Page 19 of Warwick

I glared some more. “I listened. There was a lot of information to process. What if when I ask him, he says he doesn’t feel a connection to me? What if my beast truly does just want to protect him because he’s an omega?”

Atticus looked thoughtful for a moment before nodding. “It is possible, but I’d say most likely that’s not the case. Your beast wouldn’t be so insistent with Cecil. It’s the fact that he took over and brought the two of you here to your place instead of taking Cecil to the transport building that leads me to believe that he’s your mate and not just that your beast wants to protect him.”

There was that. I had no excuse for why he would do such a thing. Especially since Alpha Vitomir had specifically asked me to see that his grandson got to the transport building. It wasn’t in me to disobey one of the created ones. And yet, I had somewhat.

“So what do I do? Just show up at the clinic tomorrow?” I asked them. “What did you two do in order to let your mate know you understood what the two of you were to each other? How did it go over?”

“Brice and I kept getting thrown together by Master Edison and Master Ambrosius. We were in the middle of the case that involved his missing sister and brother-in-law. I wouldn’t say anything about us getting together was easy—it wasn’t. We needed time away and couldn’t take it.”

“Pretty much the same with us,” Damien said. “We did have some time just to ourselves, but the mission was always hanging over our heads. Add in Ledger’s brother and his recovery, and we didn’t get to hole up and hide for a month. We did get some time, but we were always checking in, being updated, things like that.”

“It will be different with you and Cecil,” Atticus said.

I looked in his direction. “Why? The assignment with the coven in Venice is just gearing up. I need to be on that assignment. I was told I would be. I’m the one who discovered the entire mess.”

Atticus sighed. “Yes, but if you do have a mate, and since it’s looking like you do and your mate is an omega, you’re not going to be able to be on the assignment, Warwick. I can tell you over and over that you’re going to need to be with Cecil, but you won’t truly understand until you actually experience it.”

Deep down, I knew he was right. I’d seen other enforcers who had been gone for a month or more. Some were mostly gone for the entirety of their mate’s pregnancy. That thought terrified me. I could probably come to accept having a mate. But children. They were tiny little things. And completely helpless. And breakable. Why would I be gifted an omega mate? I was the least friendly hellhound in the pack. Others moved to the other side of the hallway from me or moved tables when I sat near them. I didn’t know how to be gentle.

“What’s wrong?” Atticus asked.

“I’m going to break a baby,” I said. “They’re breakable, right? What if I drop the baby? What if I scare it? I’m not exactly good-looking.”

“You’re worrying about nothing, Warwick,” Damien said. “You will be fine as a father. Everyone is worried at first. And there are several mated enforcers that can answer any questions you have. And I’m sure Cecil will be able to reassure you.”

I wasn’t so sure, but I nodded because what else could I do? They weren’t going to leave me alone until I agreed to everything they were saying. And at this point, I was just overwhelmed. My beast was being quiet during all of this, which was also concerning. For months now, he’d been irritable. Now, he was quietly sitting and waiting. What was up with that? Seriously.

“Fine. I’ll go talk to Cecil tomorrow after work. If he says we’re mates, I’ll ask him how he wants to proceed because I know I’m not exactly what others would consider a catch.”

Damien growled. “You’re fine. Pull your hair back into a low ponytail, and your hair won’t look so wild. Give your beard a trim, and it won’t look so unkempt. You dress like the rest of us, so that shouldn’t be an issue.”

I ran my fingers through my hair. Well, I tried. I wasn’t sure when I’d last brushed it, come to think of it. It was often tangled, and I wasn’t sure how to fix that beyond shaving it all off.

“Try a deep conditioner,” Atticus said.

I looked at him in question. “What do you mean?”

“Your hair. It’s frizzy, and you’re saying you don’t look like someone your mate would want. Condition your hair with a deep conditioner after you’ve shampooed it. That will help with the curls, and you should be able to get a wide-tooth comb through it. Other than that, I’m not sure what else to help with. We’re here for you if you should ever need us, and you know that.”

I nodded. “Thanks. I’ll give it a try.”

Atticus and Damien stood, and I followed. When they started walking toward the door, I once more fell into step with them.

“Think about what we said,” Atticus said. “We can talk more tomorrow, but really, when it comes down to it, you need to talk to Cecil and go from there. His response to your asking him about your connection will set the tone for everything.”

I nodded. I wasn’t sure how to do that. Until now, I’d not had any issues with talking to him. He’d just been an omega that seemed upset. Now, the fact that he might be my mate seemed so much more.

Damien slapped me on the shoulder. “You’ve got this, man. We’ll be there to help and offer support as much as we can. But when it comes down to it, you and your mate will figure things out together.”

I nodded again. Damien and Atticus left, and after I quietly closed the door behind me, I was left with my racing thoughts. Was Cecil really my mate? My beast seemed happy about that, which only confused me. Why couldn’t he have just told me? I went to the couch to try and figure out what all I was going to say to the cute omega tomorrow. Hopefully, he was having a better day by then.

Chapter 8

Cecil

Ihad my cry. I was over it now. Well, not really. It would take a little more time to completely get over the things that had been said, but I knew I was in a better place now than I had been the last time I’d been at my parents’ house. I left their house for good over seventy years ago. I’d not been back to visit, and I’d had very limited contact with them. I knew now that no matter how much time passed, they weren’t going to change. They would be cut off completely. I was going to go no contact with them.

The plan was going to be shared with my grandparents later this evening. I knew I wouldn’t be able to get out of going to see them. I’d not necessarily lied—that wasn’t possible—but I’d not told them the entire truth either. That was on me, and I was going to have to own up to it at this point.

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