Page 26 of Pooch Planet

“I can’t tell you how much I don’t care, Pierre.” He arched his eyebrows. “Don’t you have a phone call to make?”

Pierre stamped his foot—twice—then stormed from the tent. Antoine called after his ex-fiancé, “Be prepared for that paternity test after you give birth to Claude’s baby!” Antoine brushed his hands together as if he were wiping something dirty from them then regarded Shep.

“Can you give me an idea where Benji might’ve gone?”

Shep answered through a mouthful of muffin crumbs. “Probably Bow Wow Falls.” He licked a finger then plucked another muffin from the basket. “I’ll show you on a map. It’s not too far from here.”

Antoine regarded Moreau. “I apologize, but he’s my fated mate and I need to verify he’s safe.”

Moreau smirked. “So I gathered. The entire Federation has always known your engagement contract with Pierre was a sham.”

Antoine had suspected as much, but because he was such a private person, he’d never discussed it with anyone but Tully. And even then, that had been out of necessity. He’d needed someone to keep an eye out for the little conniving shit stain.

Antoine gave Moreau a tight smile. “I’ll return as soon as I’ve made certain he’s all right. In the meantime, call for reinforcements and assign Tully to section off search areas.” Antoine turned to Shep who was still chomping away. Antoine noted that not many muffins remained. “Now, where’s my omega?”

* * * *

Benji wiped a finger under his nose as he dug at the mossy bank with a stick. The sounds of the burbling water and the roar of the falls had always helped calm him. Ever since he was a puppy, he’d come to the falls when he was sad or lonely. Somehow, they would ease his mind enough that everything didn’t seem so impossible. He liked to pretend that being an orphan didn’t bother him, or that he never thought about why he, the runt, had survived when his brothers and sisters hadn’t.

But it all bothered him, all of it. Somewhere deep inside he believed his siblings had surrounded him and kept him warm, then paid the price when they had succumbed to the cold.

Benji hiccupped a small sob then swallowed down the ones that tried to follow. Crying wouldn’t help. At this point, he wasn’t sure anything could. What if Shep was right and he was already pregnant? It tended to happen fast with the first heat. Benji flung the stick into the woods with disgust.

It was his own damn fault. For one night, he’d let himself believe that Antoine cared about some nothing dog shifter on a small nothing planet at the edges of the Federation’s massive domain. He snorted to himself. Talk about deluded.

The moment he’d stepped into the Federation command center, he’d known he was screwed. His stomach had twisted in so many knots, he’d thought he’d faint right there in front of everyone. The vision of Antoine with that beautiful young gargoyle was seared in his mind, tormenting him over and over. Antoine with a protective arm around this mystery omega, telling him he was worried about his safety, intent on whisking him away where he would be free from danger.

Benji dug out a small stone from the mud then hurled it at the sheer rock face behind the falling curtain of water. It clanged against the hard surface then landed in the large pool of water where it disappeared as if it had never existed.

Never in a million light years could he compete with the omega he’d seen in Antoine’s arms. He’d been covered in shimmering silky fabrics, reminiscent of a robe, but much more flattering to his thin frame. And he wasn’t gawky and awkward like Benji was. The gargoyle had an air about him, a grace and delicate beauty—at least up to the point where his eyes had glowed red and his wings and tail had shredded his fancy outfit to pieces.

Benji dug out another rock, this one a bit larger. He smoothed the mud off it while rolling the cool stone in his hand. Things would work out. They always did, to one degree or another. Maybe he wouldn’t have his fated mate, but if he had been knocked up, then he could still look forward to having a family of his own.

Without my fated mate.

He spat on the ground then launched the rock into the woods.

“Ow! Gods dammit.”

Benji slapped a hand to his mouth as Antoine emerged from the woods. He held up a palm the instant he saw Benji.

“Truce. Don’t throw anymore rocks.” He rubbed his head. “Please. I came to explain everything. I know this gets bandied about a lot, but I swear it’s the truth. It’s not what you think.”

Benji dropped his gaze and stared at the dirt. His stomach churned and his chest was tight with sadness. “Whatever. I don’t care about some prissy gargoyle.”

He’d thought about adding ‘or you’ to the end of his sentence, but even he didn’t believe that. He was certain Antoine would be just as unconvinced by the lie, so what was the point?

Antoine had the nerve to chuckle. “I said something similar to him before I came searching for you.”

Benji squinted up at Antoine. “It sure didn’t sound like you didn’t care when you were begging him to leave because you were so concerned about his safety, that you didn’t know what you’d do if anything happened to your beloved gargoyle.”

Antoine crossed his arms. “You have a vivid imagination. For some reason, I can’t remember most of what you just described as having actually happened.”

Benji went back to staring at the ground. “Yeah, well. I bet it would’ve if I hadn’t interrupted when I had.”

Benji peered up at Antoine and was met with his amused, yet fond, expression. He quickly glanced down again. When Antoine had looked at him like that the night before it had made him melt.

“Well, I suppose that wasn’t exactly what you said.”