AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Oh, they’re out. They have friends now.”
“It's only been two weeks.”
“Yes. Two weeks at a new school with good kids. Your father even has an interview.”
I lick my lips and notice the couch is different from the one that came with the house. This one looks cheaper and is a floral pink. I turn slowly, spotting things that don’t belong.
My mother glances behind me and moves closer so no one will hear. “Listen, I know this is hard and big changes, and it feels like we’re abandoning you, but we have to do what’s best for the girls. For Trin. They need a stable, respectable home. And an omega is just a lot of attention, the wrong kind, and a distraction from their school work. Especially with your heat coming up.”
I swallow hard, but the lump remains thick in my throat. “You think I’m a bad influence?” I say the words flatly, unable to believe what I’m hearing.
“It’s not just you, it’s what you bring around. The,” she leans in close to me, “alphas. We have children here. We can’t have their vicious behavior around the children when you turn into a knot whore.”
I can’t even argue with that. She’s right. When I presented and I was found out, the Samuels’ alphas started hanging around. They cornered Elise twice and made Muse cry. Their threats were clear, and apparently, bullying children is a level that they were prepared and willing to stoop to.
“You should be happy with your alphas. Just give us space. We’re set up now. You’ve done your job. The family is safe. Now let us live our lives without you bringing in one disaster after another. No one knows us here. We can start again, Missy, don’t you want that for us? Surely, you aren’t so selfish that you would put your siblings in danger?”
I want to tell her the truth, tell her of the contract, but there’s hope in her eyes that wasn’t there before. She’s actually almost being a parent. I don’t believe her. Guilt makes my chest ache because she’s right in one respect, I’m the danger at the moment. But the rest of what she’s saying is such bullshit.
But Elise and Muse have friends…that’s something new. I bite my lower lip, torn.Can the girls afford to wait a couple of months for me to sort my life out?
“All right. I can give you space.” I concede softly.
“Thank you, Missy. I knew you’d understand.”
We make small talk for another half an hour, but it's stilted and forced. I stand up when I feel the last thread of my control snap.
“Well, I’m going to get going.”
“Oh, all right.” Mum smiles brighter than she has all day and leans in to kiss the air beside my cheek. “Good luck with your life, daughter.”
I jerk my head in a nod. “Yeah, uh, you, too.”
Trin is still talking to Darion. In fact, they seem pretty cozy. It sinks a new level of misery into me. I watch them talk and then think fuck it and walk out of the house.
I walk and find a park. In the middle is a gigantic tree with roots that weave in and out of the ground. I climb the tree until I can’t get any higher and then curl up and close my eyes.
My phone rings several times, but I ignore it. I don’t want to hear what anyone has to say. I want to lick my wounds in private.
The air is warmer when I hear a sound that draws me back into myself. I glance down and find Sebastian staring up at me from the ground. There’s so much patient concern in his expression that I find myself uncharacteristically wanting to weep. He lifts a hand and crooks a finger at me.
“Come here.” He says but not unkindly.
I force my stiff limbs to uncurl and lower myself to the ground. I’m shivering, and he sees it straight away, pulling me into his arms. I bury my face in his chest.
“How did you find me?” I ask with no emotion.
“You told me how to find you.” Sebastian says as his hands run up and down my back.
The tears won’t come. It’s like they’re frozen behind a wall of numbness.
“What happened?”
I shake my head against his chest.
“Darion was worried.”
I let out a disbelieving laugh. “He didn’t even notice.”
