Page 222 of Omega's Heart

Kaden wasn’t certain how long Felix had been standing in the doorway, quietly observing what was going on, until his mother looked in that direction. Their gazes met and some message seemed to pass between them that Kaden couldn’t decipher. Before he could ask, though, his mother replied to Buffalo Gap. “Do you think I’m without resources, or friends? Do you think I wasted all those years? Dig your own grave, Buffalo Gap. But if I were Holland right now, I’d declare myself orphaned and delete your phone number, and Buffalo Gap would be the last of the packs to get their own trust. Certainly, it appears you’ve never done anything worth consideration as a parent, so why he should spend any energy on you at all, I don’t know.”

“Because he owes me. He owes his pack. If he wasn’t going to bring it back to the people who raised him, then he should have said.”

“I might have thought I had a claim on that fund for Salma Wood,” Veronica said firmly. “After all, my son is Alpha here in Mercy Hills. But you don’t see me throwing a fit like a pup who just sat in an anthill. This is how politics work and you’re old enough to know that.”

“Put him on the phone.”

Kaden hid a smile as his mother just kept talking, almost as if the Buffalo Gap Alpha hadn’t said a word. “And I thought Green Moon was a good choice. Certainly, of all of us, they’ll be able to make the best use of the money.”

“Shut up, Veronica. Where is my son?”

“With pack who don’t see him as a money tree.”

“I’m revoking my permission for Cale to stay in Mercy Hills. He needs to be on a plane back here tonight or I’ll bring this before the Council.”

“You do that, Buffalo Gap. If you’re determined to walk this path, I won’t stop you. Just remember that we can walk it too, and our fangs are sharper than yours in this fight.” She looked over at Quin, holding a white-faced Holland and mouthed, What do you want to do?

He rubbed his thumb over Holland’s arm and bent to touch his forehead to the top of Holland’s head. “I’ll save you the trouble, Mitchel. I’ll call the Council myself. Holland is mine, and so is Cale. And anyone else from Buffalo Gap who wants to come here.”

“They need my permission to transfer! Don’t think you’re going to get away with draining my pack for your own power. I suppose you want more omegas for your harem.” His voice was sneering, but a hint of panic undercut his attempt to regain control of the conversation.

Bax’s voice crept out into the still air, not much more than a whisper. “He’s why Usher killed himself.”

They all jerked and turned to stare at him. He slid out through the doorway past Felix to stand in front of them all, his face white. Abel came out behind him and put his arms around his mate.

“What do you mean, he’s why Usher killed himself?” Holland demanded, his voice rough.

Felix made his way across the porch to wrap himself around Kaden in mute appeal for comfort.

“I saw him, the night before Usher died,” Bax said. “In between the guest house and the Alpha’s house. Usher had asked me earlier if there was any chance he was a True Omega too. He wanted out —out of Buffalo Gap, out of the trap of being omega in Buffalo Gap, just out of the life he had. Which included being forced to bend over for the Alpha’s pleasure. I saw you,” he growled, color finally blooming in cheeks, red rage bringing the blood up. “I heard his cries. He was mated—he couldn’t take any pleasure in that. Why did you pick on him? Disrespect his mate?” He took a deep, shaken breath. “I’ve said nothing for years, for the stability of the pack and for shame that our Alpha could do something so wrong. It wouldn’t bring Usher back to tell anyone, and it would only hurt packmembers who didn’t deserve to be hurt. But I won’t carry your secret any longer.”

The tension in their little group was sharp enough that Kaden was afraid the air itself would shatter if anyone moved. Even the Buffalo Gap Alpha must have felt it because the only noise he made was the sound of his breathing.

Holland made a small noise deep in his throat--not a snarl, but something more unworldly. It made Kaden’s heart race, expecting a threat, but all Holland did was hold out his hand for his phone.

Veronica glanced at Quin but then placed the phone in Holland’s hand.

“Hear me, Buffalo Gap,” Holland said, and that same sense of unworldliness hummed through his words like an electric current. “I will be at your gates tomorrow. Every omega in that pack will come to see me and I will know if any are missing. And any who wish to come back to Mercy Hills with me will be given papers and enough money to get here.”

“Or what?” Mitchel snarled back, but it sounded to Kaden as if he was growing near the end of his strength. “Are you going to challenge me for them?”

“If I have to. Understand, Buffalo Gap, I haven’t wasted my time here. You’re becoming an old man and I’ve been mated to a Marine in his prime. But no, I’ll probably just call the Council.”

“You’re still an omega. No one will listen to you.”

“You’d be surprised,” Holland said mildly. “I’ve mated into a very interesting family and somehow, now, I’m related by mating to half the Alphas in the country.” He winked at Felix. “I assure you, they will listen to me.”

“You were born a soft-headed fool and you’re still a soft-headed fool if you think your threats are going to work. If you show up here tomorrow, I’ll have you schooled the way your mate apparently can’t manage.”

Holland chewed a fingernail thoughtfully, then gave his mate a regretful glance. “You’re welcome to try. But, Father? Montana Border wasn’t wrong about the True Omega, only they didn’t know the whole picture. We’re not all lucky. Or harmless.” Then he hung up the phone and dove into the settings. “How the fuck do you block a number on this thing?” His hands shook, but only for a few minutes, and then he was back mostly to himself.

Quin pulled him down onto his lap and buried his face behind Holland’s ear. “I’m so proud of you.”

Felix gave Kaden’s hand a squeeze. “I’m going to break out the good stuff,” he whispered. “I think everyone could use some.”

Kaden kissed him and sent him on his way, then got up to offer his chair to Bax, who was still white as a ghost wolf. “I’ll come carry the glasses.” He paused by his mother’s chair and touched her shoulder. “Thank you,” he said softly. “I know you wish we’d mated otherwise—”

His mom shook her head. “That wasn’t the actions of the kind of omega I’m used to. Are you sure he’s omega?”