Page 114 of Omega's Heart

Even as the words spilled out of his mouth, more details and more stories came to mind. After this one, he could tell the one about that time they were stuck out in the middle of nowhere near this village and there was this goat… And the time Honisloonz had gotten them all six hours of extra duty making sure the decorative stones outside the commanding officer’s building were turned regularly to keep them from getting sunburned, all because he’d gone Mission Impossible on the officer’s mess one night for another soldier’s birthday. And Honisloonz after deployment hauling three of the native human children for miles on his back because the village was being evacuated and their parents were already carrying all their worldly possessions.

He definitely cherry-picked the stories, and who wouldn’t? But it was worth the care he put into each of his sentences to watch as the shadow of sadness on the other shifters lifted slightly, and then they began to share their own stories and he knew it would be all right.

The Alpha caught his eye and nodded, raising his beer slightly in a subtle toast and thank you. Kaden nodded back and took a drink, then turned his attention back to the tales of Honisloonz’ youth here in the enclave.

C H A P T E R 6 4

H unter and I were relaxing on the couch when Kaden finally called. “I didn’t think I’d hear from you tonight,” I told him, my stomach doing ridiculous flip-flops at the sound of his voice.

“I thought they’d never stop talking,” Kaden admitted. “Avery finally took pity on me and told me to go call my betrothed. And speaking of him—” I heard the creak of a mattress and realized he must have been calling from his room there. “—I have a bone of sorts to pick with you.”

“Why?” I demanded, anxiety making my scalp prickle. Had Veronica called to complain? Had he actually believed her?

“I didn’t know you were related to half the Alphas in the country,” he said evenly, but I could hear the chuckle behind the words and I let out a breath of relief.

“Not half of them,” I protested.

“Uh huh,” Kaden replied. “Now I’m going to have everyone believing I mated you for your political contacts and not—” his voice got soft here, with a hint of a growl to it that made me shiver “—because I’m desperate to have you naked underneath me.”

I swallowed hard, my sudden arousal almost painful. “So you only want me for my body?” I asked him, following the line of his joke.

“And your brain, and your heart, but yeah, the body’s been on my mind for a while.”

“How long?” I hadn’t meant to ask, but the words just slipped out as if they had a mind of their own.

“If I have to put a date on it, since before the Brussels sprouts. Because I’m not a fool.”

I laughed. “I know. Unlike my birth pack. Please don’t say that to them while you’re there?”

“I promise. Just to my family. And maybe yours. They should know what I think.”

“Acceptable.” My family would be, at most, puzzled by Kaden’s lustful obsession. My mother, I thought, would be happy.

“It does make it awkward, though,” Kaden continued more matter-of-factly. “I was thinking you could come with me on these trips and see a bit of the world, some other enclaves. If I work it right, maybe we could spend a night or two in a nice hotel—I suspect I can get work to pay for it, especially if we have a layover somewhere. But then it looks like I’m currying favor because of my packfamily.”

“I don’t think it’ll matter. I’m not an important member of my family.”

“You’re important to me. I want them to know that.”

I played with Hunter’s ruff as he leaned against me. “I’m sure they will.” Hunter made a moaning noise and shoved his nose at the phone. “Hunter wants to say hi.”

“Put him on, then. But only for a minute. I called to talk to you.”

“A minute is fine. It’s almost bedtime anyway.”

“Hmmm.” Kaden’s thoughtful hum made my cheeks turn red and I hastily held the phone up to the pup’s muzzle.

“Say hi to Kaden,” I told him.

He looked at me like I was nuts, then Kaden said, “Hello, Hunter. Are you being good for Felix?”

Hunter tilted his head at the phone, then barked. Kaden and I both laughed. “He’s being very good,” I said, rubbing behind his ears. Hunter crooned at the phone, his eyes half-closed in pleasure. “He’s picking up some of your habits.”

“Oh? What are those?”

“He really likes it when I rub his ears.”

“You never rub my ears,” Kaden protested.