Page 31 of Abel's Omega
That was a possibility. They’d need to fence the area, though, to keep the pups from running wild through it. And they’d lose their gathering space on full moons. Still… “I hate losing ground, but you might be right.” Abel shook his head. “I don’t know. It’s going to take more thought. Laine plans on coming here tomorrow to discuss suing Montana Border over the car accident.”
“We can do that?”
“He seems to think we can. I’ll talk to him and see.”
The door opened and Jason joined them. “It’s not as bad as he’s telling you.”
“You’re not the one getting attacked every time you go around a corner!” But Mac grinned and held out a hand to help Jason down onto the step.
“How are they getting along?” Abel asked Jason.
“Fine. The pups are obsessed with both the television and Mac by turns. Bax keeps trying to do things for me, like I’m going to kick him out if he doesn’t carry his own weight.” Jason shook his head and draped one of Mac’s arms over his shoulders. “It feels like being back in Montana, only this time I’m the alpha.” His tone was light, but Mac pulled him close, and Abel guessed there was something going on there that he didn’t know about.
“I brought keys, so we can move them any time. Supplies delivered everything this afternoon, I’m told, so it’s just a matter of them and their personal stuff.”
“Duke said he’d bring the truck over whenever we wanted it. Guy’s going crazy stuck on the monitors all the time.”
“When’s the cast come off?” Jason asked.
“Three more weeks, I think?” Abel stood up. “We should get them out of your hair.” He caught both the look of relief on Mac’s face and the disappointed one on Jason’s. Abel guessed that Jason was enjoying having another omega around despite his previous words, someone he could talk to about things that the alphas wouldn’t understand. That was something else Abel should look into, as soon as Jason’s future here was settled. Mercy Hills had a bunch of alphas and betas that would be looking to mate over the next couple of years. Maybe he could invite a few omegas over for six months, let the young folk mingle with someone they hadn’t grown up with.
Young folk. Damn, but this job was aging him.
Then Bax came out to join them, and he decided he wasn’t as old as that.
“Hi, you got everything done?” Bax asked in that honey-sweet Texas twang.
“As much as I was going to. And I’ve got a list for you as long as your arm to start on Monday.”
“Oh, good.” Bax’s relief at being able to pay his way was palpable. “Should I gather the pups up?”
“I’ll help,” Jason said and jumped up. He patted Mac on the shoulder. “You can go hide if you want.”
Bax turned pink and he opened his mouth to, Abel expected, apologize.
Mac forestalled him though, and got to his feet. “I’ll grab Fan. I need some revenge.” He boomed a loud, movie villain’s laugh, and lumbered into the house like a monster from the Saturday afternoon B-movies he and Abel had passed their early teens watching. Jason went after him, shaking his head.
Abel grinned and grabbed Bax’s hand to keep him from following Mac and Jason. “Let him have his fun. He needs to practice being Pappy Mac. And he doesn’t get much time to relax.”
“I don’t want to be a bother.” Bax gazed after the two shifters, but Abel was pleased to notice that he made no attempt to pull his hand out of Abel’s. It didn’t seem to be the uncertainty of whether Abel would get mad, either—Bax’s hand was completely relaxed and when Abel tugged on his arm, his fingers squeezed back briefly.
Then he turned around and seemed to realize that Abel was holding his hand. He blushed scarlet and pulled his fingers adroitly out of Abel’s grasp. “I should go gather the rest of the pups.”
Abel followed him into the house. “Do you need to pack?”
“I did that this afternoon. I wanted to be ready, whenever you showed up.” His cheeks were still pink, startlingly attractive set against the pale skin and dark hair. “I do truly appreciate what you’re doing for me. I’ll do my best to repay you for everything.”
Abel took Bax’s hands in his, both of them this time, and rejoiced silently when Bax simply watched him with those beautiful green eyes. “We’re pack, if not the same pack. We have to stand together and look out for each other. And you deserve to be treated better than you have. I’m ashamed of my fellow Alphas on your behalf.”
Bax’s eyes widened and he took a deep, strained breath. “Thank you,” he said, in a voice that shook. “I’m never sure if it’s me or them. I can’t trust my own judgment, you know.”
“I think your judgment is fine. Your situation is shitty.”
Bax threw him a glance, a subtle assessment of Abel’s message that belied Bax’s statement that he couldn’t trust his own version of events, then nodded sharply. “It is.” His fingers pressed lightly against Abel’s, making him catch his breath, then they were gone. “I’d better gather my pups.”
A booming, “Gotcha!” echoed out of the kitchen, and then Fan and Teca barreled down the hall and into Bax’s legs.
“Dabi! Dabi! He’s gonnaeatme!” Fan cried, obviously delighted with his imminent demise. Teca squealed and tried to climb Bax as Mac strolled up the hallway after them.
