Chapter 4

Jason was the first one to start to gain consciousness and the very first thing that hit him was a very powerful intoxicating smell of a wolf in heat. It was instantly having his inner wolf growling with need and Jason had to fight to get himself under control. He didn't know who the wolf was, but he knew they weren't exactly in a place where he could allow himself to indulge in his animalistic needs. Jason forced his eyes open and he saw that him and the rest of his guys, minus Clay, were in a cell. They weren't chained up, but their gear was removed. They were just in their clothes, they had no radio and no weapons. Jason rolled over onto his left side and he noticed that right across from their cell was another one, that one was holding Clay. Jason was instantly growling as he grabbed the cell bars and pulled himself up.

Clay was on his knees with his arms above his head. They were attached to shackles that hung from the ceiling. What had Jason growling was seeing that Clay was completely naked. He could see the slick moving down Clay's legs, he was in heat, as if the aroma wasn't enough proof. Based on the smell Clay was nearing the peak of his heat when his desire and need to have sex became all consuming. It was a dangerous place to be for a wolf because it made it easier for another wolf to take complete advantage over them. It's why most omega wolves will keep only certain sexual partners that they use during their heat, ones that they know would never hurt them. Clay was in a very vulnerable position and it pissed Jason off to no end to see him like this. These men would have no idea he was an alpha, they would go off on the assumption he was another omega and if they did in fact have an apex wolf, which Jason suspected they did, they might try to force a mate onto Clay. Jason had no idea what that would be like for Clay with him being a natural born alpha. He might be able to resist it and refuse the mating bond, or the omega traits he possess might not give him any choice. It was not something Jason wanted to have to find out this way.

A groan drew his attention and he saw that his guys were finally starting to come too as well. He knew this was going to result in a very long conversation later. They would know the smell was coming from Clay and they would naturally believe he was an omega. It was a conversation he was hoping to avoid so soon after learning the truth. It wasn't that he didn't trust them, he did. He didn't want to have to put them into the position that he was about to be putting them in. They would keep Clay's secret, of that Jason had no doubt, it just wasn't fair to put this level of secrecy on them.

"Holy fuck who does that delicious smell belong to?" Sonny asked with a groan as he woke up.

"No one you get to touch." Jason was instantly saying with a possessive growl. That confused him, because it shouldn't matter to him if Sonny and Clay developed something. Sonny was a horn dog, but he was a good man, he would never pressure or hurt Clay. He would also appreciate and understand how precious and special Clay was. Yet, the thought of someone touching him had the ability to instantly piss him off.

"That's coming from Clay." Ray said, shocked as he took in the situation.

"How is that coming from him?" Brock asked, confused.

"I take it back, I didn't mean it." Sonny was instantly horrified as he moved further back into the cell; as if he could escape the sweet aroma radiating off of Clay.

"He'd have to be an omega, but that doesn't make any sense. We've all smelt the alpha scent from him." Ray commented, as he tried to figure out what the hell was going on.

"That's why you asked me those questions. You knew this whole time about him. Why the hell would you let him come on this operation?" Trent asked, pissed that Jason had risked Clay's life like this. They all knew that these guys were after apex wolves and Jason allowed Clay to come anyway. He put Clay at risk like this.

"Do not take that tone with me." Jason growled. He was not in the mood to listen to any of his guys lecturing him. Not right now.

"Stop, both of you. Someone start talking, now." Ray said. They didn't have time for this. They needed the intel and they needed it now without all the bullshit to go with it.

"Someone better start explaining why Clay, who smelt as an alpha, is actually an omega. And why the fuck was he effected by that liquid and black device when none of us were." Sonny added.

"Because he's a goddamn fucking unicorn." Trent growled, as he started to pace around.

"What?" Sonny asked, still confused.

"Wait, are you saying that Clay is the white wolf you saw?" Ray asked Jason, giving him his full attention.

"Whoa what?" Sonny asked, shocked that Ray went to that place.

Jason let out a sigh before he moved his hand for his guys to come closer. He didn't know if there were cameras or microphones in this place, he didn't see any, but he wasn't going to take a chance with this. They all moved closer, creating a small huddle before Jason spoke.

"For the past month I've been trying to find the wolf. I went back to False Cape to search for him. I know logically it was most likely a wild albino wolf, but, I don't know there was just something there. I couldn't forget about it, and I just had to find him again. Four days ago now, I heard him yelp in the forest, he had been out running and with it being hunting season, he was hit by an arrow. He was still in wolf form and unconscious, so I brought him back to my house and took care of the wound. Shortly after that he transformed before my eyes and instead of a white wolf in my bed it was a very naked Clay."

"How is this even possible?" Brock asked, shocked by all of this.

"His mother was killed nineteen years ago, she must have kept her pregnancy and Clay's birth completely hidden so he wouldn't have a target on his back. Clay wears the black bracelets, because they give off an alpha scent, allowing him to hide in plain sight. I spoke with Trent three days ago about white wolves and the possibility of an omega having alpha traits." Jason started.

