(4).
When Alpha meets Omega
.
Chapter 4: The alpha finally awakens and he's an asshole
.
“So tell me exactly what happened out there,” Erik finally speaks and he sounds so tired.
Carlos swallows but Jorge rubs his shoulder reassuringly for a moment, gentle ushering Carlos to speak. His throat is dry but he swallows and sits straight.
“W-well I was going to the meadows, Jorge asked if I could pick marigolds while I was there. I was just. . . walking when I found him. The wolf. I saw something ahead of me and went over to it. He was. . .he was hurt real bad, bleeding out and covered in dirt and mud. I just couldn’t leave him like that.”
There’s a pause and Jorge nudges him to continue.
“But then Gavin came out of nowhere and saw too. . . he didn’t want to do anything at first, but I convinced him to carry the wolf back so we could help him. Please don’t blame Gavin, i-it’s all on me. I couldn’t leave the wolf there to just die. I know I can help him get back on his feet. I didn’t know it was a bad idea, I’m sorry. . . “
The alpha sighs, pinches the bridge of his nose. “I can appreciate your compassion for others, Carlos, but I don’t think you understand the implications of bringing an outsider into the pack. It could be a trick, he could have volunteered to be injured just so that one of us would find him and bring him right into the heart of our village. Or if his pack comes looking for him, it wouldn’t be the first time that wolves have jumped to the wrong conclusions, and they might think we captured him, attack us without stopping to ask questions. You should have come back and let me handle it because now it’s my problem, you might have just endangered my pack—”
“Erik,” Jorge murmurs, just loud enough that they can all hear him. It borderlines a warning tone and Carlos has never heard an omega speak to an alpha like that.
But Erik just pauses and takes a deep breath, rolling back his shoulders to try and ease some of the tension out of them. “Did he try to attack you? This wolf?”
Carlos wrings his fingers together. “Yes and no. . .”
When Erik frowns and opens his mouth, Carlos beats him to it, no matter how disrespectful that might be.
“B-But he tried to leave. He growled and moved, but his leg was broken so. . . he didn’t go anywhere. I know he’s not faking it, because he was scared. I saw it in his eyes. He let me touch him but he didn’t attack me. He was just afraid and I don’t think a wolf who volunteered to die —in the middle of a valley— would act like that.”
Jorge nods in agreement. “As I said yesterday, most of his superficial wounds are defensive and there was blood and tissue in his mouth. Whoever this alpha is, he fought his attackers. He’s no decoy. You should be glad that members of your pack are so compassionate, Erik. Wouldn’t you want someone else to do the same for one of us?”
Erik bristles, eying his mate for a long moment before turning his gaze back towards Carlos. “You can go, Carlos.”
Carlos can sense the tension that lingers in the air and he stands from the couch, sending a silent “thank you” to Jorge before he shuffles out of the living room.
Erik and Jorge are quiet until the front door shuts and Erik’s eyes fall on his mate.
“You were out of line,” he warns. “I don’t mind your opinions in private but challenging me in front of another omega—”
“Quit acting all high and mighty, Erik,” Jorge chides. “I was not challenging you and we are in private, we’re in our own home. You needed to open your eyes to the whole story and I merely added on with my observations. You’re acting like a wolf with a broken leg who was almost dead yesterday is going to kill everyone in this pack.”
“It’s my job to keep this pack safe. I have to treat outsiders as a threat. This wolf isn’t some pet that Carlos dragged home to fix up, this is something that could have serious consequences, Jorge, and if you don’t understand that. . .”
“Then what? Are you going to treat me as a threat too, just like you are treating Carlos and that wolf?”
Jorge is the only wolf in the entire world that can speak to Erik like this and not have the alpha wrestle him into submission, but even Erik’s patience has a limit and his eyes flash gold. It’s gone in a split second, and the alpha stands. “Keep me updated on the outsider,” he says instead of answering the question. “I want him shifted back as soon as possible so we can get some answers.”
Jorge retreats from his spot and brushes past the alpha on his way. “I’ll do my best,” is his murmured reply before he’s out the door in a matter of seconds, leaving Erik alone in their quiet cabin to hopefully dwell on his actions.
<<>>
A couple of weeks pass before Erik gets his wish.
In that time, Carlos has spent just about every day with the wolf in the infirmary, checking his bandages and reapplying any pastes and bringing the wolf food to keep his strength up.
It’s boring being alone, and Carlos truly believes that the wolf must be feeling lonely, and he even talks to the wolf here and there though he doesn’t get much of a response.
