Their Omega's Heat

Seventeen: Dead of Night

We moved, keeping low and downwind as we snuck across the pitch black from the vehicles, leaving them in a fallback point we would move everyone to when located. Zena rose to the surface, giving her ability to see in it perfectly and quickened my speed.

I crouched beside Thane in the forest line before the dilapidated Omega house, his gleaming in the darkness.

Remember, Luna, quiet and quick. Thane said into my mind. Keep on my tail the whole time.

I nodded, securing the weapons and looked across the sparse compound.

Unlike the Blackwater Pack lands, Sigmund kept everyone seperated from the main Packhouse, the 'unimportant' Wolves were circled around the property - like offerings as they were barely guarded or secure. The stench of silver and something else mixed with the heavy smell of blood made my stomach churn.

Thane bristled beside me, snarling. "Wolfsbane," he identified, Zena growling in anger.

Jace and Jaxon flanked me, their eyes burning with determination.

Guard patrol approaching Jaxon snarled.

Jace nodded, and the twins melted into the darkness, taking out the two guards with swift and silent efficiency.

Clear Jace called, reappearing beside me.

Thane handed me a small medical bag. Time to work, Luna.

My heart quickened as we crept toward the Omega den. Zena's presence surged forward, guiding me through the maze of emotions and scents.

A faint whimper echoed from within.

Omega's inside Thane confirmed.

Gamma Riley and Gamma Liam positioned themselves around me, forming a protective shield in large Wolf forms.

Thane led the way, carefully entering the building through the broken side door.

I followed, my eyes adjusting to the dim light and my heart slammed into my chest with hatred and disgust.

Barbaric. Zena snarled, her voice thick with rage and hatred as I took in the room, my heart aching as I saw the small, shivering frames on rusted metal bunk beds set in rows across the rotted, damp floor.

The roof was slanted and broken, probably flooding the place during storms - I couldn't imagine how horrible winter would be.

We moved along some of the bunk rows, the soft whimpering of women filled the air when Thane's Beta aura seeped out.

I crouched to a woman sobbing, hiding her bruised face when Thane ducked to check on the unmoving woman beside her. "It's alright, we're from Blackwater," I whispered, trying to sound reassuring. "We're here to help."

The woman's dull eyes met mine, one blacked with a bruise and her lips were cracked and dry. She trembled, a small whimper leaving her throat. "Help?" She repeated in a broken voice that tore something inside of me, Zena whining in agony for the poor woman.

I found myself reaching out, cupping the back of her thin neck and moved forward, pressing our foreheads together, Zena whispering words that I echoed. "I am the Blackwater Luna, you are coming home with us, sister."

I felt her thin arms sling around me, grabbing me with all her strength as she hugged me, rattled sobs leaving her.

Her underscent of chamomile was overridden by body odour, dirt, blood and the scent of those who abused her. I pulled away, giving her a reassuring look. Jace came to my side, a medical bag on his shoulder and a small smile he directed to the woman.

Her eyes widened in fear, curling slightly and she looked at me.

I reached out, rubbing her forearm around her legs. "I have to go help the others," I said softly, looking at Jace and giving him a smile before looking back at the woman. "This is my mate, Alpha Jace; he's a doctor - he's going to help you," I promised, Jace, giving her a kind and patient expression as he pulled on a set of fresh gloves.

"You can just call me Jace," he said with a small chuckle, then gestured to her face. "Mind if I have a look at your eye?"

The woman looked at me again, panicked and unsure. I squeezed her arm. "It's okay, we just want to check you before moving you," I waited until she looked at Jace and nodded finally before letting her go and stood up, almost collapsing as the scent of the room hit me again.

It smelt like death and decay.

Thane touched my wrist. Luna, I smell the Wolves in the back, let your mates and Mabel handle the others. He urged, leading the way through the room, my eyes pinned to his back, unable to stop myself if I saw another in the same condition - which from the sounds of our Pack and Mabel and Jace, it was everyone in here - I glanced around then, realising and my hand shot out to graze Thane's arm.

Where are the males? My heart shuddered with worry. Thane gave me a settling look.

They're in a different building, Jaxon and King are handling it. He tugged on my arm, Come on, Luna, we gotta move.

I nodded, taking a sharp breath, and he shouldered open the metal door that led to a room that made me almost collapse, and Zena howled -screamed- in my mind.

My legs moved, panic and determination swelling as I fell beside the first shifted Wolf that lay chained to the wall, her fur matted with blood and silver burns. My heart wrenched.

"Easy, sister," I cooed when she whined, low and in agony. I snapped on gloves, letting Zena push forward, connecting her mind to the woman's when I touched her clumped and damaged fur. A small whine left him, high-pitched and sad. Zena whined back, comforting and sweet, her presence soothed the Wolf's panicked thoughts, allowing me to work.

I examined her wounds, carefully removing the silver chains that bit deep into her skin.

The Wolf's eyes locked onto mine, filled with fear and trust as I loaded a syringe.

"It's okay," I whispered. "It'll make it easier to move you," I gave her a small smile, waiting until she settled back down before I started.

With gentle hands, I cleaned and bandaged her wounds, giving her a small sedative and checked the rest of her when her tensions eased, her breathing slowing.

Thane, Liam and Riley moved around me, unchaining the other three Wolves in the room, speaking quietly to them in calm, assuring voices.

Another group of warriors joined us, laying out fabric stretchers and loading the Wolves up, moving quietly into the darkness back to the waiting vehicles.

