Page 103 of The Other Omega

I counted them off on my fingers. “Military commander. Special operations. Intelligence. Money. Security.” Looking at all five together made me laugh softly. “Is there another woman anywhere with a better Pack?”

The bonds warmed again, all pleased with themselves, and I reached for my tea. “I should probably contribute something impressive.”

Alaric's brow lowered, but I already knew what I wanted to do. “I'll bake. Cake for dessert.”

Nobody objected, so I took that as settled and finished my tea.

Breakfast ended not long afterwards. I slid off Alaric's lap before he stood, then followed him, Caius and Lucien, towards the large dressing room beside the lift. They put on their boots and coats and secured their weapons with barely a word between them. I hovered nearby until Alaric finally turned towards me.

“Is there something you need, my heart?”

“Only my goodbye kiss.” I looked up at him. “You weren't going to leave without one, were you?”

“No.” He stepped towards me, one hand settling at my waist as he bent to kiss me. I slipped my arms around him and kissed him back, and neither of us seemed particularly bothered that Caius and Lucien were waiting nearby.

I liked this. Kissing my mate goodbye before he went to work felt so wonderfully normal that I didn't want to let go. When he drew back, I kept my hands on him. “Be safe and come back.”

The words came out before I could think, and his gaze stayed on mine. “I will, my heart.”

Once Alaric let go of me, I turned toward Caius. He was already close enough that I had to tip my head back. “You'll have to come down here. I'm not climbing you.”

He bent without hesitation, and I looped my arms around his neck while his hands settled at my waist. I kissed him slowly, still trying to match the man holding me so carefully with the Alpha who sent soldiers into all those dangerous places. I pulled away before I found an excuse to keep him there. “Be safe. Come home.”

Caius held me a little longer. “I will, my love.”

Lucien bent toward me before I even asked, and I slipped my arms around his neck. One hand went into my hair while the other rested at my waist, and he kissed me without hurrying. When he drew back, I left my palm against his chest. “You too. Be safe and come home.”

“I will, my darling.”

Alaric opened the lift doors, and the three of them stepped inside. I raised my hand and waved.

Three extremely serious men looked back at me, and not one of them waved back. I was still smiling when the doors closed, though, because I could feel exactly how happy they were through the bonds.

Chapter 23

Elowen

By the time Darius showed me the twelfth hidden alarm in the apartment, I was starting to think I’d never remember them all.

I stared at the carved stone beside his hand. Even though I knew exactly what I was looking for, I could barely see the little pressure point hidden in the pattern.

“And you expect me to find that while someone’s trying to murder me?”

“You remembered the previous eleven,” he said, completely serious.

“I hope I remember them as well when I actually need them.”

I lowered my hand from the wall and looked around our home. Yesterday, I’d thought it was enormous and beautiful. Now I knew it was also basically a fortress, with reinforced doors, military-grade crystal windows and locks and alarms hidden in places I never would’ve thought to check.

The nest was the safest room. If anything happened inside the residence, I was supposed to go straight there, lock the doors and wait for one of my mates to come for me. I understood why, but learning how to barricade myself inside my own bedroom wasn’t exactly fun.

Darius reached into his pocket and held out a narrow black leather bracelet with a small pale-blue crystal set into it.

“For you.”

I took it and turned it over between my fingers. “What is it?”

“A communication device. It will connect you directly to any member of the Pack. Your family contacts have also been added, along with the household, House Vaelor and the emergency services.”