Page 108 of Abel's Omega
I stopped him before he could let go of me. “I believe you. And no matter what, I’m here. We’ll figure it out.”
CHAPTER SEVENTY-SEVEN
Mitchel met them at the gates to Buffalo Gap. “I don’t know if I should let you in.”
“So you’ve heard about it.” Abel leaned against the front of the van.
“I imagine everyone’s heard by now. Montana Border’s in fits.” He frowned over at Bax. “Why did you never tell me? We could have found you a mate elsewhere, maybe even this one first time out.”
Bax set Fan down on the ground beside the van and stood straight. “I didn’t know,” he said. “Not until Mercy Hills. Patrick kept me pregnant all the time.”
“Well, that’s what you’re for, isn’t it? I’m surprised you didn’t at least suspect.”
Abel stepped forward before Mitchel could say anything that might tempt Bax into some unwary comment that would make the entire visit unpleasant. “It was an interesting surprise. Come here, Fan.”
Fan ran forward and Abel swept him up into his arms. “You remember Uncle Mitchel, right?” Fan nodded solemnly. “Uncle Mitchel is going to take us out to run tonight, just for fun. After we visit your Meema.”
“Okay,” Fan said, in that tone that Abel had come to recognize as acquiescence, but not enthusiasm. Fan had been quiet since the night at Montana Border, suspicious of everyone who wasn’t Mercy Hills. Abel hoped he’d get over it once he had a chance to hang out with his family. He really wanted to maintain a congenial relationship with Buffalo Gap, so Bax wouldn’t lose his family over this.
Bax set Teca on the ground and sent her to Abel as well, then handed Beatrice to Mac and picked Noah up himself. Abel couldn’t help a swell of pride at the sight of his family, so beautiful and smart. The group of them together was overwhelming, and they had turned a lot of heads in human territory before people noticed their tabs. Even after, he’d noticed more than a few appreciative glances coming their way. Not that their looks had anything to do with him, but he was glad they were his.
Teca hopped over to Abel, the clips in her hair sparkling in the sunshine. “Pap, can I see the gegos?”
Abel gestured at Mitchel. “Your Uncle Mitchel is the one who knows how to find them. Go ask him.”
“Okay,” she sang, and hopped over to Mitchel. “Uncle Mitchel, can I see the gegos?”
Her charm melted the anger right out the Buffalo Gap Alpha. “Of course. And what’s your name?”
“I’m Teca,” she said, and grabbed his hand. “Where are the gegos?”
“I think there’s a gecko living over here under the stoop,” he said bemusedly, and immediately found himself dragged in the direction he’d indicated.
Behind him, Abel heard Bax’s chuckle. He turned around to find Bax smiling fondly after Teca. “She’s going to a terror when she hits puberty.”
“I’ll just lock her in her bedroom until she’s thirty,” Abel said comfortably, and slung his arm over Bax’s shoulders.
Bax sent him an amused look. “Not if she tells you no.” He leaned against Abel’s side. “I should go in and try to make something edible for supper.”
“Your cooking is getting much better,” Abel said with a twinkle in his eye.
Bax leaned away to glare at him suspiciously. “Are you picking on me? Because if you are, I might just have a relapse.”
“No, never picking on you.” Abel kissed his cheek contritely, just in case. Not that Bax couldn’t cook, but he tended toward plain things that were hard to ruin. Until Holland had moved to Mercy Hills, anyway, and Bax had corralled his cousin into giving him cooking lessons. Now Abel never knew what he was going to get for supper, though the total disasters were growing to be fewer and farther between.
“Good,” Bax said. “We’ve only got a couple of days here. I don’t want you to spend it with food poisoning.” He stood on tiptoe to drop a quick kiss on Abel’s lips, then headed for the front step, talking with Noah the whole time. The door closed behind him and their silly chatter faded into the background.
Mac came up to him, dragging his suitcase. “If you’ll take her, I’ll start bringing the cases in.”
“Are you sure you don’t want to go home? We can stay an extra day and you can send someone back to get us.” They’d come up with that idea the night before, while staying at the White River enclave in Colorado. He’d also spoken to the Alpha there, looking to garner support before the council came calling, but he’d left Colorado no more certain of the man than when he’d arrived.
Mac shook his head. “Jason’s okay, Quin and Duke are looking after him. You need someone at your back after Montana Border, even here. Just in case.”
Abel would have liked to have argued, because the longing in Mac’s voice was impossible to miss, but Mac was right. Abel could look after himself, but with Bax and the pups along, he’d be in trouble if anything physical happened. He reached out and took Beatrice. “You go ahead. I think we’re going to go look for geckos.”
Mac grinned and headed back for the van, and Abel followed Mitchel over to the side of the long front porch.
Teca saw him and came running. “Dabi, look, gegos!”
