Alpha's Obedience, page 4
They'd arrived at the stables, and Lev dropped the bale where Kean pointed, then helped the beta placing the other one on top of it. "I'm not sure I should talk about this with you," Lev said. "I don't want to put you in a position where you'd have to keep something from him."
Kean smiled at him as he laid a hand on Lev's shoulder. It was a casual gesture, but it sent a shock through Lev because it was the first time in months that anyone had touched him. The first time since Naran.
"Dude, you'll never have to worry about that. I know what to tell him and what's better left unsaid. And like I said, it's not like I don't know firsthand what a stubborn ass he can be. I may love him, but that doesn't mean I’m blind to his weaknesses."
The beta's honesty gave Lev the courage to ask what had been on his mind. He bit his lip before forcing himself to spit the words out. "Do you ever think he'll grow to appreciate me? Like, give me an honest chance? He's only tolerating me, putting me to work because Palani told him to. He admitted as much."
Kean removed his hand from Lev's shoulder, but his look was friendly. "Give him time. He's stubborn, my man, but he's also fair. If you show him you’re reliable and loyal to the ranch, to the pack, he'll warm up to you. It just takes longer with him. He's naturally suspicious, which in his job is not the worst thing."
Lev nodded. "Thank you. I am relieved to hear that. I want to…" For some reason, his throat closed up, making it hard to swallow and even harder to talk. His voice was barely above a whisper when he continued, "I want to stay here, you know? Build a new life here. Maybe find a mate…or two. I feel at home, which I know sounds ridiculous, but—"
Kean, who apparently was an affectionate person, gave his shoulder a quick squeeze. "Nothing ridiculous about it. I'm glad to hear you feel at home."
Lev left the beta to his work, his mood improved significantly. He waved at Lars, another beta, who was in charge of all agriculture. The ranch had extensive fields, providing almost enough food to make them self-sufficient. They were even building a greenhouse now to be able to grow certain produce year-round, even when it was too cold outside.
Palani had told him during their chat a few days ago that the goal was to make the ranch completely self-sufficient, and they were still implementing steps to achieve that. It had been their plan all along, and Lev admired their ambition. And their timing, considering the complete chaos in the country right now. Stores had trouble getting deliveries in and others had been looted empty, so having your own source of food was an advantage that could be crucial.
Lev circled back to the main house, running into plenty more pack members who each had their tasks, forming a well-oiled machine. It was wonderful what the pack had achieved here. Even more incredible that they did it while flaunting traditional role patterns. Palani had told him they looked at talents, strengths and experience, not whether you were an alpha, beta, or omega.
At first, Lev had thought that unrealistic, idealistic at best, but a month on the ranch had shown him they put that ideal into practice. Hell, Palani pretty much ran the place as the second-in-command of the pack, and he was a beta. Kean and Lars both had extensive responsibilities, and they were betas as well. And the construction crew was led by an omega, a taciturn but competent man called Servas.
But the biggest proof this place was different than anything Lev had ever encountered was Enar. It had baffled Lev at first, seeing an alpha being treated like a beta, but he hadn't said anything, too scared of making a faux pas. After a few days, he'd figured out that it was what Enar wanted, to be seen and considered a beta. It was how he felt inside, and even though Lev had no idea how that was possible or how that felt, he admired Enar for his courage and honesty.
"Hey,” a voice interrupted him in his thoughts, and Lev stopped in his tracks.
He turned and found the omega he’d brought to the clinic the day before watching him, looking much better than before. He'd been so horribly pale, but now he had more color in his cheeks, and his eyes didn't look quite as sunken. His name was Sivney, Lev had learned.
"Hi," he said. He jammed his hands into the pockets of his jeans. "How are you feeling? If that's something you want to share with me. No obligation, of course."
He winced. God, he was such an idiot when it came to normal human interaction. Years of living with his father and older brothers had taught him nothing but fear of fucking up.
