Page 124 of Carmichael's Omega

Sometimes the worst of the grief is short, but this time it was heavy, slowly strangling all of the happiness in an eight-year-old pup. She didn't want to play anymore. She didn't like school or her friends. She stopped talking to most of us.

Everyone thought that I was so kind to her because I understood loss and grief from the early deaths of mom and dad, but the truth is that I could see it. I could feel it. I could see the dark cloud hanging over her head, the sadness that never went away in her eyes. I just knew she was still sad about her grandfather.

Teague and Alpha Alex took her away from her parents after I told them about her for the third time. I was too young to know what they did, but three months after her grandfather died, she started living with her grandmother, and some of the sorrow in her eyes went away.

When I shifted, I started to hear their wolves crying, just like Nico's is now.

He rolls the dough I gave him into a penis shape and shows me, waggling his eyebrows at me suggestively. "Like this,Chiquita?"

Carmichael reaches over and squishes it with his hand. "No," he says, then walks over to grab the orange juice and carry it to the table.

"You crushed my dick,Hermano," Nico says sadly, shaking his head as I giggle at his antics. He's pretending to be okay, I'm pretending that I don't know the truth, and I think Carmichael is pretending that he's not planning on ripping apart his horrible uncle.

The rest of the pack is quietly and efficiently setting up the table, moving in and out of the kitchen in our now-synchronized dance. I would love, love, love to pretend that they're nervous because Carmichael is helping with a mundane task, but I know the truth. They all heard what Nico said in the bathroom, just like Mattie and I.

"Be glad I trust my female," Carmichael says with a glare as he walks back into the kitchen.

"You don't trust me?" Nico asks, pretending to be horrified.

"Sí, who trusts the Reyes males? You are both horndogs," Rique casually grabs a bite of the dough and pops it in his mouth.

"Horndogs? Where did that come from,Jefe?" Nico asks.

Rique grins, "my mate," he boasts.

"The witch," Carmichael supplies. "And I am not a horndog."

Nico rolls his eyes, muttering, "no?" under his breath

"Anymore," Carmichael clarifies with a smirk at his brother. His crystal-blue eyes meet mine, and apparently, he's satisfied with what he sees because he kisses my cheek then walks out of the kitchen, shouting down the hall, "I said eat first,Nene!"

"Breakfast isn't ready, anyway, Carm!" I hear Mattie call out from the bathroom.

"Sí, Nene, it is."

"Not the hushpuppies!" my brother responds with the same adoration that I feel for the fried dough.

Rique steals another piece of dough, dodging Nico when he tries to smack his hand.

"Now we drop them in the oil," I chirp. My mouth waters just thinking about eating them. I rub my tummy. I hope I'm not one of those pregnant females who suddenly hates her favorite foods. No hushpuppies? That would be tragic.

"The boiling oil, Luna?" Rique asks. At the same time, Nico volunteers, "I'll do it."

I am smoothly moved away from the 'boiling oil' that I was overly cautious about placing on the rear burner with the handle facing away from me. I'm clumsy, not stupid.

"Why don't you go check on the rest of the food?" Rique says gently. "We'll finish up in here."

I eye them doubtfully, then my hush puppies frying in the pan. "They're done when they turn light brown."

"Like this?" Nico pulls the first one out with minimal drops of oil falling out of the pan and places it on the paper towel to soak up the drippings. I pout a little at how easy he makes it seem. Tall people.

"Yes," I grumble. I rub my tummy again. Please, like hushpuppies, pup, I silently ask my unborn baby. The surprise pup that I'm still trying to wrap my head around.

Carmichael wanders back into the kitchen. "Youpendejosdidn't let my mate near that shit,sí?" He eyes the pan of oil.

"No somos estupidos," Nico scoffs.

Carmichael grunts and grabs my hand, pulling me away from my hush puppies... and Nico. I glance at Nico's face surreptitiously. He's feeling better. Carmichael and Rique are... well... jerks, but their nonchalance is helping Nico for now.

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