Page 31 of Omega's Heart

Felix grinned and swayed on his feet, soothing the baby. “Honestly, I don’t often miss a meal.” His grin was self-deprecating but he didn’t seem offended or upset about it.

Kaden stifled a snort of laughter and couldn’t help thinking that maybe his own babysitting arrangement wouldn’t be too bad after all. Felix didn’t seem much like the omegas he’d known and grown up with. And he had to start getting to know packmembers somewhere.

“If you want,” Felix continued in that slow, calm voice of his. “I don’t mind doing the cooking here this evening so you can take that time to have your talk. It’s not a problem.” He smiled over at Cas. “I like your pups. They’re fun.”

“That’s one word for it,” Cas said, then laughed. “Please, if you could? I swear, we’ll pay you back somehow.”

Felix shook his head. “No, that’s okay. It’s a pack thing, right? I’ve moved to Mercy Hills, I want to be a good pack member.” The baby began to make noises, wiggling a little in his arms. “You hungry, Madoc? I’m sure Papa left you something.”

“There’s formula in the kitchen. I’ll show you.” Cas started to walk away, then paused and looked back at Degan. “Five o’clock okay with you? That’s when Raleigh and Ori said they’d be back.”

“I’ll let Mac know I’m leaving early,” Degan replied with a nod, and then another, more respectful one for Felix, before tipping his head to the Alpha. “Thank you,” he said and let himself out the door.

Cas breathed a sigh of relief. “I still want to pound him,” he muttered under his breath after the door had closed.

Quin shot him an exasperated glance, then turned to Felix. “Thank you for helping out. Particularly with the Destruction Machine upstairs.”

“It’s no problem at all. I’m happy to contribute.” Felix cuddled the baby a little closer and it was then that Kaden once more noticed the brief flicker of emotion on the omega’s face. Longing, he thought, and wondered again what it was that had brought Felix here to Mercy Hills.

Well, he did have an invitation to Quin’s home tonight. He was definitely going to take advantage of that opportunity to get all his questions answered.

C H A P T E R 2 0

A fter a long afternoon’s nap, Kaden decided that he was going to become lazy here at Mercy Hills. Lying in this comfortable bed with an obviously packmade blanket on top, warm and fed and surrounded by family, lazy seemed like an excellent career choice.

That decision lasted about five minutes. Lysoon, he hated to be bored.

His phone buzzed with a text. You can come over any time, Quin said. I’m wearing out the pups on your behalf. You can thank me when you get here.

Kaden snorted, tapped out a sarcastic Sure in reply, then hauled his lazy ass out of bed.

Quin looked startled when Kaden showed up at his door in the wheelchair, but the pups just thought it was some awesome game and he didn’t even have a chance to pin a name onto a face before he had a lapful of excited pup and someone behind him trying to push him into the apartment.

“Dorian,” Quin said. “Let the man push himself in.”

“Vroom, vroom,” Dorian said and grunted with the effort.

Kaden undid the brakes and they nearly ran over Quin’s toes when Dorian threw himself against the back of the chair. The little girl in Kaden’s lap, who had to be Aggie, whooped and threw her arms around his neck.

Quin calmly detached the pups from Kaden and the chair and sent them off to make space at the table for their uncle.

“I can sit in a regular chair,” Kaden reminded him. “I think I overdid it with the leg today, is all.”

“You should have said something.” Quin, going all big brother on him.

“And let the Marines get one up on me? I don’t think so.” Kaden grabbed the wheels and rolled himself forward. “You misplace the other two somewhere?” he commented, nodding at the pups now climbing excitedly on the couch.

“Lonnie and Zane are in the kitchen, driving their bearer crazy.” Quin casually picked the two maniacs off the couch and put them on the floor. “Go draw on the whiteboard, you two. Food will be ready soon.” He saw them off, then nodded at Kaden. “Come on into the kitchen. Do you want coffee or tea? Holland got in some beer if you’d rather.”

“Whatever you’re having is fine.” It’d be better than a ready meal, or hospital food. The taste of Raleigh’s casserole and Felix’s fried potatoes ghosted across his tongue, the memories making his mouth water as much as the smells drifting out of the kitchen.

“Come on, you might as well meet the last one.” Quin headed off around the corner and Kaden rolled after him, curious and, honestly, now hungry enough for two.

Inside the narrow U-shaped kitchen he found one pup in a high chair making a mess with some cereal. The baby lay in a basket on the floor, his eyes glued to his bearer, who moved around the cramped space with the grace of a dancer. Kaden was glad to notice that his inappropriate reactions to his gorgeous packbrother had been a little blunted, whether it was from recent exposure or just his nerves being overwhelmed by all the new here in Mercy Hills. Whatever, it made it much more comfortable to accept Holland’s welcome and his friendly kiss on the cheek with a cool sangfroid that would have made his reputation on the battlefield.

Quin put a casual hand on his mate’s waist and leaned in to kiss the side of his neck. “How much longer? Do I need to get the defenses ready so the pups don’t eat us?”

“Not long now,” Holland said. “You can fill the water glasses on the table if you don’t mind. Kaden, what would you like to drink?”