"White wolves were being hunted by the black pack and the hunters. The alpha of the white pack at the time started to have every wolf breed with each other, even if they were blood relatives. Over the generations the bloodline got too impure and lines were blurred. Omegas were being born with alpha scents, alphas were being born with reproductive organs. You couldn't trust the scent anymore. I told Jase that only a blood hierarchy test would be able to determine if they were born an alpha, beta, delta or omega. The military does it once you enlist, that means Clay is an alpha with omega traits, specifically reproductive organs. Alpha personality, but the ability to have children. Him being in heat is proof of that, though, technically he might not have any eggs. He could still go into heat without being able to bear children. Ultrasound would confirm it." Trent finished.

"And you let him come here knowing what these guys were after?" Sonny growled, pissed off that Jason would risk Clay's life like this.

"Jase, he should have stayed in Havoc." Ray added.

"And how would that conversation have gone over Ray? How would I justify keeping Clay in Havoc when he should be in the field? Not to mention how would that make Clay feel? He's already edgy with me knowing the truth and treating him differently because of who he is and his omega traits. He's not going to tolerate me sidelining him on an operation that was strictly intel gathering. We had no idea that these guys would have traps set up in the forest or that there were things that would harm only an apex." Jason argued.

Yes, he could have ordered Clay to be stuck in Havoc, but it wasn't that simple. Clay was already guarded and on edge around him with him now knowing the truth. He was feeling insecure about his place on the team and with his own personal demons from growing up. Forcing him to be sidelined would have only made that worse and made it even harder for him to gain Clay's trust. He couldn't hurt him like that. Jason figured as long as Clay was within his eyeline, he would be safe. He didn't expect for any of this to be happening and he was pissed off enough with himself. He didn't need to hear it from the guys as well.

"What the hell was that stuff?" Brock asked Trent.

"They called it wolfsbane, I've heard of it before. It's poisonous to wild wolves, but it doesn't bother shifters."

"It clearly bothers apex wolves. I'm assuming that black device only affects them as well. Any idea what that was?" Sonny asked.

"No, but if I had to guess something that emitted a high pitch noise that only his advanced hearing would be able to pick up. His senses are going to be stronger than ours. It would explain why he can shoot better than all of us, he can see farther and clearer. The biggest issue will be his heat." Trent commented.

"I agree. There's no mistaking that smell, he's a virgin." Ray stated.

"And how the bloody hell is that even possible? The second he went into heat when he hit puberty should have had him running into the arms of the first wolf he saw. So how the hell has he managed to not have sex in the almost a dozen years?" Sonny said, amazed that Clay could still be a virgin. Alpha or not, he was still going into heat, that was no joke. Omegas can't go a single heat without having sex four or five times during it. Clay was young and healthy he should be having sex as often as he could whether he was in heat or not.

"Could be a physical reason or a mental one." Brock said.

"My money is on a mental one. He had a rough childhood, I suspect he was abused at some point with his self-esteem being in the toilet and his insecurities about his omega traits. He might be afraid to have sex. We've all heard the horror stories of omegas being forced into a mating bond while having sex with an alpha. Sex puts an omega in a very vulnerable position, especially with a stranger. It's why they tend to stick with the same partners, someone they can trust to not hurt them. Clay might be afraid and that is keeping him from ever having it." Jason said.

"Still though, the longer he goes without sex, the worst his heat will get. He would have to be in pain for the entire week of his heat, a real physical pain. And it will only get worse the longer he goes. I knew one omega a decade ago who ended up killing himself because he wasn't able to physically have sex from a birth defect. The pain had gotten so bad, he said it felt like he was on fire from the inside out. Every single breath hurt, that he couldn't move out of bed the pain was excruciating with the need to have sex. He took his own life just to escape the pain after eleven years of being in heat without a release. Clay needs to have sex and it's something that has to be worked on right away and not in six months from now or a year." Trent explained.

"Ok, I didn't know it would be that bad. I'll talk with him after we get the hell out of here. I'll figure out why and come to some kind of a solution hopefully." Jason said.

He had no idea what that solution would even be or how well that conversation would go over, but it was one he needed to try and have with Clay. He had no idea it would get to be that bad for Clay and he was not about to let him be in unnecessary pain. Clay needed to overcome whatever fear he had and finally have sex. Before any more could be said a groan coming from Clay had them snapping their attention over to him.

"Clay? Come on Sunshine, wake up." Jason urged.

Clay gave a soft moan as he started to fight through the darkness. His whole body was hurting. His head felt like it was going to explode and his wrists were on fire, literal fire. Clay forced his eyes open and he quickly took in his surroundings. The guys were in a cell across from him, unrestrained. Him on the other hand was completely naked, his plug had been removed, making him feel slightly violated, and he was chained up on his knees. He also didn't feel or smell his bracelets so now the whole team knew he smelt like an omega and would have seen his slick going down his legs. Shame instantly flooded Clay's entire body at just imagining what the guys were thinking about him. There was no way they were ever going to allow him to be on Bravo after this.

"Talk to me pup, what hurts?" Trent asked, having no idea just what the word pup did to Clay.

"I'm fine." Clay automatically said. He had been taught not to complain about pain a very long time ago and it was not something he was just going to snap out of.

