Page 143 of Omega's Heart

“Now I feel about twelve,” Kaden complained.

“Good, because if you’re heading into politics, that’ll age you fast. You’ll need the extra years. This senator of yours, he’s serious about making a run at the Segregation Laws?”

“He is. He’s got the Mutches and a few of their associates backing him too. Quietly at the moment, but they’re waiting for the right moment to make it obvious.”

“What’s in it for them?”

“Money, I suspect. Or power. I don’t think it’s entirely altruistic. But I don’t care, as long as we get what we want.”

“Are you sure that breaking down the walls is what the packs want?”

“Is there any reason not to?”

“You’ve been away for a long time, boy. You’ve forgotten what it’s like in some of these places.”

“We just came from Montana Border. I think I’ve had my wake-up call.”

The Alpha gave a knowing nod. “That’s them. But realistically, I can’t say I’m all that crazy about the idea of losing the protection the walls give us. After all, if someone wants to come at us, there’s really only one spot to do it from, and a limited number of hours in the day. There’s something to be said for being able to breathe at night.”

“I don’t think Green Moon feels the way you do,” Kaden said flatly.

“Green Moon was a tragedy, for certain. But it isn’t a high risk of happening again. How are those pups your brother took in doing, anyway?”

“They’re doing well. He says the nightmares have stopped.” Kaden thought about it. “Having some little brothers seems to have helped them feel more secure.”

“Having parents helps, too, I would imagine. Does your brother really let his omega run the enclave?”

“They’re a pretty even partnership, and Holland’s a talented shifter. He manages a lot more than he tends to get credit for.” The wandering path of the conversation was starting to make sense to Kaden now. This was Los Padres hunting, looking for weakness, trying to figure out where Mercy Hills wanted to drive him so he could change paths if he didn’t like the end game. If there was one thing an Alpha, or even just a regular alpha, wouldn’t like in their current culture, it would be the idea that they’d have to cede power to an omega to get their hands on the Mutch money. It was a line in the sand that Kaden was going to need to blur, or scuff out entirely if he could. But gently, so they didn’t notice their attitudes changing.

The Alpha grunted. “Why don’t I show you our props manufacturing department? We’ll see if we can find some toy for your omega to take home for your Alpha’s pups.” He led the way down another side street. “And how’s the hospital coming along?”

More not-gossip investigation of what the trusts could do for the pack. It wasn’t quite the same as war, but the same patterns echoed through the conversation. Los Padres was more subtle about it than Montana Border had been, but it was all there now that Kaden was looking for it. And war he could do.

Kaden grinned and fell in beside him. “Well, let me tell you how we ended up with Hunter…”

Violetta and I turned off the main road into the twisty, turny side-street with their rows of trees and climbing vines turning everything green and beautiful smelling. She hooked her arm through mine and smiled. “You won’t want to see the groves or anything. They’re just boring, rows and rows of trees.”

“I made Kaden promise to get me a little orange tree. I love the way they smell.”

“Lemons are even better. Let me talk to Harley and I’ll see if we can send you a couple from the nursery.”

“That’s very kind. I couldn’t—”

“Nonsense, we’re cousins. I am so happy you found a mate. And what a mate! Does he really work for your human senator?”

I nodded. “He does. It keeps him away a lot, but the senator is very good to us in return. He’s paying for me to go with Kaden on these trips and I’m going to be staying in Washington with him after Christmas, at least until the pup comes.” I was both excited and terrified—I’d gone from being essentially a housebound omega-on-the-shelf to someone who needed a planner to figure out when they would be home.

But mostly excited.

The only real fly in the ointment was that I missed Hunter, which I’d have to talk to Kaden about. We were going to be gone so much, I didn’t want to keep leaving him behind. And it made him sad to be left behind, which made it harder for me. I thought alphas were more used to it, having been raised with the idea that they might have to leave the pack occasionally to provide for their families. It was tearing little pieces of my omega heart out, though.

Now, why did I have to go and think about that again? Hunter was perfectly fine. But maybe he could come on our next trip. Or maybe he could move to Washington with us? I liked that idea, though I wondered if Hunter might miss his puppy friends too much. Of course, we’d be back for each full moon, and maybe we could have visitors, or find him other puppy friends. Whatever, we were a family and we would have to find a way.

There. Decision made. I pushed that empty Hunter-shaped space in my heart to the back of my mind and focused my attention again on Violetta, who was chattering away about the perfume business she ran and did I want to try some scents on?

Well, why not? It was a good opportunity to explore how they ran their businesses. And maybe while I was there I could lead the conversation toward their omegas and find out what Los Padres did with them. Violetta was a gamma, she might not know much about them, but she seemed to enjoy being my host here, so if I mentioned omegas, she might just introduce me to some.

The perfume place was near the gate, down one of the side streets. All the buildings seemed to have stores in the front of them, which seemed odd to me.