Page 102 of Carmichael's Omega

"He's the one I can spare," I tell my brother. Holt thinks my brother is worthless and wasting his life. He's not exactly wrong.

"Oh,si, then. OK."

"Nico, that's not what I meant,Hermanito."

"Holt is your third. It's OK. Rique's probably busy,si?"

I chose Rique over Holt as my Beta because of reasons like this. He has a better rapport with other wolves. I let my silence speak for me. The truth is, Rique is busy getting his dick wet with his new mate.Ojetes. I won't interrupt him, though. He deserves his happiness.

"Sí, Nico. I'll have him come soon. Start packing for a long trip."

"Sí, Carm!" Nico says enthusiastically.

"Nico," I let the warning in my voice speak volumes.

"¿Sí?"

"No drugs. No other pack. Especiallyputas."

"Sí, Carm," Nico says in a subdued tone.

"I'll see you in a few, Nico."

I hang up and go to find Holt. He and José are talking by the jukebox. It's ancient and outdated. Half of the lights don't work anymore. I should just sell it. I bet that bar up in Rhet's pack would take it. Probably take it for a pretty penny. Then I could spend the money on something worthwhile. I'll run it by Devel when I have a chance.

"Sí, you get this machine that plays the music from your phone. The speakers are already run through the bar. Then you don't have to play this 1950s shit,sí?"

"Holt," I interrupt their conversation.

"Sí, Carm?"

I take a deep breath. "I need you to take the pickup and go get Nico from LoboGris."

Holt's eyebrows rise to his hairline. "¿Qué?You are bringing him here, Alpha?"

"Sí," I say abruptly.

"Jefe..." Holt stops talking, shaking his head. He slumps against the side of the building. José claps his shoulder. I feel a small dart of guilt. Deanna, Holt's human mate, is back at Caluna. She is on the outs with Miranda, so she refused to come out with them, even though Holt asked her himself. "I'll go, Carm."

"Holt," I stop him. "Take your time bringing him here,sí?"

"Gracias, Alpha," Holt says sarcastically. Shaking his head, he finishes his beer and leaves, grumbling under his breath. He'll watch Nico for a few hours before coming back here. He understands the risk of letting Nico know about my mates, but it had to happen eventually.

“I should stop drinking. I have patrol," José says.

I pat his shoulder before going outside. The conversation with Nico has made my spine itch. My wolf wants to tear into something or someone.

The night desert smells like home. It makes my stomach roll uneasily. I'm plotting against the LoboGris, in a way. Wanting to erase the scent of the desert for at least a moment, I take a cigarette out and light it.

Holt rumbles away in the pickup, beeping his goodbye. I watch the taillights disappear into the pitch-dark night. A few minutes later, my eyes adjust to the dark without the headlights. The horizon in the distance blends seamlessly. Only the stars make the difference between the sand and the sky.

The door jangles behind me. "You are an older brother, Carmichael."

I turn to Devel with a smirk. "Sí."

He hands me a beer. "No, I mean, you sound like an older brother on the phone. I know. I have two."

He sits in one of the metal folding chairs in the front of the bar. I sit in another.

---