"You're in pain Spense, I need to know where." Trent said, calmly. He knew it wasn't going to be easy to get Clay to open up to them and tell them what was hurting. The problem was, he didn't have time to slowly pull it out of Clay, he needed to know, as a medic and his brother.

"Headache and my wrists are burning." Clay reluctantly admitted.

"They probably have wolfsbane on the shackles, it's poisonous to wild wolves and apparently you. It makes wild wolves weaker and with large doses can kill them. You should be fine with just contact. The headache is probably nothing, just residual pain from your ears."

"Clay listen to me, we probably don't have long before they come in here. They think you're an omega, they have no idea what you really are. So play along, let them think you are weak and not a threat to them. They'll make a mistake and that is when you strike. You're not alone through this, we're right here and we'll do what we can to get their attention off of you." Jason said with strength. Clay wasn't just sacred, he was their rookie. Their responsibility to keep safe and alive, they failed this time around and it wasn't one any of them would ever be able to forgive themselves for.

Before anymore could be said the door to the room was opening and the two men were back. Clay was going to refer to the one with black hair hair as asshole one and the one with brown hair, asshole two. It seemed suiting considering they were looking to torture him and most likely try to force him to mate with their other apex wolf. The latter was not happening, Clay didn't care what he had to do. His first time was not going to be like this.

"Hello Little Wolf, you have no idea how long we have been waiting for someone like you. Though, we never expected for you to be in the military." Asshole one said.

"I guess it makes sense for the military to want an omega to satisfy the needs of an elite team. You must be the team's bitch, someone they can fuck and use when they are getting too stressed. I bet you he loves it too. All omega's a whores. I bet when you get into heat like this, you just spread your legs and take as many of their dicks inside of you at once that you can." Asshole two added and they both laughed at that.

"What the hell do you assholes want?" Jason demanded. He hated hearing what they had to say about Clay. They had no idea how precious Clay was.

"We already have what we want. We have an alpha apex wolf and now we have an omega for him. For the past three years we have been trying to find another apex wolf, I just never expected for the apex to be an omega. I would have figured that only the strongest alphas would be an apex. Our luck has truly just begun, because now he can mate with you and you will breed us an army of apex wolves." Asshole two said.

"And he's been locked up in captivity being experimented on and tortured. He listens to our every demand. He stays in wolf form and is feral now, which is how we need him to be. A wild and aggressive wolf that we can use as our own weapon. You will be the perfect mate for him. He hasn't had sex in three years now, he's going crazy with need. He can already smell you. We thought he was going to break out of his cell just to get a taste of you. It's not time for that yet though. We have our own fun instore for you." Asshole one said with a smirk.

Clay knew he had to play the part so he looked down and made them think he was scared. The thing was, he was scared, but he was also prepared for whatever they had in store. He just needed for them to get cocky and then he would make his move. Asshole two went over to the table that was within the cell along the right hand side of the door. He picked up a cup with just a brownish liquid in it. Clay had no idea what it was, but he had a feeling it was going to hurt. Asshole one went over to Clay and put a bruising grip on his jaw, Clay had no choice but to open his mouth from the grip.

"This is wolfsbane, it is poison to normal wolves and also apex shifters like yourself. A bit at a time won't kill you, but it will make you wish it did." Asshole two explained, just before he poured some into Clay's mouth.

The second it hit his mouth Clay was screaming and the guys watched in horror as Clay's mouth actually started to smoke. Asshole one continued to hold Clay's head back and his mouth open, forcing the poison to go down into his throat and eventually his stomach. Clay did his best to fight against the hold and the chains, but his whole body felt like it was on fire. Like acid was being pumped into his veins. All he could do was scream from the pain and Clay knew, this was only just the beginning.

XXX

Hours, it had been hours that the guys were forced to watch as Clay was tortured. Forced to watch as they made him drink the wolfsbane, poured it all over his chest and back. They cou;d see the red burns that looked like he had chemical burns on him. They were forced to watch as he was cut and electrocuted with a cattle prod. The guys all wanted blood. They wanted these two assholes' blood and they would be getting it. Asshole one unlocked Clay's shackles and Clay instantly fell to the ground. Clay could feel his body trembling and he knew the wolfsbane within his system was going to be a problem. He had no idea that something like that even existed. He really wished he could know more about himself, about this part of who he was, but there wasn't much out there for him.

Clay knew he needed to shift so he could try and fight them off. He wouldn't be able to in his condition otherwise. Clay looked over at the two assholes and he could pick up their conversation.

"I think it's time we let our pet out and let him take what he wants." Asshole one said with a smirk.

"You both are dead when we get out of this cell." Sonny growled.

"You'll be dead soon enough. You are just boring, plain shifters, our pet will tear you apart and eat you." Asshole two said.

"Finally, he's shifting. My money is on grey, what do you think?" Asshole one said to asshole two.

"Definitely. Grey pack is the weakest, it would make sense that they would have an omega apex."

"Hey assholes, you got something against grey wolves?" Jason asked.

He was trying to get the guys distracted so they wouldn't see that Clay was white until it was too late. White wolves were very powerful and even though Clay wasn't properly trained, he still had instincts. Jason was going to have to work with Clay on his alpha side and help him navigate these new waters he was in. Alphas were also weaker when they didn't have a pack and Clay had been alone his whole life from what they could figure.

