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"Well, I tried." Lex draped himself over the flat rock and bathed in the warmth of the sun.
Byriel's dark skin looked even paler, almost grey, if that was even possible. He had one arm out of his shirt but was struggling with the other. Every time he moved, he hissed as the skin around his wound pulled and oozed pus around thick, crusty puncture marks.
I quietly pulled at the garment, gently rolling the wet fabric up and over his head. I threw it towards the shore before turning back to him.
"Loosen your pants, but donottake them off," I said, giving him a firm glare. "The bite is right on your waistband, and I need to make sure the whole thing is clean. Don't try anything. Got it?"
The Alpha nodded, unbuttoning his pants and pulling at his waist. He leaned back a bit so I could examine it more clearly.
"Thank you," he mumbled.
I gave a curt nod. I hated that I felt sorry for him, and wanted to help. I hated that I felt anything but disgust for him. But he was so broken. The murdering of the wolves bearing the birthmarks had marked him as well, as it should have.
"Omega?" he whispered.
"There's no need to address me formally," I said firmly, washing away as much of the infection as I could. "Because I will not be calling you Alpha."
He nodded. "I understand. Can I ask...what was your mate's name?"
My eyes snapped to his. I couldn't tell if he was mocking me or plotting something. But the desire to answer the Alpha's question was a bit overwhelming at the moment. There were too many emotions in the air, and my wolf was still sensitive and overworked.
"Korban."
"Korban," he whispered, leaning his head back and closing his eyes.
I worked quickly and had him out of the water and his wound dressed, applying a thick paste of a few familiar herbs before Joon returned. I hoped with a decent amount of rest and plenty of water, Byriel would be back on his feet in a day or two, and then we'd really see what kind of Alpha he was. It was easy to be agreeable on death's door, but it's quite another for a strong, capable Alpha to throw away his entire life for three beings he didn't know, especially ones that wanted to kill him and one of his friends.
Joon returned, dragging a buck just off the side of the river's edge, then shifted into his human. He dipped into the water, washing the blood off his face and arms. He eyed Byriel's sleeping form as he pulled on his pants and settled next to me, taking in my wet clothes.
"You helped him, didn't you?" His voice was deep and laced with anger already.
"Yes," I said simply, arranging some rocks to make a fire pit.
"I told you —"
I cut him off with a stern look, glaring at him with blazing eyes. I did not belong to him, and I didn't want to be forced to say it, but I would if I had to. He had no right to command me to do anything. Silence hung in the air for a moment as we glowered at one another.
"We should eat," Joon said stiffly, clearly angry but willing to let it go...for now at least. He stalked off towards the deer without another word.
"Do all Alphas eventually submit to their Omegas?" Lex asked as he rolled himself on the rock to face me properly.
"Don't let him hear you talk like that," I said pointedly. "I just patched one wolf. I don't need to worry about you two as well."
"Do you think he'll kill us?" Lex asked, motioning to Byriel.
I looked over at the sleeping Alpha. This was dangerous. Once he got us within the city boundaries, he could ditch, kill, or double-cross us. I just didn't know for sure. But for some reason, I felt he was honest in his regret. His grief seemed real.
"Maybe."
Camp At The River’s Edge
Joon
Night came quickly,bringing with it the gentle chatter of crickets and tree frogs. The air was getting chilly, and the breeze rustled the leaves in an almost rhythmic manner.
Byriel was still passed out, having not moved or made a single noise all evening, and Lex had skipped away to find something to eat, claiming the fisherman he had that morning had left a bad taste in his mouth.
I watched Tzidal fiddle with the fire, carefully placing a sizable log into the flames. My wolf wasn't pleased with her willful disobedience, and I kept having to remind myself she wasn't my mate. But it didn't excuse her for challenging me or change how angry my wolf was. She was just being so reckless. She was going to get seriously hurt, and the thought killed me.
