Page 15 of Admiring His Omega (Hobson Hills Omegas #12)

August

I am the king of sneak , Mal told himself as he took photos with his phone.

No one noticed him hunched behind the stall for Abel’s brewery.

He was a ninja. The Hobson Hills Summer Festival was in full swing, and people were having fun.

Children and adults alike ran from ride to ride, and each food and drink stall had a long queue.

Mal blended in perfectly. Yes, maybe he appeared a little creepy, but Sheriff McKenzie and Roe were kissing.

It was too good an opportunity to waste.

Cain would want to see this. I miss him so much , he thought, suddenly wanting to cry.

It had been two weeks since he’d last seen him.

Cain should be there with him, sneaking to take pictures of his friend’s important moment.

It was clear Roe liked Sheriff McKenzie and the older man certainly returned those feelings.

This kiss was their first and a declaration of their feelings. Cain should be here .

He snapped another picture and smiled sadly. “Good job, Roe. Cain would be proud.”

“Are you sending those to Cain?” A deep voice sounded from behind him.

Mal shrieked, jumping and spinning around all at once.

A large, muscular, bald man stood behind him. Wally – Roe’s bodyguard.

Pressing his hand to his heart, Mal took deep breaths. “You scared the crap out of me.”

Wally smirked and handed Mal a slip of paper. “Tell Cain I said hello.” He started walking back to Roe’s group.

“What is this?” Mal asked, scratching his itchy stomach. It had been irritating him over the last few weeks.

Wally looked over his shoulder. “The address to the house Cain just bought. You should check out the kitchen.”

Mal pressed his hands to his warm cheeks.

Cain really did it. He said he was going to move there, and he had bought a house.

Grandpa David was going to be so mad, but Mal needed to settle down in Hobson Hills.

The baby would need to be near Van and Bianca.

Cain would need to be near his dad so they could open their bait shop.

Not that Cain or his father had any idea they were going to open a bait shop, but the town needed a new one.

Old Shakey owned the best little bait shop near one of the lakes around Hobson Hills.

He handed out fishing tips along with a variety of different worms and insects.

The old beta was past the point of retirement.

Cain and his dad needed to buy the shop and run it.

Shakey could hang around and talk to the customers without having to do any of the hard work.

“What are you dreaming about, young’un?” an amused voice asked.

Startled, Mal looked up, eyes widening as he realized who it was. “Oh, shit.”

Gramps Wilson leaned out of the back of Abel’s stall. His blue eyes and soft smile were kind and gentle, instantly making Mal’s eyes water as a surge of homesickness hit him.

“Haven’t seen you around, but I’ve heard about you,” Gramps said, laughing.

“You don’t dodge cameras as well as you think, but Noah was real impressed with your moonwalk dance.

His kids were more impressed with the toys you and your friends left in the stalls.

Laurel and I enjoy your pranks. The grandkids deserve it.

” Gramps scratched his chin. “Oh, and Abel’s dogs were impressed with the doggy toy beers you filled his desk with, but I was a bit confused.

I understand the toy beers at the brewery, but why were there some toy bears in there too? ”

“Miscommunication with my minions.” Mal shuffled his feet, turning in circles while he tried to figure out what to do. “Oh, geez.”

Gramps laughed. “You look just like my daddy did when he got caught doing some mischief.” His eyes narrowed as he studied Mal. “You actually look a lot like my daddy. What’s your name, son?”

“M…Malcolm.”

“Really? That was my daddy’s name.”

“Oh, geez. Oh, geez. Oh, geez. I have to go.” Mal stopped circling and ran for the festival exit. He tucked the slip of paper that Wally had given him away, then called his grandpa while he ran.

“About time you called,” David Reed said, deep voice rough. “It’s been two whole months. I thought you were dead in a ditch.”

“You thought I was dead in a ditch, but you didn’t bother trying to call me or at least alert the police?” Mal asked, offended despite the trouble he was about to bring to his grandpa.

“Eh, I’m old. Thought I’d see you soon enough in the afterlife.”

Mal rolled his eyes. All of his grandparents were in really good health considering their age.

“What’s happening? You called for a reason.” David sounded amused. “I’m still mad that you’re seeing that Benson boy. Next thing you know, you’ll be visiting Wilsons.”

“GrampsWilsontalkedtomeandsaidIlookedlikehisdad,” Mal said, words running together. “Oh, geez. Please don’t be mad at me. I avoided the Wilsons. I swear I did. He just popped out of a festival stall. Who does that? People shouldn’t sneak up on others. They need to respect boundaries and anonymity.”

