Page 81 of Omega's Heart

“I like looking after you too. I have high hopes for this mating. In many ways.” Kaden grinned at Felix’s suddenly renewed blush. “Okay, you can make supper, if I can hang around in the kitchen and get in the way while you do it.” He kissed Felix again, taking the omega’s agreement for granted, then carefully lowered himself back into the chair. “I’m glad we decided on a quick mating.”

“Me too.” Felix leaned down, hands braced on the arms of the chair and begged another kiss. “I have chicken and pork. Which would you like?”

“Omega.”

“Kaden.”

Kaden grinned. “Surprise me.”

“Okay.” Felix smiled and straightened up, but as he walked past the chair to go to the kitchen, he trailed his fingers across Kaden’s chest and down his arm, ending in a quick squeeze of fingers on fingers. Kaden spun the chair around and followed him.

C H A P T E R 4 8

T he surgery on Monday went well—Kaden was in and out of the operating room in record time and on his way home the day after with orders to have the stitches removed in a week and a half, and to come back to have x-rays done again in six months.

He left mid-afternoon, cadging a drive from Garrick to the airport. Killing two hares in one hunt —a drive, and a chance to find out first-hand how the trial was going.

“We’re going to lose,” Garrick said matter-of-factly. “There’s never been any doubt of that from the beginning. I’m just trying to contain the damage.”

“Yeah, kinda figured that. How bad do you think it will be?”

“I don’t know. We’re playing hard on how unsafe it is for her in regular prisons, that she’s young and wasn’t thinking straight. It would be easier if she hadn’t already been eighteen, but Laine thinks it might work. Especially if we don’t argue about the length of the sentence, just try to get her confined to an enclave like we did with Julius.”

“Precedent, right?” Kaden had heard the word in movies and on TV, and occasionally even from Cas.

“Not exactly. Different levels of courts, different situation. But we’re going to try it, anyway.”

“I’ll ask around and see if there’s anything I can work from my end of things.”

“Yeah, I heard you were gone into politics.”

“Paper pusher and mascot, I think. I’m meant to be a lever to move the packs to vote this man into office.”

“Will you do it?”

“I don’t know. Probably. He’s been good to me. Us. So far.” Kaden stared out the passenger window as the city scrolled by. “I’m still trying to figure out if he’s the type to just use us or not. He doesn’t come down squarely in either camp for me.”

“There’s time. Primaries aren’t until November and the election itself is still more than a year out.”

“Except I have to bring the packs around before that. I should be out winning hearts now.”

Garrick glanced at him, then went back to staring intently at the road. “If he’s the right one, you won’t have trouble winning them over. And if he wants you running around to all the packs, he’ll give you the time away to do it in. And fund it, if you’re smart.”

“I expect he will. If he won’t give it to me, some of his staff seem positively inclined toward us and might be able to work something out with him.” Kaden turned his head to stare at Garrick’s profile. “You look well.”

“Don’t you start too,” Garrick said with a wry glance in his direction. “I’m fine.”

Kaden snorted a laugh and looked away. “I won’t say I didn’t have our Alpha’s Mate at my door the morning I was leaving. But you look like raccoon shit.” He did, too, bones standing out underneath his skin like canvas stretched too tight over a tent’s poles, dark shadows beneath his eyes like he’d been punched.

“Thanks.” Garrick frowned slightly as he turned in toward the airport. “I keep looking for things, a loophole, a previous case. There’s not much.”

“No, I think you’re claiming new territory here. Don’t let it be the death of you, though. You said it yourself, there’s no chance of winning this case. The next one, though… who knows?” He knocked his knuckles against the window. “Maybe the next one you can win.”

Garrick spun the wheel and darted for a parking spot, sneaking in with a predator’s speed ahead of a bright green Hyundai. “I’m hoping, if your plan works out, there won’t be a next one.” He put the car in park and leaned back in the seat. “I want to go back to poring over contracts and arguing with humans about loopholes and payments. I hate this.” He let his head roll to the side and pinned Kaden with a stare that would have done any of his drill sergeants justice. And maybe would have scared them, too. “Make it work, Salma.”

“Doing my best.” Damn, but he couldn’t wait to get back to Felix. Was everyone in Mercy Hills half-mad and nervy? “And it’s Mercy Hills now.” His first time using his new name. It felt like a new stage of his life, which he supposed it was.

“You’ve settled on a pack then?” Garrick asked.