The Omega's Savior

40

Kegan wasn't having any of this shit. He'd already been ushered back to the pack house three times by numerous pack mates he'd never met, probably because Calix told them he'd try to sneak out and join the night patrol. Most people were on it except for the ones who had to tend to their kids, but even then a lot of them just left behind one parent and the other went on patrol.

"I'm sorry, Luna," a man in the warrior getup said, gently pushing Kegan toward the pack house. "Alpha's orders."

"What about my orders?" Kegan growled, but the Alpha shook his head.

"I apologize, but you are not the official Luna for another few weeks. These orders didn't come from Alpha Calix. They came from Alpha Jonas, and as he is still the head of the pack, I cannot defy his orders."

Kegan grumbled and walked inside the pack house where Astra was sitting with her pups, Alex and Oliver asleep on the couch.

"Welcome back," Astra said. "New record, you stayed out for fifteen minutes this time."

"It's not fair!" Kegan said as he sat on the couch. "I'm completely capable of patrolling!"

Astra rolled her eyes. "You have no training. Believe it or not, training is more than circling our territory and requires practice. Not only that, but it's safest for you to stay as far away from potential enemies as possible."

"Why?!"

"Oh, I don't know, maybe because they're after you?!"

Kegan growled at her, but immediately calmed down when Oliver stirred next to them, sensing the tenseness of the room.

Astra sighed and leaned against one of the chairs in the room to rest her back. "He just wants you safe, Kegan. You don't understand how broken he was when he found out you were missing and you guys weren't even apart for a full day!"

"I get that, but he's so overprotective! If you didn't have pups to watch would Kai let you out to help?" Kegan asked, almost accusingly.

Astra shrugged. "I don't know. We've never really faced something like this before. I'd assume she'd want me here."

"And if you fought back?"

"She'd probably let me go with her," Astra said plainly.

Kegan rolled his eyes. "That doesn't make me feel better," he said angrily.

Astra laughed at his anger, smiling. "Honey, it wasn't supposed to make you feel better. Yeah, Kai might let me out if I really wanted to, but I don't want to. I like staying behind and taking care of the pups. It makes me feel better and I'm not built to be a warrior. I'm built to take care of my kids and to take care of other people should it be necessary."

"But I thought that being an Omega here meant-"

Astra cut him off. "It has nothing to do with being an Omega, Kegan. It's my personal preference and what I prefer to do. I find my happiness taking care of pups and helping other people, but I have no interest in going out and fighting a war," she explained.

Kegan didn't see any room to fight with her, so he got up from his seat and put a tea pot full of water on the stove to boil. He put a bag of chamomile tea in his cup before pouring a hit chocolate pack into another cup for Astra.

It crossed his mind to prepare a cup for Calix, but he doubted his mate would be back in a timely manner. So, he left Calix's cup in the cabinet and waited for the whistle to blow on the kettle.

"Thank you," Astra said gratefully when Kegan handed her the mug of hot chocolate.

Kegan hummed in acknowledgment, sitting back in his spot. He barely sipped his tea when he felt someone pulling on his arm.

"Hey, you should be asleep," Astra said, seeing Lys' pup pulling on Kegan.

"I smell chocolate," Oliver said proudly, sliding into Kegan's lap. "Where's the chocolate?"

"Gone forever," Kegan deadpanned, putting his tea on the side table so he wouldn't spill hot water on Oliver. "Chocolate is canceled."

"No it's not!" Oliver whined, crossing his arms. "My nose is better than yours, and I smell chocolate!"

"Shh, don't wake up your brother," Kegan whispered, picking Oliver up and walking to the kitchen.

He set the unruly child on the island counter before reaching into the bread cabinet. Calix kept a stash of candy in the back, but he'd told Kegan about it after learning about his sweet tooth.

Kegan returned to Oliver, handing him a square of chocolate and watching the pup eat it like it was the last piece of chocolate in existence and someone was trying to take it from him.

"Don't choke on it," Kegan said, closing the cabinet up. "And don't tell Alex. I don't want him upset tomorrow that I didn't wake him up for the chocolate."

"I won't tell him if you give me another piece."

Kegan glared at Oliver but handed him another square before carrying him toward his and Calix's room.

"Do you want to watch a movie?" he asked, knowing that he wouldn't be able to sleep until Calix was back, even though he was dead tired.

Oliver nodded eagerly, scrambling under the blankets and leaning against Kegan's pillow as soon as he was set down on the bed. He waited patiently for Kegan to bring Alex in the room, who was miraculously still asleep.

"Astra? You wanna watch a move with us?" Kegan asked, but Astra shook her head.

"I'm okay, I'm going to get these two into their cribs and go to bed myself. Are you going to try to get some sleep?"

Kegan shook his head. "I don't think I'll be able to sleep without Calix here," he said woefully, helping Astra carry her pups upstairs before returning to his room.

He slid into bed, turning on a movie for Oliver. Kegan knew sleep wouldn't come for him, despite his exhaustion and body's unwillingness to move.

"Try to sleep," Jade cooed, finally speaking to Kegan after having been silent most of the day. "You need rest."

"I need to stay awake. What if someone attacks and gets in here? I'll have to protect Astra and all of the pups," Kegan fretted mentally, trying to remain physically calm so Oliver and Alex wouldn't panic.

Jade sighed, resting in his mind. "You'll be fine. It's my job to be paranoid."

"Well, you left me earlier so I can't trust you to actually tell me if something is wrong."

Kegan felt Jade's guilt and how hurt he was, but he ignored it. His wolf deserved to be upset after he fell silent when they were trying to escape.

"I was scared! I'm primarily reliant on my instincts and when I get too scared I break down!"

"Is that why you stayed silent for twenty years? Fear?"

Jade hesitated. "Partially. The other reasons I can't tell you about, and I'm sorry. You won't understand and you'll blame me for it."

"What did you do?" Kegan asked, growling aloud before he could stop it.

"I protected you," Jade snapped. "Now go to sleep. You need it, especially with your heat coming up. Got it?"

Kegan growled once more at his wolf before settling into bed. "I'm going to sleep, okay? Don't leave this room unless one of your moms comes to get you or you wake me up. Okay?"

Oliver nodded, eyes glued to the screen. "Goodnight," he said, laying down to get more comfortable and cuddling his brother. "Sleep well, Luna."