"Everyone knows they are the weakest amongst the wolves. He's a worthless omega, the only thing he could be is grey. Maybe red." Asshole one answered with a smirk.

"You got something against red asshole? My pack ain't weak." Sonny growled.

"Everyone knows the strongest packs are black and brown. Red and grey are worthless outside of following orders. There is no way the black pack would have an omega apex. The black pack is the strongest out of all of the wolves." Asshole two said.

"What about the white wolves? They were the strongest out of all of the packs. It's why they were often placed in a position of power as a world leader." Trent said. He knew they needed to keep their attention on them so they wouldn't see what Clay's coat color was.

They both laughed before asshole two spoke. "The white pack doesn't exist anymore. They were eradicated by the black pack. Further proof that the black pack is the ultimate breed."

"You fellas are in for a real treat." Ray said with a smirk.

They all heard snarling and both assholes turned around. They were instantly shocked to see that Clay had shifted into a white wolf. The blood that was on his body was now on his fur. It didn't change the fact that he was beautiful.

"Damn, he's majestic." Sonny said, as he took in Clay's wolf form.

Jason instantly wrapped his arm around asshole one's neck while Clay jumped at asshole two's throat. Jason squeezed as hard as he could to take the man out, but he was able to hit a button on a black remote before he died. Clay growled as he ripped the man's throat right out. He had never attacked a human before, never tasted one and he had to admit, he didn't like it. The man did not taste good. The second he knew the man was dead he released him and shook his head and gagged slightly.

"He ok?" Ray asked, worried.

"Wolves don't like the taste of people. He's probably never bit anyone before." Trent explained.

Before anymore could be said a deep growl filled the room. Everyone turned to look at the sound of the growling and saw that it was a brown apex wolf and based on the amount of salivating he was doing, he was very happy to see Clay in his wolf form.

"Clay listen to me, he's going to try and pin you. You cannot let him get to the back of your neck. Go for his throat and stay low." Jason advised.

Clay had no idea how he was going to do this. He had never fought another wolf, not even a wild one. He had made a point of never going to places where he could come across one, because he had no idea how to fight a wolf. It wasn't like getting into a fist fight in human form. He only had his teeth to use as a weapon and against another wolf, it wasn't that simple. Clay also had another issue, he could smell the power of his alpha scent and normally Clay could fight it off and ignore it, but right now it was very hard. He had never been around an alpha apex before and the scent was made even worse. Clay didn't even realise he was backing up into a corner until Jason's voice snapped him out of it.

"Clay no. You get into a corner and you will lose. We can smell him too, and I know it's strong, but you have to block it out. He doesn't want to kill you, he wants to make you his mate. Don't focus on his smell, focus on mine. Focus on the strength and power that your pack has. We're right here and feeling us can make you stronger. You are an alpha, feel it and rip his throat out."

Jason knew the scent from the wolf was strong, they could all clearly smell it and he knew Clay was more sensitive to it. He had to just get him through this without getting Clay mated and then he would work with him on his alpha side. He could train him, but he just needed to get him out of here first. If Jason was honest with himself, he also hated the idea of another wolf trying to touch Clay, trying to mate with him. It made him enraged and he wanted to kill this wolf with his own bare hands.

Clay did as Jason said and tried to focus on their own scents and not the one that was attacking him. He didn't want this wolf to win, he wasn't going to let his ultimate fear come true today. Clay lowered his head and started to snarl back at the wolf as he moved away from the wall. They both ended up in the larger part of the room circling each other. Clay knew he needed to attack, but he wasn't sure how. He had never seen wolves fighting, so he wasn't sure how to go about doing this. That was taken away from him when the wolf made the first move to attack him. Clay was able to dodge it, but the wolf kept coming. He farel and he was done waiting around for Clay to submit. He was going to make him submit and that only scared Clay even more. The wolf went for Clay's throat and Clay did the same, but this wolf had clearly fought other wolves before, because he easily twisted his body to grab Clay by the back of the neck and forced his large weight onto him. Clay was forced to the floor on his belly as the wolf kept his teeth into the back of his neck. Clay instantly started to try and get up, to shake him off, but the wolf placed its two front paws on his back to keep him pinned. Clay whimpered and the guys knew he wasn't strong enough on his own, not yet.

"You have to open your mind Clay and feel us. You are stronger than him. Feel our power." Jason said, as him and the guys sent out wave after wave of their strength out to Clay. They just needed him to connect to them and then he would be able to use their strength against this wolf.

Clay did as Jason said and tried to open his mind up to feel whatever it was he was supposed to feel. He had no idea though, because he's never had anyone there for him to take some strength from. All of this was foreign to him and he had no idea what he was supposed to do. He could feel the wolf's teeth sinking even deeper into his neck and the pain within his body only increased. He knew he was going to lose if he didn't do something soon. And then he felt it, he felt this warmth. It was small at first, but then it quickly became an inferno that overtook his whole body. He could feel their strength and with it he was able to roll and get the wolf to remove his teeth and within a single second he attacked the wolf's throat.

