Sentinal Oaks - A Lion's Pride - 10. Chapter 10

“He’s a liger, Alpha Mate,” Milo said, discreetly wiping another stray tear. The show of emotion from Milo surprised me. The man is usually serious and stoic. It must be due to his friends being so upset. I know I feel it myself when Nash or Beckett is upset, and don’t even get me started on when my munchkin gives in to his tears. It kills me every time.

A liger! Holy shit! I’d heard the rumors but never thought I’d ever meet one. A lion and tigress, how ‘bout that. I wonder how this poor soul even got to the age he is. Usually, and unfortunately, a pride or pack would rid themselves of the hybrid, the breeders themselves would be dealt with. I’m glad things are changing. It’s one thing I’m going to make sure of under my reign, it’s old-world thinking. The same used to be for male omega’s but not anymore. It’s one thing I’ll always be thankful for – my omega. Interbreeding is not something that generally happens in the shifter community. Hence, the doctor’s freakout. Shifters tend to sensationalize the nature of any hybrid. ‘They’re dangerous,’ ‘they’re unstable,’ yet I’ve never heard of a hybrid going postal. Probably because they have to hide to due ignorant anuses like the doc.

“A liger?” she questioned, more to herself than anyone else. “Well, that is different.” The Alpha Mate spun around to view the doctor. “Why are you so sure that he’s a danger to the Pride, doctor?”

The arrogant look of defiance on the man’s face made me want to put my fist right through it, my blood pressure rose with every second he didn’t answer. Was he going to back down? Maybe do something once everyone’s back was turned? Claim it was for the good of the Pride? Well, fuck that.

“Answer the Alpha Mate, or be taken into custody?” I demanded pushing my mate into Milo’s arms. I knew he’d be safe there no matter what happens. I put myself between the doctor and Alpha Mate, I no longer trusted the doctor. I’m not sure what he’ll do; his eyes look a little wild to me. There is no way on earth I’m going to leave the Alpha Mate unprotected. The royal guard finally moved into place to protect her. If the lieutenant decided to stay in his position after his leave, things are going to be different. I doubt this is how things were done when King West wore the crown.

Like always, Nash flanked to my right and a step behind. He had moved when I did, I can always count on him to have my back. I can feel Tanner’s body quaking with anxiety; it had my attention. He is always, always, first on my mind no matter what.

A nurse broke through the crowd to get to Trek. My entire body turned with the movement of the nurse to make sure there was no funny business. The man needed that shot to calm down, Trek is important to my munchkin, therefore, important to me. It only took about ten seconds after the sedative was administered for the giant man to go pliable and sink even further into the arms of Beckett. Well, shit, now we’re going to have to move him, he’ll be a dead weight. Is she an idiot? How does she even have a job? Up there for thinking, lady. Of course, I could have said something before she gave him the shot, but it only just occurred to me. This is her job, one would think she’d know better.

I spun back around to see what happened when I heard the Alpha Mate gasp. A guard moved her out of the way of the scuffle.

“What did you say?” Nash lurched forward at the doctor, throwing the man back into the wall. He was holding him two feet off the ground with one hand fisted in the man’s scrubs and the other fist into the asshole doctor’s face. The crunch of the bones in the man’s face made me wince. The arrogant piece of shit didn’t make a sound besides a small growl barely audible.

“Oh, man. I wanted to do that,” Milo whined quietly. Even though Tanner was still crying into Milo’s chest, he was chuckling at the same time. Best friends can do that; have you laugh while you struggle with more overwhelming emotions.

“Let me go right now,” the doctor ordered Nash; I could smell the fear coming off the supposedly alpha doctor. Poor guy’s scared of an omega. Probably not a bad idea considering what I just saw the omega do. That and Nash had absolutely, without a doubt, broken the doctor’s nose by the amount of blood pouring out of it… and it was now crooked.

“Shut your vile mouth,” Nash spat angrily at the doctor in his clutches, pushing him harder into the wall. “Tanner is a male omega. Would you see harm come to him? You piece of shit,” Nash exploded readily charged to throw his fist again. Luckily the doc didn’t know that he was being pummeled by an omega. Gasp! His reputation would be ruined. I managed to keep the chuckle in my head and present my usual stoic expression of none at all.

