Alistair

After we returned from the city with lots of bags, all of us practically collapsed on our makeshift bed.

Exhaustion doesn't even begin to cover how tired we were. The walk from the city to our camp in the woods alone is enough to tire any human. I didn't even eat, that's how tired I was.

The next morning, I woke up early and was starving. I didn't even need momma to wake me up. I brushed my teeth, washed my face and sat at the table ready.

The rest of the families accommodated themselves as momma served us some hot food. Of course, each parent served their own kin.

"Did you have a nice time yesterday, Ali?" - Momma asked me in a chipper tone while we started eating.

"The best, momma! The city is great. We even had something called ice cream. I loved it!" - I replied, radiantly happy.

"It's nice to see that my money was put into good use." - Pappa mumbled, much to momma's deathly glare.

"I paid for the ice creams, Billy. Don't worry. Your money was spent on the list Marta gave me yesterday." - Joe interjected, easing the uncomfortable gazes between my parents.

"Thank you for that, by the way. For the ice cream and for taking me. It was unforgettable, Joe." - I thanked him with my heart full of joy.

"You're very welcome, Ali." - He replied with a smile.

"I'll reimburse you for your trouble, Joe. You shouldn't have to pay for my son's ice cream." - Momma spoke, a bit embarrassed.

"No need, Marta. It was my treat, honestly. Not a bother. It was good for Tristan to have some company." - He insisted with a courteous smile. Momma thanked him.

There's a brief silence of mouths chewing food. The kids are eating as well before studying.

"I spoke to my boss yesterday and he said he wouldn't mind if I brought my son along to work with me." - Pappa suggested, setting momma off.

"I've told you I don't want him away from me before he goes in season. Are you deaf?" - She jabbed at him, not in the mood.

"I don't mind, momma. I'm happy to earn too." - I told her with a humble tone. If there's one thing that doesn't scare me in life is hard labor. Not at all.

She slammed the table angrily.

"I mind! I don't want you away in the city for now! Plus, we need to build a house for the winter! Joe and Gabe need to earn too and they're here, building. You need to help them, son. They're not doing any charity. And the faster you build, the safer we'll be." - She reprimanded me and pappa, by default.

Momma's fierce glowing eyes scared off anyone from speaking again until the end of breakfast.

When she's much calmer...

"After they finish building the house and Ali's season has passed, you can take him to earn everyday for all I care, Billy." - She told him, who was sulking.

"I'm sorry for yelling, son." - She looked at me with an apologetic expression.

We start to get up and clear the table, though not before pappa drops an uncomfortable "truth".

"If he was my son he wouldn't be a damn omega." - He mumbled, causing literally everyone to stare at us, though mostly me.

Momma slapped him across the face, furiously angry. Tears come to my eyes.

I'm mortified at this. Embarrassed for something completely out of my control. I was born this way.

"Keep my son out of your damn mouth! He's pulling his weight just like the rest of us here. You go earn, if you know what's good for you." - She threatened him with a finger raised to his face.

Pappa washed up and left camp quietly. Momma noticed my tears and hugged me tightly.

"I'm sorry I was such a disappointment to you." - I spoke, overcome with emotions that I so often have bottled up.

Momma turned my head to look at her, tears streaming down my face.

"What are you talking about? You ain't! Listen to me: pappa is wrong! You being omega isn't a disability, it's what makes you special. Don't let anyone take that away from you, do you hear me?" - She spoke with a firm conviction.

I smiled weakly at her, before I washed my face and joined the rest of the kids studying with Sarah.

An improvised classroom with all the kids sat on the ground while Sarah goes one by one passing lessons from old text books she found for us. She's the one who taught us how to read and write, she really took the time to educate us and work individually with each one. Of course, her daughters learn too. All the kids do.

It's time with Sarah that allows our mothers to concentrate on other work that needs to be done around the camp. She really is a Goddess sent.

I didn't smile for the rest of the day.

After we spend hours studying, all of us break for lunch. The men doing the building too. It's easier if everyone takes their meals together. Except for pappa, who eats at the farm now that he's earning.

They all notice my brooding, except for the kids who are busy with themselves.

"I'm sorry for earlier. But he was wrong. You are the hardest working boy I know." - Tristan boldly claimed with a smile my way.

