An Alpha's Bond

Nineteen

  Hunter stepped back, shaking his head and looking back at all of us. I said nothing, staring at the back rogue. He smelled like an omega, not a rogue. I could smell it all the way from the porch, I knew that everybody else could too. Even as Hunter glared at me to stay where I was, I stood and moved forward. Left paw, right paw.
"Wells, stay back, please." I nudged Hunter's leg as I got close enough. "What is it?"
An omega, not rogue.
He looked ahead, not saying anything. I moved forward, biting his hand as he grabbed at the scruff of my fur. I hated being grabbed there.
"What is he doing?" one of the rogues said, looking around and starting to panic a little. I instantly figured out who the omega was, and got near. The others tried grabbing at me, only be to growled at by Hunter and me at the same time. "We need your help, really."
  The omega sat down with me, playing with my fur and looking up at the others. He wasn't scared to be with them. I wasn't scared around them, either. Something about them said that they weren't a threat. "We left our old pack to begin our own, our old one had a corrupt Alpha who used his power to abuse the pack and code. Wolf code says that we are allowed to begin our own pack once we have left or join others."
"Right, that's right."
"The omega is my brother, he wants to leave the pack but the Alpha won't let him because he's their last unmated and male omega. We know that's illegal," Hunter nodded, taking a look at the omega, who was sporting quite a few gruesome bruises. "We don't know what to do to get him out of there. The pack is known for heavily mistreating and abusing their omegas."
"How do we know that you're not lying?" Hunter's Dad asked, to which the lead speaker leaned down and lifted the omega's shirt. Heavy bruises and cuts littered his abdomen.
"With all due respect, Dad, this is my duty now," Hunter said, looking around and smelling the air. More wolves had appeared in the wooded areas. "Are they with you?"
"Some of them are like us and have been allowed to leave, others have not been given permission. We were hoping you could help us— the Alpha keeps sending wolves to destroy our homes because we won't force my brother to go back."
"Who is your old pack?"
"Mount Creek." Hunter's Dad went to speak but was cut off. They had been our enemy pack for years. It was true that the Alpha had been corrupted by his power, known by many that he abused and used the people he called his own. "We know that you aren't on good terms with one another."
"For decades now, yes," Hunter looked at me for a moment, then the omega. He sighed. "What do you want us to do?"
"Mostly help with getting my brother out of the pack. It's not fair on him to go through so much pain just because he is an omega. I've done my research, there is a way you can help him."
"Wouldn't he just track him down and do that same thing?" there was silence for a moment, Hunter turned back to see one of his friends leaving the building with a confused look on his face. Onyx looked straight over to where we were sitting on the ground, looking at the omega next to me.
What's your name? I asked, looking right at the omega as Onyx stared.
Fox. It's a weird name, I know. I stared, almost in disbelief that he was actually telling me the truth. I never really had a proper name until I was about six when my Alpha decided that I was a sly fox.
"That's my mate." Onyx declared, moving down the steps and approaching the omega. Fox inched back and Onyx looked at me, laughing and scratching behind my ears.
  "I don't know you..." Fox whispered, sitting closer to me and hiding his face in my fur. It tickled, and I could see Hunter staring at me with confusion written clearly on his face.
  Is he nice? I turned and looked back at Onyx, zoning out of the conversation Hunter was having with the rogues.
  He's never been mean to us. He's funny too.
  "What's your name?" Onyx pressed, tapping Fox's shoulder. He was gentle, but Fox still flinched and pulled his legs up. His brother instantly turned around, ready to start a fight. "I didn't do anything! Just tapped him because I was talking to him and he— he's my mate, I want to know..."
  "Fox," he mumbled after a moment of tension, still leaning on me and not budging. I sat down, calmer and with far less energy than I had had earlier. It was nice. "They're getting closer."
  We should go inside. The words only seemed to fly past Hunter's mind, he was too distracted to listen. Hunter, inside.
  "Wells," he whispered, getting closer and grabbing my fur again. It was almost like he couldn't help it. "Take him in with you."
  Come inside... with us.
  "Not right now, I have something I should do, but I will be with you in a little while." At first, I didn't move, but sudden movements from the bushes behind us had me up and near dragging Fox inside, with the bottom of his t-shirt between my teeth and beginning to tear. Alex had sent Cova inside too and joined Hunter, but I couldn't see what was going on outside as soon as the door shut and it disturbed me.

   Back in human form and fully dressed, I sat with Fox again- I was still a lot bigger than him, and he stayed by my side almost the entire time. Members of the pack had rushed to the window to see what was happening, blocking anyone from seeing anything.
  "Fox Reddings?" Hunter's Dad called out. I immediately smelled blood on his clothes and looked at him. He just nodded at me and somehow I knew Hunter was fine. "You have a choice here. You can join the pack if you would like."
  "I can?"
  "We've found out some information that will prevent your Alpha from doing anything about it." I listened, hoping he would explain soon.