Chapter 13

Chapter

Thirteen

ORION

T he house was in the middle of fucking nowhere, even more off the beaten path than Nadya's little safehouse. The road wasn't much of a road at all—more like a space just barely big enough for a car to weave in and out of trees. But eventually, I pulled up to a small stone house with two steps up to the front door and not even a whiff of human or Wolf around it.

I hadn't realized how much I needed that security, and I took a moment to feel my relief before I reached for the key and the phone. Stepping out, I felt the ache in my bones from being stuck behind the wheel for so long. I wanted a shower, a meal, and a long sleep, but I wasn't sure I'd be getting any of those things with Zane the way he was.

He was sitting up in the back seat, staring out the window almost sullen, and he didn't move when I opened the door and held my hand out.

"Please," I begged, watching him turn his face away from me. "I'm fucking beat."

He let his hands hang heavy at his sides, so I reached down and curled fingers around his wrist. He gave me a warning growl, but when I pulled, he didn't attack. He simply shuffled to his feet and let me tug him toward the door. I wasn't sure if he was purposefully making his body slower and heavier than he was naturally, but from the look on his face, I could see he wasn't trying hard to cooperate.

"You're like a five-year-old," I muttered as I used my free hand to fumble for the key.

He didn't acknowledge me, but I could see his nostrils flaring, and his head turning from side to side. Kor had done that a lot when I first found him, and for a second, I wondered if Zane was blind.

Hesitating, I turned to him before I opened the door and waved my hand in his face. He stilled, then snapped his teeth at me, and I reared back.

"Just checking," I muttered. I turned back to the door, pushing it open, and I grimaced at the smell of dust and a faint trace of mold. It was clean, though, and empty. Nothing had died in there recently, which was a nice surprise. The light switch in the front room didn't work, but the early dawn haze filtered over a plush sofa covered by a sheet, a fireplace, a small table with chairs, and an open kitchen.

It was an actual home, not some run-down hole I'd found Kor in. Zane could recover in an actual bed instead of some vermin-infested mattress on the floor, and I would count us lucky for these small gifts.

"Alright," I said, locking the door behind me and tucking the key in my pocket, "the only rule here is that you don't leave. We have to be careful. I have no idea if those fuckers managed to get a trace on us, and the last thing I want to do is give them an easy target."

He didn't look at me while I was speaking, instead taking shuffling steps around the new living space, sniffing the air. I hated not knowing what he could and couldn't understand, and I wondered if I could drop my guard at all.

If I slept, would he try to run?

I briefly considered tying him to me, but I wasn't going to bind him again. Not after what he'd been through. I could only hope and accept the fact that I wouldn't be getting much sleep until backup arrived.

Dragging fingers through my hair, I left him to his sniffing, and did a quick tour of the house. There were two bedrooms with naked beds, but a quick exploration of the linen closet found what we'd need. They were clean, and only a little dusty, so I took two comforters and two sets of pillows, throwing them in the rooms before turning to the bathroom.

The lights there worked, weak and flickering, but when I ran the hot water, it warmed after a second. I wanted to weep with relief, but I couldn't let myself. Not yet.

I moved back to the main room where Zane was standing in the front window, his bright eyes scanning the horizon. I wanted to call out to him again, but I couldn't bring myself to interrupt him. This was likely the first time he felt anything but pain in weeks.

I turned away from him, checking the fridge, which was running, and it was stocked with a few of the essentials. There was also food in the pantry—mostly canned, but a single loaf of fresh bread, and a small box of bagels sat on the lower shelf. I sniffed, checking for mold, but there wasn't a trace.

Someone had been here recently, but they hadn't stayed long enough to leave a scent impression.

Rubbing my hands down my face again to try and wake myself up a bit more, I leaned on the counter and cleared my throat. Zane's shoulders stiffened, but he didn't look back at me. "You should get cleaned up," I said. "Changed out of that stupid fucking gas station outfit. And I want to look at your wounds."

Still no response. I had a feeling I'd be bathing him like a stubborn toddler, but it would be worth it in the end. I went back to the bathroom and started the water, then checked the bedrooms again for the supplies Kor had been talking about.

I found them eventually, two bags in the small closet. The items inside smelled like unfamiliar Wolf and laundry soap, and I quickly laid them out, rubbing my hands on them to try and mask the stranger's scent. It wasn't perfect, but it was likely enough for Zane, and I left them on the bed as I went to find him.