Thane nodded at me when we moved the last one, touching my shoulder to lead me from the room, Jace and Mabel finishing with the last of the others.

I spotted the small forms of children, my heart wrenching when I saw them in similar conditions to the women. One child, a small boy, clung to Jace's arm, holding his jacket in his small fists. Jace gave him a kind smile, whispering to him as I approached.

"I need my arm, buddy. I have to help Hadee," he said softly, gesturing to the woman he was bandaging a slice on her shin.

"No, Alpha, please." The little boy whined, squeezing Jace harder, seeming to not want to let him go. I found myself crouching beside them, reaching out to touch his tiny shoulder and giving him a kind smile.

"Hi, I'm Luna Melody," I cooed at him, his sparkling jade eyes meeting mine with surprise as I spoke and opened my arms. Before I could say anything else to encourage him to let go of Jace, his eyes looked at my gesture and he turned, throwing himself into my chest and hugged me with so much strength and relief I had to bit back tears as I wrapped my arms around him, picking him up gently.

"Come on, buddy," I whispered to him, glancing at Jace to see him watching me with a tender and loving expression as I turned with the child, leaving the room with Thane and the Gammas flanking me.

My feet barely touched the ground, securing the small child against me as well as I could as I found myself running, wanting to escape the smell - the sounds.

Sigmund was crueler than I had thought; I only hoped with removing the Omegas, we could cripple his Pack enough, put enough shattered belief within his remaining members, and it would dissolve on its own.

A Pack was nothing without their Omegas.

The little boy in my arms lifted his head, looking around as we approached the lights of our vehicles and the soft murmur of voices.

"Luna?" His small voice croaked with worry, his hands fisting into my jacket.

"It's okay, they're friends." I rubbed his back, bouncing him gently as we got to the Bus, Thane opening the door for me and climbing in to lower a bed.

"What's your name, sweetie?" I asked, finding a new pair of gloves as the Wolves were loaded behind us into the other beds.

His eyes flickered to them, wide and panicked as Mabel crouched beside one, whispering assurance as she administered another round of sedatives and medicines I didn't recognise.

"Henry," the small voice finally answered, pulling my attention back to him, seeing his eyes wide and watching me with an almost pleading look. I held his hand, smiling at him.

"Hi, Henry," I greeted, his lips twitching for a second with a smile, falling when the Wolf behind me whined.

I spun on my toes, facing them, finding it to be an Omega male, his injuries far worse than the women's.

My jaw clenched as my hands moved across his countless wounds, his body shaking with agony. "I know, I'm sorry," I whispered, opening my bag and giving him a dose of painkillers, Mabel watching me diligently and offering advice.

"Add some of this," she said when I pulled the needle from the bottle, holding out a transparent green liquid. "It helps speed up our natural regeneration," she explained as I took it, loading up the amount she indicated and then found a vein.

"I'll have to borrow those journals of yours," I said absently to her as she helped me bandage and clean the Wolf.

She huffed a tight laugh. "Come by the clinic, I'll give you a crash course," she offered; a swell of appreciation and pure friendliness filled me as I smiled and nodded.

"I'd like that," I accepted, we shared a small smile before continuing to check the others.

"Are you doctors?" Henry asked in a small voice, watching us from his bed behind Thane.

I gave him an amused smile. "Doctor Mabel is," I said, a tinge of pride in my voice as I gestured to the woman who worked deftly and with precision evident of her dedication.

Henry scowled adorably through the smudges of dirt on his face at me.

I chuckled. "I'm a vet," I said simply, turning to the Wolf I'd first helped, seeing her snoozing soundly and her heartbeat steady.

"I thought you were the Luna?" He asked confusion in his voice.

I flashed him a smile. "I'm both," then shrugged when he narrowed his brows. "Sometimes I get bored and just want to play with cute puppies and kittens."

I heard Mabel and Thane suppress snickers of amusement, knowing I knew absolutely nothing about being a Luna, at least not enough to make such a statement so confidently.

Henry tilted his head. "You play with the pups?" He asked, his voice pitching with excitement. I nodded, not realising he didn't mean the canine kind until he grinned excitedly. "So, you'll come play with me?"

I looked at Thane over Henry's shoulder, seeing him chuckling as realisation set in.

I blinked again. "Oh," I said, thinking for a moment before shrugging. "Sure, I'll come play with you and all the other pups," I smiled then, seeing his eyes light up and he gave me a brilliant little smile of excitement.

Thane leaned back, getting my attention.

"Alphas have cleared the last of them; we're moving out first, Luna."

I nodded, moving to secure myself between Henry and the heavily injured Wolf, reaching out to touch his paw.

His eyes opened, finding mine and gave me a sad whine, a mental pressure building until I relaxed, Zena telling me to.

Thank you, he whispered, his voice barely audible.

I smiled, my heart swelling.

"You're welcome," I replied, giving his paw a small pat.

Another pressure filled my mind as Thane set off, my opening without hesitation and Jace and Jaxon's voices echoed.

Well done, Little Flame.

Proud of you, Sweetheart. They caressed my mind, making me shudder and smile to myself, Zena finally relaxing, and my vision and sense dulled.

I let out a heavy sigh, like a weight falling away, as I felt us pass into the Blackwater territory, like passing through the surface of the water, the land's presence and strength flooding around me like a warm embrace, my mind settling.

"We're home," I said, Zena, echoing me with a sigh.