"Yes, good boy." Ray praised.

The guys watched as Clay ripped the wolf's throat out, effectively killing him in a bloody mess. They could see the toll it had taken on Clay though as he quickly fell unconscious. Jason was instantly bending down and starting to search through the pockets of the man that he had killed. They needed to find a key so they could get out of their cell and get to Clay. They hadn't seen anyone but the two assholes, but that didn't mean they didn't have other people that could come by. When he turned up nothing Jason spoke.

"We gotta get that guy, he might have a key on him." Jason said with a nod to the man Clay killed.

Sonny took off his belt and created a loop that he could try and get over the guy's foot so he could drag him closer. They needed to get out to tend to Clay's injuries.

"What do you see Trent?" Jason asked, referring to Clay's injuries.

"He's got a neck wound, plus the burns around both wrists and chest from the wolfsbane. I'm also worried about him drinking it, there's no telling what damage it could have done to his mouth, throat and stomach. Then there are the knife wounds and electrical burns. All of which should heal, but with the wolfsbane in his system it might slow his healing ability until the poison is out of his system. I need to get my hands on him." Trent said, and they could hear he was anxious about waiting.

Clay was losing quite a bit of blood from the knife wounds plus now the bite marks from his fight with the wolf. He needed medical attention and so far they were stuck in this cell.

"Why isn't he changing back?" Brock asked.

"Clay told me that he heals faster in wolf form. Last time he was in wolf form for about two hours before he changed back from the arrow. I think his body automatically does it once it's healed up enough." Jason answered, but really it was just a guess at this point.

Sonny had managed to get his belt around the man's foot and he pulled him over to their cell. He quickly searched the man's pockets and was thrilled when he found a set of keys.

"Got em." Sonny said as he stood up and started to go through the keys on the ring. After the fifth one the lock unclicked and Sonny was pushing the door open. They guys were instantly running over to Clay. Trent bent down at Clay while Jason spoke.

"Sonny, grab his bracelets. Everyone get your gear on and get ready to go. We have to burn the place down to destroy any trace that Clay was here."

The guys were instantly going into action. Brock tossed Trent his medical bag, while Sonny looked through the cell Clay was in for his bracelets. The rest of them got their gear back on and were ready should someone come in here.

"Talk to me Trent." Jason said.

"I need to slow the bleeding down and then we should be good to move him."

"Brock, do you have an extra collar?" Jason asked.

"Ya." Brock moved to his pack and easily grabbed the extra collar without question.

"Why?" Sonny asked, holding the bracelets.

Jason spoke, as Brock handed him the collar. "He's not going to like it, but he can't wear the bracelets in wolf form. We need to hide his scent. The second we go near the plane every wolf on there will smell him. We have to keep him hidden."

Jason added the bracelets to the collar and once Trent was ready he could put the collar on Clay. He wasn't going to be happy about it, but it was better than everyone finding out about him. Jason bent down to help Trent slow the bleeding while the guys got explosives set up all throughout the lab to destroy it completely. They knew the Upper Brass was not going to be happy about all of the evidence and intel that the lab had created being destroyed, but none of them cared. Protecting Clay was their number one priority and they were not going to risk him for anything.

"So that's how he's been able to hide his scent?" Ray asked.

"He got them before he came back to the States. He didn't say where, just that he has to take them off when he changes so they don't break. They cost ten grand a pair."

"Ten grand? Are you fucking kidding me? Why the hell would he pay that?" Sonny said, as he got his gear back on.

"Because they are the only thing that hides his scent." Jason simply said.

"Hey, I get it. If either of my kids had been born an omega, there ain't no amount of money I wouldn't spend to give them something that would help keep them safe. Wolves in this world can be downright cruel to omegas. Ten grand is nothing compared to the safety he would feel." Ray said with complete understanding to his voice.

"Ok, we can put the collar on and then wrap him up in a blanket and hide him. We;re gonna need to let Blackburn know though, everyone is going to notice a wolf when we walk onto the plane." Trent said.

Jason went and put the collar around Clay's neck as he spoke. "Did anyone find a radio?"

"I got mine." Brock said, as he handed it over to Jason.

Jason turned it on and instantly spoke. "Bravo One to HAVOC."

"Thank God, what happened Bravo One?" Blackburn asked and the others could hear the relief within his voice.

"I gotta wrap him up." Trent said and Sonny went and grabbed one of the large blankets and helped to get Clay wrapped up in it as Jason spoke to Blackburn.

"We alone?"

"Ya, it's just us. What's going on?"

"You need to cover half of the plane off. It's a long story, but you have to keep everyone on the other side and make sure they don't look. We're on our way back now. We got grabbed by the mad scientists. Clay was tortured, but Trent is working on him now. No one can see Clay."

"Alright, I expect the full story when you get here. How far are you from exfil?"

Jason could tell that Blackburn was only doing this because it was him that had asked. He would be expecting a full debrief once they were on the plane and that was fine. Jason would have to let Blackburn know, but he knew he would keep this secret to himself. He would also understand how important Clay was.

"We're gonna have to drive back, about thirty mikes. I'll radio in if that changes."

"Alright, I'll have it set up by the time you get here."

