Sentinal Oaks - A Lion's Pride - 11. Chapter 11 - Milo

Hi everyone, both @Wesley8890 and I have been busy trying to get chapters ready going forward. Sorry for the delay but life gets in the way.  Hope you're all happy and safe.
Joh and Wesley. 

What the hell is going on? Spirits, my head hurts. “Agh,” I moaned, lifting my hand to check the heavy spot that seemed to be thumping at the back of my head. Great, a lump, “Ow,” I gasped, bringing my fingers to the front of my face to see if I was bleeding. “Where the fuck am I? Thank the spirits, I can’t see any blood on my hand. Is this a cave or a dungeon of some sort? Maybe a room. It smells so stale and musty in here. So much so that my lungs feel a little constricted.

Shit, Tanner. Fuck, fuck, fuck. As his best friend, I have one damn job; keep him safe. What the hell have I done? Where the– “Oh, thank the spirits.” The air audibly wooshed out of my lungs when he comes into view, but my stomach dropped when I see him slumped against the wall a few feet away. Scrambling to his, paws crossed, sleeping body. “Thank fuck,” I mumble when I find his pulse, then check him over for any injuries before trying to rouse him. He had all his appendages, definitely breathing, best of all, no bleeding.

“Tanner,” I said, gently rattling his shoulder, “Tanner, wake up.”

“Ugh,” he groaned, his eyes slow to open. Tanner blinked a few times before they fluttered all the way, and his gaze met mine. The flesh around his eyes is red and bloodshot. His focus panned the space slowly, taking in our surroundings. Rolling his head against the wall to see left and right. The low light isn’t exactly adequate, but we can see thanks to our shifter sight. “Where are we?” he asked with a gravelly voice as he sat forward ever so gently from the wall. “Ow, what the?” his hand went to his neck, he touched it gingerly on the opposite side to his mating mark.

“What is it?” I asked, moving over him to get a look.

“I don’t…” his fingers danced delicately across his skin. I pulled his hand away so I could see his neck.

“There’s a puncture wound, like a prick mark, I guess,” I mumbled. “What’s the last thing you remember?”

His worried eyes meet mine as I pull back. “I don’t know?” he sucked his bottom lip into his mouth. “Where are we, Milo?” I can tell he is scared, fuck, so am I.

“I honestly don’t know,” I said, inspecting as much of the space as I could see. “We seemed to be trapped somewhere.” Although the lighting isn’t that great, I can see we are surrounded by four complete walls with a thick clay pilon in the middle of the space blocking the view on its other side. There doesn’t seem to be any windows or doors either. Maybe we’re underground somewhere. I leaned over to the left, my ear almost touching the ground so I could see past the pilon into the dark. It could just be a dark corner, maybe a passageway, hopefully. There doesn’t seem to be a door or opening anywhere. The ground is damp but more from the cold temperature rather than it being wet. It feels rough like stone, but it seems to be too even or level so it could be concrete. “Are you hurting anywhere?”

He shook his head gingerly side to side, wincing slightly before answering, “No, I don’t think so. My head hurts, but that shouldn’t be a surprise,” he says, running one hand over the puncture wound the other holding his head to stop it from hurting. He seemed to be assessing me for anything different. Tanner moved my head to the side with his hand to my cheek so he could see my neck. “You have one of those puncture marks too, Milo.” Tanner lifted his hand, running his thumb gently over the tiny wound. “I think we were drugged.”

“Mm, it would seem so.”

“Oh, no. Where’s Nash?” he said, the panic evident by how frantic his gaze skipped around the spirit forsaken cave or whatever, “I remember he was with us. Where is he?”

We both crawled along the floor a couple of feet, trying to see further into the darkness behind the pilon. A pair of soles, boots probably, sticking out from the dark, but it’s all I can make out. “Over there,” I said, pointing at our lifeless friend.

Tanner pulled himself up the wall to a standing position taking a few steps, “Yeah, it’s him,” he whispered, motioning for me to follow him. “We need to make sure he’s okay?”

“Yeah, of course.” I sighed, standing to follow. Not a huge fan of Nash, but here we are stuck in this hell together. He’s so annoying. Why does he have to be so damn sexy, though? The man must have at least four inches on me. He’s not as big as Trek or Rush, but he isn’t tiny either. I know now that he’s an omega, but he has all the physical attributes of an alpha. The same friggin’ attitude as an alpha. The man is infuriating.

“This place is so creepy,” Tanner whispered loudly with a shudder while kneeling down to check over Nash.

“Right?!” my whole body shivered. “Is he okay?”

Tanner looked up to me from his place beside him, “Yeah, I think so anyway. He’s breathing at least, but I think he might have injured his wrist.”

