But…
“He’s also an omega,” I say, shooting Macy a wry smile. “I’m not so sure I want anyone to know about that yet, not even the triumvirate.”
“Are you sure?” asks Macy. “How do you know?”
“I helped him take a bath which washed away all those chemicals covering his scent, and once he shifted back into his wolf form, there was no mistaking that he’s an omega.”
Doc frowns. “He shifted back into a wolf? Without help?”
“Yeah. Why?”
“With how he was unable to shift before, it should have been the same for shifting back.” He pauses. “Did he have any trouble holding his human form that you could tell?”
“No… but he wasn’t acting very human either,” I say, tuning to him. “How much do you know about shifters who’ve gone feral?”
“Not very much.” He shrugs. “If he was stuck as a wolf for more than a day or two, he might take a while to come back to himself. Then again, he could snap out of it tomorrow. There’s really no way to predict what might happen, especially given the circumstances and his obvious history of captivity.”
I sigh again. “I guess there’s not much we can do at this point but wait and see then.”
“And the triumvirate?” asks Macy. “Do you think we should call them now or wait?”
“Definitely wait,” I say. “Until he can tell us more about what happened to him and where he’s been, I don’t think we should be calling anyone just yet.”
Macy and Doc both nod in agreement.
“And now that we have that much figured out, I’m going to go back upstairs,” I say. “We definitely need answers about themysteries surrounding my new mate, but we’re not going to get them right now, so I’m going to join my mate in a nap.”
“I’ll be here,” says Macy.
I pat her shoulder as I walk by. “Thanks, Mace.”
She smirks at me. “No problem, Alpha.”
My feet operate almost on autopilot as I head back to my mate’s bedside. I take a minute to run my hand softly over his fur, before stepping away from the bed. The last thing I want is for him to wake up scared again, but I won’t get any rest in that stupid chair, so I shed my pants and shift instead.
I pad across the floor, climb up onto the bed, and nose my way under the blankets next to my mate. Curling around the smaller wolf, I bury my nose in the scruff of his neck and let his soft, comforting scent surround me as I drift off to sleep.
Eleven
Omega
The next time Iwake, my mind isn’t quite as scattered. The world feels clearer, and for the first time in years, things also feel… closer somehow. As if there’d been a mental wall between me and everything else and now it’s gone. My human form doesn’t seem as alien to me and my human brain is able to process thoughts and make connections more fluidly.
I wasn’t stupid as a wolf. My human side was still in there, but I didn’t have the same level of cognitive thinking ability I do in human form.
But even if my thoughts aren’t as foggy and my brain’s processing power isn’t quite as slow, I don’t exactly feel better. My limbs, especially my right leg, ache, and there’s a persistent throbbing in my head. Plus, I’m still exhausted, my energycompletely sapped by… I have no idea, though I’m sure it has something to do with being starved and experimented on for years.
And drugged half out of my mind for who knows how long.
A memory of fiery pain dances along my nerves and a shiver travels down my body. At least I hope it’s a memory and not whatever it was they injected me with lingering in my system. My time in captivity might be nothing more than bits and pieces of disconnected images and feelings, but I know whatever was in those injections isn’t something I want in my body.
Rolling over to my back, I stretch out my arms and legs, concentrating on the sensation of the muscles lengthening and working out any tightness I can feel. This form still feels awkward and too long, but I should probably get used to it.
I may not have missed being human, but the world is a lot easier to navigate with opposable thumbs.
Pushing myself up to a sitting position, I catch sight of a reddish-brown wolf curled up on the other side of the bed. My memories of the last few… hours? are a little hazy, but I recognize the wolf as Luke, and warmth fills my chest, his presence bringing a sense of safety and security.
And a craving for his touch.