“Not sure that’s something you have the right to say,” David said, sounding amused. “Considering all those pranks you play on the Wilsons.”

“Maybe this is a good thing.” Mal’s voice sounded desperate, even to his own ears. “You could finally talk to him. Explain everything. The Wilsons are good people, Grandpa. I promise. Plus, Cain bought a house here. In Hobson Hills. He wants to raise the baby with me.”

“Baby?” David’s voice turned cold. “Did that boy get you pregnant? He better want to help you raise the baby.”

“I’m an adult, Grandpa. Of course, we used protection.

” Well, except for the first time , he reminded himself.

Grandpa doesn’t need to know that. I’m practically thirty.

I know what I’m doing . Feeling better, he continued.

“The daughter of my heart is the one that’s pregnant. She wants me to adopt the baby.”

“That sweet girl you talk about all the time?” David sounded even angrier. “She’s a child. Who the hell got her in that situation?”

“She won’t say.” Mal felt slightly bad for using Bianca to turn the conversation away from his own confession. “I need to be here for her.”

“Of course, you do.” David sighed. “Maybe it is time to talk to Gerard Wilson. If you’re settling there with that Benson boy, then I better clear the air. You look just like that picture of my daddy. There’s no way he won’t put it together.”

Mal let out a large sigh of relief and scratched his itchy stomach. It had been bothering him all week. “Thank you, Grandpa. I’m sorry that it’s my fault you have to do this now.”

“It’s something I should have done a long time ago.” David sighed. “The way you talk about that family makes me want to get to know them. Though with all the trouble you cause them, they will probably disown you as soon as they know about you.”

“Worth it.” Mal shrugged and hopped into the truck. It was time to go home and make plans. But first, he would take a look at the house Cain had bought.

He drove to the address on the slip of paper Wally had given him, jaw dropping at the sight of the beautiful two-story home.

It sat close to Mal’s favorite lake, the one Old Shakey’s bait shop served.

It was a mix of stone and wood, with a wraparound porch and a large, attached garage.

The yard was expansive and bordered one of the many state parks that Mal was allowed to forage in.

“Wow.” He walked around the house, peeking in the windows and admiring the sunroom. “Holy shit, this kitchen is huge. I can make so many videos.”

Mal could easily envision himself in this house with Cain by his side. They would be good parents, and he already knew Cain was the perfect partner in mischief-making. Plus, Mal could finally allow himself to say it and think it – he loved Cain. The alpha was his future.

The sun was sinking below the trees by the time that Mal arrived back at his RV.

All thoughts of Cain’s house and his grandpa’s upcoming call disappeared at the sight that awaited him.

Bianca sat on the steps with Betty, trembling.

Her knees were raised, and her head was pressed against them.

Her long, brown hair fell in tangled knots, and her clothes were covered in dirt.

Mal hurried and knelt in front of her, panic pushing everything from his mind. “What’s wrong, sweetheart? Are you hurt? Is Van okay?”

She slowly raised her head, and he flinched. Her face was bruised and bloody, eyes already swelling. “Mal,” she whispered, voice full of pain.

“Who did this?” he asked, hands shaking with the rage building inside him. He gently brushed her hair back from her face. “Who hurt you, Bianca?”

“Doesn’t matter.” She shuddered and fell against him. “He kicked Betty.”

The piglet stared up at him, seemingly completely undamaged, but concerned about her second favorite human.

He wrapped his arms around Bianca as she sobbed. “We need to get you to a hospital. The county one is what? Forty minutes away? I should call an ambulance.”

“No, please. I can’t go there.” She drew in a wet breath. “Please just call Mom. Please.”

Against his better judgment, Mal gave in and quickly dialed Van’s number. His friend was working at the hospital.

“Mal?” Van asked, taking the call. “This better be more important than a request to bring you junk food for a late-night snack.”

“Van, it’s an emergency. Come to the RV now.”

He hung up before she could respond. There was no point in telling her anything until she got there.

Scooping Bianca into his arms, he gently carried her into the RV, mentally cursing the narrow door. Betty trotted behind them, then went to inspect her food bowl. He set his daughter down on the couch, then ran for his first aid kit.

“Where’s it hurt, angel?”

“My face, my arms,” she mumbled, leaning against the couch pillow. She held Truffle in her arms. The cat purred loudly, offering comfort the best way he knew how. “I think I sprained my ankle too.”