“Then I’ll stick with ‘Elias.’?”
He nods. “Good. Anyway, I’m glad to see you both have finally surfaced. It’s been a long fucking week, and I’m missing my mate back home.”
Enrique dips his chin in understanding, his hand squeezing mine. “I don’t think I could survive that long away from Caja.”
I smile inside. Because I don’t think I would survive that long without him, either.
“I would have gone back earlier had I realized how long the cycle would be,” Elias says, palming the back of his neck. “But at least I’ve learned a lot since being here. It seems Xavier has been grooming his Alphas for an attack on Bariloche Sector, in an effort to save their Omegas. But we?—”
“Beat us to the punch,” a dominant voice says as a large Alpha with intimidating features parts through the crowd. “Now we just have to figure out how to bring those Omegas home.”
Elias nods. “We’re working on that. It’ll be a slow reintroduction. A few Alphas are going to come back with us to Andorra Sector to start that process.”
“You mean withyou,” Xavier interjects. “Enrique still has a choice to make.”
Enrique frowns. “What choice?”
“Xavier here has it in his head that you’re going to stay here as his second-in-command,” Elias explains as he folds his arms over his wide chest. “I told him there’s no way you’re going to do that when you can have access to my toys in Andorra Sector. But he insists on giving you the choice.”
Enrique’s frown deepens as he glances at Xavier. “Second-in-command?”
The big man shrugs. “It’s an open position, one I think you’re well suited for.”
“What about Fran and Philippe?”
He snorts. “They insist on being my pack enforcers, and neither of them is interested in leadership.”
“Yet you assume I am?”
“From what I’ve seen, yeah. You’re a natural.”
Enrique just stares at him. “You’ve barely seen anything from me. I just got here.”
“Yeah, and you’re already challenging my decisions and choices. So…” He waves a hand. “Obviously, you’re suited for the position.”
“Questioning your decision to give me a job without really knowing me doesn’t qualify me for a job, Xavier,” Enrique argues.
“You punched me,” he throws back, stalking toward us. “And you refused to submit.”
“Because I wanted to get to my Omega,” Enrique grits out. “And you were in my fucking way.”
Xavier gestures to his massive form. “Most people don’t try to go through me.”
“Most people don’t try to block me,” Enrique counters, the two men almost chest to chest now. “And it was a unique situation.”
“One you reacted to without hesitation,” Xavier points out. “Just like you’re doing now.” He looks at Elias. “He’s absolutely going to be my second-in-command.”
Enrique snorts.
But Elias grins. “Yeah, I’m seeing it.”
“Seriously?” Enrique asks him, incredulous.
“Look around,” Elias murmurs, causing me to do just that.
And what I find is that everyone in the area has taken several steps back, all of them gaping at Enrique.
Respect and fear seem to be reflected in their wide gazes. Some of them are even bowing their heads.
