hand, Matt slowly shook his head, quietly saying he was having no part of anything. "How about I toss your clothes over, Luci? We can give our omegas some privacy and meet them downstairs."
I started to ask Thirteen what he wanted when I heard his voice in my head. "It's okay. You can go. Eli looks like someone I will be friends with." My mouth fell open in shock, but I had no doubt he was speaking to me. As if reading my mind, Thirteen giggled and did it again. "Yes, I'm really talking inside your head. This is my secret superpower, so don't tell anyone. I don't know if every omega has them, but the ones I know… Never mind. Not my story to tell."
Taking a chance, I tested to see if it would work both ways. "Can I talk to you too?"
"You just did." The little imp winked, his bright eyes sparkling with humor.
"Okay. Well, I don't think this is a superpower. It's part of the mating bond from what I've heard. Even though I haven't officially claimed you yet, Isaac formed the beginnings of our bond last night when healing you. He said your wolf needed my strength to help you pull through after your ordeal."
Lips pursed, Thirteen softly hummed as he considered my statement. "Is the bond the connection I feel to you? Aside from the delicious way you smell like spicy hot cocoa and freshly fallen snow, I could feel you when I woke up today."
"Yes. Sorry to ruin your superpower theory, but I'm afraid this is a ‘you and me’ thing."
He giggled again, lifting a finger to boop the tip of my nose. "Except you're wrong there. This is my superpower, and I can talk to anyone mindspeaking once I find the right channel to reach them. I'm not sure how it works. I just know I can do it. It doesn't work over distances—at least, I haven't figured out how. Maybe I can learn?"
As it felt like he was mostly thinking and not asking a question, I simply lay there smiling, enjoying the sound of his voice in my head. Thirteen went silent, as we went back to gazing into each other's eyes. Or tried to, anyway. We were distracted by Eli laughing and Matt tossing my clothes against my chest.
Lifting my head, I bared my teeth at Matt, prepared to tell him to get the hell out. He didn't give me a chance, though. The rat bastard merely pointed at my clothes with a smirk. "I can read your mind, and no, you're not sending me away. Out of bed, Casanova. And don't you dare moon my mate, or I'll take a bite out of your ass. Hurry up about it, or did you miss the part where Isaac said Thirteen needs to eat?"
Thirteen sat up, holding the blanket to his chest as he gaped at Matt. "How did you know what I'm called? Do you have psychic superpowers?"
Eli sat at the foot of the bed, leaning toward Thirteen with a conspiratorial smile. "No, alphas have the brawn. We omegas get the superpowers. Which I'm only admitting to because our mates are in the room, and I'm pretty sure the two of you were just speaking mind to mind. I'm guessing telepathy would be your power? No worries—your secret is safe here. Want to know mine?"
"Yes, please. Oooh! Are we becoming friends?" Thirteen was smiling so hard, his face was practically glowing as he sat there vibrating with excitement.
"Definitely. Any mate of Lucian is required to be my friend. We might as well get settled now." Eli winked, lowering his voice to a whisper. "My superpower is helping things grow. I can turn dead grass into something lush and green in no time flat. Maybe later I'll show you my garden. You won't believe how big my cantaloupes are, especially in this desert environment."
While the two of them chatted, I shimmied into my jeans beneath the blanket and climbed out of bed. After a quick, regretful goodbye for now, I left Thirteen in Eli's hands while Matt dragged me downstairs.
I waited until I had a cup of coffee in my hands before trusting myself to speak. "Is this where you give me your sage advice on how to be a good mate?"
"Shit, no." Matt sputtered with laughter, almost but not quite spraying me with his coffee. "The last thing I claim to be is a relationship expert. Anything I can tell you