Page 74 of Single Omega Dad

Trigg:I went by his house and he’s not there.

My heart fell. Of course my mind went to all the bad case scenarios. Mathias had not only run away from me, but from everything. Just left it all behind. Or perhaps he was injured and hurt somewhere and couldn’t get help. Or the worst of the worst: he was dead.

But why would he run? Just because he thought he wasn’t whole? What did that even mean?

Me:Does he do things like this? Run off?

Trigg:Never. Mathias doesn’t run away from anything.

Words which, of course, did little to comfort me. I sat for a long time trying not to think anything bad. Trying to blank my mind and listen to the titters of my children in the living room and just remain calm.

A few minutes went by with me focusing on keeping my breathing even, my eyes closed.

The phone chirped.

Trigg:Last resort. I called my father. He saw Mathias not ten minutes ago at his home office. As is in my father’s nature, he would give me no details of their meeting, though I did ask.

I took a deep breath and let it out slowly. I knew he wasn’t dead. Of course I could still feel the residual tendrils of our bond, a lacy warmth that shimmered through me whenever I thought his name or pictured him in my mind. But this confirmation was more welcome than Trigg could ever know. I’d had a small bond with Drayden and never felt his death. Calling this a relief was an understatement.

Me:Thank you. His messages still go unanswered?

Trigg:Afraid so. But I’m going to try him one more time. Give me a few minutes?

Me:Of course.

Five long minutes passed. Then my phone rang. It was Trigg’s number.

“Trigg?”

“Yes,” said the calm voice on the other end of the line. “I know where he is. So, uh, we have a brother named Kris. Did you know that?”

“Yes. He has mentioned that they don’t speak.”

“Yeah. Uh, do you think I could come by and pick you up?”

“I have the boys.”

“Oh.”

“I can try to get a sitter. I have one who’s very good. Maybe he can come at the last minute.”

“Try.” Trigg’s voice sounded insistent. “Call me back.”

I had a good sitter I trusted named Caleb on standby but hadn’t needed him in quite some time. Luckily, he answered immediately.

With the kids situated, I called Trigg back.

“I’m ready.”

“I’m already on my way.”

Chapter Twenty-Three

Mathias

The little two story house with the red shed sat behind a poppy-covered rise at the side of the road. For a long time I sat at the end of the drive with my car running, just staring at it. For twelve years Kris had lived there with his Alpha bondmate, Thorne.

Kris, my litter-mate. My brother who presented as an Omega at the age of eighteen and rocked Father’s household in a way that had me smug and insanely jealous at the same time. So much so that I wanted to crush him.