Page 12 of The Omega's Bloodlinem: Part Two

Fuck that.

Forging documents like I’d done in the past was a lot easier than forging an entire digital record of your existence, but some shifters made that their purpose. The Boston nest had let Caden seamlessly slip into human life, and apparently the Portland one wanted to do that for me.

Do I really need it?I asked, peering at the paperwork the raccoon shifter was filling out.

Not immediately,replied Haru,but it’s good to keep people busy. You’re the only newcomer without papers.

That made sense. It would take time to do anyway, so might as well get a head start. It wouldn’t be fair if after all of this was over I couldn’t contribute to life with Logan and Caden. I tried not to think about it too hard because it felt like a life with them meant a life without Haru.

Logan was my bondmate and I could never leave her, not that I wanted to. I’d spent years obsessively wishing I had her, and I wasn’t going to turn tail now that it had happened.

Everyone seemed to have a job here to make the nest run smoothly. A few people weren’t able to work due to injury or illness, but for the most part everyone was deeply involved. Caden had taken to the kitchen, and others were dedicated to housekeeping and maintenance, landscaping and food production, childcare, administration, as well as jobs outside the nest to keep income flowing steadily.

The Protectors all have generational wealth and the investments pay for all of our basics, explained Haru.

Capitalism is ruling everywhere, it seems. I let out a coughing laugh, or as much of one as I could do while in panther form.

Haru snorted.Money makes the world go round. It’s not like the old days, where we could disappear into the wilderness and stay safe. Humans have introduced too many rules and we have no choice but to adapt.

We swung around to each group at work, getting updates on different projects. Anything they needed, Haru seemed to know how to get.

Do you know everyone in the nest?I asked.

I try to.

And you’re just a wizard when it comes to finding people what they need?

Supplies will run short soon enough. No amount of wizardry can stop that. Haru sighed.I hope no one gets cage madness.

I’m still voting for the orgy to break up tension.

Haru’s shoulders shook with silent laughter.Do you think the witch would let me play with her during that?

Better to ask her than me.I couldn’t deny the allure of sharing Logan with Haru. It would be different than sharing her with Caden because Haru was mine too. I hadn’t had someone be mine for so long, and now suddenly I had two. Granted, bothof them were shared with others and I was no one’s top priority, but I could delude myself for now.

Haru hip checked me.Whatever you’re thinking about, stop it.

Telepathy aside, we weren’t mind readers, but sometimes I wondered if that wasn’t a secret skill Haru possessed.I wasn’t thinking anything.

Liar.Haru rubbed his cheek along mine.I know when you’re stressing.

“Hey there, cuties.” We both turned to Logan as she crossed our path in the dining hall. She leaned it down to plant a kiss on top of my head, and as if she had always done so, gave Haru one as well. “What are you two up to?”

Snooping on Haru’s job.You?

“Having another training session with Calliope. I’m just picking up some snacks for us.”

What does she do?

“A lot of social planning and coordinating with other nests. Shakti handles the financials so luckily I won’t need much training there. I’m supposed to meet her later this afternoon.”

Shakti likes anything chocolate,said Haru.Take some with you when you start training with her as a bribe. She won’t say anything, but I know it will endear you to her.

“That’s good advice, thank you.” As if she couldn’t help herself, Logan sank to her knees and wrapped her arms around me, burying her face in my fur.

It’s unbecoming of a Protector to kneel on the floor in the dining hall.

Logan scoffed and reached out an arm, dragging Haru close so she could do the same to them. “I’ll kneel all I want.”