His Dominant Omega by Jarrett, J. (best books for 20 year olds .TXT) 📗

“Well, kitty, I’m not old enough to drink yet, so the sweet stuff will have to do.” Cole dodged the paper cup Shane threw at Aiden.

“Smartass,” Shane grumbled but was smiling as he filled Aiden’s order.

“Boys, be nice or I’ll have to separate you and take away all your toys. And by toys I mean your mates.” Cole laughed at their shocked expressions. Aiden and Shane reminded him of Josh and Jake. He hadn’t heard from his brothers since they came to visit two weeks ago, and every time Cole meant to call them he got distracted and forgot. He made a promise to himself to call them when he got back from his weekend trip with Josef.

“That’s harsh.” Aiden took a drink of his cocoa.

“Like I could keep your mates from you. They’d beat my ass.” Cole jumped in his seat when his phone began to vibrate in his pocket. He had turned the ringer off while in class and forgot to turn it back on. Cole fished it out of his pocket then smiled when he saw Josef’s number flashing across the screen. “Hello,” he cooed into the phone.

“Hey, babe.” Josef’s masculine voice carried over the line. “I got some bad news, so please don’t kill me.”

“What’s wrong?” The hairs on the back of his neck rose instantly.

“Calm down. It’s nothing serious, just that I won’t be home until late. We broke ground on the Anderson house today, and we’ve run into a problem. There’s a shit ton of huge rocks right where we started digging. I’m waiting to hear back from Jensen on whether the Andersons want to pay to have them removed or if they want to buy a different lot.”

“I bet Jensen is just loving this.” Cole wasn’t typically the jealous type, but he knew that Jensen had a thing for his mate, and that made Cole uncomfortable.

“Oh stop it. Jensen is just doing his job, and besides why would I want him when I got you at home?”

“I know, but every time I hear his name I can’t get past the image of him draped all over you that night at the club.” And he couldn’t. Jensen seemed like a very nice man, but he held a torch for Josef, and his wolf wasn’t that understanding.

“I know, baby, but I swear he hasn’t tried to put the moves on me, honest. If anything he keeps his distance.” That made Cole feel a little better. “But back to why I called. I’m going to be late, but I’m still up for heading out once I get home. Is that okay with you?”

“Sounds perfect. I’ll be ready to go when you pull up.”

“Excellent, I’ll see you in a while. Love you.”

“Love you, too.” Cole hung up the call and was reaching down to slip his phone into his pocket when it slipped from his hand. He heard the splash before he saw it. “No!” he shouted as he snatched his cell phone from the soapy mop bucket by his stool.

“Ah, shit.” Shane came around the counter. “I’m sorry, Cole. I forgot to put the bucket away after I mopped. Does it still work?”

Cole used his shirt to dry off the little device. No matter what button he pushed it wouldn’t come to life. It was dead. “No,” he finally said.

“I’m so sorry,” Shane apologized again.

“It’s my fault. I let it fall in the first place. Don’t stress on it, Shane.” He wrapped an arm around Shane’s neck and pulled him into a one-armed hug. “ I can get another one.”

“Just look at it this way,” Aiden said around a mouthful of cookie. “Now you won’t have any distractions this weekend.

“True that,” Cole agreed and gave Aiden a high-five. Josef would be with him all weekend, and if anyone from the house needed him they could just call Josef to reach him.

Cole and Aiden waited until Shane was done and gave him a ride home. Skyler was making dinner when they got back, and they all lent a hand to help out. Thirty minutes after they got home, Erik came running through the back door. His eyes were red and swollen like he’d been crying.

“Erik?” Aiden called after him, but the kid didn’t stop. He just sped past them, never acknowledging them. “Excuse me, guys.” Aiden followed after his mate’s kid brother.

“What’s eating him?” Cole asked as he chopped up some apple for the salad.

“I think it has something to do with his mate,” Skyler said from where he stood in front of the stove.

“Really?” Cole looked over his shoulder in the direction Erik ran off in. “But I thought they didn’t see each other, you know, because of the whole age thing.” Erik still had one more year before he was of legal age to consummate his mating. But that wasn’t the biggest obstacle in their way. With his mate being a hunter, Cole didn’t have a clue how that union was going to work out.

“Come on, Cole. You were young once. Did you follow every rule set upon you?” Shane asked.

“No, but this is different. Erik’s mate is a hunter, and plus isn’t he like in his thirties? He knows not to mess with a minor.” Josef had told him Erik’s mate, Brandon, was a standup guy and would never take advantage of the situation. But if he thought about it, it didn’t mean Erik was keeping his distance. Maybe the kid got shot down or something.

“Still, it has to hurt to know you can’t have the one person you really want,” Shane said as he