"He's all set Boss." Trent said.

"Alright, Ray and Sonny, you both take the lead, Trent and Brock take the back, I'll carry Clay." Jason ordered.

The guys all grabbed their gear and made sure the charges were planted. Once Jason was out with Clay, Sonny set the charges off and the guys started to run back to where their vehicles had been left as the lab exploded.

XXX

The second they arrived at the plane they were instantly running up the ramp and Trent was bringing Clay over to the cot set up for him. There were tarps hanging down from the roof of the plane and covered the whole way across, sectioning the plane in half.

"What is going on?" Blackburn demanded, as he walked over to the cot.

He was instantly shocked to see that it was a white wolf underneath the blanket. Blackburn did a quick head count and saw that Clay was not here, but Jason had said he had been injured. It didn't take a genius to figure out that Clay was the white wolf laying there on the cot bleeding.

"Holy fuck." Blackburn said and the guys all knew he had put two and two together.

"No one can know." Jason instantly said, as Trent got Clay situated on the bed.

"How long have you known?" Blackburn demanded.

"Not that long. I found out just before this Op. We approached the compound, but we were all sprayed with this water. It didn't affect us, but it burned Clay. Two tangos came out and they knocked us out before they knocked Clay out. We woke up to being in cells, with Clay in his own. They tortured him. They knew he was an Apex. He was able to shift and take them out, we took out one from the cell. They did have another Apex, a brown one that was feral. Clay fought him in wolf form and he was able to win. We got free and now here we are." Jason said, getting Blackburn all caught up.

"And the facility?" Blackburn asked, trying to get his mind to process everything that needed to be done before they could leave. They had to make sure it was covered up and that no one knew about Clay. The Upper Brass wanted an Apex wolf and if they found out they not only already had one, but the last white wolf in existence, there was no telling what they would do to Clay.

"We blew it up." Sonny said.

"Everything is destroyed, there's no trace of Clay ever being there." Jason confirmed.

"Ok, here's the story. You approached the facility, you were all knocked out by an unknown gas. You woke up in the cell and you were able to escape. In the process of escaping the tangos blew the place up looking to kill you all and avad capture. You never saw an Apex wolf. You never saw anyone but those two tangos. Everything was destroyed, there wasn't anything left to salvage. Intel is unconfirmed."

"Copy." Jason said.

He knew that Blackburn would help to cover it up. That he would help to keep Clay's secret. Now they just needed to make sure no one else knew about Clay.

"What do I need to know about Clay? Will he heal before we land? Will he shift back?"

"When I discovered the white wolf I saw was real and it was Clay, he had been in wolf form when he got hit by an arrow. I took him back to my place and got the arrow out, but he didn't shift into human form until he was healed up enough. He should be healed up enough by the time we land to shift back. He might have injuries that will be noticeable for a little while after that, but we can easily explain them away to him getting into a fight with one of the tangos." Jason explained.

"And why is he wearing a collar with his bracelets on it?" Blackburn asked next.

"The white pack were relying on inbreeding when their numbers were too low. The result was a messy hierarchy. Clay is an Alpha, as it was proven by his blood test when he joined the Navy, but he has Omega traits, including smell. The black bracelets that he never takes off gives off an Alpha scent. It's how he has been able to fool everyone this whole time. He needs to keep wearing them otherwise everyone will be able to smell him." Trent answered.

"But he's an Alpha?" Blackburn asked, slightly confused.

"Ya, blood work came back that he was. I double checked myself. He has a whole Alpha side to him that he doesn't even know about. I'll have to train him and help him unlock his true strengths. He's also at a disadvantage with him not being around his own pack. He wasn't raised by Ash either. All Clay had told me was that he had been raised outside of the country. Not having a pack will make him weaker." Jason said.

"We can work with him on it and make sure he is at his full strength. He good for us to take off?" Blackburn asked Trent.

"We're good."

"I'll keep everyone at the front of the plane and tell the pilot we can take off." Blackburn said, as he headed off.

Trent pulled out the portable ultrasound machine and pressed it against Clay's stomach as Sonny spoke.

"What are you doing?"

"While he is asleep I am going to see if I can find out if he has Omega or Alpha parts."

"If he had Omega parts, wouldn't that have come up during the medical exam?" Ray asked.

"A physical doesn't do an ultrasound or any scans. It just covers the basic physical. If he wasn't in heat during the time of his physical, the doctor wouldn't have known otherwise." Trent answered.

"I am aware this isn't appropriate, but I'm asking anyways. When an Omega is in heat, they have slick. The further into heat the heavier their slick. I've seen Omega's have it going through their pants. So how the hell have we never noticed his before? Not to mention he would bleed afterwards." Sonny said.

"He would only bleed for a few days after his heat if he had Omega reproductive organs. He could still go into heat without them. And most Omegas will wear a plug to keep the slick inside. That's what he probably does." Trent answered.

"And we've just never noticed." Sonny said, still not over that part. They all should have noticed the difference in him.

