Page 29 of Abel's Omega

“Who’s Duke?” I asked, taking the salt shaker away from Teca. Behind me, the door creaked and banged closed.

“He’s kind of the rest of the story.” Jason pulled out a chair beside me, and I looked up. And up. And up. I thought Abel was tall. This Duke was a mountain on legs. He also had the last stages of a really good black eye, a cut lip, and an arm in a sling. And then I remembered he’d been on the security team at the gates when I’d arrived last night.

“Duke,” Jason said as the big man sat down. “This is Bax. He’s come to visit for a couple of weeks.”

“Hi, Bax,” Duke said, holding out a hand to shake. “These all yours?” He nodded at the pups.

I nodded in return, and shook his hand, though his size made me nervous.

Jason smiled. “Perfect timing. I was just going to tell Bax here about the car accident.”

I raised my eyebrows, waiting for the explanation.

The other two shifters exchanged a glance.

“My old alpha tried to either kill me or take me back. We’re not entirely sure.” Jason tried to pass it off lightly, but I could smell the fear underneath the scent of bearer and baby and fatigue. “They crashed their car into ours, hit the back fender and spun us off the road. Orvin dragged me out and I hit him and took off.”

Duke chuckled. “Smacked him good, too. I wasn’t long getting out of the car, but you were already into the woods and Orvin was staggering around holding his balls like he was afraid they’d fall off.”

Jason grinned sheepishly. “I wasn’t really thinking.”

“You kicked him in the balls?” I asked, then realized the pups were listening to all this with wide eyes, soaking in everything. “Why don’t you guys go play in the corner?” I told them, not really expecting they’d go.

Fan’s gaze was fixed on Duke. “You’re big,” he said matter-of-factly.

“I am,” Duke said gravely.

“What happened to your arm?”

“I broke it.”

“Why?”

“It wasn’t planned.” Duke gave Fan an amused look. “I got into a fight.”

“Dabi says fighting’s bad.”

“It is. But sometimes you have to.”

“When you’re big,” I interjected, not wanting to encourage Fan’s martial tendencies. “Your job right now is to grow. Leave the fighting to the adults.”

But Fan had his teeth into this conversation, and he wasn’t letting go. “Why were you fighting?”

“Someone wanted to take Jason away from Mac, and I didn’t want that to happen. Mac would be sad.” His tone was friendly and unthreatening, but what struck me most was that he answered Fan’s question with the same serious attention that an adult would expect, but kept it at a level appropriate for a little boy.

I kept waiting for the cruelty to appear, and every moment in Mercy Hills made a fool of me.

Fan nodded, as if that made total sense to him. “I like Mac. I’m glad he’s not sad.” He slid down off his chair. “Come on, Teca. Let’s play with the toys.” He led her and Beatrice over to the corner, and now we could talk in peace.

I blew out a breath. “I never quite know what I’m going to get with him.”

“He seems to be a handful.” Jason chuckled and turned to Duke. “Mac doesn’t know I heard him, but he called Abel this morning begging for rescue.”

Duke laughed quietly. “What’s he going to do once the two of you have a litter?”

Jason went quiet and Duke sobered instantly. “I’m sorry, I should think before I open my mouth. You know Abel’s not going to let anything happen. And even if the worse does, Mac and I have worked out a plan.”

I made a note of that, just in case. If I couldn’t find sanctuary here, maybe I could find escape. “So what happened after you hit your Alpha and ran, Jason?”