"Thanks, Tris. But I'm not the one carrying four buckets at the same time." - I snickered, referencing when we have to carry water from the river.

His parents and him laugh at this.

"We need the water, my friend." - He said, humbly.

"Momma, why are you so scared of my season? You know I don't want to be seeded by anyone, right?" - I asked her point blank and she gasped at my question. The adults look uncomfortable. Christian, Tristan and Elodie too.

"Son, when you get struck by heat your entire body will be begging to be seeded. It doesn't matter what you want. If you're touched by any man..." - She trails off, blushing at the male presents.

"My point is even if you don't want to be seeded, if any man comes near you, you won't be able to refuse him, whoever he is. I'm just afraid for you, that's all." - She replied, honestly like always.

I gulped awkwardly.

"I understand, momma. I don't wanna put myself in any danger." - I muttered, uncomfortably.

Yeah, if it's bad to be seeded by someone I like, imagine by someone I don't or a stranger. Goddess protects me.

After a mildly uncomfortable lunch, we're off to help with the house building. Sarah and her daughters will live with one of us in an extra room. Since Tristan's family has only three people, probably with them.

This would go a lot faster if we had any help, but that's the downside of not having a pack. We're alone in this.

Blood, sweat and tears went into dropping the trees with just a hand saw. Joe picked up some nails, hammers and other things for the construction. But it's hard work.

And we still have to go to the river to bathe afterwards. The advantage is that this time we got to do it in wolf form since we didn't have to carry any bucket.

Our wolves raced until we reached the river and leapt inside, swimming in delight. This is truly the highlight of my day. Or so I thought...

We returned to the shore to shift back into human form for a moment. Then, we had some good clean fun just the three of us.

Of course, seeing Tristan in the buff is a joy all in itself. But I tried to concentrate on other things.

Operative word: tried.

"Is this what's gonna be like now? We come to bathe and you thirst after him?" - Chris asked me in an accusatory tone.

Both Tristan and I gasped at his words.

"I can't help the way I feel, Chris! It's not my fault I find him hot!" - I replied, peeved.

Both of them laughed at my answer.

"Do you want me to let you come here alone to bathe?" - He suggested, humbly.

"No!" - I protested loudly. - "I can't be left alone with any man, haven't you heard what my momma said today?" - I wrinkle my forehead in repulsion at the mere suggestion.

Though deep down I'd love nothing more.😳

"Right. I'm sorry about that. And for what Billy said." - He comforted me with an empathizing tone.

"It's fine, Chris. But thanks. Though momma was right. The less people help your dads, the longer it'll take for the housing to be built." - I argued, annoyed at the comments pappa made.

"Let's go before it gets too late, boys." - Tristan proposed, finishing his wash. We exited the water, shifted into wolves and ran back to camp.

I can't quite measure the distance but it takes an hour or so walking in human form from camp to the river, but in wolf form it is so much faster. And fun.

We arrived just in time for dinner, though pappa is nowhere to be found. I looked at momma but she's busy feeding my siblings.

I look at the other people getting settled at the table and they are all quiet and awkward in his absence.

I don't want to alarm my siblings but children are much smarter than we give them credit for.

"Where's pappa?" - Laura asked momma as she ate. Mark also looked curious at her.

"Pappa had to stay back at work tonight. It's too far away for him to walk here every day." - Mom lied to them with a fake smile.

Naturally, they believed her. But I know what this is about. Pappa didn't care for the slap she gave him. The fight she had about me.

I feel so guilty about this. If he doesn't return, how is she to provide for my two siblings alone?

I mean, Sarah does it with our help. She has my mom watching her kids when she needs to step out or pick up supplies.

I don't know what kinda scheme Sarah has, but she never earns and always has money. I'd ask her what's her trick but I'm too embarrassed to pose such a personal question to her. It's none of my business what she does to earn.

But I know it'll be hard without pappa, that's for sure.😓

Regardless, I'll do whatever I have to. Whatever it takes, I won't let momma suffer. Even if I have to earn risking my own heat.

Later at the tent, Tristan kept looking worriedly at me. I told him I didn't want to talk about it, so he didn't.

But I kissed him nonetheless. It's the only time we get some privacy. I mean, Chris is still lying to my back. It is what it is.

