A Love that Lasts Forever Ch. 06

"I'll be right behind you." Rhys promised but when Caleb looked back, he was alone.

"Rhys?" He shouted into the darkness that was slowly engulfing him. "Rhys, where are you?"

The darkness swallowed him. Caleb closed his eyes, weeping as he clutched at his new born pup. All he wanted was to feel Rhys arms around him again, holding him safely against his chest. He wanted his mate back. Wolf God forgive him but he cursed the day he took Rhys from him.

When Caleb opened his eyes he was with Rhys again. They'd been staying in a small motel right outside of Boarshead. It had been just three weeks since Rhys had found Caleb and abandoned his plan of turning Caleb over to Silver Moon, instead opting to help his captive gain his freedom. Caleb knew he was still dreaming but it was a dream he never wanted to awaken from because he was dreaming of the most important moment of his life. The moment he first realized that Rhys was his mate.

Caleb had been scared when Rhys first encountered him. Months of being on his own and just scraping to get by had worn the little omega down significantly. He hadn't been hard to track down. Seriously, Caleb knew nothing about covering his tracks. He stuck out like a sore thumb.

Rhys had tracked him from Davenport to Olivesburg where he'd found the omega sleeping on a park bench, using his hoodie as a make-shift pillow.

Caleb had no idea how long the alpha had been there, watching him sleep. In retrospect it might have seemed creepy but when Caleb awoke to those large blue eyes glued to him he didn't feel alarmed. Not at first. There was something in those eyes that had him captivated. He knew the man was an alpha. That was obvious from his scent. Caleb should have been terrified but he wasn't.

Caleb set up, staring at the man, wondering who he was and why he was there. The man just stared at him for what seemed an eternity then he spoke. "Caleb Giles." He addressed Caleb formally as though he were a cop about to make an arrest. Caleb tensed. "Seth Bowden hired me to bring you home." The alpha told him. "So, you will come with me now."

Caleb's eyes went wide and he jumped up from the bench. The alpha groaned in annoyance. "Don't try to run." He told him. "You'll never make it"

"No!" Caleb cried out then he darted past the man and ran for the street. It was foolish, trying to outrun an alpha. Caleb was no match for him. Not in speed and certainly not in strength.

The Alpha caught him quickly and began to drag him towards a beat up, old, pickup truck. "Stop fighting me." The alpha warned. "It'll go easier on you if you just cooperate."

But Caleb didn't stop fighting him. If anything his determination only grew stronger. He'd even attempted to escape again only to be caught thirty-minutes later trying to board a bus out of town. The alpha who he'd now knew was named Rhys had hand cuffed him and dragged him back, throwing him angrily into the truck.

Rhys pulled out his smart phone and began dialing. Caleb's heart sank. "Who are you calling?" He asked. His voice full of fear.

"Who do you think?" Rhys had growled angrily. "I'm going to arrange to meet with your Alpha and get this over with. I can't take another second with you. You're so Goddamn infuriating!"

"Please, don't do that." Caleb begged. "I'll do anything, just don't take me back there. I'd rather die than go back to him. You don't know what he's planning to do to me."

Rhys narrowed his eyes. "He's mating you his brother, what's so bad about that? The Alpha's brother? Dude, you'll be set for life."

Caleb shook his head as he began to sob harder. "You don't understand. He's a monster. He'll kill me, I know it. Please, you can't take me back there. It'll destroy me." Caleb reached out and touched Rhys arms and immediately Rhys froze. It was like a spark of electricity had suddenly shot through them.

Caleb could feel him. Wolf God help him but he could literally feel what the alpha was feeling. The confusion, the frustration, his anger and surprisingly...fear. Was he actually afraid? Caleb couldn't even comprehend what happened next but some part of him, deep down in his subconscious, had reached out to Rhys then.

If he could feel Rhys emotions then why couldn't Rhys somehow feel Caleb's? With more power of will than actual thought, Caleb pushed everything inside him into the other shifter. Everything from the moment he'd heard about his impending mating up until the cuffs being slapped painfully on his wrists. He wanted Rhys to experience it all. The pain and humiliation yes, but mostly the fear. Fear was his driving force. Fear of an unknown future or, possibly, the lack there of.

Rhys's eyes went wide and he started breathing heavily. A deep, dark, savage rage suddenly took hold of him. He pushed Caleb away from him, threw his phone on the seat of the truck, and hauled ass back to the motel room. Caleb was terrified at this point. "What have I done?" He whispered to himself, falling into deep despair. Rhys had murder in his eyes and Caleb was sure this was going to be the end of him.

