Page 104 of Carmichael's Omega

"They are omega. Blessed. They feel your heart," Devel explains in a low voice. "They know you, Carmichael. They see you in ways you can't fathom. And... you are an alpha. Every move you make is doubly important to them."

I blow out my breath. "We'll kill off the Diamorte, make this place safe for my mates. Then... when I bring them home, can I count on you?" I ask these males. My brothers.

"Sí, Alpha," Rique answers quietly.

Devel agrees, too, "Yes, Alpha."

José nods, determination set on his face.

"Bueno," I say. It is good. I will make them happy.

"I have to leave for patrol, Alpha," José tells me.

"Make sure you check the roads to LoboGris," I warn him. He wanders off, out of the light pouring from the bar. I hear him shift, his wolf blending with the night and disappearing into the shadows of the desert.

Devel stands up. "Well, I've been away from Leilani long enough."

Rique and I laugh and rib him as he walks back into the bar. Then, we both follow without another word.

Mattie is sitting in one of the booths along the sidewall with Miranda and Leilani. I watch as Rique walks straight to the table. He barely greets them before he's sliding into the booth next to Miranda.

Devel has taken a different approach, grabbing a handful of cokes from behind the bar before wandering over casually. He sets them down on the scarred wooden tabletop and greets Mattie first. When he sits down, it's next to my mate. He barely looks at Leilani.

I shake my head. Devel, for all his advice, has no game.

Amused, I let my eyes travel the bar's interior, looking for my female. I frown when I don't spot her immediately. I don't see her friends, either.

I walk deeper into the bar, meeting the eyes of anyone foolish enough to glance my way. They don't hold my gaze long.

I find Cassidy at the pool table around the corner. She's holding the cue stick, her tongue poking out, a slight frown creasing her eyebrows as she concentrates on making her shot. I feel myself grin as I watch. She lines up the cue with the ball and slides the cue through her palm. It misses the cue ball by a good inch.

"Kibble," she mumbles.

"Try again, Luna," her friend says. She speaks with an accent that I can't quite place. That and her dark skin makes me wonder how she managed to end up out here in the desert of the southwest.

The other female playing laughs. My grin slips away. Adriana. I still don't trust her around my female.

Cassidy lines up the cue and strikes again. This time, she hits the ball. The cue slips off to one side. It's not a direct hit, but the cue ball moves, hitting the green stripes with aching slowness. The green stripes wobbles as it moves, like a drunken grandma, towards the side pocket.

When it falls in, all three females celebrate as if they just won the World Cup. I watch Cassidy offer hugs to both females, forgetting that she has another shot.

Cassidy turns abruptly when something dings from the kitchen. She says something to her friends before rushing off through the swinging door.

I saunter over. "Adriana," I nod to her, a warning held in my eyes.

"Alphason," she greets me with a false sense of bravado.

I look at the other female expectantly.

"Alize," she says stiffly, "Alpha," she says belatedly.

I lean my hip against the pool table, keeping the kitchen door in my periphery. Adriana mumbles an excuse and takes off after my female.

"What pack are you from, Alize?" I ask.

She stiffens, her eyes darting toward the kitchen as if my female will come out and save her at any moment. "I have no pack, Alpha," she replies stiffly.

I raise an eyebrow at the adamant tone she used. Moving closer, I ask again, "what packwereyou from?"

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