Baby and the Wolf by Victoria Sue

Chapter Ten

Dinah wasready for them when they got back. Mac and Amy, the betas that had helped out, rushed to get some additional beds ready. Ryker knew they had been expecting nine omegas, some with their kids. The adult female omegas wouldn’t stay in the pack house, but would be in a separate house with their mates and kids, if they had them. Two didn’t have any kids and three were hoping their kids were from the cave. Darriel, the badly beaten omega, was due to arrive sometime the next day after Marco had seen him.

Now, they needed more beds for the kids from the cave. Sarah was apparently going to be a pack mother and had—at nine—already helped an omega give birth. And then there was Calvin, who didn’t seem to have anyone.

Emmett was amazing. If Ryker had expected Emmett to sit back after the cave rescue, he couldn’t have been more wrong. Everything seemed chaotic, but Marco got the triage going pretty smoothly, while Dinah got the little ones seated with sandwiches and juice. The complete families went with Mac and Amy to their assigned rooms to have the chance to recover somewhere quiet. Emmett kept Calvin with him and helped where he was needed.

Sarah was awake and luckily old enough to shift. She’d just shifted back when her omega, James, got off one of the two trucks from their pack. Ryker smiled in satisfaction at the happy tears as Red got them to their room.

Calvin hadn’t been withholding details when he hadn’t told Marco how old he was. He genuinely didn’t know. Apparently, he’d lived at the omega house for as long as he could remember. Chrissy said he could be as old as eight or nine, but to go with seven to be on the safe side. He was small and skinny, but that could be from a lack of food as anything else.

Calvin had refused to leave Emmett’s side. When the dust settled, he was also the only kid who didn’t have an omega present. Ryker hunched down when he got to where Emmett had Calvin on his knee, demolishing a sandwich. He was too thin.

Emmett brushed the too-long blond hair off the little scrap’s bruised face.

“Cal told Chrissy that he doesn’t have an omega, that the omega house he was in was for older kids who hadn’t shifted. He says the bigger boys were taken from there as soon as they shifted for the first time, but if they got to twelve without shifting, they were taken somewhere else.”

Emmett raised eyes awash with unshed tears. Ryker didn’t have to tell him what that probably meant.

“And that there were two enforcers called Greg and David that…I’d say looked after them, but I think that’s an exaggeration. Riggs was in charge.”

Ryker squeezed Emmett’s hand. He wanted to get Riggs if it was the last thing he ever did, but then he gazed at the mark on Emmett’s neck, now visible since he had changed clothes, and he knew he had other priorities. “We’re giving out details to surrounding packs to be on the lookout, but unless they use their real name, which is unlikely, or they are recognized, it might be difficult to catch them.”

“What’s the difference between them all? I’ve heard you say betas and enforcers.”

“Gammas are usually regular pack members that take a turn helping with security. In my old pack, they worked exclusively for the pack, but in others they may have outside jobs. This varies, but the betas are generally the trusted advisors of the alpha. The enforcers were the full-time muscle if you like, but every pack operates differently.” He paused. “Some packs would never allow non-shifters to join; some didn’t differentiate, especially if they had other skills.”

Emmett looked down at Calvin, whose head was nodding. He looked in danger of falling asleep holding what was left of his sandwich. Emmett took it out of his hand, hushed him, and pressed his head onto his shoulder. With a sigh, Calvin shut his eyes and relaxed. Emmett rocked him, but it was pretty obvious he was asleep nearly immediately.

“It suits you,” Ryker said quietly. He couldn’t wait to see him with their baby.

“Do all shifters shift for the first time before twelve?”

Ryker shook his head. “With wolves, some mixed breeds don’t shift until they’re teenagers. I was thirteen. Some don’t shift at all. It’s usually an indication they won’t ever if they get to fifteen without shifting, and I’ve known some to shift as early as seven or eight, but that tended to be the alpha’s children.”

“But how would the pack know they weren’t omegas? Unless it’s just panthers that don’t shift.”

“Bear omegas can shift right up to labor. Female wolf omegas shift, but male omegas don’t. Their insides are a little more complicated, and the possibility of pregnancy seems to shut off that ability.”

Emmett nodded. “That makes sense.”

“Every pack used to have at least one pack mother who could tell the pups that would be omegas, but from what Sarah told Fox, that was her job.”

“She’s nine,” Emmett said in disbelief.

“Pack mothers are born with their abilities. She didn’t realize what she was being asked to do, just knew it was something important. Sarah insists all the children in the cave are wolf omegas.”

“And I’m guessing you’re not going to tell her about the kids who weren’t omegas,” Emmett said weakly.

Ryker shook his head. “James, her omega, didn’t realize what was going on. They were split up two years ago. I’m going to call a meeting. We need to decide what’s going to happen.”