It took all of ten minutes to get back to the motel. Rhys parked and hauled Caleb out of the truck, both of them exiting from the drivers side. He practically drug him through the parking lot by his arm, pushing him roughly into the room they shared. Rhys shoved Caleb down onto the bed then leaned over him, pressing his hands down on Caleb's wrists, preventing him from moving.

Rhys's eyes were wild as he started down at his captive. "What are you?" He seethed with anger. "The truth, now!"

Caleb was shaking. Tears filled his eyes. He turned his head away, not sure how to answer. "Please." He whimpered. "Don't hurt me."

"Are you a witch?"

Caleb blinked, confused. "W-what? No."

"How are you doing this?"

"Doing what?"

"Don't act stupid." Rhys roared. "You know exactly what you're doing and I want to know how. Bowden said you had abilities. Is this what he meant? Are you mind controlling me somehow?"

"I'm not." Caleb shivered. "I swear. I don't know how it works. I don't even know what I did. I just...touched you. That's all, I swear."

"You did more than than." Rhys told him, his anger radiating through his voice. "What did you do to me?"

"Nothing." Caleb pleaded with his eyes, begging him to believe him. "I touched you, I swear. I wanted you to trust me, to understand me, and how I felt, what I felt, and then I touched you."

"So, you just want something to happen and you make it happen? Is that why Bowden thinks you're so special?"

"I don't know." Caleb tried to control his sobbing but he was too scared. "I've never done it before. I just...I don't know."

"You expect me to believe that?"

"Believe what you want." Caleb cried. "It's the truth. Either way, I know I'm dead."

Rhys was taken aback by that. He looked in the omegas amber eyes and what he saw there had shaken him to the core. This small, fragile, helpless omega was terrified, but it wasn't Bowden that he was scared of. In that very moment Rhys knew that it was him the omega feared.

Rhys released his wrists slowly and stood up. This wasn't who he was. He wasn't a bully, and he certainly didn't terrorize innocent omegas. Plus, there was something in this particular omega that had him second guessing all of his intentions up to that point.

He knew in an instant that he would never be able to turn him over to Seth Bowden. Doing so would go against everything his instincts were telling him to do. He had been paid to track Caleb down and return him to his Alpha but everything in him was telling him not to.

Rhys moved against the wall, reeling from the internal struggle that was now going on inside him. He brain was telling him to finish the job, collect his pay, and forget the omega who was staring at him in silent terror, but his wolf was howling inside of him. NO. NO. NO. Protect!

What the fuck! He thought to himself. What in the absolute fuck?

He felt panicked, and so unsure of himself. Unsure if the emotions he was feeling were really his own. Caleb seemed to notice Rhys's turmoil. He sat up and his expression softened. Rhys saw real compassion and sympathy in the boys gentle features. Caleb slipped off the bed and moved towards Rhys with the grace of an angel then, he reached out and placed a hand over Rhys heart.

"Don't" Caleb whispered when Rhys went to brush his hand aside. "Let me help." Rhys froze and Caleb closed his eyes. That same energy like an electrical pulse moved between them again and Rhys felt this bundle of emotion slowly untangle itself from around him and gently drift away as though Caleb were drawing it all into himself, taking the burden from Rhys and shouldering it all own his own.

"I know what you're feeling." Caleb said softly. "And it's alright. I can take it. I won't let you suffer like this. I can take it all."

"No, I..." Caleb placed a finger over Rhys lips, quieting him.

"It's okay. I'm sorry for what I did. I shouldn't have done it. You didn't deserve that. You're just doing a job. I get it. Putting my problems on you wasn't fair. Do what you have to do, I won't fight anymore."

When Rhys looked into the omegas eyes again and saw the emptiness of defeat staring back at him, his heart broke into a million pieces. There was no way Seth Bowden was getting his hands on him now. No way in hell.

After Rhys had finally calmed down, Caleb went to the double bed and lay down. He looked across the room to where Rhys was sitting, watching him closely from the chair across the room. Caleb tried to relax but he couldn't. Not with the alpha watching him the way he was. He sighed finally, then turned to look in Rhys direction.

"This bed is big enough for two people." He told him. "There's really no need for you to sleep in the chair."

"I'm good." Rhys said, a little too coolly.

Caleb rolled his eyes. "You don't need to be afraid of me." He said.

