Baby and the Wolf by Victoria Sue
Chapter Three
Seven miserable weeks later,Ryker got a summons he hadn’t been expecting. Seven weeks where he was convinced every day he was going to lose his mind. Six weeks and six days too many since he had seen a certain human. Over a thousand hours too long to feel like half of him was missing. Zeke—Ryker’s boss—had asked to see Ryker as soon as he could make it into his offices in downtown Asheville, which was as close to an order to get his ass there immediately as it could be. Zeke hadn’t even called him; May had.
Chrissy looked at him warily as he put the phone down. “I’ve gotten called in to see the boss.”
“Good,” she mumbled around the nail between her lips, then took it out. “Go get your grumpy ass down there, and don’t come back until you’ve had your personality upgraded.”
Ryker scowled, but she just raised an eyebrow as if he was proving her point. He huffed and strode out to the truck, smiled at Louis as he passed because anything less would be like kicking a puppy, got the expected blush and lowered gaze, then headed to the parking area. He didn’t really expect Louis to look him in the eye even after repeated assurances, because the last time he had done that to an alpha he’d had every finger broken, but he hoped one day.
He got into the truck and slammed the door, his heart pounding like he’d run a race. What the hell did Zeke want? Their friendship worked better when neither of their alpha personalities crossed paths that often, even if Zeke was a human. The corporate charity that handled the human side of the operation was a front for the shifter side of everything. But Zeke had his own reasons for what he did, and Ryker owed him. He’d even made him his partner on paper, but Ryker still thought of him as the boss. It had been Zeke who had put up all the money, bought the land, and ran the human side of everything.
Ryker did the hands-on shit. He was the guy who usually had to break into someone’s house and rescue the omega or kids or mate that was being abused or treated like they were property.
Ryker mentally altered that. He didn’t have a problem with ownership exactly, providing the person being owned was good with it and was treated right, but often omegas could get stuck with an asshole, and that’s where he came in. It wouldn’t be the first time he had stared down the wrong end of a gun barrel, and it wouldn’t be the first time he’d been involved in a shifter fight to the death. He’d met Zeke because he’d done exactly that. Zeke had found him just after his so-called father had shot him after beating up his mom. His mom hadn’t survived, and it was a wonder Ryker had because he’d been too weak to shift when Zeke had found him.
Not that as a human Zeke didn’t have his own problems. He’d lost his shifter mate years ago. All the shifters involved with Shifter Rescue had been touched by similar stories, not that Zeke generally called him down to the office for that. Come to think of it, Zeke never called him down to the office, so he had no idea what was going on.
The sudden thought he might catch a glimpse of a certain human made his breath catch.
Maybe Ryker needed a change? Maybe that was why he was pining over a human. Pining? He felt physically sick. Like an addict desperately needing a fix. Maybe what he really needed to do was fess up to May and find out how Emmett was. He knew his wolf did. Dumb animal was barely speaking to him. Not that it used words, obviously, but his alpha wolf generally had a way of making sure Ryker heard him just fine. He’d had a ridiculously awkward conversation with May a day after Emmett had left with her asking that if Emmett was at risk or anything to please call him. She hadn’t, and it was killing him.
If May had thought that was odd, she had had the grace not to call him on it.
Another sense of unease rushed through him as he wondered if something was wrong. Ryker’s heart started pounding. What if they’d done tests and Emmett really was sick? Ryker tightened his hands on the steering wheel. He should have called May again and made sure.
Two hours later, he was let into Zeke’s cool offices. May greeted him with wariness, which settled like lead in his belly. He strode purposely toward Zeke’s door, knocked briefly, and let himself in. Zeke looked up and nodded to the chair in front of the desk, but Ryker wasn’t here for some interview, and he leaned back against the closed door and folded his arms. “Well?”
Zeke sighed. “Sit down.”
Ryker was tempted to retort “make me,” but he just stayed where he was instead. Zeke threw his pen down and eyed Ryker. He didn’t know what was wrong with the usually cool, calm, collected guy, but something was riding his ass.
“I need help.”
