Page 122 of Carmichael's Omega

"You are leaving? " Nico asks, surprised. "How... ah... how long will you be gone this time, Carm?”

"A day or two," I tell him.

"You have just Marked them.”

"I know,” I grind my teeth irritably, “I don't have time, Nico. I have to take care of a human who keeps harassing my male, and I need to speak withTioHugh."

He drops the next glass, sending it crashing to the bartop. I grab it before it hits and breaks and set it down gently. "Gracias," Nico mumbles hoarsely. He rushes to take out another glass, the rag in his hand trembling.

Before I can question his odd behavior, Nico asks, "why are you speaking withTio? It's not... you're not asking him to help with..." Nico waves his hand around in the air, "this?"

"No," I tell him slowly. "I want to ask him if he knows if… ifmamawasn’tpapá’struemate.” I hesitate. “You areTio’sfavorite. Do you want to come with-“

Nico dashes from behind the bar, flinging himself down the hall to the public bathroom. He crashes through the thin wood door with me on his heels and falls to his knees in front of the toilet.

Gagging sounds fill the air asmi hermanitovomits and shakes, tears pouring down his face. The scent of lemons and bleach that washed away the stench of urine is now mixed with Nico's stomach contents; orange juice and vodka. Nico's morning self-administered mimosa is his breakfast and sadly more nutritious than what he usually consumes.

I hold his upper body, feeling my own stomach twist and turn violently. I want a porcelain bowl, too, but I won't be weak. I don't have time for that shit. " Nicolás, mi hermanito.Tell me what’s wrong," I whisper into his hair.

"No," he chokes, still gagging. Shakily, Nico wipes his mouth with the back of his hand.

I ignore him, hauling him to his feet and helping him to the sink. Nico splashes water on his face, rinses out his mouth. When he clutches the sink with both hands, head bent low; I step toward him again.

"N-no!" he holds up his hand to stop my approach.

I grind to a halt, my heart hurting. My brother doesn't want me to touch him. Nico sobs, deep, gut-stirring cries of pure agony and shame.

"Nico-" I whisper, feeling useless. Realization is hitting me hard enough to make me scream, but I have to hold it together for Nico. All I can do is watch for what feels like days as my brother crumbles in front of me. “Tell me,"

"He called me Nicolás. I don't like that name, Carm," Nico says suddenly

My world is just pure red. "Sí, hermanito," I tell him through a misshapen jaw as my alpha-wolf tries to force a shift, tohunt. I'll never call him his full name again if that helps him.

Nico coughs, moaning. He punches the mirror over the sink, shattering it into a spiderweb. His knuckles start to bleed, and I have to bite my tongue to keep from calling my male to come and tend to the raging young wolf.

Nico runs his hand down his face, then splashes more water, washing his still-bleeding hands as he starts crying again. "I can't touch a female now without getting wasted first," he sobs. "He fucked me up."

"Nico, why didn't you tell me?" I ask.

He just shakes his head, not looking at me.

"I would have killed him years ago," I tell him desperately. "Years ago." Hugh is no match for me as a shifted wolf. Even as a juvenile, I could have taken him down. How many years is that? Eight that my brother has been suffering? When did it start? How did I not know? Why Nico and not me? Renee is fucked up, too. Did Hugh molest her?

"He's the last part ofmamawe have left," Nico mutters.

My veins fill with ice. I can't block out my wolf's growls for a solid minute. "No, Nico.Youare. You are the last part ofmama," I whisper to him. My brother, my baby brother. "He is nothing. A dead wolf,mi hermanito."

"He-he stopped about a year ago, anyway," he offered in a choked whisper.

Because Nico is too old, I think. That perverted bastard. I have to be clever in punishing him. He needs to make up for years and years of pain. The door creaks open behind me. The sweet scent of candy fills the tiny room.

"Nico," a soft purr soothes the tension, eases the pain in the air, the agony of my alpha-wolf. My bunny squeaks around me, followed closely by Mattie. I watch, helpless, as my omegas surround Nico.

My fingers twitch as urgency floods me. I don't want Nico to lash out at my mates, physically or verbally.

"Nico," Cassidy repeats his name. To my shock, Nico reaches out and pulls Cassidy to his chest hard, burying his face in her hair and weeping. Mattie stands at a distance, his arms wrapped around himself.

A soft sound fills the tiny bathroom as my mates' wolves whimper and whine softly for Nico while I stand in the doorway, guarding the 'den' that now stinks of candy and rotting oranges.

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