Rhys huffed, crossing his arms over his chest as he straightened himself in the chair and turned his face away from Caleb. "I'm not scared of an omega." He retorted.

"Then why not come over here and share the bed?" Caleb asked.

"I just don't think it's a good idea is all." Rhys grumbled.

Caleb smirked. "You think I might attack you?"

"No."

"You afraid you might attack me?"

Rhys snorted. "Hardly."

"Then what's the problem?"

Rhys groaned. "Would you just shut up and go to sleep already."

"Wolf God above, you're impossible."

Rhys raised an eyebrow as he glared at Caleb. "What?"

"You're just so stubborn." Caleb complained. "You'd rather sit over there when there's a perfectly good bed right here. I mean, seriously, I'm not going to bite you. But hey, if you'd rather wake up in the morning with a stiff neck, be my guest." He rolled over so his back was to Rhys.

A couple minutes passed then Caleb heard the sound of Rhys moving across the room. He kicked off his shoes then sat on the edge of the bed with a loud, audible sigh. "That's chairs really not all that comfortable." He said. A moment later Caleb felt the bed dip as Rhys lay down beside him, his back to Caleb's back, and teetering dangerously close to the edge.

"I can move over if you need more room." Caleb told him.

"I'm fine." Was all Rhys said.

Caleb shrugged, then closed his eyes and quickly went to sleep. By morning he had awoken laying next to Rhys, his head on the alphas chest and Rhys arms wrapped protectively around him. Caleb smiled. Not what he'd expected but he wasn't complaining. It was the first time he'd felt safe in, well, forever.

A knock at the door pulled Caleb out of his dream. He opened his eyes and realized that he was hugging the pillow to him, his head resting on it as it had been rested on Rhys chest in the dream. Caleb sighed. It was a nice dream. Maybe later, he'd dream of him again.

***

Rusty, an energetic, red-headed, omega was standing outside Caleb's door, bouncing eagerly on his heels as he waited for the new omega to answer his knock. Rusty hadn't met Caleb yet but he'd heard so much about him already. Not surprising really. Black River was a small pack and a very close knit community. When something as exciting as gaining a new pack mate happened, the gossip mills starting turning.

Plus, the story that came with him was so romantic, how could anyone not pass it along? Some of the details had been lost but Rusty knew the important parts. Rhys, an alpha and brother to their pack Alpha, Quin, had rescued a runaway omega, they fell in love, had a pup, and Rhys risked everything, including his life, to deliver his mate and pup safely to Black River.

Rusty couldn't even begin to imagine the horror of losing your mate. If anything like that had ever happened to Zev, Rusty would be devastated. His heart sank when he thought about what poor Caleb must be going through. From what he'd been told they'd only been mated for a little less than a year. And, with a new born pup...Oh, how Caleb must be grieving.

Caleb reminded Rusty of the omega heroes he loved reading about in shifter romance novels. Of course most of those heroes had their happily ever after in the end. Caleb's tragic love story may not have ended with a fairy tale romance but that didn't mean he couldn't have a HEA of his own. Who ever said like true love specifically meant falling in love with your mate? Just look at Disney's "Frozen".

That, if anything, was an epic tale of how you don't always need a knight in shining armor to save the damsel in distress. Sometimes, the damsel was more than capable of saving her or himself. Caleb had certainly proven that. Instead of giving up in the face of tragedy, he was fighting to save his pup, and himself, from an equally horrible fate. Leaving Black River for a barbaric pack that obviously had no clue how to treat their omegas.

Rusty was perplexed as to how anyone would chose to continue living in a place like that. Kudos to Caleb for running when he did. Rusty respected Caleb for taking the least omega approach possible and shoving a huge middle finger right in his Alphas face. 'You go boy!' Rusty thought, an enormous grin playing across his face. Why couldn't more omegas be like him?

Rusty knocked again and waited. Quinton said that Caleb might be resting so Rusty wanted to give him enough time to rouse himself out of bed and make presentable. Another couple of minutes later the door slowly opened to reveal the omega. He was small in stature. A little shorter than Rusty and way under weight, but that was only to be expected. He'd just given birth after all, and besides that, Rusty was sure that being on the run for so long didn't help his weight any.

But, even despite his overly thin appearance, he still pretty. With his shoulder length auburn hair, large amber eyes, and ivory complexion, he was a looker. Rusty was honestly a little jealous.

"Oh. My. Wolf God!" He squealed after looking Caleb over. "You are gorgeous!"

Caleb looked shocked for a moment then the shock slowly melted away and he smiled warmly at the other omega.

