Page 71 of Abel's Omega

I slammed a cupboard closed behind him, furious with this unexpected betrayal. “Why do you assume it was him? There’s all sorts of reasons why an omega can be repudiated that have nothing to do with any of our choices.”

My voice must have risen. Behind me, Uncle Mitchel spoke, in a tone I’d learned to dread when I was younger. “You owe this man an apology, Baxter.”

I felt the blood drain out of my cheeks and saw Abel’s face turn to stone.Oh, fuck, I fucked it up, I’ve really done it now. Oh, help me.Without thinking, I put a hand out to Abel, then let it drop. At least the pups had a home, right? Unless he decided to break the contract. Or farm them out to other families… The room went dark around the edges and then Abel’s arms were around me and I clung to him with silent tears dripping down my face. Noah woke up and began to wail, and I just wanted to go home, but where was home, really? The world tipped crazily and bright sparks clouded my vision. Was I going to faint?

“Shh, shh, it’s all right,” Abel murmured into my hair. “I’ve got you, you don’t need to worry.”

“I-I’m sorry, Abel,” I forced out through a throat so tight I could barely breath. “I didn’t mean to be disobedient.”

“You’d have to do something a lot worse than take me to task for prejudice for me to call it disobedience.” His hands rubbed soothingly over me, and my heart slowly clued in to the possibility that I hadn’t screwed this up, that he still wanted me, that he wasn’t angry.

“Oh.” I went to hug him, then realized my sling was empty. “Noah!”

“Shh, shh. I gave him to your uncle to hold. They’re outside, looking at geckos with Duke and Fan.”

“Oh,” I repeated stupidly. “That’s a good idea.” I held on for a few minutes longer, reluctant to face the situation I had created.

“What brought that on?” Abel led me to a chair and sat me down on it, then crouched in front of me, still holding my hands. “I thought we were past that.”

“I don’t know.” I wiped my eyes and looked around the shabby kitchen. “It’s this place, I think. And the last one.” I shook my head and sniffed.

“Hmmm.” He laid the backs of his fingers against my cheek, and then my forehead. “You feel hot.”

I tried to make a joke. “I hope you think so, since you’re mating me.”

“No, it’s not that. Holland!”

My cousin crept nervously out of the pantry, his eyes flicking back and forth between us. “Yes, sir?”

“Do you have a thermometer here?”

“I can check the bathroom.”

“Abel, really, I’m fine.” Except now that he mentioned it, I didn’t feel fine. If anything, the prickling had spread around my body, and the joints of my ribs ached with each breath. “Maybe I’ll get a drink.”

“You stay there. I’ll get it.” Abel searched through the cupboards, opening and closing several before he found the cabinet with the tumblers in it. I closed my eyes and listened to the rush of water as he filled one. A touch on my hand made me jump and open my eyes. Abel’s concerned face filled my view. “You were swaying.” He put the glass on the table and laid the back of his hand against my cheek again. “Yeah, you’re warm.”

The front door opened and closed, and then Holland appeared. “I had to go next door,” he said, holding something out to Abel.

Abel took it with a grunt, shook it, then turned back to me. “Open up,’ he said. He held a thermometer up to my mouth.

“Really, Abel, I’m fine. I—”

He popped the instrument into my mouth and pushed gently on my jaw to close my mouth. “Stay there, don’t move.”

I reached for the thermometer to pull it out.

Abel grabbed my hand and held it down firmly. “No. Leave that in there. If it doesn’t show anything, I’m going to assume you’re just tired and stressed, and you can have an early night. But if it does, you’re definitely having an early night.”

“So I’m having an early night no matter what?” I mumbled around the thermometer.

“No talking. And yes.” He rubbed his thumb over my cheek and gave me a fond smile that lifted my mood enormously. “Holland, what do we have for food and what do we need?”

“Mostly canned food, sir, and dry goods. But I can take the basket down to the warehouse and get some fresh.”

“I’d appreciate it. I imagine Mitchel will know what account to debit.”

“Yes, sir.” Holland disappeared into the pantry, and came back out moments later with a heavy basket on his arm. “I won’t be long.”