Sivney sent him a careful smile. "Much better than yesterday. I spent the night in the clinic, hooked up to fluids, and Enar gave me some high-calorie protein shakes. That already makes a difference."
"Good. That's good. And…" Was it okay to ask after the baby? Lev wasn't sure, since he'd never been around a pregnant omega. So instead, he took his right hand out of his pocket and awkwardly pointed at Sivney's belly, hoping the omega would understand the gesture.
Sivney's smile widened a bit. “The baby is fine. She's active, and Enar said everything looks good.”
"It's a girl?"
Sivney nodded. "Yes, also something I learned yesterday. I wanted to thank you for finding me and bringing me in. I don't think I would've made it had you not found me, so thank you."
Lev shoved his hand back in his pocket, not knowing where else to put it. "You're welcome. I wouldn't have found you if you hadn't cried, so it's good that you made some noise. I could barely see you in the tall grass, also because of the color of your clothes, which blended in so well with the background. But when you cried, I heard it, and I went to investigate the noise. Not noise, sound. I heard you making these sounds, although I didn't know it was you."
Oh god. Could he be any more awkward? Any more embarrassing? This was what he did when he got nervous, he would burst out in embarrassing verbal diarrhea. He'd done the same when he’d met Naran, who had called it cute and endearing. The fucker had lied through his teeth, clearly.
Sivney kept smiling at him, though his eyes danced with amusement. "I was half out of it, didn’t even know where I was, so it wasn't a conscious attempt to draw anyone's attention. And I would still have to say thank you for investigating."
Lev thought hard about what to say, but all he could come up with was, "You're welcome."
After an awkward silence, Sivney took a small step closer. "So you're a guard in the pack?"
He'd been told about what they were, then. That didn't surprise Lev. He'd discovered that they were pretty open about it once people were inside the boundaries. It wasn't like they could keep it a secret for long anyway. It was clear from the moment you set foot on this land that something special was going on. Lev felt it, a low hum in his blood, pulling at him unlike anything he'd ever felt before.
But what could he say to Sivney? Lying would be easy, claiming that he was a valued pack member. But if Sivney was staying, he would find out the truth. No, he'd better come clean right away.
"I only started yesterday, and I guess you could say I'm on probation."
Sivney looked puzzled. "Probation? How does that work? You mean for the job, to see if you're a good fit?"
Lev shook his head. "No, not for the job. Well, maybe that too, but I was a security guard before, so they know I can do it. Although I didn't make the best impression when they first met me, since they caught me sleeping on the job, but that's beside the point. No, I don't know for sure if I can stay here. I guess I have to prove myself."
There was that twinkle in Sivney's eyes again, though he kept his face blank when Lev once again word-vomited. "I thought everyone could stay here if they wanted to. They never said anything about a probation period to me."
There was no turning back now. Lev fought back the wave of panic rolling over him as he imagined Sivney's reaction. Repulsion, probably. "I didn't come here voluntarily. It's a long story, but I worked for a bad guy who actually attacked this ranch and kidnapped someone close to them, Professor Melloni. They freed him from the building I was guarding and then took me with them."
Sivney frowned, confusion painted all over his face. "I don't understand. If they didn't know you, why would they take you?"
Lev didn't look at him as he answered, "Because I was the one who provided the information that Melloni was being held there. The pack had hired a PI, and he managed to get that information out of me. When they freed Melloni, they were scared my boss would take revenge on me for screwing up, and they took me with them."
He peeked at Sivney from between his eyelashes, and confusion made place for understanding on Sivney's face. "But you like it here? You want to stay?"
Lev nodded, daring to lift his head a little higher. "I love it here. I've never felt this much at home anywhere."
That was way too much information, but he couldn't take it back now. But Sivney didn't ask for details. Instead, there was a look of longing on his face. "That sounds like the perfect place to stay."
"Are you staying?"
