Gaze flicking toward her, Morgan inhaled. Yet another Alpha, but though he sensed her significant power, he doubted she would endanger her young by engaging in a fight, so he likely still had a chance of coming out victorious. Not that he’d back off regardless of the number of Alphas who appeared in front of him. The only thing that would keep Morgan from his mate was his own death. Well, his death or Ricky telling him he wasn’t wanted, which wasn’t possible. Sure, he had made mistakes, but he had proven his devotion by tracking his mate and traveling a great distance to see him, and besides, no shifter would turn their back on destiny.
“With all due respect, it’s not your answer that matters,” Morgan said, keeping his tone and expression steady and unemotional. “It’s Ricky I need to see.”
“You fucker!” shouted a man as he ran out of the house.
Morgan joined the other Alphas in jerking his gaze toward a diminutive redhead. A quick intake of breath indicated that this was an Omega, but he was nothing like Morgan’s Omega. Where Ricky radiated sensuality and warmth, this man was a fireball of hostility.
“Simon, stop,” gasped Mitchell as he reached for the man.
“No.” The tiny Omega called Simon brushed off the huge Alpha and charged at Morgan. “Get out of here!”
“Simon,” said Mitchell, again clutching the Omega and again being pushed away.
Their back-and-forth had brought them uncomfortably close to Morgan. If Mitchell shifted at that moment, Morgan wouldn’t have even a moment’s respite before he would have to take his wolf form and defend himself. He kept his focus sharp, watching for any signs of a change.
“I’m not afraid of him,” yelled Simon and then, as if to prove his point, he lunged at Morgan, planted both palms on his chest, and shoved.
“Put your hand on him and I’ll rip it from your body,” Mitchell growled at Morgan as he circled his arm around the Omega’s waist and tucked him behind his own back.
Offended at the presumption, Morgan reared away and said, “I would never strike a weaker wolf.”
“Omegas aren’t weak, you asshole!” Simon squirmed, trying to free himself from Mitchell’s hold. “Let me go.”
“Please, Simon, go inside. I’m handling this.”
“There’s not time.” The Omega somehow freed himself from the much larger Alpha and pounced on Morgan again. “Get out of here! Leave!”
“I don’t want him to hurt you,” said Mitchell, again tugging Simon away. “I’ll get rid of him.” When he raised his gaze from the Omega to look at Morgan, there was no question the time for talking was over. “No more delays. Leave.”
From the corner of his eyes, Morgan noticed Frederick yanking off his clothes. When Morgan took his wolf form, the transition happened in the blink of an eye and his clothes simply fell by the wayside so he wouldn’t need to waste time undressing. If he shifted now and went after Frederick, he could eliminate his weaker adversary with ease and leave his full attention on the much stronger Mitchell. But there was no honor in attacking a man who wasn’t yet in his animal skin, even if the man was keeping him from his mate.
“Not without talking to Ricky.”
“We’re done talking.” Mitchell finally managed to get the Omega more than arm’s distance from him and then he turned to Morgan. His bottomless coal gaze was objectively frightening, but Morgan had already lived through the worst possible atrocity and survived; nothing and nobody could scare him into backing down.
Frederick had just finished shifting into his wolf form, and Morgan was reaching for his own when a shout rent the air.
“No!”
That voice immediately snagged his complete attention.
“Ricky.” He jerked his gaze toward the house but instead of his mate walking out the door, as he had hoped, Ricky’s shadowed face leaned out an open upstairs window.
“You have to go, Morgan,” said Ricky.
The words pierced Morgan’s heart more sharply and deeply than any Alpha’s claws. “Let me explain.” He held his arms out and stepped forward. “Please.”
“You heard him,” said Mitchell as he blocked Morgan’s path.
“I’m sorry,” said Morgan. If his mate needed him to debase himself in front of other Alphas, that was what he would do. At that point, Morgan would get on his knees in front of his entire pack if it meant Ricky would come back to him. Fate had finally given him a mate and he couldn’t live if he lost him. “I was wrong in how I treated you. I realize that. But I promise to be better.”
“Stop.” Ricky’s voice broke. “Don’t do this.” He shook his head and curled his shoulders. “Please, Morgan.” He cleared his throat, but when he spoke again, his voice sounded weaker. “You shouldn’t be here. Go back to Golden Valley.”
The window closed but Morgan couldn’t look away from the space where his mate had been. This couldn’t be happening. Fate wouldn't give him a mate only to have him be cast aside. That would be too cruel.