Breaking the Bonds Read online

  Breaking the Bonds

  By Rebecca James

  Published by JMS Books LLC

  Visit jms-books.com for more information.

  Copyright 2018 Rebecca James

  ISBN 9781634867245

  Cover Design: Written Ink Designs | written-ink.com

  Image(s) used under a Standard Royalty-Free License.

  All rights reserved.

  WARNING: This book is not transferable. It is for your own personal use. If it is sold, shared, or given away, it is an infringement of the copyright of this work and violators will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

  No portion of this book may be transmitted or reproduced in any form, or by any means, without permission in writing from the publisher, with the exception of brief excerpts used for the purposes of review.

  This book is for ADULT AUDIENCES ONLY. It may contain sexually explicit scenes and graphic language which might be considered offensive by some readers. Please store your files where they cannot be accessed by minors.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are solely the product of the author’s imagination and/or are used fictitiously, though reference may be made to actual historical events or existing locations. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

  Published in the United States of America.

  * * * *

  Breaking the Bonds

  By Rebecca James

  Chapter 1: Sam

  Chapter 2: Jax

  Chapter 3: Josiah

  Chapter 4: Mark

  Chapter 5: Jax

  Chapter 6: Sam

  Chapter 7: Mark

  Chapter 8: David

  Chapter 9: Josiah

  Chapter 10: Sam

  Chapter 11: River

  Chapter 12: Josiah

  Chapter 13: David

  Chapter 14: River

  Chapter 15: Mark

  Chapter 16: Jax

  Chapter 17: Josiah

  Chapter 18: River

  Chapter 19: Mark

  Chapter 20: David

  Chapter 21: Jax

  Chapter 22: River

  Chapter 23: Josiah

  Chapter 24: David

  Chapter 25: Jax

  Chapter 26: Josiah

  Chapter 1: Sam

  The full moon dipped low in the night sky, casting a warm glow over the pack house and plantation. Sam lay in the omega den waiting for Leo. He was tired but couldn’t sleep. The omega had left the moon run early, having suddenly felt sluggish. He’d been running alongside Leo when a group of alphas had run past, and Sam had encouraged his mate to join them. Moments later, the omega had begun to drag. Briar and Sandy had come upon him and escorted him home, and now Sam sat thinking while his two friends lay sprawled together in the big chair in the corner, snoring softly. As with all moon runs, the night had been exhilarating, yet for some reason, unease stirred below Sam’s skin telling him something wasn’t right.

  Jimmy, Sam and Leo’s pup, slept in the big house across the yard where some of the pack members had stayed behind to look over the children who were too young to run. Josiah and River’s girls were among them, as they had never shifted into wolf form, and it looked like they never would. Sam’s gentle heart hurt for his friends on that account. He knew how much the pack leader and first omega worried over their family.

  Empathizing with others was second nature to Sam, who had always been soft-hearted and caring. Rarely did he suffer a moment of anxiety over himself, but lately a disquiet had crept over him that he couldn’t quite explain, and much of it centered around his mate. Could Leo be in danger?

  Sam glanced out the open window, wolf senses searching for his alpha in the dark night and finally detecting his mate’s scent miles from the plantation. The omega’s cock stirred against his thigh and sweet-smelling slick trickled from his backside. He was more than eager to be in his alpha’s arms again, and to know Leo was safe.

  The fire in the grate popped, jerking Sam to attention, and the omega realized he must have dozed off. He turned over and snuggled into the soft, amber-colored blanket while staring into the fire. His mind wandered to a few years earlier, when he’d arrived at River Wolf Pack compound, scared and grieving for both his decimated pack and Jimmy, the brother Sam had named his pup after. Jimmy had been Sam’s idol, and he’d died while trying to find them a safe place.

  During that time in the woods, Sam had realized he was an omega and what that meant. Omegas had become scarce in many packs; there hadn’t been any in the one he and his brother had come from. The idea he was something to be coveted had been frightening, even more so after Jimmy had been shot by hunters, and Sam had found himself completely alone.

