Our Omega

Darkness. Footsteps. The scent of blood in the air. Crack. Pain. Snap. Agony. Slice. Scream.

Noah jerked awake in a panic. Skin slick with sweat and panting for breath, he struggled to calm his racing heart as he scrambled to remember where he was. Blinking against the brightness of the room, it took him a moment to make out the rich earth tones of the room around him. Relief rushed through him. It was his bedroom at the Grand Rapids Pack House. Thank God.

For months, it had been the same thing. Night after night, he was dragged away from much needed sleep and forced to relive the most traumatic experience of his life. It had gotten so bad, he was no longer able to sleep in a bed. It left him feeling too vulnerable, too exposed. Now he spent every night sleeping in a chair by the window. It was the one place he felt secure enough to risk a loss of consciousness. At least this time he’d made it through the night. A soft, golden light glowed through the trees and in through his window. He drew in a deep breath and turned his attention outward in a desperate attempt to calm his frazzled nerves.

A pair of mourning doves cooed to each other softly from the eaves of the house. Looking outside, he took in the clear blue sky of a beautiful, cloudless day. There was a gentle breeze moving through the trees caused their branches to bob lazily. With his eyes closed and his face tilted up to the sun, Noah could almost pretend he felt the light kiss of air teasing against his skin in a gentle caress. The phantom draft would tickle up the length of his arm and…

The sound of a door slamming down the hall snapped him out of his musings. He didn’t bother to choke back his sigh of frustration as he glared at the door. He wanted to ignore it, hoping that whoever was outside would eventually assume he was out and go away. Company made it hard to wallow in misery. Unfortunately, solitude was not something easy to come by in his new, temporary digs.

With Eli being mated to the Alpha of the Grand Rapids Pack, and Noah now being homeless, he was squatting with the local wolves until they were able to figure out his father’s master plan and stop him. While he was grateful for their hospitality, it was difficult for him to be surrounded by so many people. Shifters were a very tight knit, affectionate group of people. As a man who could no longer stand to be touched, Noah lived in a constant state of caution. It was exhausting. When the knock sounded again, he knew the gig was up.

“For God’s sake, quit knocking and come in already!”

“It’s about fucking time. I thought I was going to have to break down the door.” His brother Eli loped into the room and dropped down on the bed like he owned the place. Since he was mated to the Pack Alpha, he kind of did.

Noah scowled at the thought. “I’m busy, E. What do you want?”

Eli scoffed. “I can see that. Ending global warming and creating world peace, are we? I came to see if you wanted to go for a run. You haven’t shifted in months, and I’m itching to get out and stretch my legs. What do you say?”

Noah shook his head. “I’m good. Maybe another time.”

“Come on, Noah. It’s a beautiful day and it would be good for you to go outside and get some fresh air.”