Omega Blues (Gay Romance)

Chapter Eighteen: Jagged Rock Pack

Matt

You'd think that watching your friend being bitten by a werewolf was the scariest thing you could do on a school night, but it's just kinda cool. No matter how much Bren tried to freak me out, I knew Liv's bite would be every bit as awesome as Chop's (or Connor's, though I wasn't there to see it, because it probably involved some freaky werewolf sex).

And I was literally 100% right.

The full moon fell in the middle of the week, so we had to drive up after classes and could only stay the one night. I was extra glad that Bren had taken the time off to come down and visit me, because I wasn't going to get much time alone with him up on the mountain.

Liv, Chop, Will and Connor were all in Chop's van, and Leaf was in the bed of Bren's truck behind us. She hadn't been back in Jagged Rock since being attacked over territory, which meant she'd been away from home for months. Will thought it would be safe for her to visit as part of the werewolf pack, because he was respected by every wolf in the mountains. She didn't like being in cars and refused to sit up in a seat like Rebel did, so was much happier sitting in the back where she could feel the wind on her fur.

I'd forgotten how much effect the full moon had on Bren. By the time we were all piled into Chop's van and Bren's truck on the way out of the city, Bren was obviously uncomfortable.

"Are you okay?" I asked, glancing at him.

"Fine."

He'd asked me to drive—said he liked how I handled his truck—but now I realized there was more to it than that. Bren was trembling, his arms taut and hands clenched on his thighs.

No way could he drive like that.

"Full moon?" I asked.

He nodded. "It's fine."

I reached across to pat the back of his hand, never taking my eyes off the road. "I know it's not fine. You're hurting."

"It's just... This close to the moon, this far away from home. Even Will and the others will be feeling it."

"We'll just have to get to Jagged Rock as fast as possible," I said. "Within the speed limit, obviously."

As I said it I pulled up at a light behind Chop's van. I grinned over at Bren, and he was looking back at me. His smile was as soft and warm as freshly baked bread, his face so full of tenderness that it made my insides quiver.

"As fast as legally possible," he echoed.

"Why are you smiling at me like that?"

He didn't reply. He just kept smiling. When the lights changed and I couldn't keep looking at him, I felt the sunshine of that smile kissing the side of my face.

But an hour later, when he was actually twitching, I couldn't ignore it. "Bren. Do you want to turn into a wolf?"

"But then you won't have anyone to talk to."

"I'll still have you to talk to, you just won't be able to talk back! Captive audience." Of course I didn't mean it—I loved talking with Bren. "Plus then you can talk to Leaf!"

Matt laughed. But then his twitching grew into full-on trembling, and it wrenched at my heart.

"Doesn't it help to have Will around?" I asked. "That's how that works, right? It helps to have your alpha near you? Chop's van is, like, spitting distance ahead."

"It did help, when he was just a strong alpha who respected and supported me. But now he's told me we're officially pack and he's my pack leader, so we're joined. I feel his territory instincts stronger."