Page 37 of Red River

"I’d like some milk," Lake said in a serious tone.

I hurried to the fridge. "Of course! Here’s milk for you." I placed the glass in front of him.

He took it with his thin fingers and sipped, glancing at me shyly.

"You’re very big, much taller than my father."

I laughed. "Yeah. I’m bigger than a lot of men. Some even think I’m a purple alpha! I got my height not just from my father but also from my dad, who was almost six feet tall."

"I think I’m an omega. Everyone says so. My dad’s also short. I’ll probably be short too," he said with a slight sigh.

I chuckled softly. "That's good. Omegas don’t need to be big. Omegas are smart, strong, and just… the best thing the universe has ever created."

He looked a bit embarrassed. "Do you like omegas?"

"Of course, a lot more than alphas and betas. I’ve always admired omegas."

"Why?"

"They’re exceptional, smart, caring and very important. Without them, we would all die. The powerful magic I sense in omegas just draws me in. I think you’re the most wonderful beings on this planet." I sent him a smile.

"That’s really nice, what you said. Igor thinks omegas are useless."

I snorted. "Maybe it’s Igor who feels useless, and he’s just projecting?"

"What’s projecting?" He touched his small nose with one finger.

"It’s hard to explain, but it means we attribute to others what we have in ourselves that we don’t want to fix. It’s like the hidden part of our mind is reminding us there’s something we need to improve, which is why it bothers us so much in other people."

"That makes sense," he said thoughtfully.

I struggled to hold back a smile; Lake was really an adorable kid.

He slowly looked around, glancing at the patio, the pool, and the lake below. He blinked. "Can I see the lake?"

I gestured encouragingly. "Sure. Let’s go on a secret adventure before your brothers wake up. You’ll be the first to see the lake up close. Your… namesake. Lake-Lake."

"Okay." He tried to respond seriously, but his enthusiastic nodding gave away how excited he was about the idea.

We stepped onto the patio, and the little omega continued to stare at the lake. For him, the 200-yard distance to the shore was quite a lot. Then he looked down at his fluffy pink slippers.

"I’d like to go down to the shore, but…"

"But you’re only wearing those cute shoes. They might get wet; the grass is a bit damp with dew in the morning."

He hesitated. "I don’t want to go back upstairs because I might wake someone up. Maybe you could carry me?"

My mouth fell open. I had to admit, his bold suggestion caught me off guard. I stared at him, feeling a bit embarrassed myself this time.

"Are you sure? You’re seven already. I don’t know if kids your age still get carried," I asked tentatively.

"Of course they do, especially if they’re as small as me. Uncle Andrew often carried me on his shoulders. My father was too fat for that, but he let me sit on his lap. He always said I was his little omega prince and that he could spoil me a bit."

I laughed softly. "Okay, let’s try it then. You can ride on my shoulders—like a prince!"

I bent down and lifted him high above my head, settling him on my shoulders. He was very light, almost weightless from my perspective.

"Did you sleep well in your new room?" I asked as we made our way down.

---