Crave

7 - to take the shelter i craved

The more Woo talked, the more crazy he seemed to Zaire. "Cook for you?"

"All three meals of the day, I want you to cook them." The alpha released the smaller man's wrists and brought his hand up gently. "I've never tasted delicious food until I had your cooking. I want you to cook for me from scratch, don't want anything frozen or from a restaurant."

"For how long would I need to do this?" The omega asked in defeat.

"Until I'm sick of it." The alpha said lowly.

"W-What if I say no?"

"You begged me to take you away from them. No matter what you do or say, they're not getting you back."

This was horrible. It felt like Zaire's life was filled with bad luck. It didn't matter if he lived with Woo or with his parents, a cage would still remain a cage. Zaire didn't have any friends or relatives who could take him in. The omega was left in a position where all he could do was stay quiet and live in the same space as the scary alpha who seemed to dislike him. It was better than being sold again.

Woo's deep voice broke him out of thoughts. "What are you thinking so hard for?"

"I-I..." How could Zaire just say yes and live with an alpha wolf? What would his future mate think of this?

"Either you agree nicely or I keep you locked up." The threat was heavy in the air.

"O-Okay. I will stay here until you're ready to let me go but I-I have a request." The omega said and Woo raised a brow. The smaller man had the nerve to ask for a request.

"Say it."

"I don't want..I-I don't want to be touched in the wrong way." The omega requested and the alpha nodded.

"That will be no issue." Woo said and took out his phone to text his friends.

Everyone came running downstairs as Zaire sat up. Liam handed the omega one of Woo's oversized shirts and hoodie. Joon had a thick blanket in his hands as he followed behind. The omega looked at Liam and glanced down at the clothes. "Please wear these for now."

Everyone turned around to give Zaire some privacy. The omega was covered by the warm blanket once he was dressed. The smaller man felt the wolf's masculine scent surround him, calming his nerves even though Woo was scary.

Jonathan sat down next to him and held his shoulder. "Are you okay? How are you feeling?"

"Joon, help me set up the guest bedroom." Woo called his younger brother upstairs and the three men were left alone in the room.

Liam sat on the other side next to Zaire with worry in his eyes. "Are you staying here with Woo?"

"Yes." The omega whispered as tears fell out of his eyes. "I have n-no choice but to do this."

"I'm so sorry, Zaire. I would have you stay with me but Woo is the only one who can protect you without the risk of someone getting hurt. He's an alpha and as much as I hate to say this, fighting is his occupation. He can protect you better than any of us can." Liam explained.

"We can't let you go back, Zaire. You don't deserve to get hurt." Jonathan said as he rubbed the omega's arm to comfort him. The smaller vampire grabbed a box of napkins and gave it to Zaire.

"We'll come by from time to time and check on you. The doctor who did your check-up is Jonathan's cousin. He left medication and ointment so please use them, I promise there is nothing wrong with the pills. Can you do that?" Liam asked and the omega nodded.

"Woo and Joon are setting up your room right now. If you want, you can just rest here on the couch for now. Do you want to eat?" Liam asked and Zaire felt tears well up in his eyes as he shook his head.

The omega suddenly hugged Liam who felt the small wolf cry against his shoulder. The blond man smiled and ran a soft hand down Zaire's back to comfort him. "It's okay, we will take care of you."

"In just one month, you have shown me more kindness than my own mother has since I was born."

"You deserve all the good things, Zaire. You're such a sweet soul. I'm sorry that you have those monsters as your parents." Liam whispered to the omega and Jonathan engulfed them both with his muscular arms for a group hug.

"If you need anything, don't hesitate to let me or Liam know. We're here for you now. Got that, kiddo?" The black-haired man asked and Zaire nodded. The vampire got up and went upstairs to help Woo, leaving Liam and Zaire alone.

"Zaire, how did you survive living with them?" The blond man asked and the younger man closed his eyes.

"I beared it. All the pain they gave me in the form of harsh words and abuse, I took it all because I couldn't run away." The black-haired omega told him.

"When we left you there, can you tell me what happened?" The vampire asked and Zaire opened his eyes but nothing came out of his mouth. "If you don't want to talk about it, it's okay."

"My m-mother heated up oil and as it boiled, she placed it on a belt. She gave the belt to my father and told him to hit m-me." The vampire's heart squeezed as he heard what happened.

"Oh, Zaire." Liam held the younger man protectively like a worried mother would hold her child.

"T-They said another man they owed money to would come get me the next day. If I tried to run, they would cut my legs off." Tears leaked out of the omega's eyes and Liam laid down next to him, still holding the young wolf tight.

"Don't worry, we'll never let you go back to them." The blond man promised.

"Can I ask for a favor?" The omega asked and the other man nodded.

"What it is?"

"Can you hold me tonight, please? I don't want to sleep in fear." Zaire requested and Liam hugged him tighter, covering the small omega with the blanket properly to ensure he was warm.

"We're right here for you." The vampire assured. "Woo will protect you."

"He's a bit s-scary." The small man said and Liam smiled.

The blond man began to run his hand down Zaire's back to lull him to sleep. "He may look and act scary but in reality, he's a big sweetheart. Woo protects the people he loves but he tries to not show it. The more you stay with him, the more you'll learn what's under the mask he wears."

"I'm scared to live with an alpha." Zaire said quietly while burying his head in the vampire's chest. Liam's arms were warm and loving. The omega had ached for his mother to hold him the way Liam was holding him now.

"Woo won't take advantage of you. In case you go into heat or he goes into a rut, we'll keep you both away from each other. If you feel unsafe or uncomfortable to spend your heat here, you can let me or Jonathan know. We will create a safe space for you." The vampire replied.

"O-Okay." Zaire felt a little better hearing that. He didn't have the heart to tell Liam that he was barely having heat cycles.

"Don't think too hard, Zaire." The blond man said with a soft tone. "We'll figure this whole situation out."

Hearing those words, Zaire slipped into dreamland with no issues. Liam caressed his soft hair from time to time while holding the poor man. An hour later, the other men came downstairs and the shorter vampire gestured at them to speak lower. Woo watched the omega sleeping in Liam's arms peacefully and felt a weird ache in his heart.

"Liam, we set up a room for him. I placed hyung's older clothes in the closet. It should be enough for him." Joon said. He was the only one not too happy about all this but the beta felt bad for Zaire. He just hoped that his brother wouldn't get hurt protecting the omega.

"Woo, do you want us to take him instead? If keeping an omega here is too much for you, he can stay with me or Liam." Jonathan asked but the alpha shook his head.

"If he stays, he's gonna be in my house only."