  The omega had wound up a rogue wolf encroaching on River Wolf Pack’s territory. Fortunate for him, or otherwise things might not have turned out so well. River’s pack had several omegas, so the alphas didn’t go into a frenzy over Sam when he was brought onto the compound. River, the pack alpha, had recently mated with a half-human omega named Josiah who’d been instrumental in convincing River to allow Sam to stay.

  Once, Sam had resented River for the pack alpha’s initial reluctance to let him join the pack, but over time the omega had come to realize the difficulties River had been facing. The pack alpha had eventually been ousted from the pack by those angered by his decision to accept human visitors onto the compound in an attempt to strengthen unstable human/werewolf relations. Mating Josiah and siring twin girls had sealed the deal. Sam remembered his fear for his friend when the news had spread that the first omega had not produced males, as every werewolf did. That Josiah’s human side was able to overcome River’s alpha genes had given many in the pack cause for alarm.

  Sam didn’t regret being among those who had chosen to leave the compound with River and Josiah. Even if he hadn’t been mated to Leo, he would have chosen to go. River and Josiah were family, and from what Sam had heard, River Wolf pack had fallen into disarray after the former pack alpha’s departure.

  A volley of howls in the near distance brought Sam to his feet, and he stumbled as he hurried to throw open the door, sounds of Briar and Sandy stirring from sleep behind him. Sam’s heart began to hammer as the figures of five alpha wolves materialized in the pinkish-gray light of the new dawn. His gaze locked on the large, reddish-gold wolf parting from the others to race to Sam. The huge alpha wolf nuzzled the omega before shifting into a tall, muscular werewolf with thick, flowing, strawberry-blond hair. Still naked from his run, Sam nestled into Leo’s arms, enjoying the skin-to-skin contact and breathing in the pungent scent of wolf, sweat, and alpha.

  “I missed you,” Leo murmured into Sam’s ear.

  Sam spoke into the soft sprinkling of hair covering Leo’s broad chest. “I missed you, too.”

  Sam raised his head for a kiss, opening his mouth to Leo’s questing tongue. When they parted, Sam saw that Kane, River, David, and Liam had shifted into human form and were headed for the plantation house. He smiled at a passing thought.

  “What?” Leo asked, looking down at his omega.

  Sam shook his head. “Just thinking about how I used to have a big crush on David.”

  With a growl, Leo slung the omega over his shoulder, ignoring Sam’s protests and swats at his lower back as he strode toward the pack house.

  “Leo!” Sam let out a squeak when Leo pretended to almost drop him.

  Leo smacked the omega’s bare buttocks. “Be still. I’ll make you forget David.”

  Sam wiggled, slick beginning to run down his legs at the threat that was more like a promise. “Let me down, you big, dumb alpha!”

  Leo ignored the omega, stomping up the porch and passing Mike where the ot
her alpha sat reading on the swing.

  “Good run?” Mike asked.

  Never big on words, Leo merely grunted and pushed open the front door. Sam heard Mike chuckle.

  The plantation house River had purchased with gold from the Cascade River was quiet except for someone singing to a pup in one of the downstairs rooms.

  Sam quivered with anticipation as his alpha took the stairs leading to the upper floor two at a time. In their bedroom, Leo tossed Sam onto the bed and stood looking down at the omega, cock swelling and rising to curve up toward his abdominals.

  The omega wasted no time squirming to the edge and slipping the warm, silky piece of meat into his mouth. He moaned around the girth of it, sucking and slurping while running eager hands up the back of Leo’s thighs, relishing in the feel of the soft blond hairs growing there. Gods, he’d never get enough of his alpha.

  Leo stroked Sam’s hair. “Such a beautiful mouth. Love how you take me in.” The knot at the base of his cock began to swell, and Sam released Leo’s cock and wrapped his lips over the round bulge, the pulse of Leo’s heart against his tongue.

  With a grunt, Leo pulled Sam off by the hair and positioned him on the mattress, legs in the air. His way made easier by natural lubrication, Leo slid inside his omega mate until the knot pressed the sensitive nerves of Sam’s opening. Sam gasped, pleasure skating up his spine and bursting through every nerve ending. Leo lifted Sam’s right foot to his mouth and licked and sucked at the arch as he rocked his hips, while toying with Sam’s tight ball sac with the other hand. Sam arched his back, pink nipples pebbled with arousal, and, with a burst of pleasure, his aching cock spilled all over his abdomen.

