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My jaw clenches.
I’ll have to watch her take that step.
I’ll have to bethisclose to her without being able to touch her.
Fuck. My. Life.
As I watch, Maddison throws herself into the arms of a burly, older man who must be Simon, her father. He’s got the same mahogany hair as hers, but his has streaks of gray at the temples and shot through it. She hugs him for a long time before she envelops a little boy who, even from a distance, appears to be a bundle of pure energy.
His shouts of laughter ring out when she tickles him. Then she sets him down on his feet before turning to the final member of her family. Her mother.
She’s gentler with her than she was with the other two, and I blink rapidly when I realize why. Shock reverberates through me, but there’s no mistaking the telltale signs. The ginger, careful way she moves, the twitch, how she touches Maddie’s face like she’s making sure it’s her, but she can’t quite see her, the slight hunch of her back…
Maddison’s mother has Cervus.
The realization slams into me like a ton of bricks. Like a punch to the gut.
This is why she needed her father to have good, steady work. The medical bills alone would be enough to put them in debt and that’s not taking into consideration the inflated rental costs and taking care of a young child.
I swallow hard, a hand going almost unconsciously to my chest to attempt to quell the ache starting there.
Feeling like an unwelcome intruder, I take my leave and head back to the palace, my heart full but also aching.I can’t believe she didn’t tell me. Didn’t tell any of us. Didn’t make private care for her mother part of the deal.
Utterly overwhelmed for the second time this morning when I haven’t even had breakfast yet, I stride straight back to our pack quarters. I don’t know what to do with myself right now, but I know that I need to not be here.
SEVENTEEN
—
M A D D I E
“How did you do this, darling?”my father raves as he leads me into the cottage. “You must’ve made a heck of a good impression on them. A job and a home? That’s incredible.”
“I live at a palace now,” Kevin croons, clinging to my leg as he follows me in. “That makes me a prince, right? That’s what princes do?”
“Not quite.” I laugh as I stroke my fingers through his soft, short hair. “Almost, but they do other stuff, too. Royal duties and whatnot that you won’t have to worry about.”
My dad has his arm around my mum’s waist, guiding her in as he makes a sweeping gesture with his free hand once we’re in the small entrance hall. “Just look at this place. So much space. I’ve no idea what we’re going to do with it all.”
As I get my first good look around, I realize he’s right. The cottage is a lot more spacious than it appeared from the outside. While it’s nothing in comparison to the cavernous spaces in the palace itself, it’s a hell of a lot better than where we came from.
A dining area, lounge, and kitchen make up a semi-open concept living area, with a beautiful stone fireplace and comfortable furniture. The kitchen has a small breakfast nook. Whoever lived here before seems to have had an affinity for ducks since the drapes in the kitchen window as well as some of the décor in the kitchen has the animal on them, but it’s cute. Homey.
“Get a load of this,” Kevin yells as he grabs my hand and pulls me through the living areas down a short hallway at the back of the cottage. “This will be my room!”
The bedroom and bathrooms are clustered together here, with the master at the end of the hall and two other bedrooms sharing a bath. Kevin has chosen the room on the right, which already has a bunk-bed in it and offers a view of the forest beyond.
I’m sure he’ll love it, but that leaves me with the bedroom on the left—with a fantastic view of the palace that houses the Alphas I’ll never get to be with. I can see the wing with the pack quarters from here.
Since my family is so excited, I play along, but I won’t be able to live here for long. As soon as I can, I’ll have to move out for the sake of my sanity. I already know that when the Trials are over, I’ll be lying in my bed at night, longingly staring at the pack quarters and wondering what they’re doing in there with the Omega who ends up being chosen.
My heart won’t be able to take it. Plus, with my heat symptoms acting up so much while I’m on these grounds, there’s no way I can stay without losing my ever-loving mind. That only leaves me two options since an unbonded Omega can’t live alone. Either I find another pack to claim me—unlikely—or I work as an assistant at OA and live on academy grounds.
The latter wouldn’t be so bad. I wonder if Ms. Frampton would take me on as an assistant. My grades are good enough. I can’t see why she wouldn’t.
When we’re done with the tour, I make a cup of tea for my mother while Dad takes Kevin to explore the grounds around the cottage.
“You’re lying,” my mum says as soon as we’re alone. “I don’t like having to call you out on it, but you’re not nearly as excited as you would’ve been if you thought things were really going as well in the Trials as Daddy thinks they are.”