He was still by the window, one palm pressed to the glass. His claws were making a gentle scraping sound, and he stiffened when I approached and took him by the wrist.

"I know this sucks, but you seriously have to get clean. I'd love it if you could wash yourself, but since I don't think you're gonna be that easy, I just want you to promise you won't kill me for this later. When you get better," I added, letting myself feel certain he would.

He had to come out of this eventually, didn't he?

He took shuffling steps at my side as I steered him to the bathroom, and he stiffened when he saw the water. I pushed against his back, but he was as unmoving as a stone, and after a beat, I sighed and sagged forward.

"Please," I begged. "It's probably going to sting, but the water's warm, and you'll feel better. I swear." I touched the back of his neck gently with claws, and wished we had more of a pack bond just so I could share my emotions with him.

Zane let out a small growl, leaning back into me, and I found myself glad I wasn't in his head right then. Gods only knew what tortures he was reliving. I did and didn't want to know what they'd done to him.

I leaned my forehead against the center of his back and breathed out a sigh. "Please," I said again.

I wasn't sure if it was the word or the touch that broke him, but he took a shuffling step that almost knocked me off balance. He moved stiffly into the bathroom, and I let him feel the water several times before he went pliant enough to undress.

There weren't a lot of supplies in there, but a bottle of pearly-thick soap sat on the edge of the porcelain, and there was a soft washcloth folded on the back of the toilet. I eased Zane over the lip of the tub, but instead of standing, he sank down under the spray. Drawing his knees to his chest, he bowed his head forward, and I watched the water run off him in a filthy brown stream.

He looked pathetic—beaten, starved, defeated under the water. They had stripped him to nothing and left him a shell of himself, and nothing made me want to kill more than this. My hands were shaking as I wet the cloth and poured soap on, and as I began to lather his skin, he let out a small noise.

Gratitude, maybe, which only made me feel worse. He shouldn't be thankful for a kind touch, or to be cleaned. I ignored the pressing ache in my gut as I thought about all the other Wolves they had taken. They had done this to Bryn and likely countless others. But I didn't think it was all of them. They had been up to something else—something we didn't quite understand yet—with Kor.

Their tortures were probably creative, and the gods only knew what horrors would come of it.

Still, thinking about it now wasn't doing either of us any good. I lifted his arm away from his curled legs, giving him a proper scrub. He was cooperative at least, and only whimpered when I began to wash around his slow-mending wounds.

It had to be chemicals that had kept him from healing, because he was half-shifted still, and the wounds should have closed almost immediately. I wanted to know how the fuck they managed it—to keep him half a beast, but unable to access the most vital part of our defenses.

"Zane," I said quietly.

He stiffened, and I wondered if he recognized his name or if he was just reacting to my voice.

"I want to wash your hair and face, okay? Can you look up?"

He didn't respond, so I gently pushed my hand through the curl of his arms and touched his chin. After only a little prodding, his head lifted, and I stared into his eyes. There wasn't much there, but I could see something in them—a small whisper of the Wolf he'd been. He wasn't lost, and the thought hit me like a blow to the sternum.

If I was patient, I could bring him back.

I let my mouth soften into a smile as I took the cloth and began to scrub at his face. His beard was thick from weeks of growth, and the grime on his cheeks was more stubborn than the rest of his body, but it came free, leaving his skin pink from the heat. I dragged my thumb over the edge of his jaw, and he sighed, leaning into the touch.

"It's over," I told him, then laughed because that was such a fucking lie. "You're safe and they can't get to you now."

He stared back at me, and his tongue pushed past his fangs, dragging over his lip. After a beat, he turned his head into the spray and opened his mouth, drinking the warm water down in huge gulps. I winced, realizing I had neglected his thirst and hunger, but he did this with such joy, it was impossible for me to stop him.

He didn't quite look at peace, but he looked calm for the first time since I got him out of that room. When he was done with the water, he sat back and shook his head, spraying me with water. I made a noise of outrage, and he met my gaze—not quite with a smile, but with something almost playful in his eyes.

"Real fuckin' cute," I muttered.

He huffed out through his nose, then leaned back against the edge of the tub and I let him luxuriate before I finally turned off the water. At that, he sat up with a betrayed look, but I held up the towel in one hand, and offered him my other to stand.

