Page 12 of Omega's Triplets

He caught Amy’s eye and jerked his head toward the door, indicating that she should follow him outside. She did so, looking a bit wary, as if she was afraid she might be about to get into trouble.

Once they were alone, he turned to her. “I’m counting on you,” he said. “You’re the oldest. Take care of the others while we’re away.”

She nodded solemnly. “I will,” she said. “You don’t have to worry.”

“Things will be different around here once we have our omega,” he said.

She shook her head. “I don’t know,” she said. “We’ll have another mouth to feed. And once she has babies...it’s still a year before I can get a job. You’ll probably have pups before that, right? How are we going to afford it?”

“Do you trust me?” Mark asked her.

“Yeah.”

“Well, I have a plan. When we get back, when we have our omega, I am going to send you to the grocery store and you’re going to be able to buy everything you want. Then you and Reese and Piper can go shopping online for new clothes, clothes that fit.”

“I don’t get it. Where’s the money for that coming from?”

He shook his head, not ready to tell her. “Amy,” he said, “you’re a part of our family. We’d all be really upset if you decided to leave us.”

She sighed and gathered her hair in her hand.

“I know it’s been hard for you, wearing out your clothes and not getting enough to eat.”

She darted a look up at him. “I wouldn’t leave because ofthat,” she said. “Are you serious?”

“We’ve worried about it.”

“You really think I’d run out on the family because we eat broth for dinner sometimes?”

“You wouldn’t?”

She shook her head. “Mark...if I leave...”

“What?” he pressed.

“I want a family of my own someday,” she said. “I want to meet someone. I want to have kids of my own. And... well, this family can hardly sustain itself. How can I add to it?”

Mark didn’t know what to say.

“Anyway,” Amy said, “it’s another year before we have to deal with that, right? And I don’t even know anybody else. So, don’t worry about it right now. Go get your omega. I’ll keep things running here.”

“You’re a good kid, Amy.” He patted her on the shoulder.

Harley and Jamie were waiting outside the garage, already astride their bikes and ready to go. Mark mounted his own bike, revved it up, and rode out to meet them. Piper and Reese had appeared in the doorway to see them off.

“I wish we could bring them,” Harley said sadly. “I hate leaving them on their own.”

Mark shook his head. “It’s no place for children,” he said. “No place for girls, for that matter. The Death Fangs aren’t safe. I wouldn’t even bring you two if I had any choice.”

“Yeah, well, you don’t,” Harley said. “We’re alphas too, unfortunately for you, and we’re not subject to any orders you might give. And you’re crazy if you think we’d ever let you walk into that nest of vipers alone.”

Mark nodded. If he was honest with himself, he was sort of glad his brothers were coming. As much as he hated to put them at risk, it was always best to have someone watching your back when the Death Fangs were involved.

He lifted a hand in farewell to Amy, Reese, and Piper. They waved back. Then he put his bike in gear and rode down the long drive that led to the highway, with Harley and Jamie flanking him on either side.

***

THERE WAS NOTHING SWEETER, Harley thought, than being on the road. Nothing finer than the wind in your hair, stinging your cheeks as you knifed your way through it. The seven-hour road trip to Oregon, which would have been horrendous cooped up in a car, seemed almost too short.

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