“It’s up to me to keep the Pride safe. That man in there is a mutt, a mix, he’s dangerous, who knows what he’s capable of. We don’t know him. Plus, he’s an omega, he can’t be allowed to breed,” he shouted in Nash’s face. So… Nash slugged him again, but this time in the gut winding him. HE stepped aside, letting go of the doc’s shirt then watched with satisfaction as the man slid to a lump on the floor.

“Oh, man. This just isn’t fair,” Milo mumbled, anger and jealousy just at the surface while he still had a protective hold on my mate.

“Guards, take the doctor into custody,” I commanded then turned to Raf, my assistant. “Move him to the cells at the Sherriff’s Office, I don’t want this asshole escaping too,” I mumbled pulling Nash by the crook of his elbow away from the doctor. I heard Milo make a growly noise. Well, isn’t that a crazy turn of events. The second I put my hands on Nash. He looked like he wanted to hurt me for even thinking about touching the man. Poor guy doesn’t know it yet, but he’s screwed. I know he’s not a huge fan of Nash, but when he figures out that my best friend is his fated mate... man, that is going to be awkward. Nah, who am I kidding? It’s going to gloriously entertaining. Milo can be firey.

“You’re going to pay for this, you have my word…” the doctor was shouting as they practically had to drag him out of the building.

“Sayōnara, bitch!” Milo said on a chuckle giving my mate back then helping Beckett move Trek.

“Stay here, Munchkin.” I strode over to give Milo and Beckett a hand with Trek, the guy is enormous and now a dead weight that he’s sedated and unconscious. I’ve never seen anyone so distraught in all my life. I can’t even begin to imagine what it would be like to lose my omega, and I don’t want to. Just the thought had my entire insides shredding, not even a second later, waves of warmth and love flooded my body. Tanner’s body had immediately reacted to my emotions. We got Trek through the door of the same room his mate laid in a bed, there happened to be an empty one next to him, so we lifted Trek maneuvering him to lay comfortably.

“You think he’ll be okay?” Tanner asked, worriedly from behind me.

“I’m sure he will.” I pet Tanner’s shoulder. “Stay with your friends, Munchkin. I’m going to converse with the Alpha Mate and Raf.” I couldn’t help myself, I reached up with my knuckle wiping away the last of my omega’s tears. “I love you,” I whispered in his ear with a kiss to his forehead before leaving the small room. When I looked over my shoulder, my omega blushing turned with a dopey smile on his face with his hand touching where I’d kissed him. My chest puffed up that my mate loves me and my kisses.

<>-<>-<>

Tanner pulled the covers back on the bed putting one leg in. I watched with a heated gaze as his beautiful naked body slid in between the sheets, he leaned over pulling the sheets back for me to do the same. I took a deep breath as I slid in next to him, scenting his slick my dick so hard it could probably be hard enough to hammer nails. This man makes my blood pressure rise in the best ways.

We now stay in his room in the Pride manse since we mated. Once the crown shifts, we are supposed to move to the royal bedroom and ensuite. But my munchkin wanted to stay in his room, and I get it. I don’t think I’d ever be able to live in a place where my father had slept, not to mention other extracurriculars. Ick.

My omega’s room is plenty big enough for us. Big enough for a family of four to live if I’m honest. It had its own full-size bathroom, walk-in closet, and a small lounge area with a fireplace. The décor is dark woods and the walls and accents in deep earth tones, very masculine yet homey. We’d be staying here making this the royal bedroom, the old main would be used for a live-in nanny once we have cubs. The room would be big enough for him or her to be comfortable with enough space to make it their own.

I slid across the bed to my omega, smiling at the grin on his face. He grabbed my hand and put it on his erection. Then moved his hand over and wrapped his fingers around mine with a squeeze, eliciting a groan from me. He knew how to play me like a fiddle.

“You’re playing with fire, my omega,” I told him in a low husky voice.

“I know, Alpha, looking forward to getting burnt,” he retorted, with a wicked grin.