The wolf needs to be bathed occasionally, but Carlos isn’t allowed to move him anywhere, so he just takes a wet washcloth over his silver fur to clean off anything that’s there. He feels like he’s taking care of a pet, like a dog or something, because he does a lot for the wolf in terms of feeding, bathing, and spending time with him.
Tensions between Erik and Jorge linger over the issue, but as long as they don’t talk about it together they’re fine. Other wolves are curious, have seemed to really forget all about the outsider because he’s been hidden away for weeks, and Carlos is content with just sitting in the infirmary reading books in the wolf’s company.
One day when Carlos dozes off, book clutched against his chest, the moment the pack has been waiting for finally happens.
The omega stirs when he hears a low grunt from the floor. He sits up slowly, the book dropping to the ground from his place on a cot, and he rubs his eyes before focusing them on the wolf—
Wait.
Carlos blinks a couple more times when he sees a human hand reaching blindly for a blanket on top of the nearest cot. He peers over and lets out an audible gasp when he sees that the outsider, no longer a wolf, wraps himself up in the blanket and move the once-broken leg to shift around.
Just like his fur, the outsider’s hair is silver and fluffy, skin pale with an almost milky hue. He’s short, can only be a couple of centimeters taller than the omega, thin as Gavin had described when he had picked him up like nothing only a few weeks ago.
Carlos scrambles from the cot and he startles the outsider for a second, head whipping around to the noise, but when their eyes lock, desperate sensations of need and want twist in the pit of the omega’s stomach hard . He’s never felt a pull like this, struggling to hold his wolf at bay.
“You—” the stranger spits, blanket firmly in place around his naked waist, recoiling from Carlos like he’d been burned. It’s clear from the pinched expression on his heart-shaped face that whatever is happening to Carlos is happening to him. “G-Get out!”
Carlos blinks out of the stupor. “W-what, no, I’m not—”
“Get. Out. Omega ,” the silver alpha snarls, voice raspy from disuse. It sends shivers up Carlos’s spine.
.
TBC
(5). When Alpha meets Omega. Chapter 5: soulmates, perhaps? .Carlos blinks out of the stupor. “W-what, no, I’m not—”“Get. Out. Omega ,” the silver alpha snarls, voice raspy from disuse. It sends shivers up Carlos’s spine.Carlos’s never been referred to in a degrading tone before. The pack doesn’t speak like that to one another, so when the alpha downgrades him just for his status, his brows pinch and his jaw tenses.“ N-no, I’m not leaving,” he stands his ground, but the alpha’s cold stare is convincing the wolf inside him otherwise. “You don’t get to tell me when to go when I saved your ass!”“You’ll do as I say ,” the alpha snaps back, pulling the blanket even tighter around himself. There’s an angry red scar running from his shoulder blade down his back, the same wound Carlos had helped heal when he was a wolf.“You’re not my alpha,” Carlos grits his teeth in defiance. Inside, he knows he’s pushing this too far, but a part of him refuses to back down because he saved this wo
(6). When Alpha meets Omega. Chapter 6: I can do this .Carlos shivers when he sees the mark and his eyes widen like a doe caught in the middle of a hunt.“W-what. . . it’s— it’s the same as mine—”“Life is cruel, huh? Pairing us together like this.” Ricardo sneers, pretty face twisting into a haughty look. “To think we’re fated to grow old together makes my stomach turn.”Carlos’s stomach sinks and the mark twinges against his hip. His throat tightens upon the realization that the marks appeared because they’re fucking soulmates.He wants to puke.“I-I fucking saved your life,” Carlos’s voice wavers and Jorge pities him with all his heart because Carlos doesn’t deserve this. “I should have left you to die out there, you asshole.”Even Erik is struck silent, mouth opening and closing without making a sound as Ricardo pulls his leg back inside the blanket and covers himself back up. He aches for Carlos, because when he saw Jorge for the first time, their clover marks searing into t
(7). When Alpha meets Omega. Chapter 7: I'm willing to try if you are .When Carlos enters the infirmary, the overwhelming scent of sandalwood washes over him in a way that has all the tension melting out of his muscles. Ricardo is curled up against the wall with his legs tucked into his chest, blanket still around his his and his head on his knees. The exposed bits of his pale skin glisten with sweat and Carlos can even see from his spot in the doorway how short the alpha’s breathing is.Carlos clears his throat as he steps in, gently closing the door behind him. He’s unsure of what to do, so he stands there waiting for Ricardo to look at him or acknowledge him in some way.With the sound of the door clicking shut, Ricardo’s face snaps up and when his eyes meet Carlos’s, it looks like he's been crying. “Oh, it's you,” he says, voice scratchy and rough.Carlos isn’t doing a great job at hiding his surprise when he sees the red welt across Ricardo’s cheek and his puffy eyes. “Yeah,
