Page 131 of Carmichael's Omega

"Why do they scare you?" Nico grabs her hand back from Carm. My eyes widen, but other than clenching his jaw and the steering wheel a little harder, Carmichael doesn't react. Instead, he brushes his free hand against my cheek. My omega-wolf wags his tail at the sweet gesture. His adoration of his alpha mate is completely consuming.

"They are spoiledputos," Carmichael says casually."No one has taught them,sí?" I shift in discomfort at the word 'spoiled.' My shoes. My closet. I still haven't done anything with it all.

"Are you alright, Mattie?" Cassie turns to me, our noses practically touching.

"Yeah, um, do you think we'll have time to pick my stuff up from the apartment?" And hide it, preferably in a Goodwill donation box.

"No," Carmichael says, his voice clipped and cold.

I flinch at his tone. Cassie leans her head on my shoulder, silently comforting me. Carmichael reaches over and squeezes Cassie's thigh gently. "Good girl," he murmurs.

I tense up even more. Carmichael truly loves my sister, and she's just so perfect. I hold her tighter, worried that Carm doesn't love me as much as he loves Cassie and worried that Cassie doesn't love me as much as she loves Carm.

Cassie brings her mouth to my ear, obviously trying to be quiet enough that Nico and Carmichael can't hear her over the wind rushing through the open windows. Her omega she-wolf slinks on the ground as if she thinks by making herself even smaller; they can't see her. "He just wants to protect you," she says softly. I nuzzle the side of her cheek but can't say anything.

"Stay away from State, for now, Mattie," Carmichael demands. "Your sister is right."

Cassie pouts a little. "Stinking alpha-senses," she mutters to me.

"It is probably for the best," Alize pipes up from the back.

More alpha-senses. Scowling now, Cassie squirms until she's satisfied with her position, then closes her eyes. Nico's palm sneaks around to rest on Cassie's belly. My arms are wrapped around her. A hand comes down on her thigh, and I wish it were on mine.

"Hold my hand,Nene," Carmichael's voice is soft to keep from waking up Cassie, but still an order.

One I don't mind fulfilling at all. I tentatively slide my hand under his, where it rests on my twin's leg. Carmichael is quick to entwine our fingers and squeeze my palm gently.

"Do you want to sleep, too,Nene?"

"No, thank you," I whisper. I can't. Not with Nico, shifting irritably, next to me. He knows I'm an omega, right? I... I won't hurt him, but he doesn't like being pressed up against me, anyway.

It's not the first time a male has shed my touch. I knew I was gay before I knew I was an omega. I didn't bother to hide my sexuality. Why would I with an alpha and gamma in ClearHowl that are happily mated?

I was naive. Wolves respect our alpha and gamma because they are strong, smart males. A gay juvenile who looks so weak wasn't in the same league as Alpha Alex and Gamma Lyall.

It's why I never told anyone about the whole omega-male thing.

"Nene..." Carmichael sounds like his throat is being raked over a cheese grater.

I suck in a breath, realizing that Carm just got a one-way ticket on my self-pity train thanks to the bond. "I'm OK," I breathe.

He's quiet for a beat. "Tell your sister,Nene. Tell her why you never told her that you're an omega."

"She's sleeping," I hedge.

"I'm awake," Cassie mumbles.

The interior of the cabin falls quiet while I search for the words. Absently, I stroke Cassie's cheek. The one that was slapped years ago, when we were just fifteen, and some of our classmates were teasing me for being gay. She bruised for a week, and I couldn't stomach to even look at her. It's the only time that anyone ever struck Cassie, and it was my fault. I cried in Mina's arms for days.

"Do you remember the kid who hit you, Cass, sophomore year?"

"What is his name?" Carmichael cuts in, but neither my sister nor I are that dumb.

"I remember," Cassie says, suddenly sitting up, her eyes flashing. "He teased you!"

"Yeah," I mumble, "he was human, so there wasn't much we could do," I tell Carmichael.

"He hit me because Gio was going to thrash him for teasing you. Gio was on the football team and a senior," Cassie explains to Carm and Nico. "The boy was this skinny little freshman. I think he just got scared, so he struck first."

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