  Tingling and spent, Sam lay panting as Leo worked his knot inside the omega. A few hard thrusts against Sam’s swollen prostate, and a second climax rolled through him. Connected to his mate by the knot, Leo lifted Sam and arranged the two of them more comfortably on the bed. There, the alpha thrust shallowly while kissing and nibbling on his mate’s neck.

  Sam’s body was sensitized, every nerve on high alert. Leo’s chest hair brushed Sam’s bare chest with every rock of his hips; the burning pleasure of being stretched so wide by the knot had Sam’s cock filling yet again. Sam whined when Leo suddenly stiffened, and a warm rush of seed flooded the his channel. He clutched the bulging muscles of his alpha’s back, body lit from within with a third and final climax, then Sam sagged back against the mattress, asleep before Leo withdrew from his body.

  Sometime later, Jimmy’s cry roused Sam from bed. Leo lay with his head on his arm, thick, gold hair cascading over the pillows and sheet wrapped around his middle. Soft snores rumbled from his chest. Sam slipped on sweat pants and softly closed the bedroom door behind him before walking to the next room. When Sam opened the door, Jimmy began bouncing on the crib mattress, smiling from ear to ear.

  Sam put a finger to his lips and motioned to where David and Brooks’ child, Jarrod-Grant, slept soundly in the second crib. Jimmy mimicked his omega father, putting a pudgy finger to his own lips. With a smile, Sam picked up the little boy and carried him out of the room.

  “Have a good sleep?” he asked his son on the way down the stairs.

  Laying his head on Sam’s shoulder and stuffing his thumb into his mouth, Jimmy nodded. Sam kissed the boy’s rumpled hair, which was the same color as Leo’s.

  Downstairs, Sam slipped out the back door and set Jimmy onto the grass. The little boy shifted and lifted his leg near a tree before sniffing around for a few moments until Sam called him back again. The boy shifted and took Sam’s hand as they walked inside the house.

  Sam left Jimmy playing with toys on the soft rug in the hall and went to prepare breakfast. Some of the pack would sleep late after the run, but those who had stayed home soon would be up and hungry. Sam loved to cook. He had eggs, grits, and bacon ready by the time Brooks walked in carrying Jarrod-Grant, russet-colored hair freshly washed and combed off the boy’s high forehead.

  “Smells wonderful,” Brooks said, placing his son in one of the three high chairs pulled up to the kitchen table. Sadie barreled into the room, squealing as her twin, Sophie, chased her.

  “Settle down, girls,” Brooks said, and helped them each onto a booster seat while Sam served.

  “Did you have a good run?” Brooks asked the omega.

  Sam smiled and nodded, although the unease he’d felt hours ago still simmered under the surface. Leo had seemed fine, but Sam had awakened unusually tired. He wondered if he could be pregnant again, but surely Leo would have detected it if he were.

  “What’s wrong?” Brooks asked.

  Sam looked up from filling a plate for himself and the beta. “What? Nothing.”

  “You had a funny look on your face.”

  Sam shrugged and sat down. The house remained quiet behind the chatter of the children. He buttered, salted, and peppered his grits and took a bite.

  “Isn’t Josiah up?” Sam asked the beta after a moment.

  Brooks shook his head and handed Sadie another slice of bacon. “I heard the girls and told Josiah to sleep a while. He’s going into work later.”

  Josiah had been working at the Congress for months, even though River disapproved. Brooks sometimes worked there, too, taking his son with him to play in the nursery. David, Brooks’ mate and second alpha to the pack, didn’t worry as much as River did, probably because Brooks was a beta and not an omega like Josiah.