And I certainly need some loving. I freaking earned it today.

The next day, it was business as usual. Breakfast, studying with Sarah, working with the men and going to the river to bathe.

Unfortunately, we had to walk back carrying the water buckets since we supply water for everyone back home. But we're used to it by now.

Still, no pappa in sight as of dinner time.

"Do you think he was captured by the pack?" - Gabriel whispered to momma. The kids don't shift yet so they don't have wolf hearing.

"No, Gabe. That son of a bitch is too slick to be caught by anyone. He's doing this on purpose. He wants to make me sweat with his absence." - Mom whispered back with grinding teeth.

She looked furious at pappa's absence, but she's not let it transpire to the kids. She's acting like everything is fine.

I was deeply uncomfortable at this, but kept quiet. All the more reason for me to preserve myself. I don't want to depend on anyone else, much less raise pups alone.

It's all fun and games until you have a mouth to feed. And kids eat a lot. I'm glad the women have a nice orchard growing at the back of the house. We rogues know how to live off the land.

Sadly, the next day the men went to the city to earn money. All families need cold hard cash and apparently no one has Sarah's "abilities" to earn without working.

But they left stuff for us to do after studying, which we did. But since we finished everything earlier than usual, we went straight to the river as wolves.

With much more time to enjoy ourselves, we splashed some water around, goofed off, it was great.

Then, Chris decided he was gonna take a short walk to the waterfall. He would have to circumvent the margins to reach it, but it's not that far or particularly dangerous.

But I see what he did. He wanted to give us privacy. Fearfully, I took advantage of it. I hoped for the best and took initiative to enjoy the hot boy's body.

Tristan and I kissed for a while, holding each other so close that we could feel our hardness pulsating.

I feel so alive by his side, so safe... for now at least.

Since he's much taller than me, his body towered over mine as we lay at the margin kissing passionately.

A soft moan passes my lips as pleasure courses through my body with his kissing. He moves to my neck, licking it and I moan louder. I enjoy his caressing hands as they slide up and down my body.

He has strong hands and I melted under his touch, his kisses.

"Damn, you feel delicious!" - I exclaimed, enraptured by him.

"You too. You have no idea how hard I want to seed you right now." - He said in a not so shocking honesty. I blushed under his piercing gaze.

"I have some idea. I can feel your hardness right now." - I snickered, feeling his nature poking lightly at my bum.

He smiled naughtily at me.

"But since we can't do that, it's better if we seed the river instead." - I suggested, before I let us get carried away.

We flipped to the side, facing each other while we relieved ourselves. He's so fucking hot that it didn't take much for me to come.

We erupted in desire, drunk on lust for each other. His large member is mesmerizing to watch. I wanted nothing more than to feel Tristan inside of me. But momma raised me better than that.

This will have to suffice for now.

But damn, that was hot. No denying it.

I didn't ask him, but I have a feeling Tristan and I weren't the only ones seeding the river.😏

When we returned home, pappa still wasn't there. But José and Gabriel have some interesting news to share over dinner.

"We found this cattle farm in town desperate for laborers. A few of their employees are down with the flu, so they need strong hands to work the live stock." - Joe told us, excitedly.

"It's a week's worth of labor, could set us up good for days to come. And they need more sets of hands. So we're taking our boys over there tomorrow. If you allow, we can take Ali too, Marta." - Gabriel said, looking at momma.

I was excited at the prospect. I long to earn, especially now with pappa gone for who knows how long.

"Can I go, momma? Please?" - I begged her, giddy.

"I don't know, guys. What if he gets in season?" - She pondered, concerned.

"It's a human farm. Plus if he does, we'll make sure he's isolated from other men." - Joe assured her in a firm but respectful tone.

She looked at me and could see how excited I was. I never worked in town before.

"Fine, you can go. But if his heat comes, I want him safely home, guys. Don't let him wander off alone!" - She conceded, smiling at me.

"Yes! Thanks, momma!" - I jumped from my seat to kiss her cheek. This is the best news ever!

I'm so glad she's letting me go with them. Momma is the best!

A|N: Mamma does know best. I do love when a chapter names itself.

Next chapter we'll see what Teddy wanted with Ben.

Love,

Léo.