“Can I come?”

Ryker cupped Emmett’s face. “I wouldn’t have it any other way, but Dinah says you can lay Calvin down in the kitchen. In case he wakes up, I don’t want him hearing any of this.”

Emmett nodded, and Ryker lifted Calvin, carrying him, still fast asleep, to the kitchen next door where Dinah had a small cot for him to lie on. Emmett watched as they got him settled.

“I’ll stay with him,” Dinah promised.

All of the rescue team filed into the large room with Fox, Red, and Liam. TJ came in with some coffee, water, and juice, and in another moment, Chrissy and Zeke joined them. Ryker sat at the head of the table with Emmett on his left.

He glanced at Chrissy as she sat down. “What do we know so far?”

“Of the five kids in the cave, only Calvin hasn’t been identified. The problem is there are still at least four omegas missing, but I think that figure may easily double. No one but the gammas, who have disappeared, know which child goes with which omega since we don’t have both of them to scent.”

“What do you mean by scent?” Emmett asked because he was sure it was significant the way Chrissy had said it.

“We wolves can tell blood ties by scent,” Ryker explained. “A father and son, for instance, or siblings. As some packs still don’t register birth, it’s accepted by the shifter council as official identification for a child until to a pack naming after they shift.”

“Their what?” Emmett said, looking perplexed.

“All shifters belong to a pack if they are named as such by the alpha. It gives them a level of protection, rights. They share equally in the riches of the pack, even if they are unable to contribute financially or physically. It’s a little like a pension if you will. The pack will always take care of that shifter, but until that naming, they stay with the omega or their sire, even if that wolf got expelled. Naming meant that the whole family didn’t have to leave unless they wanted to, but naming can never be done before shifting.”

“But what about the non-shifters?” Emmett asked.

Chrissy shook her head. “Which is why omega wolves don’t have protection. They’re not counted as official pack members.”

“It’s something a lot of us have tried to get the shifter council to change, but they’re dragging their feet.”

“But why?” Emmett asked, obviously bewildered.

“Because of the population being threatened. For years that has been their main focus,” Red answered.

“So you’re telling me that this council is willing to turn a blind eye to essentially farming children because of their precious population?”

The room was quiet for a moment, and then Ryker said, “We’re trying to get them to listen, but it’s…problematic.”

“Calvin could belong to one of the missing omegas or none of them,” Chrissy said, clearly trying to change the subject. “The enforcer who hurt Darriel has vanished. Seven gammas are dead. At least five other adolescents, maybe teenagers, are missing.” She paused. “And I have seventeen official requests to join your pack.”

Ryker’s head shot up, and his eyes narrowed. “And I’m assuming you told them this wasn’t a pack?”

Red scoffed, but Ryker ignored him. “Well?”

Chrissy just arched an eyebrow.

“The thing is,” Fox said calmly, “this is a pack. You’re more of an alpha than half of the ones I’ve known. We’re all loyal to you. We treat you as our alpha because you put us first and look after the needs of everyone. If that’s not an alpha, I don’t know what one is.”

“The land doesn’t belong to the pack,” Ryker ground out.

“Well, if that’s the only thing stopping you, I can alter that today,” Zeke said mildly. “It’s in an LLC at the moment, but that’s easily rectified.”

Ryker gazed at Zeke. “You know that’s not the only thing that’s stopping me.” He sighed. “What difference does it make? We would still do what we do.”

“It creates belonging,” Chrissy said. “It still means we can rehome where necessary, but some of us enjoy having this as our home base. At the moment, half your rescue organization is elsewhere, which was part of the problem today. And the reason they were elsewhere is mainly because those shifters with families need somewhere to access schooling. If we were a pack, we could have a proper clinic instead of borrowing Marco from the ranger service. We could attract wolves who can provide childcare, education. It doesn’t mean we can’t rescue shifters. I think it means we could do it better. And,” she said pointedly, “we could name pack members.”

Chrissy looked at Emmett, then back at Ryker, and for a second, Ryker didn’t get it. Then understanding hit him like a brick. She was right. Where would their pup go to school? What if Emmett wanted a scan? What if something went wrong? Shifters in the main house needed little medical attention, but Emmett needed tests to see what was wrong anyway, and the last thing Ryker wanted was for him to have to go two hours into Asheville.

His skin went cold. Emmett couldn’t make that journey when he was five or six months pregnant. What if Zeke and Emmett thought Emmett would be safer in Asheville? Then, what if Emmett decided he ought to stay there for the baby?

