Page 98 of Carmichael's Omega

Mattie won't meet my eyes, but his short nod for Carmichael breaks my heart. Goddess, it is true.

I don't understand. I'm an omega. How did I not know? How did Mattie hide his nature from me for so long? How?Why?

"Why?" I whisper before I can stop it. My skin is breaking out in goosebumps. My belly flips over. My headache, steadily diminishing, comes back with fervor.

Mattie doesn't answer me. I need an answer. I don't understand. A soft whine comes out of my mouth, unbidden, wordless. I can hear my confusion and pain in the sound.

"H-how did you... Why didn't you say... I don't understand, Mattie," I'm gasping, my chest tight with emotion. My head is spinning. My omega-wolf is crouched low, growling, whimpering, begging for an explanation, any explanation, just like I am.

Matt doesn't say anything. Suddenly infuriated with his silence, I take a step toward him. "Why didn't you tell me!?" I shout, my voice breaking.

"You didn't know,Conejita?" Carmichael's voice cuts through the pained fog in my head. Desperately, I turn to look at him, shaking my head rapidly.Tell me whyI silently demand an answer from my mate. Futile. Of course, Carmichael doesn't know. He doesn't know that Mattie never told me... I didn't know. Now he does. He knows that my twin didn't trust me.

Matt's shoulders curl inwards, a trail of silvery tears streaking his cheeks. I sway, stepping toward him again, automatically offering the comfort of an omega. I grind to a halt. Does he need comfort? Can I comfort him? Does it work from omega to omega?

Goddess, my brother is an omega, too.

"Nene," Carmichael takes a step away, offering the comfort that I can't. His hand leaves mine, and my hand drops to my side. I stare at it, feeling tingling numbness spreading through my body. So cold.

My brother is an omega. We share a mate. An alpha mate.

A sick, disgusting feeling rises in my throat. I'm the female. I always was, but now that's all I am. Mattie is a male omega, rare and precious. He's so smart, so good. He's going to be a doctor, and as an omega, he'll be unbelievably good. What am I? A burden?

A thought trickles into my mind. An omega doesn't need to bear her mate's Mark to become pregnant. We don't need fertility treatments or to be in Heat. Some omega females don't ever have Heat cycles. We are very much like humans in that way. I've even heard of omega females becoming pregnant from males who aren't their mates.

I'm a breeder. A womb.

I raise my hand to my stomach automatically, only realizing that my hand is linked back with Carmichael's when the back of his knuckles hit my belly instead of my hand.

"Conejita?" Carmichael brings our hands up, touching my cheek gently. "Bella? Look at me."

I obey, of course. His blue eyes are warmer than I've ever seen them be. "Let's go,mi Alma.You need to eat."

I follow him on leaden legs. His other hand is entwined with Matt's. I don't look at my twin, just stumbling along, directionless without my mate's guiding hand in mine. Tossed around like a pebble in a stream.

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Mattie

Humiliation burns through me. I never wanted Cassie to know how weak I am. I just thought I would live my life and one day meet my mate. Hopefully, he would accept me for what I am and then help me hide my omega nature.

Now, my sister is silently crying as my... our.... mate practically drags us to a pickup truck parked illegally on the sidewalk in front of the house.

"Cassidy, sit in the middle," Carmichael orders.

She slides in, her short legs fitting despite the small jump seat. Carmichael helps her buckle, her own hands shaking too badly to click the latch.

I twist my empty hands together, wishing that Carmichael could buckle Cassie and hold my hand at the same time.

"In,Nene," Carmichael turns to me, standing next to the open passenger door.

I hesitate just one moment before the impatience in his eyes makes me hurry. To my shock, as I sit, Carmichael reaches over and buckles me in, too. His fingers graze my stomach, my hip, the feeling burning right through my clothes.

My cheeks burn. He's treating us like pups, but part of me secretly loves it. Teague was always careful never to treat me as gently as Cassie because I begged him to help hide my omega status. Blu could hug me, hold me, and so could Mina, but having an alpha-male do it would have been a dead giveaway.

The door slams shut. It's cold inside the truck, even though it's probably already 80 degrees outside. I hold my body away from my sister. A kernel of jealousy unfurls in my belly. She gets to sit next to Carm.

When Carmichael slides into the driver's seat, Cassie has to shift over. Her body presses into mine, our entire sides touching.

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