Page 95 of Omega's Heart

At the end of one pleasurable kiss but before he could start another, Kaden wrapped an arm around Felix’s shoulders and pulled the omega close against him. “I want to talk to you about something,” he began, feeling his way forward on this uncertain path.

“What?”

Oh, he didn’t like that thread of anxiety in his betrothed’s voice. “It’s not you. Or us. But…” He relaxed his body deliberately, stretching his leg out in front of them as if simply settling in to watch the news together. “My mother is flying in soon. I’ll go pick her up and bring her back here when she arrives.” He glanced over the back of the couch toward his bedroom and sighed in resignation. “I guess she’ll stay with me. Which is probably going to put an end to our evenings together.”

“Will she not like it?” Felix’s voice was soft.

Kaden sighed and let his head fall against the back of the couch. “She has very certain ideas about what is due our family. And very particular ideas about omegas.”

“So I’ve been told.” Felix leaned against him and pressed a kiss on his cheek. “Holland and Bax sat down with me and Raleigh. I don’t think they enjoy your mother.”

“She grew up in Salma. They take family bloodlines and social class very seriously. If she gives you any trouble, let me know. I’ll have a talk with her before we get here too. As much as the story about Holland threatening to throw her out a window entertains me, it’s not a comfortable relationship.” Kaden leaned his forehead against Felix’s. “And I love her. Almost as much as I love you. I don’t want bad blood in my family.”

Kaden had always paid attention to his nose, more than any of his brothers ever had. The subtle change in Felix’s scent, a thread of anxiety that twisted through it was as obvious as if the omega had suddenly stood up and started waving a flag. So when Felix said, “I’m sure we’ll get along fine,” Kaden didn’t put much faith in Felix’s belief in the words.

“Just remember, you’re mating me, not her. The only people that have to be pleased are us.”

“I want her to like me.”

“I guarantee she will.” Or Kaden would know why. He pressed a kiss to Felix’s forehead. “Where’s Hunter?”

“I think he got bored. He’s on his bed, chewing on that stick of his.” Felix slid down on the couch so he could lay his head on Kaden’s shoulder. “Are you going to full moon tomorrow night or would you rather stay in and rest?”

“I’ve been stuck in a bed or a chair for the past three days. I’m so well rested it’s a miracle I’m not vibrating.”

Felix laughed softly. “Good. I’m looking forward to it.”

C H A P T E R 5 6

O ne last full moon before the mating. All the pieces were falling into place, just one final thing to sort out, but he hadn’t managed to get Bax on his own yet, and a quiet talk with Bax was integral to the plan of action Kaden had formulated. He’d sent Holland off with a message for Bax earlier, but then both omegas had disappeared and he hadn’t seen either of them since.

He might have to go to Plan B and ask that silly little thing of Duke’s to do this favor for him.

“You want anything more to eat?” Felix asked, leaning over the back of his chair. Hunter gazed hopefully up at the two of them, but Felix ignored the pup’s obvious greed.

“No, I think I’m good. Thank you, though.”

Felix’s eyes crinkled in his usual good humor. “Just looking after my future mate. Can’t have you starving to death before the ceremony.”

Kaden laughed and rubbed his overstuffed belly. “Not much chance of that.” He let Felix take the plate from him and disappear off into the crowd, Hunter close behind. Kaden chuckled and watched as Felix deftly sabotaged Hunter’s attempt to convince his foster bearer that he really needed a second serving from one of the bowls near the edge of the table. Where food was concerned, that pup was an eternal optimist.

Bax strolled over and dropped gracefully to the ground beside him. His plate was still half full, which Kaden had already figured out meant that Bax had only just started eating. How a wolf survived on what that omega put in his mouth was almost impossible to understand, but he trusted Abel to keep track of his mate’s health. And Bax was fine-boned and small. Before the explosion, Kaden could probably have snapped him in two with one hand. Now, it would likely take both.

“Enjoying the night?” Kaden asked him.

“I was about to put the same question to you,” Bax said with a smile. “I always enjoy Full Moon.”

“It’s not bad. Food is good,” Kaden acknowledged.

Bax nodded and took a minuscule bite of some mashed vegetable thing on his plate. “Holland said you had a favor to ask.”

Kaden nodded and twisted in his chair to make sure Felix wasn’t in hearing distance. He spotted his future mate browsing the dessert table with a thoughtful look, then smiling and saying something to Ori before he set his unused plate back on the table and held out his hands to take Ori’s little girl from him. This time next year you’ll have your own. Alpha’s word. He’d lost Hunter somewhere—oh, no, there he was, grazing along the dessert table with Aggie and Raleigh’s oldest, Ann. Felix is gonna be pissed when he finds out how many cookies that pup has eaten.

He turned back to Bax. “I want to be able to dance at my mating. And after, but mostly I want Felix to be able to dance at his mating.”

Bax tilted his head to the side and gave the request careful thought. “You do know how to dance, right?”

“I did,” Kaden said ruefully. “But it’s been years and things have changed.” He flapped the empty leg of his pants in emphasis.