"We wouldn't if it was flush against him. Lots of Omegas do it, especially when they want to be able to work without taking time off. This actually explains a lot. He eats a lot of meat. As an Apex, he's closer to a wolf and they need meat to be able to give their body what it needs to function. Food like salad, anything green, apples, any type of vegetable, they wouldn't agree with him. He would only be able to tolerate eating meat, berries, potatoes and bread in small amounts. He would be able to eat a lot too, more than we've seen with him being in wolf form and running around. I mean, wild wolves can eat up to seven pounds of food a day. More if they are pregnant, depending on how many pups they are having, they could eat up to twenty-two pounds." Trent answered.

"Holy shit." Sonny said, amazed by the amount of food Clay could potentially eat in a day.

"Did you find it?" Brock asked, as Trent had been looking for a good few minutes.

"I'm not a vet, it's taking me a minute to figure out where his reproductive organs are." Trent answered, as he moved the wand even lower. "Finally. He's got Omega reproductive organs and he's got eggs. He could carry a litter."

"Are you saying the future fate of the white wolf pack rests with Clay staying alive?" Ray asked, shocked.

"I'm saying if he wanted to, he could have a litter. He could be the start of bringing the white wolf pack back. Everything looks good and healthy. He has a uterus so he is more than capable of carrying a full litter." Trent said, as he removed the wand.

"So not only are we responsible for potentially getting the last white wolf killed, one of less than five Apex wolves killed. But we could be responsible for making the white wolf pack officially extinct if he dies. That's just great. And he's not in a bubble because why?" Sonny said, not happy about any of this.

Jason knew where Sonny was coming from, he did, but at the same time he couldn't just order Clay to sit in the corner. Not only was Clay an Alpha, but he was stubborn and not going to tolerate being protected and treated like he was made of glass. He wanted to be able to live his life and as hard as it was going to be for them, they had to respect that.

"He wants to be active Sonny. We can't dictate what he does. Clay knows what's at stake, but he is choosing to live his life and not have to worry about the the what ifs. As if brothers, all we can do is support him and be there for him. I did tell him though, that if a situation came up and his life would be put in too much danger, that I would be moving his position for that operation. I made it very clear that it was because his bloodline needed to be protected and he was willing to accept that." Jason said.

"Jase is right, we can't control Clay. It's his life and we have to respect the decision he's made for it. Besides, we don't even know if he wants to have children. He might not want the target on their backs with being a white wolf. Only Clay can decide if he wants to have children one day and it's not our job to pressure or force him to. All we can do is be there for him and make sure he knows that he has a pack right here with us." Ray confirmed.

"Ya, alright, but I don't like it." Sonny relented.

"Come on Brother, let's get some of our gear off and sit down. He should wake up soon, hopefully." Ray said, as he placed his hand on Sonny's back.

"The best thing for him is to sleep right now." Trent confirmed.

The guys all went about getting their gear off and grabbing some water and food that was kept on the plane. They were hoping that Clay would wake up soon and they would be able to make sure there was no lasting damage done to him.

XXX

"He's shifting." Brock said, as he saw Clay shifting back into human form.

"Doesn't that hurt?" Sonny said, as they made their way back over to Clay.

"I don't think so. He does it easily enough." Jason answered. Jason took the collar off and put the bracelets back onto his wrists.

Trent grabbed a bowl and a cloth and filled the bowl with some warm water before he made his way over to Clay. He bent down and started to wash the blood away from his body now that he was no longer fur.

"Those bruises don't look good." Ray stated.

"Nothing is broken. His stab wounds and burns are healing nicely though." Trent said, pleased with the rate of Clay's healing even with the Wolfsbane in his system.

"He's waking up." Brock said, as he saw Clay's eyes starting to flick open.

"It's ok Sunshine." Jason said, as Clay's eyes opened.

They could all instantly see the confusion, but also fear within his eyes. They didn't hold it against him. He had been through something very traumatic and they knew it wasn't going to be something that Clay just got over. He had been tortured and forced to kill another wolf while in wolf form. It was a lot for someone to handle.

"It's ok Pup, you're ok. We're on the plane." Sonny said in a gentle voice.

Clay's eyes were looking around frantically and they could tell he was trying to get his mind to catch up with him. Clay's body was trembling and they weren't sure if it was from the fear or if he was in pain.

"Clay, what hurts?" Trent asked.

"I'm fine." Clay said with a shaky voice.

He wasn't fine. His whole body felt like it was on fire from the inside out. He had never felt like this before and it was extremely painful. He knew it must have something to do with the wolfsbane they made him drink and eventually his body would work it out of him.

"I know you are in pain Clay. I can give you something for it." Trent offered.

"It doesn't work." Clay said with a shaky voice.

Clay had tried to take pain medications before, but none of them ever did anything. His body didn't react to them the same way and it was pointless to try and take anything. All he could try and do was sleep it off and hope when he woke up the pain would be better.

"Ok, the best thing for you to do is try and sleep." Jason said, as he went and tried to place his hand on the back of Clay's neck.

Clay instantly flinched away and his eyes flooded with fear. Jason instantly pulled his hand back as Clay spoke, unable to keep the fear from his voice.

"What are you doing?"

"It's ok, I was just going to give you some comfort to help you fall asleep." Jason calmly explained.

"What?" Clay asked, confused.