"Come on. There's actual clothes for you to change into, and I need to get a look at your wounds. Then we can eat."

Zane let me pull him from the tub and towel him off, and it was the first time I really acknowledged his nudity. His cock and balls hung thick and heavy between his legs—not even remotely aroused, but they were there. I had thought about him occasionally when I got myself off—a sort of forbidden fantasy I told myself meant nothing.

But now, being close to him—the heady scent of him affecting the Omega change within me that still hadn't faded—I felt a warmth in my belly that was both needy and terrifying. I turned away when he made a soft, curious noise, and I hurried down the hall with him close at my heels.

I gestured to the clothes on the bed, then I laid out the medkit on the dresser and spoke without looking back at him. "If you can change, that would be a huge help. I'm going to see what Kor left us."

I didn't check his progress as I rummaged through, but there wasn't much. Wolf medkits were normally for near-fatal emergencies. Shit to close up bullet wounds and counteract human poisons. It was all-too rare for us not to heal from shallow cuts, and all that I could find was a bit of rubbing alcohol and some gauze pads.

"This isn't gonna help much. I…" My words died when I turned and found Zane lying on the bed, spread eagle. He was still naked, his palm gently rubbing over his dick, which was still limp, but he smelled faintly of arousal. "Oh…please don't," I whispered softly.

He peered one eye at me, and I shook my head, though that didn't stop him.

"Put your clothes on, Zane. I'm going to make some food, and you can't stay naked this entire time. You will literally murder me when your mind is back if I let you do that." I could only hope that was the case, because I would take being murdered if it meant he would come back to me, and I left him like that as I rushed into the kitchen.

I came to a stuttered halt at the counter, letting my claws out, digging into the granite. My cock was showing vague interest in the naked, beaten, unfairly hot Alpha in the other room. It was nature, I told myself. This wasn't something I could control. The last vestiges of Omega hormones were leaving my system, and they were just…reacting.

Still, I had to take several more deep breaths to regain control, then I turned to the task at hand. Doing this would at least give me a way to take my mind off him as I prayed to any god listening that he'd just get dressed and stop this quiet torment.

There was enough fresh food for me to throw together a couple of sandwiches stacked high with meat. Zane probably needed something simple. I couldn't begin to imagine what they'd been feeding him, and I knew his body would take a while to adjust. But I had no doubt he was half-starved, and with any luck, I'd get him back into fighting condition before Kor arrived with backup.

Zane appeared just as I was plating the food, a pair of sweatpants on and nothing else. His nostrils were flaring, and before I had a second to react, he was on me. He had me pinned to the sink, his nose in my neck, snuffling along toward my shoulder.

In spite of my resolve, my cock hardened, and to my absolute humiliation, I felt my backside get wet. It didn't matter that I'd only had Omega DNA for a handful of days. I knew exactly what it was. I recognized the scent of slick instantly…and so did Zane.

He let out a small, feral growl, and his hands reached around me, but I managed to catch him by the wrists before he got too close. I let out a low snarl, and after a beat, he took a step back.

"Don't fucking make me floor you," I snapped at him. I glanced behind me at the food, then I released one of his wrists and reached for his plate.

His eyes immediately went bright with interest when I waved the roast beef under his nose, but when he lunged for it, I held it back. "I get that you're not entirely home right now, man, but we are gonna sit like civilized Wolves. Go to the sofa."

He blinked at me, so I let go of his other arm and pointed. He bared his teeth for a second, all fangs and slick tongue, but after a moment, he obeyed. His feet dragged a little, but he made it across the room and flopped down on the cushions with a petulant huff.

There was fear in his eyes though, when I stood over him, and I realized it was the food. It was entirely possible his animal brain thought I'd use food deprivation as a punishment. Like the humans had probably done.

My stomach twisted with nausea, and I set the plate in front of him. "I won't make you beg for your dinner, Zane," I said, softening my voice. He stared at it, hesitant, so I picked up one half and pushed it into his hands. "Eat. Eat all of it, and if you're still hungry, I'll make you more."

It only took another moment of encouragement before the food vanished behind his jaws. It was a mess, bits of bread and meat falling down around him, but I couldn't bring myself to judge. He hadn't asked for any of this, and I had no way of knowing how the hell to fix it.

