Page 142 of Omega's Heart

“Whatever you say, my dear.” I thought the suit had a lot to do with it—Holland had been obnoxiously specific with the tailors on what he wanted them to change, but it had been worth every wince and every unvoiced apology on my part. “No matter, I think this could be fun.” I slipped out of his grasp, though I made sure to brush up against as much of him as I could on my way back to the bed and the open suitcases still waiting to be unpacked.

Behind me, Kaden laughed. “Oh, this is going to be a lot of fun.”

C H A P T E R 7 8

So the alpha’s a little jealous of me? Kaden decided that he would watch as he and the Los Padres alpha walked along the street behind Felix and the Alpha’s Mate. He could maybe use that as a lever to forward Holland’s agenda. At the very least, he could use it to make his mate feel even more loved.

Kaden slowed his pace slightly and let his eyes rest on the spread of Felix’s shoulders and the smooth arc narrowing down to his hips—not a particularly difficult task.

The Alpha cast him a subtly assessing glance. “I have to say, he’s not quite what I was expecting.”

“In what way?” Kaden asked pleasantly. That suit really did look good on his mate.

The Alpha shrugged. “I was expecting someone more clumsy and less easy on the eyes. Given what the young alphas were saying.”

Kaden smiled and raised one hand in a what can you do? kind of gesture. “I’ll tell you what I tell Felix probably at least once a week--the alphas in White River are fools.”

The Alpha laughed out loud, attracting the attention of both their mates.

“What mischief are you two up to?” Felix asked. He paused to let the alphas catch up to them and naturally, Violetta waited with him.

“Just talking about your family.” Kaden smiled innocently at him.

Felix frowned at him in exasperation. “Are you calling them fools again, Kaden?” He huffed a little when Kaden’s grin widened and turned back to Violetta. “You can’t see them, but my mate has a permanently installed pair of rose-colored glasses.”

“Exactly how I like them,” Violetta responded. She went up on her toes and kissed her mate’s cheek. “I’m going to take Felix over to see the perfume factory, unless you two need us for something?”

Kaden suspected it was more informing them of the plan than begging permission, but it was nicely done. He raised an eyebrow at Felix and got a nod and a slight shrug in return. So, Felix wasn’t averse to the tour. “Don’t tire yourself out,” he reminded Felix in a voice that was much sterner than his expression.

Felix laughed softly and bent down to kiss the corner of Kaden’s mouth. “I think I’ll be fine.” Then he whispered, “But thank you.”

“You look very fine in that suit,” Kaden whispered back. “And I think you might have been right.”

Felix’s eyes widened slightly and an expression of surprised pleasure flitted across his face, followed almost immediately—as Kaden had expected—by a flash of guilt.

“Don’t you dare,” Kaden scolded gently, running his hand up under the suit jacket to tease the bottom of Felix’s waist beneath the thin cotton of his shirt. “You’re right, this is fun.”

The guilt faded, to be replaced by a wary look. “Behave yourself.” But it was said with a smile and a little relief, before Felix dipped his head to steal another quick kiss or two and then let himself be dragged off down a side street in the town.

Kaden watched until the two of them disappeared around a corner, then shook his head and turned back to find the Alpha grinning at him.

“I remember those days,” the older shifter said. “Though no one’s going to believe you didn’t mate him for his connections. Any family plans yet?” He started off down the road in a gentle amble.

Kaden fell in beside him. “This fall. He wants a pup. And he deserves to be happy. I’m not a fool.” The glance Kaden threw him was tinted with dark humor. “Though I imagine it would be hard to notice if you grew up with someone like Felix right under your nose. It would make him easier to take for granted. Makes me glad I wasn’t born in White River.”

“True. We don’t always see what’s right under our noses. You’re planning to take him with you on all these visits, or did he just want to see the palm trees?” The Alpha grinned at him.

“The trees were a huge attraction, I have to admit. But, yes, I do plan to bring him with me—it’s too much time apart for my tastes.”

“And the dog?” The Alpha shrugged apologetically at Kaden’s startled look. “You know how pack gossip runs.”

Kaden sighed. “That was… I don’t know. I don’t regret it. It’s like a little bit of the Moonlands to watch Felix looking after him and he’s fitting in better than I’d hoped in the pack. Politically, it may hurt me a little in the enclaves, but it adds to the family image for the humans. It’s a trade-off but I think it’s weighted more heavily in my favor than not.”

The Alpha nodded and stared up at the sky for a moment before saying, “Another reason to bring your handsome, well-connected omega with you on these trips.” He turned his gaze on Kaden, lips pursed, waiting on Kaden’s rebuttal.

John’s words from the day before they’d left, when Kaden had broached this very subject with him, floated back to him. Don’t deny, it’ll only make you look guilty. “I won’t say I hadn’t considered it—his connections will certainly ease my way into some pretty rough thickets. Honestly, I was thinking about leaving him home just because I didn’t want anyone thinking that I’d only mated him for his connections when it’s as far from the true story as you can get.” Kaden shook his head and kicked at a loose rock with his fake leg. “This is important, too important to be run off the path by someone’s wrong-headed thinking. But he’s also surrounded by packbrothers that, for various reasons, have been all over the country. It’s not fair that he not get that opportunity, if I can make it for him.” That last sentence came out a bit more fierce than he’d intended and he was opening his mouth to apologize when the Alpha chuckled and put a hand on his shoulder.

“Easy there, young lobo. I get it, it’s a love match. It’s obvious he’s got a hold on you by more than just your political aspirations, no need to get all lunar on me.” He seemed utterly entertained.