Page 29 of Feral, Part Two (Wolfscorge #2)

Malik

It's been two days of shenanigans, and somehow we've all managed to avoid the disaster everyone predicted. Slate and Preston have moved back to their main den, sharing the space with their fox pups in a way that should have triggered territorial disputes but hasn't.

Everyone was on edge at first, wondering if Slate and Preston were going to fight over the babies or the space or just general feral Omega dominance issues.

But it didn't happen. Instead, they've settled into this weird domestic harmony that's both heartwarming and slightly surreal. Half the time I find them curled around each other’s pups, or one of them will be shifted, while the other holds them. It’s a strange chaos, but we’re all secretly loving it.

Currently, Slate is feeding Preston small bites of a sandwich while they're wrapped around each other like they've been doing this for years instead of days. The sight of them taking care of each other so naturally makes me deliriously happy. I never thought we’d experience this kind of peace again. Sure, in theory, I thought we’d have a little house and dote on Preston, but weirdly, this is almost better.

The rest of us are crammed into the den too—me, Kael, and Thane each holding a pup while Kael manages two. The fox babies are lighter than I would have thought and they’re completely trusting, settling into our arms like they know instinctively that we're pack.

"Is it bad that I don't hate this?" I ask, looking around at our crowded but content little family. "Like, I know we're part of a fucking experiment, but does it get better than this?"

Kael shifts one of the pups to a more comfortable position in his arms. "One day we will step outside of Wolfscorge, but for right now, my focus is on keeping us safe. All of us."

Slate looks up at that and smiles, offering one of those rare, genuine expressions that transforms his whole face. He curls closer to Preston, who automatically adjusts to accommodate him without interrupting his own feeding schedule.

"This is only the beginning of the shit show, but I'm not angry that we're together and safe," Thane adds. He settles on the other side of Preston beside me, our thighs touching. We’ve grown… closer over the past week as well, more often than not, Thane’s cock buried in my ass or mouth. Kael is usually on the other side, squishing me between my Alphas, but they haven’t yet tried to fuck me at the same time. I’m excited about the prospect, but I’m also a little terrified.

Betas are not made for knots and to have four stuck up my ass? I…

Thane nudges me and grins, picking up on what I’m thinking. I clear my throat and gesture to Slate, a deviant grin playing on my lips. "We're not safe until that fucking fence is fixed," I point out. "We don't need any other foxes getting lost in the woods."

Slate holds up a middle finger at the reference to his wilderness adventure, which sends all of us into laughter. Even in his exhausted state, he's still got that spiky attitude that makes it impossible to ignore him.

"Do we have names yet?" I ask when the laughter dies down.

"I know Preston had some suggestions, but we thought we had a few more months until we were going to be holding little bundles.

" The name games we played through had fallen to the back burner as things became a little more chaotic in Wolfscorge. With the arrival of Slate, we all kind of just… forgot. Now, we’re out of time.

Preston's face lights up as he props himself up on his elbow. "Oliver and Emilie."

I remember him falling all over those names, mentioning that they were the perfect ones and that he didn’t need to look any further. Of course, we made him at least read a few more pages here and there, but it was always some version of those names. Olivia, Emilio, etc.

We all turn to Slate expectantly, waiting to hear what he's chosen for his boys. But instead of names, he looks slightly panicked by the attention.

"I don't fucking know. Can I just name them Thing One and Thing Two?"

The suggestion sends us all into another round of laughter. Thane leans over Preston and kisses Slate's forehead gently, lingering there a moment before pulling back. "No, you can't, but we can revisit this later. But for now, time to eat and figure out what the fuck our next step is."

As much as I don’t want to do that, I know that the world isn’t going to wait for us to figure our shit out.

***

Food. Discussion. And then more cuddles.

I’m all for that kind of schedule except for the fact that shit fell down the drain ten minutes later when Ulysses and Raphael announced that they would be coming over.

I know for a fact there aren’t cameras in this place, but there is absolutely someone feeding the council information.

It’s the only fucking explanation for why they would need to conduct a visit so soon after the babies were born.

The worst part is that Nathan mentioned they could shift at any time and I’m desperately hoping that we suddenly have human babies in the living room rather than four fox pups.

