Page 54 of The Omega's Alpha
We rocked in silence for a little while longer, until the pups’ bodies went slack and heavy in my arms. “I think they’re asleep,” I said. My voice was hoarse from singing and the tightness of the emotions fighting for supremacy in my words.
“Let’s take them home,” he said quietly gathered Agatha’s limp body into his arms. He stood up, and reached down to help me stagger to my feet—my legs were half-asleep from sitting on the floor so long. “I meant it, you know,” he said suddenly.
“Meant what?” I asked as I shuffled cautiously toward the door.
“You are all mine, and I am yours. I would give my life for you, or for these pups.”
I turned at the top of the stairs to look at him. “You damn well better work it so you don’t have to, or when I get to the Moonlands you’ll wish you’d gone to the Barrens.”
He grinned and stole a kiss. “And that’s why I love you. Let’s go home, my alpha-in-omega’s-clothing.”
Chapter Forty-Seven
Quin tuckedhis future mate and his future pups into the van and closed the door as gently as he could, but the pups were out cold in that same dead-to-the-world sleep he’d seen on Abel’s and Bax’s pups at the end of a long day—they didn’t even twitch. Holland hovered over them, as fiercely protective as any alpha, but tender as omegas of legend were said to be.
He turned away to find Abel watching him from the bottom step. “They’ll be all right,” he said. “It comes in waves, like a fever, but eventually the fever breaks and they begin to heal.” He grinned. “Fan’s going to be a hell of an Alpha someday.”
“He is.” Quin smiled wryly, then sobered. “You think this was the fever breaking?”
Abel shrugged. “I don’t know. Maybe? It happens differently with each pup. You’ll have to watch and see.”
Quin nodded and glanced back at the van. “You and your humans. Laine says now that we need to make a big thing of our mating. Beyond the normal Alpha celebration.”
Abel raised his eyebrows. “How big?”
“Big. Like, inviting human celebrities. He says we should invite the President.”
Abel let out a snort of laughter. “I’d like to see that.” He reached out and pulled Quin into a hug. “You’re doing good work here. Those pups love you. But they’re still trying to figure out how to love you without being disloyal to their parents. Pups need parents and as long as you’re the way you are with them, they’ll love you.”
“Giving me all your fatherly advice?” But Quin patted Abel’s back, taking some comfort from his brother’s words.
“I don’t know how wise I am, but you might as well make your own mistakes instead of making mine all over again.” Abel stepped back and looked at him, as if he was seeing all the way to the bottom of Quin’s soul. It was discomfiting, but there was something reassuring as well in knowing that his brother understood him so deeply.
“So, give them time? More time?”
“Time heals a lot of things, or at least dulls their edges so they don’t cut your future to shreds.”
He had a point. “I’ll keep that in mind.”
“Before you go.” Abel held out a folded sheet of paper. “Signed and witnessed.”
“How can it be witnessed if they weren’t even here? I thought we were going to do this later.”
Abel shrugged. “It’s just a piece of paper. Has nothing to do with the commitment you have to each other.”
Quin glanced up at the door, where Bax waited patiently for Abel to come back inside. “Thanks.” Abel was right. He gave a short wave before ducking into the car and closing the door behind him. “Ready to go home?” he asked Holland.
“Yes.” Holland smiled and reached across to place a hand possessively on Quin’s thigh. “You know what I just realized?”
“What?” Quin smiled at him and turned the key. The van started with a quiet whine, then settled into a reassuring thrum.
Holland turned his head to stare out the windshield as they began to bump along the track that led back to town. “Soon we can have as much sex as we want and it’s all legal!” His eyes danced and he slanted a smoky look at Quin, but there was something off in his tone.
“Is that important to you?”
Holland sighed, but lips still held a gentle curve, and he turned away again, to stare out the passenger window. “I hate saying it, but a little? I guess I am a traditional omega after all.”
“Is it tradition, or just wanting to be able to live your life without being scrutinized?”
