports on other matters—like the rogue Mason had tried to attack, who had been taken by the Council to hopefully be rehabilitated—but Dax was used to seeing his brother almost every day, and his increasing fascination with the omega meant the two spent a lot of time on his mind.

His thoughts were interrupted by a knock on the door to his office. "Come in," he called, pushing the file he was supposed to be reading over aside to give his attention to the new arrival.

It turned out his thoughts had brought their subjects to him, because when the door swung open, Chase stood there, smiling sheepishly. Dax felt an answering smile at the corners of his lips, breaking his usual calm exterior. The small smile only grew when the hunter shifted, revealing the tiny form hidden behind him.

Mason was taller than Dax had first thought him to be, but he was still a full head shorter than his brother, nearly two heads shorter than Dax himself. Chase must have given up on the boy's hair. He'd been trying to get the tangles out of what he hadn't cut off the first day, hoping to save as much as he could, but now the omega's hair was cut almost as short as Dax's, left a bit longer on his forehead where it fell into his eyes, but shorter in the back. Through the small curtain of golden-brown strands Mason peered at the alpha with clear blue eyes, interested but wary, as the boy always was.

"I've missed you, brother," Chase said, stepping forward and pulling Dax into a hug. The alpha allowed it, even enjoyed it, though he would never admit it. Emotional attachments were weaknesses he couldn't afford, but also couldn't avoid.

Mason was left standing just inside the doorway, steady on his feet for the first time Dax had seen him. He watched their interaction with interest, but no jealousy, Dax had been afraid the boy would see the alpha as replacing him in his brother's life, but it seemed that wasn't the case.