I had gotten through half my food when he began to eye my plate, so I shoved mine over to him, and he took it down in three bites. I watched him to make sure he wasn't going to choke, and when he swallowed with a satisfied huff, I rose and went to the kitchen for water.

A second later, I heard his footsteps echoing mine, and once again, his warm body crowded me against the counter. I was still sticky with slick, trying desperately not to think about it, but another gush dribbled out when his pheromones hit me.

If the serum didn't wear off, I was screwed. Was this what it was like for Omegas all the time? Danyal had given me the basic rundown of submission as an Omega, but he hadn't taken time for the whole sex-ed lesson, and I was regretting that now. Still, I hadn't reacted that way to the Alpha back at the hospital, so it was safe to say that the one affecting me was this particular Alpha right here. The one I had wanted before I had taken the serum.

"Zane," I said quietly as he nosed along my neck. The worst part wasn't how good it felt. The worst part was knowing he'd kill me in my sleep if I let it get any further. He had no control, and I cared about him too much to take advantage of that.

Turning to face him, I grabbed him by the shoulders and eased him back a few steps. "I know you're not getting half of what I'm saying, but you have to fight it."

He blinked owlishly at me, then he lunged forward and licked my neck. My cock twitched in my jeans, and I was torn between wanting to throw myself at his feet and present my ass for a thorough fucking, and throwing myself out the window to get the hell away.

"If you were in your right mind, you'd know this was just hormones, okay?" I told him, trying to keep my voice firm as I eased him back again. "Your brother gave me some fucking Omega juice so I could break your ass out of the compound, and it's supposed to be wearing off."

Only, I didn't feel any different. I desperately wanted to use the emergency phone and call Danyal, but I knew better. And anyway, it's not like he'd know. I was the first Wolf to use the damn stuff longer than a couple of injections, and it was likely it would take a while to fully work its way out of my system.

It would get better. I would go back to normal.

I had to.

Glancing out the window, I let out a sigh. The sun was high, but I felt like I'd been up for days. I wasn't sure how I was going to keep Zane in the house though, without staying awake myself, but I was desperate for a little shut-eye.

I grabbed the water, then guided him back to the sofa and sank against the cushions once more. It was too fucking comfortable, but the last thing I wanted to do was move. "Hey." I said after a beat.

His gaze flickered over to mine, and he cocked his head to the side.

"I figure whatever's going on with your head and your shift, it was from all the garbage they were pumping into you. Same shit happened to Kor, and he healed from it." I reached for him and pressed my fingers to his pulse. It was a little sluggish for a Wolf, but nothing I'd have worried about under normal circumstances. Our gazes locked again, and I licked my lips. "Can you understand me."

He didn't respond, but I swore I saw something in his eye.

"Zane. You know you're Zane, right?"

More silence, but before I could speak again, he lifted a curled hand and tapped his chest.

"Fuck," I breathed. I bowed my head and let out the smallest, hysterical laugh. "Fuck, yeah you are. Okay." I lifted my gaze and met his again. "And I'm Orion."

His hand reached toward me, and he dragged a single claw along the outside of my right eye.

I snorted. "Yeah, I know. It's pretty fucked up. Your brother did it. Danyal."

At the sound of Danyal's name, Zane let out a high-pitched whine of pain, and I grabbed his hand, giving it a soft squeeze.

"I know, but he's fine. Everyone is right where I left them. He did this so I could find you and take you home. And the information I sent to Kor and everyone else, it's eventually going to bring them to their knees. They're not going to hurt us again."

I knew it was unfair of me to promise something like that. I had no idea if it was a lie, but I had to believe. I had to have faith that this was just the start, and there would be an end where we could breathe free air without wondering if capture and torture were just around the corner.

I let out a small, surprised noise when Zane was suddenly in my space again. His arms locked around my waist, and before I could think about fighting him, he pushed his face into my side. I knew I should stop it. The cognizant Alpha wouldn't have shown a display like this even if his life was on the line.

But the injured Wolf who likely hadn't known a kind touch for weeks on end needed to know it was over, and that was the very least I could do for him. Brushing my fingers through his hair, I couldn't help but smile as he let out a low rumble, then sagged against me.

Sleep tugged at my edges as Zane's body began to relax, and the moment his breathing started to even, darkness stole over me, and I was lost to the void.