"There's a spot at the back of your neck, all wolves have it. If it's rubbed it can make you feel safe, and give you comfort. It's ok, trust me." Jason explained, as he moved his hand and placed it on the back of Clay's neck.

Clay was instantly curling up into himself and giving a small whimper. It was clear to all of the guys that he had been expecting to be hurt. The back of a wolf's neck could bring you comfort, but it was also used to dominate and hurt you. It was made very clear to the guys by Clay's reaction that no one had ever given him comfort before.

"Shh, it's ok." Jason said softly, as he started to rub his thumb along the back of Clay's neck.

The guys all placed their hands on Clay in various spots and they focused on giving off a peaceful and safe energy to help Jason get Clay calmed down and feeling safe. They could all feel Clay's body trembling and his breathing had picked up. He was scared, but they were hoping soon he would be able to feel them and know that he was safe.

"Shh, just relax. You're ok Sunshine, I promise." Jason said in a soft voice.

Clay didn't know what was happening. He had never had this before, but the feel of Jason's hand on the back of his neck, the feel of the air around him, it was calming him down. Clay didn't understand why, this had never happened to him before. Normally when someone placed their hand on the back of his neck it was to hurt him. To try and control him and force him to do something that he didn't want to do. It had never calmed him down. It had never made him feel warm before.

"We got you brother, just feel the comfort." Ray said, as he ran his hand through Clay's hair.

Bit by bit they guys all felt Clay's body stop shaking and starting to go laxed. It was a good twenty minutes later when Clay was in a deep sleep. The guys moved back, but Jason sat there on the edge of the cot and continued to rub his thumb along the back of Clay's neck. It hurt him a great deal to know that Clay had never experienced comfort before. Even as a child he should have been shown comfort, but apparently he had only experienced pain. As a father it pissed him off. No child should have to grow up not knowing comfort. Never knowing what it felt like to be safe. Jason had no idea where Clay had grown up or with whom, but if he ever found them, he would kill them for what they had put Clay through.

XXX

It was a good twenty hours later when Clay was waking up. He could feel the plane was getting ready to land and Clay knew he would be able to get home soon. He had managed to sleep throughout the whole flight and his body felt a lot better. He wasn't in pain any more, but he was tired and feeling rundown. He needed some more sleep and then he would be able to be back to his normal self. What Clay was not looking forward to was having to deal with the fallout from this. Clay knew there was no way that Blackburn didn't know about him being an Apex or a white wolf. The guys had tarps up so no one would be able to see him and for that he was thankful for, but he knew there was going to be a fall out from this.

Clay pushed himself up and noticed that the guys were all spread around. They were getting their gear ready for landing and Clay was happy to have some space between them. Jason made his way over to Clay with some clothes in his hand for him.

"We're minutes away from landing. You up to getting dressed?" Jason asked, as he placed the clothes and boots down for Clay.

"Ya." Clay simply said.

"I'm gonna give you a ride home and then spend the night on your couch. Trent is really worried about what the Wolfsbane could be doing to your system. I won't bug you, but I'll be there in case something is seriously wrong."

Clay would have loved to argue, but he knew there wasn't a point. Jason wasn't going to back down on this and Clay was too tired to even argue with him. He just gave a nod and Jason moved back so Clay could get dressed in privacy. Clay let out a sigh and quickly got dressed. He hated that he didn't have a plug that he could use to keep his slick in. He was worried that it would go through his pants and people would notice it. His legs were sticky from it drying on them and all Clay wanted was a shower.

The second the plane landed and the back door opened, he was grabbing his things and heading out. He just wanted to get home and sleep. Jason easily caught up with him and once they were in his truck, they were heading off. Clay sat back and kept his eyes on the window. He was hoping that Jason wouldn't be in a talking mood, but that went right out the window just three minutes into the drive.

"Blackburn knows about you, but he is going to keep it quiet. He can help us keep your secret hidden. He's good with it, all of the guys are good with it, you don't have to worry about that."

Clay wasn't really sure he believed that, but there was nothing he could do about it right now. If the guys were going to have a problem with it or tell someone, he couldn't stop that now. He had no choice but to wait and see how it would all play out. Clay just hummed and Jason knew he wasn't in the mood to talk. They drove the rest of the way in silence and once at Clay's apartment building, they headed inside. Clay immediately headed into his bedroom and closed the door. Jason didn't take it personally, he knew Clay was tired and had been through a lot on this operation. He needed time to decompress and give his body the rest that it needed.

Jason looked around the apartment and he saw that there was a small tv that looked about a dozen years old. There was a black leather couch that was well worn in. An old looking coffee table that looked like it could break if you put anything heavy on it. There was nothing on the walls, no personal items. The only thing that Jason could say with certainty that was new and taken care of was the bookshelves along the wall to the left of the front door. There were easily two hundred books and all of them looked very well cared for. There wasn't even dust on any of them. These were the items that Clay cherished; that were important to him. Jason made his way over to the couch and sat down. As much as he would have liked to talk with Clay and make sure he was ok, he knew he would need some time alone. Jason let out a sigh and sat back, it was going to be a long night, but hopefully Clay would start to feel better in the morning.