Page 15 of Mating the Omega
Abel started to say something, but Jason got in ahead of him. “I had it wrapped in my blanket, sir, in case I dropped it. All he wanted was my wallet. I don’t think he noticed I had anything else.” And once again, that drop in tension happened, and Mac watched as the officers’ shoulders relaxed and their hands fell away from their guns.
The young officer tossed the computer into Jason’s lap. “Next time be more careful.” He stepped back and muttered, “Stupid mutts.”
Mac gritted his teeth and watched Jason in the mirror, but the omega simply wrapped his arms around the computer and bowed his head.
The slam of the trunk closing broke the spell. The senior officer closed Jason’s door and stepped up beside Mac. “Right, get inside before we have to cite you for breaking curfew.”
Mac nodded. “Yes, sir. Thank you.” He put the car in gear and drove carefully off.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
I wanted to be pissed off at the guards, but I was still scared, and absurdly grateful that they hadn’t taken my computer. All that I had, outside of memories and my mom’s blanket, was on that machine.
Dad put a hand on my shoulder and I summoned up a smile for him. “Well, we’re through. And we won’t ever have to do that again,” I told him. Motion in the front seat flickered in the corner of my eye, a glance between the two alphas, but I ignored it. Well, tried to. I was way more aware of Mac than I had any right to be. Especially since my future mate was seated right next to him.
The Alpha turned to look at us over the back of his seat. “We’ve got a house for you to live in. The rooms are small, but it’s yours and there’s a bit of a yard if you want to have your own garden. Mac will come by tomorrow and give you the tour, show you where you can buy supplies and where you’ll be working.” He sat back with a satisfied smile, and I wanted to slap him for it. Then I reminded myself that I needed him to mate me and as far as he was concerned, he was getting more out of this than I was, so I shoved my resentment down and said a polite, “Thank you.”
I hadn’t seen much of the place, and it was dark now, with just the streetlights marking our path. There didn’t seem to be a lot of construction near the gate, but it wasn’t long before we were moving through tall buildings, some of them with lights still on. People roamed on the sidewalks, talking, carrying coffee—it almost looked like a human town. Then we were into a section filled with apartment buildings, then farther, into neighborhoods of duplexes and row houses. I didn’t have many memories left of Montana Border Pack, but I was sure it didn’t look as nice as this. Seeing this, happy shifters, nice homes—it made my decision sit a little easier. Maybe it wouldn’t be so bad. An Alpha that looked after his pack like this would make a good mate; we’d be well looked after. I reached across the car and grabbed my dad’s hand, and this time, the smile I sent him was real.
Mac pulled up in front of the end house in a row of townhouses about six long. “This is it.” He pulled a keyring out of his pocket and hung it over the back of the seat towards Dad. “Keys for front and back and the shed in the yard. It’s furnished and there’s food.” The trunk thunked open. “I’ll give you a hand bringing your stuff in.”
“Thanks,” Dad said.
I gathered my laptop and my blanket, holding them tightly, and got out of the car to get my first real look at my new home. Well, my home until my next heat. I wondered if they’d let Dad stay here after I moved, or if they’d make him give the place up to a family with more members. Mac was already at the trunk, our backpacks swinging two apiece from each massive hand. He gestured at my father to lead the way up the walk, and I felt a hand at the small of my back.
The Alpha.
“I thought we should talk,” he said in a low voice.
I stared back at him, as blankly as I possibly could.
He watched me a moment, then shook his head. “I hope you’ll be happy here. There’s no need to be afraid of me.”
“I’m not afraid of you.” As soon as the words were out of my mouth, I wanted them back. I dropped my eyes and whispered, “I’m sorry.”
“You don’t need to be. But I suppose that will take some time.” He put his hand under my chin and made me look at him. “I promise, I’m not the big bad wolf.” He smiled, and I made myself smile back at him, though now that we were here, all I could think about was curling up in a corner and going to sleep. Weirdly, the thought that I preferred Mac’s clean-shaven face to the Alpha’s beard kept circling around in my head.
He patted my shoulder. “You’re exhausted and I’m keeping you out here in the dark. Go on in. I’ll send Mac to check on you in the morning.”
“Thank you, sir,” I said, and let him push me gently in the direction of the door.
“It’s Abel. You don’t need to call me sir.”
He wanted me to pretend I thought I was entirely safe here with him, so I did. I smiled at him again, and said, “Thank you, Abel.” But I didn’t feel it, and I couldn’t tell from his expression if he knew or not.
He nodded, the faint moonlight outlining the arch of his eyebrows, the bridge of his nose. “Go on in and get settled. Tell Mac I want him—if you don’t, he’ll stay and fuss until he drives you crazy. We can talk more later.”
I wanted to go—fuck, but I was tired now—but still I hesitated. If Orvin didn’t specifically tell me I could leave, I couldn’t go, and even then it wasn’t always right. The rest of his alphas were all the same, and I hadn’t ever met any others, except the ones who’d been chasing me. I wasn’t sure if his telling me to go was a real command, or just him thinking he was being kind.
Then Dad called from inside the house, and my stasis was broken. I ducked my head and scurried inside, and the Alpha let me go, so it must have been all right. Strange how old behavior comes out again once you’re back in the same circumstances. I hadn’t been this…omega-like in years, since we left my old pack.
Dad and Mac were in the kitchen.
“There you are,” Dad said. “Your room is at the front of the house. Mac says the water pressure’s good here, and there’s plenty of hot water, if you want to go take a shower.” He turned to Mac. “Thank you for your help.”
Mac waved it away. “I’ll come by tomorrow and take you around. Ten okay?”
Dad looked at me. “Jason?”