Ryker nearly gaped. That was a first. He sat and finally faced Zeke. Zeke was silent for a moment before he spoke. Just as Ryker was going to change his mind and stand, he met Ryker’s eyes. “My mate left me just over twenty years ago, and I never found her.”
Ryker nodded. He knew that. It was why they had met. “I know some panther clans make human and shifter mating pretty impossible.” They weren’t as bad now, but elitist didn’t even begin to cover how they used to be, and Zeke was one hundred percent human. “Banned cross-shifter mating as well as banned human mating.”
“They do. I obviously didn’t know that. I didn’t know shifters existed. Josie did, and that was the problem. She was a panther omega.”
Ryker lifted an eyebrow in surprise. He hadn’t known she was an omega. That was rare, very rare for panthers.
“Or at least he told me she couldn’t shift and defend herself. I now know that’s because she was an omega. And the Panthera found out about me. She went to visit her while I was away at a stupid work thing.”
Ryker winced. The head of a panther clan was the alpha female or Panthera. Panther clans were very different from wolf packs. Members never lived together. It was even usual for mated pairs to live apart, and it was how Josie must have gotten away with hiding she had a human boyfriend.
“The Panthera frightened Josie into giving me up. She expected Josie to return to the fold. She didn’t expect her to run.”
Ryker sat back. He knew the Panthera would have threatened Zeke’s life. Shit, that was god-awful. “But—” He cut the words off.
“Why did she go?” Zeke supplied. “Why didn’t she talk to me first?”
Ryker arched an eyebrow, because yes.
“She was pregnant.”
“Fuck,” Ryker said. Wolves, alphas especially, could hear the heartbeat of an unborn child, but he knew panthers couldn’t, or males certainly. The Panthera could, he thought, but that might have been just a legend. They were a secretive lot.
Zeke nodded. “Josie must have known, and she knew not only was I in danger, but a mixed cub would have been slaughtered immediately.”
“How did you find out?”
“Because a week later I got a visit from the Panthera’s son, Josie’s brother. Her older brother. He told me everything.”
Ryker gaped. That the Panthera could threaten her own daughter… “What did he say?”
“He told me all about shifters and demonstrated right in front of me. I thought I was going to have a heart attack. He told me basically that if I didn’t stop looking for her, not only would I meet with an unfortunate accident, but so would she.”
Ryker couldn’t imagine. He hadn’t known any of this. “And now?” Because there must be something, some reason Zeke was telling him. Zeke was one of the most private people he knew. They’d known each other nineteen years, and this was the first time he’d heard any details.
“Emmett Keefer is my son.”
For a moment there wasn’t even enough oxygen in the room, but then Ryker took a breath and acknowledged in some weird karma-type shit way, he wasn’t surprised. Then awareness slammed into him. Fuck. Emmett was Zeke’s son? He gazed at Zeke, waiting for the bastard to leap up and go for his jugular.
“And he knows?”
Zeke shook his head. “I saw his file for the first time yesterday. I was out of state, as you know, when May settled him into a shared apartment. You know he has something that makes him react badly to stress? Vasovagal syncope to give it its proper title.”
Ryker nodded, but it was unnecessary as his report contained the details of how they met, and Ryker had stressed to May he needed to be checked out by a doctor. “The blood enzymes we routinely run flagged him as a shifter, but not what type. I didn’t know myself until I saw his picture.” He pulled a wallet out of his back pocket and flipped it open. He slid out an old photo and passed it over. Ryker took it, and his fingers tightened involuntarily. Emmett was nearly her double, especially as this photo was obviously from years ago. So Zeke wasn’t here to ream him out? But then he wouldn’t know. May was a shifter, but after they had both showered, the only lingering scent could be explained by close proximity, so she couldn’t have said anything.
“He didn’t say anything to me. It was a total coincidence we met.”
Zeke nodded, picked up his pen, and tapped it nervously, which was also a first. Fuck, it made Ryker glad he had no kids if they caused this much of a problem. “I know. I read your report.”
“Why would Josie leave her son with such a bastard though?”