"Hi." Caleb greeted him with an amused chuckle. "I take it you're from the new parents group?"

Rusty nodded. "You are correct Sir. But, just between you and me..." Rusty looked around as though he were making sure there were no others within earshot who could overhear what he was about to say next. "We omegas call it the 'keeping our sanity club.' After a week of screaming, crying, and tantrums, we need time to ourselves to recover."

Caleb suddenly looked at Rusty in disbelief. "Oh, come on. They're not that bad. Are they?"

Rusty shrugged. "Sometimes, yes. But what can you expect, they're alphas. And, sometimes the pups are just as bad."

It took Caleb a moment to process what he'd just heard then, as if a switch had suddenly been flipped, he burst into a fit of uncontrolled laughter.

Rusty gave him a moment to compose himself then, with a wide grin, thrust his hand out in front of Caleb. "I'm Rusty Kavanagh." He told him. "Quin sent me to whisk you off to our, not so secret, club of omega insurgency. He thought a few hours with 'omegas gone wild' would help acclimate you to pack life at Black River."

Caleb giggled. "It sounds delightful and, maybe, a bit rebellious."

Rusty grinned. "Oh honey, you have no idea. We're scandalous."

***

"You sent him where?" Zev Kavanagh stared at Quinton, his eyes wide.

"To Rusty's parent group."

"The diaper brigade." Zev corrected.

Quinton smirked. "Exactly."

"Well, There's years of submission and obedience training down the toilet. Good job."

"That's what I was hoping for. I knew if anyone could do it, it'd be Rusty." Quinton gave Zev a quick wink.

"You got that right." Both men laughed and Zev relaxed back into his chair. Rusty was a handful, but Zev wouldn't have him any other way. His habit of speaking before thinking and overly flamboyant personality were just part of his charm. Underneath though, the boy had a heart of gold. He'd give the shirt off his back to someone in need and was always looking for a new cause. Hearing what Quinton had done though, Zev imagined that Rusty had just discovered his newest project.

"Caleb's in good hands." Zev assured his Alpha. "And, I do think what you're doing is admirable, by the way. So, how can I help? Other than allowing my mate to corrupt the boy?" He smirked.

Quinton shifted in his seat as he rubbed at the back of his neck, massaging out the lump he felt forming there. "I have to stand before the council in a week." Quinton told him. "Silver Moon wants Caleb back. I spoke with Shane Hollister and he convinced the council to give Caleb a week to lay Rhys body to rest and then mourn before he has to return."

Zev cocked an eyebrow. "And, of course, you're not planning to turn him over. No matter what Silver Moon wants."

"Caleb doesn't want to go back and I won't force him to. The problem is, legally he belongs to Silver Moon. There's a mating contract already in effect. I plan to contest it though."

Zev blew out a breath of relief. "I was hoping you'd say that."

Quinton seemed surprised. "Really?"

"Hell Yeah." Zev gave a soft chuckle. "Rusty will have both our heads if you just hand the kid over. Ever since he found out what happened, at least what's been circulating around the pack, he's been on a rant about omega rights and how Silver Moon needs to take a flying leap. If we didn't at least do something to try and help Caleb I'd never hear the end of it."

"So, you really don't have a problem with us keeping him?"

"Nope." Zev crossed his leg over his knee. "In fact, I'd be disappointed if you didn't at least try."

"Good." Quinton gave Zev a sly grin which suddenly put Zev on edge. He'd seen that look before and he knew it meant trouble. "I'm glad to hear you say that." Quinton continued. "Because I want you to go with me, as my second in command."

"Whoa, wait...what?" The smile dropped from Zev's face as he leaned forward in his seat. "You can't be serious. Me? Stand before the council? NO. No way man. Ain't happening."

"Come on Zev. I know it's a lot to ask, given your history with them, but you're all I've got. There isn't anyone more qualified, and I really need your help on this."

Zev leaned forward, placing his head in his hands. "It's not just my history with the council. You don't know what you're asking. I haven't seen or even spoken to him in ten years, Quin. Even when I left him a message telling him of Shay's birth, he didn't even give me the courtesy of a response."

Of course Quin knew that Zev was speaking of his father, Lorcan Kavanagh, an alpha who has had a seat on the council for the past three decades. Zev and his father had already had a strained relationship but at least they were on speaking terms until Zev had refused to join the 'Department of Shifter Affairs,' instead opting to accept a security position within the Black River pack. Lorcan hadn't spoken to him since.