My stomach dropped; the last thing any of us needed is to be injured stuck in this damn place. The room is long but not very high, at best, six feet. That is going to suck for Nash and me, but Tanner will be fine being shorter than the rest of us and under six feet tall. Looking over the top of my friend’s shoulder to get a better look at Nash, I noticed his wrist had already started to swell. That’s going to hurt like a bitch when he wakes up. Without shifting to fix and realign, it could turn out badly.

“We need to wake him, he needs to shift. If he doesn’t, that bone is going to set, and it’ll be hell for him. Here–” I said, nudging Tanner out of the way, but when his eyes meet mine, another brick added to the ton in my chest. “What?”

“I couldn’t shift. I already tried,” he said, sounding sad and defeated. Tanner’s shoulders sunk down, shrinking into his body.

“Fuck, that’s just great.”

“Don’t cuss, Milo. You know I hate that,” Tanner mumbled in the same defeated tone. He fussed over Nash, trying to make him more comfortable by gently moving his limbs into a more comfortable position. I love my friend; he’s such a good person and shifter.

“Sorry, Alpha Mate. Here,” I said, taking off my t-shirt. “We need to wrap his wrist now while he’s unconscious. If he can’t shift we don’t want it to set incorrectly.”

I dropped to my ass next to the pair of omegas while Tanner went to work using my shirt to strap and set Nash’s wrist. I need to think, how the hell are we going to get out of here? It’s clear that we’ve been put here intentionally; any idiot can see that. But why?

What are they planning to do with us? How long are they going to keep us? How the hell long have we been down here already? Oh my spirits, do they plan on killing us? In my peripheral vision, I could see Tanner checking and re-checking Nash for any further injuries. “He doesn’t seem to have hit his head, so I don’t think he has a concussion or anything. He has the same puncture wound we do.” Tanner finally fell back down to his ass, resting against the wall next to Nash. He blew out a frustrated and anxious breath, his eyes darting all over the place. “How the hell did we get in here?”

“I don’t know,” I answered, looking around for anything I’d missed earlier. “We need to find a way out. It’s cold as a witch’s tit in here.”

“Milo!” Tanner admonished me.

“Come on, Alpha Mate. If any situation earned a bit of cursing,” I look around the area again, “it’s this one.” The corners of his mouth turned upward into an almost smile when I called him Alpha Mate. A warm feeling flurried through my chest that I was able to give my friend two seconds of comfort in our situation.

“Do you think we should try and wake him up?” Tanner asked, his chin sadly tipped in Nash’s direction.

“Nah, let him sleep it off. He’s breathing properly and you can’t find any life-threatening injuries. Besides, he’ll only drive me freakin’ crazy.” I added. And he would, I know it. The last thing I need is the added stress of that infuriating lion pushing my damn buttons.

“Mm, I don’t know why you let him get to you, you know he’s doing it on purpose, right?” he asked, amusedly.

“Mhmm,” I replied, standing awkwardly, “I’m going to try and work out how they put us here in the first place.” I touched the dark gray-brown wall of rock with my hand, gross, I whipped my hand back. “This place is disgusting.” The wall felt… slimy. Ew, and we’ve been leaning on it. Probably not something to concern ourselves with at the moment. Maybe there’s a hatch in the ceiling or something, I felt above me as I moved around along the walls hoping to find anything. Anything at all could bring up some hope.

I can’t honestly think of any reason why someone would kidnap us. Tanner is already mated. Nash is new to the pride, and although he is an omega, except by very few, he is perceived as an alpha. Why me? There is absolutely no reason for anyone to want to take me.

Shit! The only reasonable explanation is one of two, Elder Easton, Rush and Beckett’s father, or the doc. Who knew the man was harboring that type of bigotry? And the only real answer I can come up with is to mess with Rush.

“Do you think,” I said, pausing, choosing my words carefully, “do you think they did this to get to Rush.”

A whimpering sound came from Tanner’s direction. “What would be the purpose? We’re already mated.”

“Yes,” I said slowly, running my hand along the ceiling above me looking for… spirits know what, “you are mated, but you’re fated. It would kill Rush, or send him crazy if anything were to happen to you.”

“You think this is my fault?” he snapped angrily.

“Hell, no, I don’t. I think someone is using you to get to Rush. The best candidate would be Elder Easton. Don’t you think?” I asked.

Tanner growled, I chuckled. He told me to, “Shut up!”

“You shut up!”

“No, you shut up.” And just like that, we are fourteen again.

“Both of you shut the fuck up,” Nash groggily grumbled. “Ow, fuck, my wrist. Ouch! Don’t kick!” he bellowed this time, his voice bouncing around the space. I moved quickly to him as he struggled to sit up. For some insane reason, I needed to be the one to help him.