Sivney shrugged. "At least for now. Enar said I could stay as long as I want to, but I can't look ahead that far. I'll wait until after the baby is born, and then I’ll decide what to do."
"It'll give you the opportunity to experience what life is like here. I'm sure you'll love it. The people are amazing, and they're super welcoming toward omegas."
He wasn't even aware of the subliminal message in his words until Sivney pointed it out. "They're not so welcoming toward alphas?"
Lev's cheeks flushed red. "Not so much alphas in general, but me, more specifically. I can't blame them, not after what I did."
"Everyone deserves a second chance," Sivney said in a determined tone, and if Lev hadn't liked the omega already, that sealed the deal.
"I hope so," he said. "I really hope so."
5
Sivney had met Enar's mates briefly that morning when he'd come to the kitchen of the main house—which was called Jawon's House after a pack member who had been killed during the last attack, Sivney had learned. Lidon had been the most imposing alpha Sivney had ever met, and he'd had a rush of fear, until he'd seen the man's calm and kind eyes. Power simmered there, a power that he couldn't explain but that he felt deep inside him. A connection. A weird urge to follow this alpha, wherever he would lead.
Sivney had shaken it off, attributing it to his stress levels. Enar had told him this was a pack and that some of the pack members were able to shift. Sivney couldn't wrap his mind around that, though he had no doubt it was true. Enar wasn't the type to lie. Besides, it would be too crazy a thing to lie about. But it was hard to imagine, and he couldn’t wait to see it with his own eyes.
He'd also met Vieno, the omega in the foursome, who had been holding the cutest little baby boy, Hakon. And he'd shaken Palani's hand, a beta with a pair of razor-sharp eyes that seemed to see things Sivney preferred to keep hidden. It was why he was a little apprehensive about meeting Palani privately later that day, at the beta's request.
"You look a little scared," Palani said as they settled in the huge living room. Soft chatter drifted in from the kitchen, where Vieno and two other omegas were canning vegetables. Sivney couldn't remember their names, though he had been introduced, but one of them had been obviously pregnant.
"It's a little intimidating," he said, leaving in the middle what it was.
But Palani smiled at him and asked, "You mean the pack and meeting everyone or meeting with me?"
Sivney remembered that Palani had been a reporter before he'd been fired after false accusations. He could see why the man had been so good at his job. He made you want to share with him. "A little of both?" he said, opting for the truth.
Palani leaned back on the couch, pulling his feet up. "I'm sure it's intimidating, meeting this many people at once. But rest assured we're not expecting you to remember who everyone is right away."
"I think it's more the pack thing. You know, shifters?"
Palani nodded, that smile still on his face. "That, I can understand completely. It took us a while to come to terms with it, and we were eased into it. I can't even imagine what a shock it must be for you to be thrown into this new reality."
"Yeah, it's been quite the ride."
"But Enar said you've decided to stay for now?"
Sivney shrugged. "No offense, but it's not like I have a whole lot of choices, you know?"
Palani grinned, and nothing showed he had taken offense. "Well, there's a ringing endorsement."
"I've learned that first impressions can be deceiving," Sivney said, maybe sharing a little more than he should have, but he didn't want Palani to think he was ungrateful. "I've met people who seemed nice and decent at first, only to discover later they were the opposite."
Palani's face sobered. "I've been there myself. I don't blame you for being cautious, especially in your position. You’re vulnerable, so it's smart to take your time before you make final decisions. We don't hold that against you in any way."
Sivney's shoulders sagged in relief. "Thank you. I appreciate you saying that because I was a little worried you would kick me out."
Palani shook his head vehemently. "No, never. First of all, Enar would have my ass if we kicked out a pregnant omega. And also, that's not how we roll. This pack is formed by people who want to be here, by people who experience a connection with this land, with this house, with our pack alpha."
Sivney thought of his reaction to Lidon earlier that morning. "He's powerful."
