18. Theo

Chapter 18

Theo

I never thought I'd take a mate, to be honest. I always saw myself as being the sort of alpha that just fucks whatever omega will go to bed with me for the night. I was happy with my life and the way I did things. It was uncomplicated and easy.

But now…

I look over at the omega sitting in the passenger's seat beside me. Oliver is looking over a map on his phone, musing over different routes we could take. The rattling old car he'd been driving when we first found him is surprisingly roomy. The five of us were able to squeeze in and load up the trunk and roof rack with whatever we thought was essential.

Never in my entire life did I think I'd ever want to leave the pack. Much less leave in the middle of the night while everyone was asleep. We didn't bother telling anyone where we were going or why. They'll come up with their own reasons to explain what happened.

It's a new chapter in our lives together, one where we don't owe anything to anyone but one another.

"What if…" Oliver muses under his breath as he scrolls on his phone.

He's been trying to make a decision for the last several hours. I can tell there's something on his mind, but he's been holding back. After the last few days on the road, I've learned that he'll usually get around to saying things in his own time, and it's best to just let him work up the courage on his own.

Since leaving the compound, we haven't been going anywhere in particular. We've been focused on trying to create a big gap between us and anyone that might try to follow. Not that I really expect them to send anyone after us. At the very least, not anyone that could catch us, that is.

"What if we went south?" Oliver finally speaks up loud enough for all of us to hear.

"What's south?" Sebastian asks from his spot in the back seat.

"Well, if we go far enough, my old pack." Oliver's voice drops off, and he quickly follows with a louder series of protests. "Not that I'm saying we have to go there. It's a dumb idea, especially since you guys just gave up your home. So yeah, forget I said anything. It was a really dumb idea."

"No, that's a good point," Roman interjects. "We should head there."

"Yeah, if you wanted to head there, then I agree," Lucas adds. "As long as that's something you want."

"I mean, maybe." Oliver shrugs, his cheeks burning red. "It's been a while since I've been home. I left without telling them anything. If I come back, I'm not sure what to expect."

"Well, there's one way to find out," I say with a smile as I look out at the road ahead. "Where's the next interchange?"

"Soon," Oliver says, his tone brightening considerably. "About ten miles, and we'll take the first exit. That should put us on the right highway."

"Then it's settled," I reply.

"Are you sure, though?" Oliver asks. "If you guys don't want to, then…"

"We'll follow wherever you go, Ollie," Sebastian insists.

"And we'll all be by your side the whole time," Lucas adds.

"That's right." Roman nods. "Nothing's going to happen to you while we're here."

I smile and reach over, squeezing Oliver's hand reassuringly. "You've got four alpha mates who are willing to follow you anywhere. No matter what happens, we've got your back."

Oliver beams, his eyes misting up as he squeezes my hand in return. "Okay then, I guess we're going home."

We swap drivers periodically, giving each of us a chance to rest so we don't have to stop overnight anywhere. It's been a long and uneventful drive, but the mood in the car has been hopeful the entire way. Oliver's been understandably nervous, but by the time we pull into a small town at the base of a mountain, he seems excited about what lies ahead.

"Alright, just up this road and through the gate," Oliver instructs as we wind up the narrow dirt road. "It's nothing like what you guys are used to. Your pack is huge, but this is where I grew up."

As he speaks, we pass through a large set of gates that mark the entrance to a working farm. A small house sits on one side of the path, and several other buildings are scattered about the grounds. There are a few people out tending the fields, and as we pass by, they stop what they're doing and stare at us.

"That's my parents' house," Oliver explains, pointing to the large, two-story home that's situated at the top of a small rise overlooking the rest of the farm. "We'll head up there first. I'm sure my mom will have some words to say."

"Are they going to be mad at you?" Lucas asks, somewhat quietly. I know he's probably thinking about what his father's reaction would be in this situation.

Oliver shakes his head. "I mean, yeah, my mom will probably chew me out, but I know it's because she's been worried. I didn't tell them anything about my plans. I just…left."

"What were your plans exactly?" Sebastian asks, raising a brow.

"I didn't have any," Oliver admits. "I just felt like I needed to make room. I needed to do what was best for my family. If I stayed, I would've weakened the pack. Having an omega inherit leadership would've been too much for the pack's reputation. But the thought of leaving hurt so badly. I didn't have a plan, I didn't have a goal, I just needed to leave. And, as it turns out, fate had other plans."

The others chuckle, but I just smile. I'm still not certain I believe in all this fated-mate crap. It sounds like a fairy tale that fills people's heads with fantasies that will never happen. But when I look at Oliver, I definitely feel something I've never felt toward anyone before. And when I look at the others, I know the four of us are capable of almost anything if we stick together.