“Don’t curse,” Tanner bit back indignantly.

While they bickered back and forth, I helped Gigantor, my omega, sit upright. What? No. Nope. Not even. Sooooo not my omega, like, ever. Uh-uh. God, he smells good. So what do I do? That’s right I stick my nose into his neck taking a nice big whiff.

“I’m fine,” Nash said, pushing me away. “Did you just sniff me?”

“What?” I stood quickly, smacking my head into the low ceiling. As if it didn’t hurt enough already. “Ouch, mother fu–, ow, ow, ow,” I growled, hopping on one leg because now my shin hurt too. “Stop kicking us,” I grouched at my best friend.

“You both need to watch your P’s and Q’s. Potty mouths,” Tanner huffed indignantly.

“I think cursing is the least of our problems right now, Tanner, don’t you?” I asked rhetorically, dropping to my ass, landing next to Nash and inspecting my bruised shin.

“Whatever,” he answered, “don’t cuss.”

“Don’t kick,” I grumbled, rubbing the affected appendage. I turned to Nash, “And I did not sniff you. Like I’d ever want to smell your stench.” Stench my ass. He smells heavenly. How is it that I smell like three-day-old sports gear, and he smells… delicious? So, so, very tasty.

“Stop looking at me like that!” Nash growled.

“Like what?” I squeaked, leaning over to get another noseful of him. Nash pushed me back half-heartedly. Something is wrong with me because I immediately forced myself back in his personal space, sticking my nose into the crook of his neck. I licked and nipped at his throat all the way to his lobe. Fuck, I’m so hard. I can’t stop, I want more, need more, what the heck is going… agh, yeah that’s the…

“Stop it, Milo,” Nash complained, holding my head in place. The sound of his deep lust filled husky voice going straight to my cock. Stop, my ass. Nash tilted his head, giving me more access to that flawless skin running a hand up the front of my chest.

“Guys?” I heard Tanner say.

“Mm, yeah,” I answered absently, moving over to straddle Nash’s lap. We both groaned the second our cocks met through the cloth separating them. It was just enough pressure to elicit a bump and hump of pleasure. “Nash, fuck, yeah…”

“Uh, guys?” Tanner asked again.

“Watch my wrist. Asshole, mother f… that hurts.” Nash complained, moving his wrist out of the way of our sexual scrimmage. I moved slightly giving enough room for my omega to move his wounded wrist.

“Sorry, omega mine.” Fuck, it fell out of my mouth before I could stop it. Might as well go with it because my lion and body isn’t going to let me do anything but. “You smell so fuckin–”

“Language,” Tanner admonished, catching me off guard. I’d completely forgotten he was there in the past ten seconds. My mind automatically going back to my omega and the scent of his slick permeating the air driving me wild.

“Sprirts alive, Nash, you are so damn perfect,” I said, leaning down to claim his mouth while working on his pants. I needed them off, and now. My mouth salivating, I needed to taste him. I want my lips, tongue, and anything else I owned on him. I wanted my scent all over my omega, he was mine. Ugh and he’s as annoying as he is sexy as fuck, but mine.

My omega’s only response was to take control of my mouth with his, showing me he desperately wanted me as much as I wanted him. He lifted his ass off the ground allowing me to pull his pants down to his thighs. His scent so strong and heady I almost come in my pants.

“Ew, no, no, no, no, no.”

I quickly glanced over at the noise of my best friend, dismissing his eyes scrunched so tightly it must hurt, his fingers in his ears as he rocked as if he were trying to self soothe while chanting ‘No’ over and over. Mate. Right my mate, I fisted his cock with one hand while reaching the other to soothe the ache he must be feeling in his beautiful omega pucker. I ached to be inside him, to claim my omega. “You ready, omega mine.” Dammit, there it is again.

“Yes,” he groaned, pushing himself onto my fingers taking what he needed, “claim me Alpha, make me yours.”

I gently slid my fingers from my omega, there’s no way in the world I would hurt him, not for anything. Not so much for myself though, I nearly took out a nut sac trying to get my jeans down enough for my cock to spring free. Didn’t interfere with the hardness of my cock or arousal in any way. I had to have this man, this lion, he is mine.

“Nash…” I moaned, slowly pushing, sliding, gliding, however the fuck you explained it, it was pure heaven. I could die in this moment, so warm, tight, wet, just everything. Nothing I’ve ever experienced could come anywhere close to how this feels.

“Alpha, more, please, claim me!” Nash whined, adorably needy and so something I am going to give him. I pumped into him with abandoned my arousal at an all time high. Between his scent, the feel of him, and the need, so much need; I’m going out of my mind. I have to claim him, must claim him. “Now, Alpha, now.”