(8). When Alpha meets Omega. Chapter 8: aroma of sandalwood. Carlos ends up dozing off for a little bit with Ricardo, but it’s the call for dinner that has him rubbing his eyes and sitting up. Ricardo doesn’t want to let him go, rumbles low in his throat when Carlos slips away from him and off the cot. “I need to grab dinner,” the omega whispers, urging Ricardo to go back to sleep for a little while because he’s sure he’ll have to stick around for a bit to answer some questions. “I’ll be back later.”Ricardo murmurs something unintelligible in his sleep and rolls over, using the pillow in place of Carlos and curling his whole body around it.Carlos exits the infirmary quietly and fixes his appearance before making his way to dinner. The sun is setting, casting long shadows across the grass, the sky lit up with orange as far as the eye can see.Pack members must know that Carlos has spent time with the outsider or smell him or something because he gets quite a few stares as he scu
(9). When Alpha meets Omega. Chapter 9: we are stuck together like peas in a pod .Unlike his usual waking up time, Carlos finds himself blinking his eyes open to the sun peeking right through the windows of the infirmary. It’s annoyingly bright, he thinks, and Ricardo must think so too because his head is buried into Carlos’s back, arm curled around his waist. They’re spooning.Warmth simmers low in Carlos’s belly.When the omega shifts, tries to roll off the cot quietly, Ricardo mumbles and tightens his grip around Carlos’s waist, effortlessly drawing him back, the omega squeaking in protest. “Ric,” Carlos whispers, reaching back to press his hand against Ricardo’s stomach.Ricardo grumbles some more, almost whining in his sleep as Carlos manages to wiggle himself free. During the night, the dark sweater has ridden up on the alpha, exposing a thin strip of pale skin between the waistband of his borrowed underwear and the hem of the sweater.Carlos manages to sit up, free of the
(10). When Alpha meets Omega. Chapter 10: What is done is done .Until dusk, Carlos and Ricardo waste their time by reading books and chatting about whatever to keep themselves busy. When it’s time to head out, Carlos makes a quick run to go find Ricardo a pair of pants (it was unsuitable for him to show up in his underwear) before they leave together.Ricardo hasn’t been outside the infirmary since he was carried inside a couple weeks ago. He isn’t limping much, just favors one leg over the other, and Carlos sticks close to his side as they walk to the meeting hall.“Don’t get into any fights,” Carlos warns. Erik will be extremely unhappy if Ricardo either instigates or finishes a fight inside.As soon as they enter the meeting hall, which is really a space large enough to hold the entire pack that they’ve made a pavilion of sorts overhead to protect from the elements. There’s a few long tables with seats all around, but Erik sits at the head of the space with Jorge at his side.
(11). When Alpha meets Omega. Chapter 11: Broken Bonds don't heal .Now alone outside, Carlos has time to breathe in the crisp night air. It’s cold, goosebumps creeping along his bare arms, but the anger inside is boiling. His stomach burns and it hurts because Ricardo is not at his side and their bond is practically shattered. Shattered into tiny pieces he doesn’t want to clean up, not right now.He crouches down to pick up the pile of clothes left behind. The only thing intact is the sweater because it’s so thick, but the pants and underwear are shredded. The sweater smells like sandalwood and Carlos can’t seem to let go of it even when the meeting ends and wolves slink out of the meeting hall, and all he can feel is pitiful eyes behind his back.“Erik said that if anyone else wants to say stuff like that, he’ll kick them out of the pack.” Leo says, standing a comfortable distance behind Carlos. “Jeff has always been a hot head, Carl. Especially with his mom. . . You can't blame
(12). When Alpha meets Omega. Chapter 12: You came--You called .Almost two days into the Ricardo’s disappearance, the pain has hardly subsided and Carlos doesn’t have the energy to leave the infirmary. Whenever Jorge and Yara came in, they brought with them a spare change of clothes for Carlos and some food that hasn’t lasted for long. Carlos’s weak, doesn’t want to go anywhere, doesn’t have the motivation to do anything but sleep for hours on end like he’s in hibernation or sadly look through the books.He can’t stay here forever.And Leo thinks the same.On the second morning, said best friend practically bursts down the front door to the infirmary.“I can’t let you mope in this bed anymore,” the younger omega states, crouching next to the cot. “Come on, get up, we’re going outside. It’s so nice out and you need a bath and get some sun.”Carlos blinks at Leo and frowns. He does need a bath, he doesn’t smell 100%. “But I don’t wanna leave,” the omega croaks, squinting when he l