But we’re out of luck and out of time, a knock at the door sending me into a panicked spiral.

Kael moves up behind me, one of his hands settling on my waist as he dips his lips to the bond mark on my shoulder.

“Leek, I have absolutely no idea how this meeting is going to go, but we’re going to protect our Omegas and our babies, okay?”

We all thought about hiding them away or making up some kind of lie, but nothing would make any sense.

Especially since we’re pretty sure Nathan is not just a doctor but their doctor.

When Thane opens the front door, Ulysses and Raphael stepping inside with Nathan right behind them, I realize that the doctor doesn’t have our best interest at heart.

In fact, the only interest he has is the experiment.

And as a doctor, as a scientist , he’s probably over the moon right now.

Fuck.

Kael guides me toward the living room, both of us sitting at the edge of the couch, effectively caging Preston and Slate inside and away from the council.

“We’re just here to check…”

Thane cuts him off, a chuckle rumbling through his chest. “We’re not fucking stupid.

You’d be surprised how much shit we pick up from just staying observant.

I know that we’re just part of your little progress bar or some shit, but you’re not getting any farther than the kitchen. That’s the only stipulation I have.”

Ulysses steps forward and Thane lets out a growl that reverberates through the room before pressing a hand to the Alpha’s chest. The council member’s brows crease with anger, his face bleeding crimson.

“I will not stand for your disrespect, Thane. You and your cousin have been given a lot of leeway with your pregnant Omega, but—”

Kael cuts him off this time as he stands up to his full height.

“I will not stand you disrespecting my pack and my children. The experiment we’re part of isn’t something we can just leave, I get that.

I’m not stupid enough to try and climb a wall or hide out in the woods when you’ve got guards crawling every inch of this place.

You’d made it so Wolfscorge is the safest place for my family.

I’ll take it. For now. However, what you aren’t going to do is throw your weight around in my house. ”

Ulysses’ face crumbles as he nods, Raphael still as stoic as ever. Nathan pushes his way forward, holding up his little trusty doctor bag. “I’ll just make sure that they’re all healthy and then we can be on our way.”

We.

Not the council, not them , but we.

“Nathan, tell me that you’re not part of the council or whatever fucked up hierarchy is here.

Tell me that you aren’t one of the scientists keeping this experiment afloat.

Tell me that your excitement in finding Preston pregnant and then Slate was just because you were happy to bring new life into this world. ”

Silence falls between us, but it’s the only answer I need.

Kael snarls, his lips turning up to show off his teeth as his hands fist at his side.

They had had more conversations than I ever did with Nathan, some akin to an acquaintance and desperately close to a friendship.

Nathan was someone we could talk to and ask questions.

It makes sense now how he knew things beyond his expertise; a man who had access to the outside world could bring it inside.

Kael takes a threatening step forward, Nathan going ramrod straight as my Alpha bends down level to the doctor’s face.

“We’re just part of the fucking petri dish to your sadistic satisfaction, isn’t it?

I don’t know how we didn’t see it before.

Of course, they wouldn’t have just left us in here with a doctor who cared about us.

It would have to be someone fanatic to the cause, someone who idolized The Collective and everything they were doing. Tell me, who do you work for?”

More silence.

Neither council member moves, obviously picking up that any sudden movements might have one or both of my Alphas giving into their animalistic instincts. It also tells me that as a feral pack, we might have more leverage than we thought.

Kael’s snarl deepens as he steps closer to Nathan, a small squeak resounding from the doctor before he drops the name. “Alexandra.”

My blood runs cold as I twist to look over at Thane, watching him go from mildly angry to pissed off.

“My sister? You’re in bed with my fucking sister ?

!” I’m not sure if he’s more torn by the fact that Nathan doesn’t care about us and has been using us for some goddamn experiment or if it’s the fact that Alexandra is in charge of this whole ass thing.

She’s aware and using Thane to further whatever the fuck The Collective is in charge of.

I hold up a hand to try and distract Thane as pure rage surges through the bond.

Thane raises one of his hands and then swipes down as he charges Nathan, a growl so full and so loud that it rattles the cabinets.