He looked over at Zeke, and Zeke nodded approvingly. Ryker chewed his lip. Were they right? Was he behaving like an alpha? He supposed so. The compound had always been his responsibility; likewise, the shifter rescues and the wolf discipline that followed. Zeke never got involved in that side of the business. He glanced around at his team as he called it. Chrissy and Dinah lived at the pack house, obviously, as did Fox and Red, but neither of them had family. Liam stayed during the rescues and went to his pack over in Sapphire the rest of the time. TJ had a family in Charlotte covered by the Danville pack. The alpha there was getting ready to retire, and his son was a bit of a hothead, but Ryker didn’t have any problems with him. Marco was a panther shifter and lived near Asheville. The real problem was that Ryker wasn’t officially recognized as alpha, which could easily happen.

“Is this what you all want?”

They all nodded.

“I’d have to transfer, and Ginny would need to look into schooling, but I know she’s wanting to live somewhere else, especially since the twins were born,” TJ said.

“One of the seventeen applications comes from a wolf shifter that ran the small school in the Mills River pack,” Fox said.

“That’s not necessarily a recommendation,” Ryker said dryly.

Chrissy shook her head. “We haven’t had much time to talk, but leaving the pack wasn’t either easy or often not an option. He might not have had a choice.”

Ryker nodded. “Let me have a few days to think about it.”

They broke up, and Ryker glanced over at Emmett, about to ask him if he was hungry, when they all heard a scream from the kitchen, followed by a wail that got louder. Emmett shot out the door, and Ryker followed. Calvin was crouched back on the small cot, tears streaming down his face. Emmett widened his arms as he sat down, and Calvin nearly threw himself at him. It had been a nightmare, and when Calvin had calmed down a little, he told them he had dreamed the ceiling had fallen down in the cave and they were trapped.

Ryker leaned over and stroked the pup’s head. He didn’t want to frighten him, but he also knew Calvin was a wolf and they responded to touch. He wanted Emmett to get some rest, but he didn’t know what to do about Calvin.

“Don’t leave me.”

Emmett shot a pleading look at Ryker.

“Okay, buddy.” Ryker hunched down. “You can come and stay with us tonight, but you gotta hold Emmett’s hand and walk next to him. He worked hard getting you all out of that cave, and you’re a big strong pup that doesn’t need carrying.”

Emmett opened his mouth, and Ryker was sure that he was going to protest, but Calvin nodded and stood. He looked cautiously at Ryker. “Are you my new alpha?”

Ryker smiled at the little guy, but before he could say anything, Calvin rushed at him. He just got his arms untangled as Calvin cuddled in deeper. Emmett looked surprised, and Ryker understood how human kids would think he was scary, but shifter kids were different. It was in their DNA to look to their alpha for protection.

“You might have your own omega looking for you,” he hedged.

Calvin seemed to consider that. “You’re never gonna make me go back there, are you?”

Ryker shook his head. “No, buddy. We’re still searching for your omega, but whatever happens, you would never go back there.”

Calvin sniffed and pushed against Ryker even more. “I’ve never had an omega. Why can’t Emmett be mine? He hasn’t got a pup.”

Ryker shot an agonized look at Emmett, who put his hand up to cover his mouth as if to stop a cry escaping. They were still talking to the pack members. They had no idea if Calvin had a family. “How about this? If we find your omega, we ask them if you both want to live here?”

Calvin didn’t seem sure, but he nodded, and Ryker knew he would have to accept it. He had no idea what else to say anyway. He hugged Calvin for another moment, then solemnly clasped Emmett’s hand and took Calvin’s in his other. He didn’t mind Calvin being there, but Ryker wasn’t getting relegated to the couch.

An hour later, everyone had settled down. Ryker commandeered the large room downstairs that doubled as a bedroom when it was crowded. The cave rescue had overshadowed the fact they still had the Panthera and Emmett’s maniac uncle to deal with, and security-wise he didn’t want Emmett in a cabin close to the tree line. Calvin had happily had a bath and was now seated at the small table Ryker had taken from the kitchen, coloring.

“They’re all underfed,” Emmett said quietly and wrapped his hands around a cup of peppermint tea. “Covered in bruises.”

“There’s no ID for any of the omega kids.”

“None at all?” Emmett asked in surprise.

Ryker shook his head and sipped his coffee. “No, remember what I told you? It’s only needed if the shifter’s going to interact in the human world. You’d be surprised by the number of humans living off the grid these days, never mind shifters.”

Emmett seemed to think about that. “What was it at the meeting? There seemed to be something no one was saying.” He rested his hand on his belly eloquently.

Ryker stared at the table for a long time before he answered. He owed Emmett this. “One of the reasons my dad lost the pack was because of me. Mixed breeds can’t be alphas usually. If I had been able to become alpha, we would have been less likely to get challenged. Mom—”

“Whoa,” Emmett interrupted. “In what reality is being born to mixed parents your fault?”