“Ngh,” Tanner stroked me once. That was all I needed to pull my omega over the top of me. I loved when he straddled me. Pushing down on my chest with the flat of his palms, he sat up straight sliding his hips back and forward slowly using his slick to lube up my cock. His eyes were already blown with desire, his teasing movements using my cock like a scratching post. Slick beaded and lazily made its way down over my balls, spirits above, so warm and wet. It feels incredible, so phenomenal I gripped my omega’s hips lifting him enough to slip my hand between us moving my cock so on his decent it slid right between his cheeks into his hot body with a desperate need. Tanner’s eyes rolled back in his head when I grazed his prostate.

“Boo-yah,” he groaned.

A rumbling laugh rose from deep in my chest all the way out.

“What was that?”

My omega’s head flipped forward, glaring daggers at me doing the only thing he could think to show his discontent with my reaction. The little bugger clenched his ass cheeks so tight it feels like he’s trying to rip off my dick.

“Ow, baby–” I gasped, the pain somewhere between excruciating and delicious.

He grinned at me wickedly, relaxing his muscles and riding me hard and fast, his cock bouncing jauntily with him. I reached out to help him catch up to me, but he knocked my hand away from his dick.

“No. Bad Alpha!” he panted.

“Oh, oh, my spirits… munchkin slow down, oh shi… f-f-flapjacks and maple syrup. Baby I’m coming,” I cried as he pushed me over the edge, he kept riding me until my knot became painful. Tanner flopped down on top of me still hard as a rock because he was not finished yet. I knew my fate was sealed, this is going to be a long night of him torturing me in the only way he knew. By morning my balls would be aching in the aftermath of a busy glorious night buried in my omega.

With his face in my chest and my arms wrapped around to his back, he growled, “You’re still in trouble. We are not done yet, my Alpha.”

“I know we aren’t done, baby. You haven’t come yet.”

“Psh! Like I care, there’s more to come.” He giggled roughly. “Excuse the pun.”

The mistake I made was chuckling with him while slapping him on the ass.

“Nghh,” we both moaned together. The slap caused my knot to pull, affecting both of us.

“I want your cub,” Tanner mumbled into my chest, then resting his cheek in the same spot.

My entire body, soul, and heart soared.

“How much longer do we have to wait?” he pouted.

I nudged his head gently until I was looking into his watery eyes. “Aw, munchkin, I don’t know how long, Elder Meridene said she thinks it will take about three months.”

“I don’t wanna wait that long, Alpha, I want our cubs now. I want my little grumpy alphas, I want to be able to love on them, play with them, teach them stuff. I want to look into their mini-you faces and know we made them,” Tanner rambled with a contented sigh.

“Come here, my beautiful omega.” I kissed him with all the love I had. “We’ll get them, but they are going to look like you. I insist. You’re too beautiful to not want more of you. And just so you know, I don’t care if they are male or female, alpha, beta, or omega. We’ll love them no matter the gender or designation.”

Tanner sighed. “You’re the most perfect alpha. I love you.” He pecked a kiss to my chest. “But, I still want our cubs now.”

<>-<>-<>

Tanner gasped; he was staring at me with his hand to his chest and watery eyes.

“You look so handsome in your royal suit, Alpha.”

“Aw, Munchkin, come here,” I said with my arms out, ready to tuck him into me. He practically fell into my embrace. Are you prepared for today?” I asked, kissing his temple.

“Yes. Maybe. I don’t know,” he said, I could hear the smile muffled in his voice.

“You are happy, though, right?”

“Yes, Alpha. Very, very, happy.” His head turned up so he could see my face, a little smile on the edge of his mouth, but still with watery eyes. “I can’t wait for you to become King. I just wish my father had been able to meet you.”

“Do you think he would have approved of me becoming the next King?”

“I think so my mom likes you a lot.” Tanner smiled, rubbing his face along my chest as if we were in lion form.

“Thank you, baby, it means a lot for you to assure me of that. I like your mom a lot too, she’s a lovely woman, and I wish for you, your sisters and her that he was still here,” I told him.

“Me too.” Tanner squeezed me tighter. “I better go, you have a lot to do before the Shifting of the Crown this afternoon, and I want to go with Milo to check on Trek.”

