Calix kept his arm around Kegan, humming softly as they drove. It had started to rain, the drops pounding down on the car and making Kegan shudder.

He always hated the rain. Rain was followed by thunder and lightning, and Kegan had always despised the natural phenomenons.

When Kegan was a pup, only six years old, he'd been running away from a pair of Alphas in the Red Claw pack and ended up outside. It was cold out and the pup lost his way back home, meaning he was trapped in the pouring rain.

Thunder rumbled around him, flashes of lightning making the pup cower against the base of a willow tree. He laid in the mud until the Alpha came out and brought him back inside.

First, Kegan was scolded for running off, then he was lectured for bringing mud into the house.

The pup received his first severe beating that night that went further than slaps and menacing words.

That night he had to drag himself back to the Omega room in order to cleanse himself of the bleeding wounds.

"Are you okay, pup?" Calix asked, noticing how tense Kegan had gotten when the first rumble of thunder echoed overhead.

"Don't call me that," Kegan said, hating how the Alpha was approaching him.

Why wouldn't Calix just reject him and get it over with? Why couldn't he just have left Kegan alone and allowed him to fend for himself?

Kegan knew that the Alpha would tire of him and beat him at some point, so why was he acting friendly and patient with the Omega?

"Don't call you that?" Calix asked, amusement in his voice. "What should I call you then?"

"Not pup or love or any other stupid nickname!" Kegan growled, making his wolf shudder at the realization that Kegan was willingly growling at their mate.

"What's your name then?" Calix asked, looking at the sandy hair in front of his face, since Kegan was still looking at the floor of the car.

"Alpha Leon just called me Omega," Kegan mumbled, not knowing why Calix even cared to know his real name.

Kegan was pretty sure that Alpha Leon didn't even know his real name.

"I don't want to call you Omega," Calix said, gripping Kegan's chin and tilting his face so they were making eye contact. "I want to know your real name."

"Why doesn't Tali tell you?" Kegan snarled, eyeing the traitor in disgust. "She knows and she's betrayed me once already."

Tali frowned. "How have I betrayed you?" she asked in surprise. She'd figured that Kegan would be happy to see his mate.

"I told you that my mate would hate me and that I didn't want to meet them! All I wanted was to escape!" Kegan yelled, finally reaching his breaking point. "You lead my mate right to me knowing that he'd reject me and not want me!"

Calix growled lowly, making both Kegan and Tali freeze. He saw the fear in Tali's eyes and figured it was the same on Kegan's bowed face.

"Look at me," Calix ordered Kegan.

The tone was terrifying, so Kegan instantly lifted his head, making sure his neck wasn't exposed. He wouldn't bare his neck to the Alpha yet, and he'd fight back if it was forced. He also didn't want to meet Calix's eyes, so he just stared at his shoulder, much like he did with his old Alpha.

"Why would you think that I'd reject you?" Calix asked, irritated that Kegan was too scared to make eye contact. "You're my mate. The moon goddess made us for each other, so why the hell would I reject you?"

Kegan whimpered at the irritation and dominance flowing off of Calix, finding it harder and harder to keep himself from baring his neck to the Alpha.

"Red Claw pack," Kegan whispered, eyes locked on Calix's shoulder.

"That's the one down south, right? Near the border of California?" Tali asked, making Calix nod gruffly.

"What about the Red Claw pack?" Calix prodded as the car slowed to a stop.

"Alpha, we should continue this conversation inside," Tali said, looking out of the window. "I don't think Kegan enjoys the rain and it's much warmer inside."

"Kegan, huh?" Calix asked.

Kegan snarled at Tali. "Traitor," he snapped, and his wolf agreed with him.

"What a whore! I was gonna tell Zakai your name!" his wolf growled.

"You're on first name basis with his wolf?" Kegan asked in disbelief.

His wolf snorted. "No. I know his first name, but he doesn't know mine. You never named me."

"You never spoke to me!"

The wolf scoffed. "Mistakes were made. Now give me a name!" he ordered.

Kegan didn't have the chance to name the wolf. His mind was pulled away from his wolf when Calix lifted him up and carried him toward what appeared to be the Alpha's pack house.

They entered the home and Calix made his way to the living room area and gently sat on the couch with Kegan beside him, holding the Omega close to him.

"Answer my question, Kegan," Calix said, still caught on why Kegan was convinced he'd be rejected. "Why the hell would I reject you?"