  Leo still occasionally served tables at a local Italian restaurant, although as the pack grew, the alpha had reduced his hours a lot. The group had been doing well financially since taking in the rogues, who each kept a full-time job and contributed to pack finances. River had been able to quit working as a club bouncer to supervise the running of the plantation. The summer before, they’d grown a successful corn crop, as well as other vegetables that they’d sold at a stand down on the main road, and the following autumn they’d done the same with pumpkins and gourds. Sam expected this year to be even more lucrative. All of these were reasons Sam should have felt more at ease rather than ready to jump out of his skin as he had since the night before.

  Sounds of the front door opening and closing preceded Keith’s voice.

  “Anyone here?”

  Keith was one of the rogue omegas the Congress was helping and lived with several others in the refurbished barn on Halifax Road.

  “In the kitchen!” Brooks called.

  Keith walked in and took an appreciative sniff. “Smells delicious.”

  Sam scooted his chair to make room for Keith to sit down. “Fill one of those plates and join us.”

  When Keith had a pile of food in front of him, Brooks inquired how everyone was at the omega barn.

  “We’re doing pretty well, all things considered. Still worried as hell about Trev, of course.”

  Trevor had been planning to go to Angel Hills with Keith and Elliott but had suddenly disappeared, and the other two omegas had canceled their plans. Thinking about it turned Sam’s guts to water.

  “Any leads?” Brooks asked as he scooped up the last of his eggs.

  Keith shook his head and set his fork down, his frustration with the situation clear. “Not at all. I mean, we’ve got betas guarding the property. Trevor couldn’t just vanish. Someone had to have seen something.”

  “You think the guards know something they aren’t telling?” Sam asked.

  Keith glanced at Brooks before locking eyes with Sam. “After what happened at the Congress, do you really think there’s anyone we can trust?”

  Not too long before, a faction working against the werewolves had been discovered and disbanded at the Congress. Brooks’ and David’s human lover Jax had been one of them. Since then, suspicion abounded.

  Jax hadn’t really turned against the werewolves, but that almost made hearing what was said about the man worse because Sam couldn’t reveal what he knew and neither could Brooks.

  “But the guards are werewolves,” Sam protested, unable to believe thei
r own kind could turn on one another. There had to be another explanation.

  Keith shrugged and drank his coffee. The silence in the room grew, and the children stopped jabbering and stared questioningly at the adults, aware of the change in mood. A floorboard creaked upstairs followed by the sound of footsteps over their heads.

  Sam pushed away from the table. “Looks like you kids are finished. Want to play on the back porch?”

  Sadie and Sophie immediately got down from their chairs and helped the younger kids wipe their faces and hands after Sam and Brooks lifted them down from the high chairs. The entire time, Sam worried over Brooks’ feelings. Keith had to have known what he’d said would hurt the beta.

  Keith helped with the dishes before heading for the omega den to say hello to Jaime and Sandy. Sandy had left the rogue house months back and joined the pack, and Josiah had invited Jaime to join around the same time.

  Sam heard River greet Keith in the hall before appearing in the kitchen doorway. The alpha had pulled back his dark hair from his face, and he studied Sam with clear green eyes before he crossed the room to fill a dish with food.

  “Something bothering Keith?”

  Sam bit his lip and concentrated on drying the dish in his hand.

  “Keith brought up what happened last year at the Congress,” Brooks said quietly from where he sat at the table drinking coffee from a large mug.

  When the faction at the Congress who had been planning on destroying the pack at Spartan Point had been discovered, Jax had asked Mark to include his name among those guilty. In doing so, Jax appeared to have turned his back on David and Brooks and the rest of the pack. He’d been fired from his job and was considered an enemy to the werewolves, but as he’d hoped, he’d earned the trust of Blake Parker. In a move that had shocked Sam, Jax had married the man and remained undercover full-time trying to keep the werewolves safe.

  For Jax’s protection, only a few knew the truth. Sam had learned by accident when he’d overheard David and Brooks talking, and he wished he hadn’t. Being privy to information his alpha wasn’t made the omega uncomfortable. Sam had pointed out to Josiah that Leo could be trusted, but the first omega insisted the fewer who knew, the safer Jax would be. Keeping the ruse was difficult but necessary for Jax to remain safe while he fed Mark information.