“I don’t know. Josie told me she was an orphan. She’d been an only child, and her parents were killed in an accident. She was nineteen when we met and six months later ran off.” Zeke looked at Ryker, the fear and the longing in his eyes warring for dominance. “He’s afraid of his uncle, and I’m afraid of the Panthera finding out who he is.”
No wonder his wolf had acted all weird in the bar. He’d recognized the presence of shifters but had not been able to identify them. He wondered if they were all panther shifters.
Zeke nodded. “I’ve done some more research since I found out about Emmett yesterday. Josie changed her name and must have been able to buy a whole fake identity. She died in an accident when Emmett was nine. Barry was made his guardian after she named him as her next of kin. Panther shifters always have the pack name as a last name, the same as some wolves, but because they are so independent, they may take a human last name. This was how Barry managed to keep Emmett’s existence as a secret. The Panthera may not even know Josie is dead.”
“It was reported as a wild animal attack while she was out hiking with friends. Friends who, after the accident investigation was completed, have since been impossible for me to track down.”
So the panther clan had killed her. No wonder Zeke looked like shit. “Are you a hundred percent positive who he is?”
Zeke nodded. “Very. I know he carries no shifter scent. I already asked May. That’s the one unique trait with panthers and the other reason I know what he is.”
Ryker went hot, then cold all over. “What did you say?”
“That they carry no scent.”
“No.” Ryker shook his head. “You said omega, but that’s impossible. There’s no such thing as a panther omega born to mixed parents.” Or as far as he knew.
It was Zeke’s turn to shake his head, and Ryker’s heart started pounding. For the first time in weeks, his wolf sat up and took notice. “That’s a rumor put out by them to discourage mixed mating because omegas are so revered in panther clans. We know Emmett carries the shifter gene. He’s a shifter who doesn’t shift. He carries no scent. It’s not impossible to believe that somewhere I have shifter blood in me. And likely why uncle dearest was keeping him in isolation. I’m not sure Barry hid him simply for Emmett’s protection or why he didn’t tell Emmett what he is. I’m still trying to find that out.”
Ryker’s heart pounded in his ears. His world seemed to be narrowing to a tight tunnel. He almost couldn’t breathe. “Do panther omegas have the same gifts as wolf omegas?”
“Yes. In females it obviously doesn’t matter, but in males it’s a huge problem, as you can imagine.”
“Spell it out,” Ryker said gruffly just in case his whole fucking world hadn’t turned on its head.
Zeke looked uncomfortable. “It’s not like I’ve been able to run tests. May says he’s a very private person and completely convinced if he shows any sign of his condition, he will be penalized somehow. You really think I’m going to sit him down and say, ‘Oh, by the way, son, not only could your mother turn into a wild animal at will, but we have an awful feeling that you can get pregnant’?” Zeke’s voice rose with each word. “He has no idea who his mom was or who he is.”
“And what do you want me to do?” He had to talk to him. Somehow get him on his own after Zeke had broken the news.
“I’m afraid to tell him,” Zeke admitted. “Stress—”
“I know,” Ryker interrupted, and then understanding slammed into him. “Wait. You expect me to tell him?” Fuck.
“May tells me he asks about you. Not often, but he has inquired if he’s ever likely to see you again. She told him you do a lot of traveling,” he said dryly. “But seeing a friendly face might calm him down enough it’s not such a shock.”
Ryker scoffed disbelievingly. Nothing would make that news any better. Ryker closed his eyes and thought back. Not that he’d had to think very much. Their whole interaction had been running around his mind on repeat for weeks. He’d thought Emmett had prepped, but if Ryker hadn’t been so lust addled, he would have known that was ridiculous. He was just on his way out, for fuck’s sake. Omegas didn’t need lube when they were in heat. And if he was in heat, it explained why Ryker’s body had reacted as it did.
I knotted him. Ryker hadn’t been able to pull out after he had come, and it was only because Emmett had practically passed out from exhaustion that he hadn’t realized. He was so fucking stupid. He knew. His wolf had been trying to tell him at the time, and his normally ironclad control had disappeared like so much smoke.
It also meant something else. There might not be any point in warning Emmett about the insane possibility of a male getting pregnant anymore. In fact, it was probably already too late.