Kegan hung his head in shame. "I'm impure," he murmured, feeling the panic and disgust for himself set in. "The Alpha of the Red Claw pack gave me to Alpha Leon as an offering of peace..."

Calix growled once again when Kegan said that, making the Omega whimper and try to ball in on himself for safety.

"No, I'm not growling at you," Calix promised, seeing how tense Kegan was. "I'm just angry that an Alpha would trade an Omega like a piece of jewelry. Very few packs are like that now!"

Kegan pulled away, his jaw dropped. "Really?" he asked, waiting for Calix to laugh at him and start beating him.

However, Calix nodded. "Really. My pack doesn't do that. We're all equals here," he promised. "What did you mean by impure?"

"I was..." Kegan trailed off, hot tears building up in his eyes and his throat tightening. "A-Alpha Leon j-just wanted me to..."

"Take your time," Calix encouraged. "I'm going to get you some food. Your heat is coming up and you need to be well fed and rested."

Kegan nodded dumbly, sitting on the couch in silence. That was, until an Alpha and an Omega came down the stairs and into the kitchen.

They were both female, with the Omega's stomach bulging slightly. Even from the couch, Kegan could smell the pregnancy on her, making him cower.

Even if it was with his mate, Kegan didn't want to get pregnant yet. He wasn't ready and the idea of pregnancy terrified him.

Not that he'd really get the choice if Calix wanted pups. If Calix wanted to get him pregnant, it wouldn't be difficult with the upcoming heat.

The two new wolves talked with Calix, before the Omega ran over to Kegan, grinning at him.

Kegan didn't panic at the approaching Omega, since Omegas were the only wolves he truly felt safe around. Sometimes Betas were okay, too, but Omegas were completely trustworthy.

The Omega sat beside Kegan, still smiling brightly. "You're absolutely adorable! Calix tells us you're his mate but that you're a little uncomfortable with other wolves, but I thought since I'm an Omega you'd feel better with me!" she explained.

Kegan nodded hesitantly, not at all having anticipated how energetic the pregnant Omega would be.

"I'm Astra, and that Alpha over there, the girl one because the guy one is yours, is my mate Kianna, but everyone calls her Kai," Astra said. "What's your name?"

"Kegan."

"You're a lucky Omega, Kegan. Calix is the sweetest Alpha. I mean, he'd better be or else I'd kick his ass."

Kegan's eyes widened at the way Astra would speak badly about the Alphas right in front of them. He may have done it earlier, but that was just in front of Calix and he earned the right to be angry with Calix. And, Kegan knew he could take a beating.

A pregnant Omega would never be able to handle any kind of beating. It could hurt the pups!

"You okay, honey?" Astra asked, concern in her eyes. "You went pale!"

"You talked bad about the Alpha," Kegan whispered, anxiety bubbling through his veins.

Astra shrugged. "I mean, yeah. If he's a dick he should hear it," she said proudly.

Calix walked over to the two Omegas, reclaiming his spot beside Kegan. "Talking bad about me, Astra?"

"You know it," Astra replies with a wink.

Calix handed Kegan a plate of chopped fruits and vegetables, and Kai came over with a glass of water.

"Sorry, Astra," she said, handing it to Kegan. "Future Luna needs it more than you."

Astra rolled her eyes. "What about your future children?"

Kai smirked, sitting beside Astra and cuddling the Omega. "Do you want anything? I can go make you something."

"I was joking, Kai. I can get my own food if I'm hungry," Astra promised, before Calix got both of their attention.

"Kegan goes into heat in a few days, but I don't think he's ready for me or any Alphas to be present," Calix said, surprising Kegan. "Astra, would you be willing to bring food and water to him and make sure he's eating?"

"I'll even stay with him if he wants me to," Astra said, smiling at the Omega. "Do you have a nest?"

"He just got here," Kai said, making Astra shush her.

"Come with me, we can make your nest in Calix's room. He can sleep on the couch or in one of our pack mate's rooms," Astra explained. "His clothes are there and you guys are mates so the scent should help."

Kegan took her hand and followed as the Omega rushed off, surprisingly active for being pregnant. He enjoyed Astra's company; she was kind and sarcastic, and made Kegan feel more like a person and less like a piece of property.

However, even with Astra's kindness, Kegan didn't trust her. He knew that she must have been beaten into obedience or was hiding injuries.

There was no way an Alpha could ever genuinely treat an Omega well and with care and respect.