Page 4 of Guarding the Runaway Omega

Hawk resisted rolling his eyes. Ever since he’d known David, he hadn’t exactly been the sharpest fang in the pack. “Yeah? What has you confused now?”

The evil gleam in David’s eye unsettled Hawk. “I noticed an awfully strong smell of sage coming from your shelter. You know, the sort of amount someone might use to conceal a wolf’s scent.” David seemed to have his swagger back. “Kinda like if you were hiding a rogue wolf who wasn’t supposed to be on Guardian Pack lands, that sort of thing.” He shrugged. “Maybe we should go make sure, right guys?”

Hawk pressed his lips together, his gut tightening as he readied himself to shift. The long wail of an unknown werewolf echoed across the forest along with a series of yips and cries that seemed to surround them from different points on the ridge and across the wooded valley. David narrowed his eyes at Hawk.

“Looks like you got lucky, Ivanov.” David glanced between them all. “We’ll each take a separate direction. These wolves are strangers, won’t know this land, so drive them to the deadfalls. If we can trap at least one or two of them, we can get answers.”

Such a wannabe Alpha. “Me and Cam will go higher.”

David whipped his head around to glare at Hawk. “Did I say you could go that way?”

Hawk glared back. “Suck porcupine dick. You’re not my Alpha.”

He’d already shifted and made it halfway up the incline toward his shelter before the little shit had even blinked. What a toady. David would undoubtedly be telling the Guardian Alpha Command later how he’d been the one to coordinate the whole mission and that he should get a prize or something. Maybe they’ll let David lick their boots.

When he reached the shack where he’d left his mate, he glanced over his shoulder to make sure he and Cam hadn’t been followed. He shifted back and stood under the overhang of the wood shelter while he waited for his friend to catch up, making a show of trying to keep out of the rain—but in truth—protecting the entrance to the structure.

Protecting my chosen.

His heart fluttered and he sucked in a sharp breath, the tender thrill so foreign to him. He’d wished to be bonded to his mate one day but not so soon. Yet, a part of him had feared it would never happen—that he was too different from the other wolves, that David was right about one thing. Maybe fate wouldn’t give him someone to share his life with because Hawk was only half werewolf.

Cam reached him and returned to human form. “Fuck. Those jerks just won’t stop.”

Hawk rubbed his arms vigorously. He’d been shifting back and forth too much in succession and it was beginning to take a toll. “Yeah, I’m sick of his bullshit too.”

Cameron reached for his shoulder and Hawk jerked away. He hadn’t meant to be so abrupt, but now that he’d found his mate, the thought of another man touching him with affection made his stomach roil.

An expression of hurt passed over Cam’s features. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to…” He pointed to Hawk’s cuts. “You’re bleeding.”

Hawk swiped at the scratches. “They’re fine. I’ll make a quick poultice with some of my herbs before I…” Hawk cleared his throat. “So, I gotta ask a favor. Can you run up ahead without me? And…” Hawk used every ounce of will he’d ever possessed to not glance over his shoulder. “I need to take care of something at my dad’s, but you can’t tell anyone where I’ve gone. Only that I said…” Shit. I’m screwed no matter what. Abandoning his post would be cause for punishment regardless of the reason. “Scratch that. Don’t say anything. I don’t want you to get in trouble because of me. You can always use the excuse that you were chasing one of the rogue wolves and you have no idea where I went.”

Cam snorted. “You’re going to take off, just like that?” He furrowed his brow. “Hey, is something wrong with your dad?” He moved closer then laid a hand on Hawk’s arm. Hawk tried not to flinch at the contact. “You can trust me, you know. I’ll always have your back no matter what. Even if you don’t want us to be anything more than friends, that doesn’t mean I haven’t stopped loving you.”

Oh Gods. “Cam…” He was racked with enough guilt over asking Cam to lie for him as it was. Reminding him that he couldn’t return his best friend’s love made him feel even more like a snake. “I’m already asking too much. It doesn’t have anything to do with not trusting you. No one could be a better friend.”

Cam scrubbed his face with one hand then lowered his head. “Friends. Yeah, I know. Sorry. I shouldn’t have used the dreaded ‘L’ word.” He chuckled as if trying to lighten the tension between them.

The silence stretched on and right as Hawk was trying to find the words to say goodbye to Cam without causing him any more pain, Cam lifted his chin then frowned. He took a sniff over Hawk’s shoulder toward the door to his shack. Hawk jumped back, his stance turning aggressive before he could stop his wolf from reacting.

Cam’s jaw dropped. “The fuck? Are you…?” His eyes rounded. “You are hiding someone in there, aren’t you?”

Hawk fought with his feisty wolf to get the beast to relax and keep him from going ballistic on his friend. “Cam, you said you had my back, no matter what. Right now, I need you to trust me. I’m not doing anything against the pack or the Alliance.” I think. “And I wouldn’t ask this of you if it wasn’t a matter of the utmost importance.”

Cam’s gaze darted between Hawk’s eyes and the door Hawk was protecting with his frame. “Is this ‘matter’ of personal importance?”

Hawk pressed his lips together. He knows. “You could say that.”

If there was enough light out, Hawk imagined he would’ve seen Cam’s tears. The way his features had fallen when Hawk had answered indicated that his friend had let go of whatever hope there might have been for them to be together. Sadness hung in the air between them and Hawk pleaded to the gods he wouldn’t lose the friendship of one of the few people he cared about.

Cam gave him a tight smile, nodding. “That’s a sacred trust. I’ll do whatever is needed.” He lifted his eyes to lock on Hawk’s. “No matter what, I swear.”

Hawk couldn’t stand it any longer. He grabbed Cam in a one-armed hug, whispering in his ear. “You’re the best friend anyone could ever have, and your mate will be damn lucky to have you. I wouldn’t have asked if the life of my fated mate wasn’t at risk.”

Cam patted his back then quickly drew away. He cleared his throat as he cast his gaze around their surroundings while rubbing his arms. “It really is fucking freezing out here.” He gave Hawk a half-smile. “Guess I’d better shift and go draw off those fuckers who had the nerve to trespass on our lands.” He arched his eyebrows. “Be careful.”

Before Hawk could respond, Cam had shifted and was bolting up the ridge. He watched his friend until he’d disappeared and sent a silent prayer to the universe that Cameron would remain safe.

As well as my mate.