Page 90 of Carmichael's Omega

"Mason," just Carmichael saying his name makes me shiver at the violence promised in the word. Goddess, my mind is broken. I'll never be a doctor, now. Too bad, Mattie. You had such promise.

"Who... who is this, Matthew?" Kenneth turns accusing eyes towards me.

"I didn't know you were a fag, Carm," Mason sneers at the same time.

A silence hovers for a split second before Carmichael responds with all the nonchalant confidence of an alpha, "Maybe I fuck both,si? More ass for me." He squeezes my khaki-clad butt, then pats it. "Right,Nene?"

I can't come up with a response. At least, not one that won't sound like complete gibberish, so I just stay quiet and look up into those ice-cold eyes mutely. I honestly can't believe that he just staked a claim in front of other males, one of whom he obviously knows.

I finally make the connection. Mason transferred from Caluna mid-semester. He's in the Alpha-Upsilon fraternity, like Dylan, like Carmichael.

"You're serious?" Mason asks with a look of pure disgust on his face.

Carmichael laughs. It's a cold, mean sound. "This is Cassidy's twin,pendejo. Same rules apply. Leave him alone, or I get angry."

The explanation leaves a lump in my throat. I'm just Cassie's brother. Carmichael was just teasing me or mocking Mason.

"What are you doing here?" Kenneth says.

"The Alpha-Ups are searching for a missing brother,si? I'm here because the chapter asked us for help."

I finally look around again and see a couple of other bikes pulled over. Rique and José are here, too. They're sitting, idling on the motorcycles. Carmichael's bike in the middle.

"You are?" Kenneth sounds hopeful.

"Si. Come on, Mattie," Carmichael pulls me over to his bike. "Get on,Nene," he says quietly. "Hold me tight,si?"

"With you?" I ask him weakly. Sure, he can play grab-ass with me, but letting me ride bitch on his bike is another thing.

He doesn't answer, just arranges me on the bike, with my arms wrapped tight around his waist. I don't dare to even glance back at Mason and Kenneth.

He roars off, and I cling to him more tightly. My arms are shaking. He reaches down and pats my hands, soothing me.

Oh, goddess. I'm not sure what to do right now except hold on tight and absorb the contact with him. My head is spinning, going in loops and circles.

When Rique and José stop at the Alpha-Upsilon House on campus, Carmichael roars right past it.

I open my mouth to ask him what he's doing, then think better of it. My jaw snaps shut. We ride out of town into the desert. There's no one around for miles when he stops the bike and releases his grip on my arms.

I stand, trembling from nerves and the ride. Or just nerves. I spin in a circle, seeing nothing for miles but the desert.

"Why, um, why did we stop here?" I ask him. Is he going to kill me and leave my body in the desert?

He taps the handlebar of the bike before climbing off. Those ice-blue eyes wander up and down my body. I feel heat tingle wherever his gaze falls. I bite my lip, feeling pathetic.

"I came home from LoboGris and some... errands," he speaks low, his gravelly voice sending even more shivers down my body. "Then hear that you're in some sort of trouble,Nene. Are you in trouble?"

I shove my shaking hands in my pockets. "Um, no? The police... they came after... after that day when... They were looking for Dylan."

He steps closer to me when he hears the name of his victim. "What did you tell them,Nene?"

"Rique and Miranda told me to tell them that we broke up... Dylan... I did," I clarify. "And... um... I'm dating Miranda now, and I didn't see Dylan for a week."

"It's very hard to hear his name from your lips, Mattie," he growls. His eyes are flashing. My wolf goes belly-up without hesitation. Embarrassed, I look away.

"Strip for me."

I jolt, my entire body electrified by the sudden demand from my mate. "W-what?"

---