Page 26 of Omega's Heart

Quin nodded in an understanding that Kaden didn’t have. “They do that. Go make your coffee, I’ll call up and see if Felix can come down and give you a couple of hours this afternoon.” He glanced over at Kaden. “You’ll be on your own this afternoon after all. Sorry about that. It’s too far for Julius’s ankle monitor.”

Kaden shrugged. “I was probably just going to sleep anyway. Medical leave, you know. All the naps, all the time.” He grinned and looked his giant brother up and down. “Never really thought I’d see you domesticated. You sure you aren’t part husky?”

“Why don’t we wait until the baby’s gone to sleep and then I’ll show you how husky I am,” Quin growled back.

“Bring it, old wolf,” Kaden told him with a come-get-me gesture.

“Fuck off, you two,” Cas said from the doorway to the kitchen. “If that pup’s quiet, no one is allowed to wake him up.”

“What would you do?” Kaden asked curiously.

“Tell his bearer on you,” Cas said firmly. “Coffee’s almost done. You want it out here or in the kitchen?”

“Which is easier?” Quin bounced the baby in a slow rhythm, almost enough to put Kaden to sleep.

Cas shrugged. “I can bring it out here. I need to guard the stairs anyway.”

A laugh, quickly stifled, escaped Kaden, but the movement it caused turned his head just enough to catch a gleam of eyes peering at them from the very top visible stair. He frowned and jerked his head at the eyes and they disappeared. “That’s a stubborn one.”

“Was she down again?” Cas asked, coming through the door with a heavily laden tray of mugs and honey and milk.

“I’m guessing yes, unless you have more up there.”

“No, she’s the only one home right now, other than the Howler.” Cas handed Kaden one of the mugs and turned to Quin. “I can take him if you want to sit down again.”

“Naw, he’s quiet now. Take a break.”

Kaden loaded his coffee with honey and milk and watched with bemusement as Cas busied himself with Quin’s mug before handing it off and taking his own.

“Lysoon, it’s good to sit down,” Cas said as he sank into the cushions of the couch beside Kaden. “How long does it take for them to start sleeping?”

“Forever,” Quin said with feeling and Cas groaned and clutched his coffee tighter.

Kaden started to laugh and had to put his coffee down for a minute to avoid spilling it.

“I’m glad you’re enjoying my pain,” Cas said sourly. He lifted his mug to his mouth and his gaze met Quin’s.

Once again, the hair on Kaden’s neck stood up. These two are planning something. That wasn’t normal, from what he remembered of their childhood. It was usually Cas trying to get one over on Quin, but if the two of them had their heads together about something, and if that something involved him, it wasn’t likely he was going to enjoy it much. He could get up and leave, he supposed, but the thought of the walk back to the main building was daunting.

And he had to admit, he was curious. Anything that brought those two into lockstep was...interesting.

He didn’t have to wait long to find out.

“I have a favor to ask you,” Quin began.

“Uh huh,” Kaden replied, already entertained. Two in one morning; it was a Midwinter miracle in summer. Quin was more likely to bark orders than ask favors. Either being mated was softening him, or... His sense of humor deserted him. “If you’re going to sneak it up on me, the answer’s no, because it’s too fucking much.”

“We want you to take point on the case against the Segregation Laws.”

Okay, that wasn’t what he was expecting. “What case?”

“Campaign, really.” Quin kicked a chair over by the couch and sat down at an angle to Kaden. “You want it straight, fine. You’re a hero. You’ve lost parts of your body in the protection of your country. You’re handsome, at least in the opinion of my mate. There’s so much weight to you right now, on the right side of the scale, that we can’t afford not to use you.”

Weight? Is that what they were calling it? Sharp anger rose up his spine and a growl fought to free itself from his control.

“Yeah, it’s shitty,” Cas said, breaking the tension. “We talked a lot about it. But you need a job, and as the Alpha’s brother, your job also has to be important. We could put you to work in an office, but this is better.”

“How is this better? Putting me on show? The pity vote?”