“Okay, Munchkin,” I said, a knock on the door interrupting us. The door opened, a royal guard entering. This I hate, me and my omega barely have any privacy at any time for the day, but… it is what it is, I suppose. They enter at their own peril when we are in our private quarters.

“Alpha Rush, Mr. Milo Reardon, has arrived and waiting in the parlor for Mr. West.” The guard didn’t wait for a replay and exited the room closing the door behind him. Two seconds later the door flew open, and Beckett entered in his usual flourish with no regard to anyone else.

“It’s Easton,” mumbled my mate.

“Huh?” I tilted my head in confusion.

“We’re mated now, Alpha, I’m an Easton, like you.” He poked my chest playfully with a grin.

Well, screw me sideways if I thought I couldn’t love this man any more than I already do. He goes and says shit like that. I do love my omega, more than anything, everything, and everyone in the entire universe.

“Morning, Alpha, and Alpha Mate,” Beckett announced with a snicker and peeling an orange. “You become king today, brother,” he said snickering. A comical tilt of his head and raising his shoulders to his ears, he continued, “isn’t it exciting.”

“Why is it every time I see you, brother, you’re always eating?” I asked, and usually when he’s in my room for some reason.

Beckett put the peel down on the nightstand continuing to shed the skin from the orange as he flopped onto the bed making himself comfortable sitting against the headboard.

“Don’t hate, I’m hungry.” He flicked more peel onto the nightstand.

“What are you doing here?” I spat angrily.

“Always so serious,” Beckett retorted, “I’ve come to get my friend here so we can go to the clinic before they crown your ass.”

“Don’t curse,” Tanner grouched.

“Milo’s waiting downstairs. Rumor has it that Trek’s mate is awake.” Beckett grinned excitedly, completely ignoring my omega’s admonishment.

“Really?” Tanner asked, excitedly leaping from my arms tripping over his own feet falling flat on his face. Already forgetting about my brother’s language faux pas.

Shaking my head, I reached down, gripping my omega under his armpits and lifting him up onto his feet. He shook himself like a cub gathering his bearings. He pretended to wipe imaginary lint from his pants. “I’m ready, let’s go.” Tanner walked toward the door calling back. “Don’t leave your peels on the nightstand jackal. Love you, Alpha. See you soon.”

“Love you too, Munchkin. See you this afternoon. Give Trek my congrats,” I called back moving to the sofa so I can sit comfortably to put on my shoes. First, I sent a text to Nash to go with Tanner and Milo because I don’t trust the royal guard. He replied almost instantly.

Nash: On it, Alpha. Good luck today, Rush!

I smiled, Nash using my given name showed me he was happy for me, his friend, not an obligatory response due to my position.

<>-<>-<>

My annoyance is evolving into panic as I stand here at the closed doors of the Royal Hall. The Easton family crest has been adorned on the entrance of the building. Once those doors open there will be eight trumpet guard for me to saunter through. All eyes will be on me as I walk to the altar where the head of the Shifter Council will be waiting to guide me through the Shifting of the Crown.

But…

Tanner isn’t here, he is supposed to be waiting with me.

The doors open and the trumpets screech, as I commence down the passage to the front.

No Tanner. Realizing I can’t feel him either, my panic grows.

With my eyes frantically searching the crowd as I move toward the elder. I can find my brother and Trek sitting with smiles of support on their faces.

No Tanner. My breathing is becoming erratic, and I can feel an involuntary shift forming in my gut to revel with my panic and worry.

Where is he? I can’t even feel his heartbeat anymore, what’s… He’s…

I search again, no Tanner, no Milo, no Nash…

But Trek is here. In a full-blown panic my ears start to ring as I reach my brother in the sea of shifters. Beckett stands quickly grabbing my shoulder’s roughly.

“Alpha,” he says searching my eyes, “Rush,” he shakes me violently again. I can hear him but it’s tinny and distant. The hair of my lion surfaces, my canines push through in my mouth as my mane develops. The cracking of my bones as they reshape into my lion form. I hear the panic and sorrow as I throw back my head and roar. My insides are in turmoil along with my brain working a million miles a minute. Something is wrong. Where is my omega? Why can’t I feel him?

Munchkin?

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