Page 98 of Omega's Flight

I heard a knock on the door that evening, Cas's distinctive thump of knuckles on wood. While he still didn't arouse me, the thought of him waiting at the door for me did make me happy, and maybe, for this little while, that could be the most important thing. I knew that at some point sex would have to happen, because what alpha didn't want that? But it was nice that he could be patient. Or maybe it was a territorial thing between alphas. Who knew? I wondered if Bax had done anything to encourage the bond between him and Patrick to break so quickly, or if it had started to weaken right away because of Patrick's death. I didn't want Degan dead, though—I just wanted to be free of him. It would be nice if he could still be involved with the pups somehow, since Ann still missed him, but if I didn't want to let them out of Mercy Hills, I didn't see how that could happen.

Cas was leaning against the frame of the door when I got there, hands in his pockets and that devilish grin on his face. "I have the truck," he said. "But I have to take it back to town so the Security guys can get it. Want to go out for dinner before the mating?"

My jaw fell open and he grinned wider, so I closed it. "I have pups, remember?" We'd been invited to a mating ceremony tonight, for one of the omegas that had come to Mercy Hills as part of Bax's mating ceremony. Wynn was his name. A quiet boy, a little plain and shy with it, but a good worker.

"I know. We can swing by the school to pick them up and bring them along." Cas's eyes danced.

I gave him a knowing look. "Am I going to have to send you and Pip to your corners again?"

Cas grinned even harder and reached in to grab me by my waist and pull me out the door. "She started it."

He smelled so good, and then I felt it. Not much, but the smallest tingle of arousal. Not enough, not yet, but it glimmered like hope in the future. "If you can promise to behave, I'll agree to go to dinner with you." And, because I wanted to know what it felt like to kiss him while my body was starting to take notice of his, I closed the last half step between us and lifted my mouth to his.

Cas grunted in surprise and then, with a caution I found surprising in him, he opened his mouth to mine and let me choose for myself how far I wanted to go. That was novel, and I wasn't sure what I wanted to do with that freedom, so I played it safe. A little exploration, the tip of my tongue against his lips, but mostly just the taste of him.

"Come on," he whispered against my mouth. "Let's go pick up your pups. And the little monster."

I pulled back and slapped him lightly, a laugh on my lips. "Don't start, O Wise and Peaceful Casimir." I’d finally found out what his name meant, and now I knew why his brothers teased him about it. Wise he might have been, but peaceful wasn’t how I’d describe Cas.

"Who told you that?" he cried in mock offense.

I shook my head and dodged as he tried to catch me. "Uh uh, not telling. Are we going to dinner? Bax needs the truck, remember?"

He shook his head and started down the stairs. "If I feed you will you tell me?"

I followed him down. "Maybe. But probably not."

"What if I feed you and take you dancing tonight at the mating? They're setting up in the park right now."

Holland opened the front door of the new shifters' house. "It was me, Cas." He crossed his arms over his chest and grinned and I saw Ori peeking out from behind him with a delightedly scandalized look on his face. "Got anything to say?"

"Dammit." Cas sighed and got into the truck. "Come on then. And remind me not to play bridge with you. The trumps you hold are way too big."

I climbed in beside him, waved to Holland and then wiggled across the cracked vinyl to put my hand on his thigh. "Do I still get dinner?"

"Do I still get dancing?"

"Depends on dinner."

"Oh, skilled negotiator, huh?" He grinned and started the truck. "Don't forget, you're dealing with a lawyer now."

"I like my chances," I told him and let the swaying of the vehicle carry me against him as we rolled past the old houses and back toward town.

C H A P T E R 7 0

I t was still relatively early in the afternoon—the restaurant likely wouldn't be busy. Which was good, because Cas had done his research like a good lawyer and he had some jokes that were going to completely take the wind out of Pip's sails.

They sat across the table from each other while they ate, like two ancient warriors staking out their territory. Raleigh glanced between them a couple of time, obviously amused, but he made no move to get between them. Maybe he'd decided to let nature take its course. Survival of the fittest, in a sense.

Cas intended to be the fittest.

Pip set the battle in motion. "Hey Cas..." She grinned, and Cas was certain little shining imps danced in her eyes.

"Yes, Pip?" her bearer said in an amused tone, and reached out casually to wipe sauce off little Henry's chin.

"Yes, do tell, Pip," Cas said, leaning back in his chair and crossing his arms over his chest. He was soooo ready.

"Okay, well, this lawyer, he got hurt. Real bad. He had to go to a human hospital because he was hurt so bad." She blinked innocently up at him. "And when he woke up, the room was dark, because they'd pulled all the curtains closed." She held up her hands palms out and moved them together like curtains being shut, making a slurping noise as she did so.