Page 87 of Omega's Heart

Hunter tilted his head to the side as if confused, but something told me he was actually considering my words.

“He doesn’t really speak English,” Harris began. “Just a few— Holy shit!”

I half-noticed Holland watching me closely as Hunter crept toward me on his belly, pawing at my hand and dipping his head. “I don’t know,” I said. “He seems to have gotten the message.” I frowned. “You might as well eat with us, then, if you’re going to be family.” I turned to Kaden. “If my betrothed agrees.”

But Kaden was staring at me like he’d found a hidden cache of the best deer meat, hunger and delight and desire all mixed in together, if heavily seasoned with doubt and disbelief. “No wonder I roll over and beg for you,” he said.

“Don’t be ridiculous,” I said, blushing. “He needs a chair. Holland, is there a spare chair?”

“We don’t feed him at the table,” Harris said weakly, then watched in utter amazement as Holland retrieved the chair that usually sat where Kaden was and we made space for Hunter at the table.

“He’s family now. He’ll eat with the family,” I said firmly. “It’s only good manners.”

“This isn’t going to go over well if you take him outside the enclave,” Quin told me. Under his breath, he muttered, “This isn’t going to go over well at all inside it.”

“I’ll deal with that when it happens.” I got Hunter settled, just the way I’d settle a pup who was too enthralled with his wolf shape to change back for a meal. “I suppose you’ll need a bowl for your water.”

“It’s a good thing he’s tall,” Holland said, appearing suddenly at my side with a bowl of water as if we’d both been thinking the same thoughts. “Neither Bax nor I have a booster seat anymore. Ori has mine. And Raleigh has Bax’s.” He watched Hunter with wary interest and, I thought, a certain amount of doubt, but when I caught his eye with mine, he just smiled and patted my shoulder. I wondered if he was thinking all the same things that I was—the pack needed people to work in the hospital. And that contraption on Hunter’s hind leg—would that let Kaden run comfortably on Full Moon nights?

Hunter tried the water, but it was obviously only to be a good guest, then he peered around the table at us, panting. I frowned—I was going to have to teach him that panting at the table wasn’t polite. Lots of work ahead of me. Thank Lysoonka. I was very much afraid that I’d be bored once I was done planning the mating, before our own pups started coming.

“You’re sure about this?” Quin asked, his doubt obvious.

I was, but I turned to Kaden and let him speak for both of us. He stared at me for a moment, then nodded and turned back to his brother. “If Felix wants him, he can have him. I’ll have to get used to having pups around soon enough anyway, and what’s one extra if you have half a dozen of your own.”

My eyes flew open and my jaw dropped. We hadn’t really talked about pups that much, just that I wanted to start one in the fall. How did he know that I wanted a big family? And was he really okay with it?

Kaden winked at me and I realized with delight that he’d figured out my secret desires a long time ago. It made my belly shiver with anticipation to hear him talk about a round half-dozen pups and I distracted myself from thoughts of our mating night by spooning little bits of my breakfast onto Hunter’s plate and watching him closely to make sure he didn’t make a mess.

“Well, Harris, I guess your bomb dog’s got a home. For now, anyway.” Quin set his toast down, half uneaten, and pushed his chair back. “I’m going to double check next year’s figures for schooling, make sure we have enough to get you the courses you need. Come through when you’re finished and we’ll talk about getting you and your Salma girl set up here.” He didn’t sound unhappy, but he didn’t sound happy either, and I saw Holland send a worried look in his mate’s direction before he went back to being the perfect host and Mate.

As for me, I went back to fussing over my odd little adopted pup and basking in my future mate’s amusement. We might not be a traditional couple like Quin and Holland or Bax and Abel, but I thought I liked this better.

C H A P T E R 5 2

K aden and Felix left shortly after Quin did. Holland was still doing his Alpha’s Mate thing, all charm and what-can-I-do-for-you, but even Kaden could tell that this situation was wearing on him.

And a hell of a situation it was.

Judging from Holland’s reaction, he’d heard a few of the stories about missions Quin had been on. Likely not the worst, or even the bad ones, but Quin hadn’t even told Kaden about the worst ones.

The dog paced between them, back down the hallway. “I suppose he can stay in my apartment,” Kaden said with a sigh.

“I’ll look after him, it’s okay,” Felix said, but it was obvious his mind was elsewhere.

“If you have a question, you might as well ask it. I have to leave for work.”

“I was going to anyway. Just trying to figure out what the question is,” was Felix’s calm reply.

Kaden grinned up at him. “Figured.” He opened the apartment door and waited while Felix led the dog inside. “He’s going to need stuff. You’ll probably want to keep him on a leash around here for a while until he’s used to the place.”

Felix made a face. “I might go visit Jason this afternoon and see if he has any suggestions on what to get.” He sat down on the couch and called the dog to him. Hunter eyed the couch warily, but eventually let himself be coaxed up to sit next to Felix.

Kaden wheeled up in front of them and frowned at the dog. “Just so you know, pup, that’s my place, whenever I want it. Don’t get comfortable.”

Felix smiled and patted the dog’s head, then held out a hand to take Kaden’s. “Always.” His fingers played absently with the hair of the dog’s ruff. “I know I’m going to get some looks when I take him around the enclave. But there was something more going on between you and Quin during the meal this morning. What was it?”

Kaden sighed and closed his eyes, letting his head fall forward. Unpleasant memories. “I don’t know Quin’s stories, honestly. But I heard rumors of some of the stuff his people did and I don’t think I want to know them. I can tell you that Hunter here was trained to let humans know when he smelled something that could be a bomb. And that when it was too tricky a situation to bring a dog along, sometimes they had us change shape and be the bomb dogs.”