I could feel Nash vibrating edging to release, I’m there too, but… nothing. Nothing is happening, no knot, no teeth dropping to claim him. Nothing! I feel like I’m going to die. I can’t release, I can’t get over the edge. There’s nothing. Is this punishment? What the fuck is happening? I can’t claim my omega.

“I can’t, Nash,” I say through gritted teeth, “can you?”

I watched as he struggled while I pounded into him desperate to get us both to the finishing line. We are both desperate to claim, it’s going to send us crazy if we can’t now that we’ve scented, tasted, felt each other.

“No,” he whimpered, the need and determination in his voice even though it came more as a sob.

“We can do it, baby, hold on. We can do it.” I slammed into his prostate aggressively, eventually feeling the tingle of orgasm but no knot or teeth. “Fuck, baby, I’m there, can you…” I grunted.

“Yes, yes, keep going,” he struggled to talk, his hips swinging up to meet me everytime. This is painful but I can’t stop, must… get… over.

“Agh!” I screamed, as Nash and I blew at the same time, but no fluid. We were dry. What the spirits. I dropped onto my mate, my omega. “I’m sorry, baby, so sorry.”

“My wrist,” Nash cried, real tears pooled in his eyes.

“Fuck, baby,” I said, trying to hold his arm but he pulled it away quickly with a painful sob. I lay on top of him. “I’m so sorry.” I’d failed to keep my omega and best friend safe. “I should have…” my eyes stung with tears of defeat and failure. How can I claim him when I can’t even keep him safe. And Tanner, my best friend, another omega. I’ve hurt them all. No. This is not my fault, not their fault. This didn’t happen because of anything we’ve done. None of us are responsible.

“Not you, no,” Nash said shaking his head cupping my face with the hand of his good arm. “This is not your fault; we were prayed upon. They would have got us when the opportunity arose, no matter what.”

“True,” Tanner barked from the other side of the cave. “I know you guys are in crisis, or bliss, or whatever. But do you think you can put some clothes back on so we can forget this ever happened. And Milo, use your shirt to make a sling for Nash. I think I just figured out where we are.” He was jumping an inch to touch the ceiling of this spirit forsaken place. “Ow, pooh,” he shook his hand like it had been hurt. “Ow, dollyskorts, that hurt.”

A rumbled laugh bubbled out of Nash. “What the hell is a dollyskort?”

“I’ve no clue,” I said, watching my best friend. Even under these circumstances, he won’t curse but will make up a word instead. “Get dressed, Nash. I’ll see what he’s found. Rest my omega.” I pecked a quick kiss to his lips, standing to gather myself before tending to Tanner. When I reached my best friend his eyes were full of unshed tears making my chest ache.

“I want Rush,” he sobbed.

Gathering him in my arms, I held him tight while soothing him with soft words. I heard the low roar of Nash from behind me, and clearly so did Tanner as he pulled away from me. “Sorry, Nash,” he said softly and contrite. My mate grunted, mollified.

“I know.” I squeezed his shoulder. “You said you know where we are?”

Tanner nodded in the affirmative.

“We’re under the clinic. This used to be an old records storage. They’ve since put everything to electronic storage, or digital copies. You know what I mean.” Tanner sniffled, flicking his hand dismissively. “After that was finalised they sold off what they could to the humans then trashed the rest. Not long after they found a couple of the younger teenagers using this spot as a secret hangout so they locked it up.”

I nodded pensively. “Okay. Do you know how we can get out of here?”

He shook his head sadly. “No. I have no clue how they sealed it, or where. I’ve never been down here nor spent much time at the clinic. I can’t even work out how they’ve managed to stop us from shifting or blocked my connection to Rush.”

“Shit!” I exclaimed, punching the wall lightly next to me. “Ow, would you stop lashing out.”

Tanner ever so cutely stomped his foot and his hands balled into fists at his side. “Stop cussing, you, you, you, Guber-ha.” Nash snorted a laugh then groaned, obviously in pain.

I turned to move back toward Nash immediately asking him, “You okay, baby?”

Nash snorted another laugh followed by another groan. “Don’t call me baby. I’m fine though, it hurts when I jerk my body; it’s nothing.”

“There has to be something we can do, or find the seal, something,” I offered.

“I’ve been trying, Milo, I promise. We need to get Nash out of here. If he heals like that…” Tanner seethed, flinging his hand toward my mate.

“Sorry, I know. You have to calm down, Tanner. We’ll figure it out.” Pfft, sure we will. But I have not one fucking clue how. But he’s right; we need to get Nash to where he can shift – and now.