Alpha Erebon ☾ Book 2

Chapter 3

Erebon's POV

Orpheus and I tend to wake up at the same time, early and first, a little after sunrise. We both walk out in grey slacks out of our irrespective bedrooms– although his is a guest room tonight. He looks to be in deep thought, like he's been worried about the mother and daughters I ushered in late and without notice. Yesterday he turned 32. My birthday was next up, in a few months, and then I'd be 28.

"Good morning, Erebon," Orpheus sneers at me a bit, running a hand through his hair as we both turn to walk down the hall to the kitchen area.

"Grumpy. Black?" I ask about his coffee, he shrugs, "Sugar to sweeten you up, darling?" I smirk as he glares at me.

"Shut up. No sugar," Orpheus yawns and pauses – same time as me, when we hear clinking and clacking from the kitchen.

We both move forward, and we take in the spotless kitchen, every surface shining – even the floor is mopped. The video game lounge is vacuumed. The trash is taken out. The celebratory rubbish from Orpheus' humble packhouse birthday is cleaned away.

I half expect to see Caspian, Orpheus' Beta – doing the work. Since he had a thing about over-contributing after his fuckups in the near and not so distant past.

But Orpheus and I both turn to the small, 5ft omega – Sabrina's long blonde hair is tied up in a messy bun. Her soft brown eyes turn to us, so nervous she can only look guilty – like she's been caught red handed.

But she also starts to blush when her eyes focus on the fact we're both shirtless. We would've put on shirts if we knew she was out here. I'm always wearing my gold chain around my neck, so there's that, and I think she's the first person I've met not to mock me for it – and I kinda like that...

"H-hi! I hope you d-don't mind," Sabrina whispers, since neither of us has spoken.

Orpheus slowly turns to me, now he's smiling, brow cocked, "Well she's so kind, isn't she?"

"Nothing is expected of you, sweetheart," I wink at Sabrina and she almost drops the soapy dish she's holding in her trembling hand. She's so nervous.

"Good morning, omega," Orpheus also catches on and ignores her now, moving to the coffee machine and laying his eyes off her to help her relax.

He did intimidate literally anyone – he had that energy about him.

I move up beside Sabrina, gently taking the dish and the cloth from her hand, "I'll finish off, you should shower. What do you and your girls eat for breakfast?"

"Porridge for me," Sabrina answers quickly, stepping aside with her hands out and open, confused when she's not doing anything to help, "With lots of honey, or some kind of syrup. Jam and butter on toast for my girls. Wholemeal if you have it, just don't tell them it's wholemeal," she's such a worry wart mom – I love it.

"Easy," I nod and look at her standing still, her eyes bravely flicking up to hold mine.

She opens her mouth, but shuts it when we both hear –

"Jam. You said?" Orpheus speaks cryptically behind us. We turn to see him spin from the coffee machine to meet my eye, "Remember, Erebon?"

I narrow my eyes, but his look says it all.

"Grandma Greywood Jams," I bite on it, feeling like a kid again – as we both remember our beloved nanna. She had lived in a cabin in the Greywood – far off, half a day's walk, or a ten minute run if shifted to wolf.

"Work on it with your lot, today," Orpheus suggests, "Make it a surprise for the omega. She can look after it – temporary accommodation."

"That's brilliant," I grin, and I look down at Sabrina, looking completely confused.

"What accommodation?" she whispers.

"I'll make breakfast," Orpheus snaps at me, "Wake the lazy shit heads. You can do something useful all together in the sun."

"Yeah, yeah..." I grumble, "They're not that lazy."

"They don't wake till late afternoon on most week days," Orpheus snarls under his breath, which is just normal talk for him, "Get out of my way – scat – you're both in my way."

He moves up behind Sabrina and next to me, scaring her out of the kitchen. She skedaddles away so fast she almost slips, looking over her shoulder, hand on her heart from my brother's growl.

"Relax. Orpheus is playing with you," I smile at her, "He doesn't bite."

"Sorry, y-yes, of course, silly me," Sabrina stutters and then quickly disappears back to her room.

"She's very skittish, whatever happened to her," Orpheus sounds serious, rather than amused. We share a knowing look, "Whatever you did – you get a pass. I trust your judgement."

"Well, isn't that refreshing, some actual acknowledgement," my smirk grows, "I'll set the cabin up with the others – you look after Sabrina until we're back. And don't scare her for fun or I'll beat your ass."

Orpheus laughs, "I have Becca for that," he growls to himself, turning back to the coffee machine, he passes me my mug. I take it and move off. But he has one more thing to say, "...don't fuck it up..."

I know what he means.

Most nights, me and the Alphas were in the city streets doing dangerous work with Awstone control. Our life was violence, any chicks we had were hookers for one night. Any downtime was spent gambling and getting drunk off our faces, or gaming all day. It wasn't normal for Alphas to bond in a pack, but through our extracurricular activity as a gang, keeping order in the darkest parts of the shifter world, we levelled out our excess dominant energies.

I know what Orpheus is warning me not to do.

But he had nothing to worry about.

I'm never going to show Sabrina that side of me.

Her husbands' end was the only time she'd see blood on my hands.

That poor omega had been through enough.

She deserved flowers, eternal kindness, a promise of protection.

In our pack, we'd keep her safe.

I'd make sure Sabrina and her precious little ones would never feel unsafe.

They'd never cry again.