Page 68 of Carmichael's Omega

It's Thursday night, and I'm supposed to have class tomorrow, but both of mine were canceled so that we can prepare for our final papers and exams in three weeks. I called Gio, wanting to surprise Matt today.

Mattie buzzes the door open, and I use just my pinkie finger to open it. It barely swings open before the catch mechanism engages and it swings shut, almost hitting me in the face.

An arm stops it, just in time. "Hey! You OK?" A smiling, recognizable face greets me, and I nearly drop the casserole dish.

"Mason?" I whisper.

His smile doesn't falter. "Hey, Cassie, right? You go to Caluna?"

I shiver a little. "I do," I respond. His smile doesn't reach his eyes. They're cold and empty like snake eyes. My mind is tumbling. I really, really don't like Mason. And, what the heck is one of Carm's frat brothers doing in this apartment building an hour away from Caluna? It doesn't make any sense.

My confusion must show on my face because Mason offers an explanation. "I transferred to State," he says as he walks inside, "and this place was one of the only buildings anywhere near campus that had available apartments."

I smile weakly and nod. It seems weird, but what do I know? Maybe that's why Teague leased this apartment for Mattie because there wasn't anything closer to State.

"So, who do you know in this building?" he asks me.

"My twin, Matt, lives here," I explain reluctantly. I'm hesitant to step onto the elevator with Mason. I should just wait for Gio. I probably won't drop the dish in the five minutes it'll take Gio to park and walk inside. Just in case, my fingers curl on the heavy plate, ready to smack Mason in the head with it. I'm good at that, at least.

"After you," Mason gestures to the elevator. I eye it warily. I'm not afraid of elevators. It's good to be an omega occasionally. Elevators are one of those things. Most wolves hate them. I don't know why. Isn't it like a vertically moving den?

No, it's the company that's making me hesitate. Reluctantly, I step on. I watch Mason hit his floor first, the third. With some relief, I hit ask him to hit the number four. At least Mason will be getting off the elevator first.

We are silent for the short ride up. As Mason gets off the elevator, he smiles that reptilian grin again, "see you later, Cassidy."

Shivering, I hold tight to the casserole dish until the elevator stops on Mattie's floor.

"Surprise! I thought I'd come to see you this weekend!" I greet him with a kiss on his cheek as he smiles at me.

"You brought beef," he sighs happily.

I snicker at the lovestruck expression on my twin's face. He does love a good casserole. He just manages to plate some of it like a civilized wolf before he's shoveling it into his mouth.

I laugh and set about making some fudge cake. Thank goodness for shifter metabolism. Otherwise, Mattie and I would be round, beachball-shaped wolves. I'm not skinny, but at least I don't look like my diet. No gym staves off a plate full of cake a day.

I need my twin. My wolf and I are missing Carmichael somethingfierce. A month is a terribly long time not to see his face or smell that hot scent of desert and danger. What's worse is all I have are his very sexy texts. I live in a room with three other females. It's not comfortable.

There's a knock on the door, and we both freeze comically. My heart leaps, hoping that he's back and has tracked me down, but of course, that's ridiculous.

"Mattie? Open the door. It's Gio," he calls out.

Mattie opens the door to let him in. Gio looks angry and frustrated. "That's the second time this week the front door has been propped open." He sees me and smiles. "Hi, Cassie."

I blush guiltily. "I think it's my fault. I couldn't shut the door behind me, so it may not have clicked." Mason distracted me.

Gio smiles gently. "It's not you, Cass. The door was propped open with a stick. I think it's the guys that moved in upstairs. They keep moving huge furniture in and out."

"They move it out?" I ask him, confused. I heat up a dish of the beef casserole for Gio and slide it over to him.

"They keep changing their minds," Mattie has gone back to his meal. "I've seen them carry in three flatscreens, but I saw them move one out once, too."

"I thought maybe they were fencing high-end goods, but no one would have bought that orange couch," Gio shudders comically.

Mattie stops shoveling food into his mouth. "It was awful," he mock-whispers.

We all laugh, but I feel uneasy. Mason living in this building makes me nervous. Changing furniture the way most people change socks sounds like something Mason would do. I know he's rich and spoiled. I think his dad is a judge or some other influential politician.

He pressed the third floor, I remind myself. Still, my omega-wolf is agitated. She misses Carmichael.

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