I just stand there as crimson sprays across the couch and carpet, a few droplets landing on my face, a few pretty lines of red now covering Kael.

It takes me a few moments to recognize what happened until a loud thud resounds through the room, heavy breathing following in the deathly silence.

Jesus.

Fucking.

Christ.

I quickly scurry over to check on our Omegas, both of them holding their pups to their chest as we take in the situation.

Blood pools beneath Nathan’s body, both of my Alphas on edge, their lips curled up in dangerous snarls.

Neither one of them is moving, though, pinned by whatever weapon Raphael has raised, ready to fire.

“Rein that shit in, both of you. Fuck, that was one of the good doctors.”

I kneel between Preston and Slate, the three of us both confused and just a little terrified. One, because I’ve never seen my Alphas so vicious. Two, because even with that bit of feral tenacity, we don’t stand a chance against a fucking gun.

Ulysses just sighs, his shoulders sagging in defeat.

“I fucking told Alexandra that this bullshit was going to get out of hand. You can’t create chaos and expect to contain it.

” He throws out a laugh as he steps forward and then crouches down to inspect Nathan’s body.

“Oh, good, he’s still breathing. Thank fuck because I didn’t want to bring a different doctor in here.

” He stands back and twists to look at Thane.

“Calm the fuck down. You’re not going to hurt me because then that gun is going to be pointed at one of your Omegas. ”

“You wouldn’t,” I push out, dragging them closer to me. “You’re fucking bluffing.”

Ulysses kicks at Nathan’s body, pulling a groan from the Alpha. “Really? Because I don’t need your Omegas anymore. We fucking made it work. We got the shifters, the pups, and the formula. Your Omegas are still here so long as they behave. ”

He pulls out a phone and starts talking into the earpiece after pressing a few buttons.

I don’t understand anything he mumbles before he meets each of our eyes.

“Someone will be by to gather up the doctor. I would advise you not to fucking kill him or you’ll be dealing with someone who has a bit more… scientific enthusiasm.”

Ulysses heads back out the door, Raphael keeping his gun raised as he presses forward.

He stops just inches from the couch, eyeing the babies with curiosity before nodding his head.

“They came out better than I hoped. Alexandra is a fucking genius, that woman. It’s too bad she has a mate or I’d volunteer. ”

Thane’s nostrils flare, but he doesn’t move, doesn’t try to swipe at Raphael like I can tell he wants to. We just all stay put as Raphael heads out of the house as well, leaving the rest of us alone with the doctor.

“What. The. Fuck.” Slate pushes out. “When Nathan said feral, I didn’t think he meant… do you have claws?”

Kael shakes his head, holding his hand up to his face. “No. Just blunt force apparently. A lot of it. Fuck, I was going to kill him. I still might.”

Thane drops down to his knees and pinches Nathan’s chin.

From where I can, there’s a large red stripe across the Alpha’s chest that is still bleeding profusely.

If whoever is supposed to pick him up doesn’t get here quickly, Nathan will absolutely die.

I’m not that torn up about it. “Tell me why the fuck you’d do all this and I need more than scientific curiosity and a boner for my fucking sister. ”

I hold my breath, waiting for some asinine answer or something to brush off the subject because I don’t expect Nathan to tell us the truth.

He coughs up some blood, his back arching with pain before he speaks, his breath ragged. “Chance of a lifetime.” He drags in a breath. “Pups? It was an impossibility. I needed to know if it could be done. And it can be. I’ve seen the greatest thing in mankind.”

Slate slips out of my hold and drops his pups in my lap before marching over to Nathan.

My eyes widen as he stomps on the man’s chest, both Thane and Kael taken aback by Slate’s forwardness.

“You destroyed my fucking life. The only thing I knew was Veltmoor and pain and loneliness. You’re telling me all of that was to see what you think is a fucking miracle? All I wanted was to be loved!”

Kael reaches out for Slate, but he slaps the Alpha’s hands away, my heart in my throat as the first tear falls down his cheek. Preston snuggles into my side, tearing my attention away and I don’t expect to see the bright smile on his face. “Oh, my beautiful Omega is going to kill him.”

Shit.