Ryker opened his mouth, then closed it again. He’d never actually… Ryker let the indignation on Emmett’s face warm him. “I suppose because I had it rammed down my throat for so many years. Even when I shifted and grew another eight inches in the space of a year, it didn’t matter. I guess I was used to being blamed.” He took a breath, feeling like something that had been weighing him down for years was suddenly so much lighter.

Emmett put out his hand, and Ryker immediately clasped it. “Is there any other reason apart from that?”

Ryker barked out a laugh. “I don’t know whether the council would ratify a pack with a mixed-breed alpha.”

Emmett frowned. “And why do they matter?”

“They’re like the shifter governing body. The only time they really interfere is if shifters are doing something that threatens discovery by the humans. If shifter law is broken, it’s usually handled at the pack level. Their main priority is saving our species.” He took Emmett’s hand. “You do know I don’t agree, don’t you? But it also means they may ratify the pack but not me. Another alpha could simply take over. I wouldn’t even be challenged.”

Emmett paled a little, but Calvin tugged his arm to show him his picture. Ryker refilled his milk and Calvin looked up to thank him very politely, then returned to his coloring.

“One thing that amazes me is that the shifters have managed to keep this from humans for so long.”

“We have lots of motivation. Genetic experimentation, conscripted super soldiers. The list is endless.”

Emmett shuddered. “I can imagine.”

“I’d like you to see Marco when he’s finished checking the kids. He’ll be back with Darriel tomorrow.” Ryker stepped closer and cupped Emmett’s cheek. Emmett leaned into the touch.

“Having a full clinic here would be a good idea,” Emmett said. “Are you worried you will run out of space?”

“I need to talk to your dad about the land deal he is doing.” Ryker stroked a thumb up and down his cheek almost idly as if he wanted the closeness. “There’s a farmer whose land butts right up to our western edge. It doesn’t have the park access, but it wouldn’t matter because we do. It would give us double what we have, which means we would have room for those who want to stay permanently and those who are temporary.”

There was a knock on the door a moment later, and Calvin jumped. “It’s okay,” Ryker said and got up. It was Zeke. Calvin crept up on Emmett’s lap and hid his face. “I’ll go make sure Marco has everything he needs,” Ryker said immediately, knowing Emmett and his dad needed to talk.

Zeke grinned. “Not necessary for me unless Emmett—”

“No, I’m good,” Emmett said, then after a second followed it with “Dad.”

Zeke stared at him for a long second, then smiled. “I just want to say one thing—well, two.”

Emmett waved at the chair. “Do you want a coffee?”

Zeke shook his head. “I have to get back. There’s a board meeting tomorrow I can’t miss if we’re going to purchase that land in Tennessee.” Ryker rolled his eyes, and Zeke grinned. “I trust Ryker, but I want to make it clear right now if you ever need a home, you will always have one with me.”

Ryker tried and failed to swallow the growl that came from his throat. Not that he really cared. Let Zeke try and take Emmett and he would show him exactly who the alpha was.

“Thanks, Dad,” Emmett said softly. “Why don’t you sort out what you have to do and then come back for the weekend? I want to get to know you too.”

Zeke nodded. “I’d like that.” He glanced at Ryker. “Walk me out?”

Ryker met Zeke’s eyes and pushed off from where he had been leaning against the wall. They both walked into the corridor.

“I’ve made a call to the lawyers. I need a pack name.”

Ryker huffed. “I said I needed twenty-four hours.”

Zeke looked amused. “There’s no way the logistics of not having a medical center and a school here haven’t occurred to you.”

“You know?” Ryker blurted out. “Emmett told you?”

Zeke stared at Ryker for a moment. “I was talking about the way your mate seems to have gotten very attached to the little guy in there and vice versa. What are you talking about?”

Ryker swallowed. Shit. What the fuck did he say? “Emmett’s right. It would be good for you to come up for a few days. Get to know him.” He waited for Zeke to call him on his bullshit, but after a moment, he just nodded.

“Okay. I’ll see you Friday. I’m having May open accounts in your name. You’ll need a lot of supplies. Let me know who you need to be on the payroll and I’ll take care of it.”

Ryker nodded and stuck out his hand. It was a human thing, but it felt right with Zeke. “Thanks. Your support means a lot.” He didn’t specify whether that meant for his pack or his mate, but he didn’t think he needed to. Zeke didn’t charm investors by being stupid.

Zeke clasped his hand briefly and then jogged all the way to his car.

A pack? Every day growing up, his dad had told him what a failure he was. How he would never be an alpha, like it was his fault he had been born. And for a long time, Ryker had believed him, until a certain omega had wormed his way into Ryker’s life and put his faith in him. Maybe it wasn’t so impossible after all.