His Omega's Keeper

His voice sounded Country, I thought. Living at the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, as I did, I knew there were plenty of mountain men who lived far up in the mountains. Was this man one of them? And if so, what did he want with me? He was talking about Alphas and Omegas and royalty, so did he think he was a werewolf too, like all the rest of them?

Before my terrified mind could find the answers for any of these questions, I found myself being shoved out the kitchen doorway and onto the gravel driveway that led around back. The sharp stones hurt my bare feet and there was a cold wind whipping through the trees.

There was another man and a woman standing there, beside a huge old Lincoln Town Car—an enormous old beast of a vehicle that got something like two miles per gallon and was big enough to nearly take up two parking spots. I knew because my grandpa on my dad’s side used to drive one.

The Lincoln’s trunk was open and there was something in there, though I couldn’t see exactly what.

“Ah, so you brought the Royal Omega! Good work, Tainer!”

The smooth, urbane voice of the second man was familiar, though he wore a ski mask to cover his face. With a sinking heart, I recognized Professor Sorenson. I didn’t know who the woman was—she was wearing a mask too--it was only clear by her size and shape that she was a woman.

“What…what do you want with me?” I gasped at Sorenson.

“Now, my dear—I’ve told you what we want. We only want you to do your duty,” he said gently. “And since you seem to have trouble with that, we’re going to help you along. Get her in the trunk, Tainer.”

He nodded at the other man, who had come around where I could see him. He was still holding a gun on me but when he saw it, Sorenson frowned.

“Put that damn thing away,” he snapped. “You know the Royal Pair are not to be harmed! If you kill this girl, you kill us all!”

“Just had it out to threaten her,” the other man muttered. “It worked, didn’t it? She came right down without a fight.” He was much bigger than Sorenson—a foot taller at least and much broader across the shoulders with a generous beer gut straining his stained t-shirt.

“Don’t let me see it again!” Sorenson snarled. “We’re not going to hurt her—she just has to be made to do her duty. Now get her in the trunk!”

“Oh, please!” I said quickly. “I’m horribly claustrophobic! Can’t I please just ride in the car with you? There’s plenty of room!”

“Right—so you can see where we’re goin’? Don’t think so, girly.” Tainer spat something foul on the ground—tobacco juice? I wasn’t sure, I only knew I didn’t want to go in that cavernous trunk.

“Put her in,” Sorenson ordered. “My apologies, my Lady,” he added, speaking more courteously to me. “Your claustrophobia notwithstanding, Tainer is correct, we must not let you see our destination. Forgive me.”

And then the huge mountain man scooped me up and dumped me into the trunk of the Lincoln Town Car.

EIGHT

“Oof!” someone gasped as I landed on top of them and the trunk lid slammed closed. “What the hell?”

I recognized that deep, growling voice at once.

“Jake?” I wiggled to make some room, trying to situate myself so we were face-to-face in the darkness. “Oh my God, Jake? Is that you?”

“Who else would it be?” he demanded, his voice a hoarse growl. “Fuckers drugged me and bound me with silver so I couldn’t move. They threatened to blow a hole in your head if I didn’t cooperate.” His voice grew anxious, urgent. “They didn’t hurt you, did they Ani? Are you all right?”

“I think I’m okay.” My voice sounded shaky in my own ears but under the circumstances, I didn’t think anyone could blame me for that. “It’s the Worshipers of the Moon, isn’t it?” I whispered. “But what do they want? Why did they take us?”

“What do you think they want?” Jake asked savagely. “Look, I’m going to tell them about the Blood-Mingling ceremony as soon as they give me a minute to talk. I’ll let them know you’re my little sister by blood as well as by name and adoption—so they can’t possibly expect me to breed you. It would be breaking the Unbreakable Laws.”

I shivered at his matter-of-fact words.

“I thought you said they wouldn’t care about the ceremony?”

“They might or they might not—it’s worth a shot though, right?” I thought I heard desperation under the sarcasm in his voice. It didn’t help my mood any.

“Jake,” I whispered. “I’m scared.” I hated admitting it—hated being the girly-girl, as I said before. But I had to be honest. We’d been kidnapped in the middle of the night by a fanatical cult—if that doesn’t scare you, I don’t know what would.