Palani didn't think that statement was strange because his expression didn't change. "He is, and I think we haven't even seen all he is capable of. I don't think he even knows himself. We're all still figuring this out. It's not like we knew what was going to happen or had any kind of plan in place."
Sivney had understood as much when Enar had told him that Lidon had only shifted for the first time almost five months ago, on the day his son, Hakon, was born. And his mates hadn't shifted till later, and even now, not everyone on the ranch could shift. Sivney was pretty sure Enar knew why, but if he did, he hadn't shared that bit with Sivney.
"I felt his power," he said. "It's hard to describe, but it's like this hum deep inside you. I don't know if it's in my blood or my soul or whatever, but it was like I could feel him. Does that make sense? Is that something you guys experience as well?"
"Oh yes, very much so. For me, it's a little different, since he's my mate. I can sense him much stronger from what I understand, but others have described it the same way you did."
"Huh," Sivney said. That was certainly something to think about, considering what Palani had said about the pack taking in people who felt a connection. "But I'm sure you didn't ask to talk with me to chat about the alpha," he changed the subject.
"Oh, that was definitely part of it. Enar told me you were in bad shape yesterday when he gave you the first explanation, so I wasn't sure how much of that had made sense to you. And since he's busy in the clinic today, I wanted to check in with you and made sure you were doing well. You know, maybe answer questions you have."
Sivney blinked a few times. "I'm not used to this level of care."
"I can imagine. But you'll discover that this is normal in the pack. We take care of each other."
"I heard you guys don't care much for traditional role patterns, but there are still three omegas in the kitchen right now."
Palani nodded, but there wasn't a hint of anger on his face. "True, but all three of them want to be there. Vieno, my mate, he's always been the homemaker. He's happiest when he can take care of all of us. Sven, he's the omega who's pregnant, is alike in that sense. And the third one is Gia, who has always dreamed about becoming a chef and who is quite the cook. He's a recent addition to the pack as well, together with his mates."
"So if I were to stay, what would you expect me to do?"
Palani unfolded his legs, then leaned forward, making direct eye contact. "What would you like to do? What are you good at?"
"I'm a nurse."
"That's awesome, but it doesn't answer my question. Are you a nurse because that's what you love to do? Or are you one because your parents wanted you to be able to have a job?"
This man really didn't accept easy answers, Sivney thought, and his respect grew by the minute. "I love being a nurse," he said. "My parents did encourage me to get an education, which was aided by my first heat being late."
His chosen profession had also been dictated by the fact that Willam would be a doctor. He had his eyes set on a private clinic and had figured Sivney could assist him. Sivney swallowed as memories assailed him, and he had to close his eyes for a second and push down the nausea that welled up in him. He couldn’t go there, shouldn’t allow his thoughts to focus on what had happened. Dwelling on the past wasn't good for him, and it wasn't good for his baby.
"I didn't get much opportunity to work after I got my degree, so the only experience I have is the internships I did. But those were evaluated highly, and my supervisors all loved me."
Palani's smile was kind. "Sivney, you don't need to defend or prove yourself to me. We assume people speak the truth here, so if you tell me you love being a nurse and you're good at it, then that's enough for me."
Sivney blew out a slow breath. "It's gonna take some time to get accustomed to being treated like this. As an omega, I'm not used to being taken seriously, let alone to my word being taken at face value."
"We understand, and almost every omega who comes here struggles with the same issue. And make no mistake, we’re not perfect. We still mess up as well." Something flashed over Palani's face. Something painful, by the looks of it. But then the beta composed himself again. "But we try, and we strive to do a little better every day. That's all anyone can do."
"So if I stayed, you would allow me to work as a nurse?" Sivney held his breath as he waited for Palani to answer.
"Are you kidding me? Hell, Enar would be over the fucking moon to get some help in the clinic, and who would be more perfect than another omega? It's hard for him sometimes to get omegas to trust him, you know?"
