ChapterFive
Briar
Waking up in the new room was strange, and it took a few seconds to remember everything from the day before. The sting of it was sharper now, burrowing into my chest with a pain I couldn’t put into words. They’d betrayed me. For money. Of all the things I thought would happen when I woke up yesterday, that would never have crossed my mind. From the pregnancy news, to Vivian snooping in my desk, to the encounter at home, none of it should have happened. They weren’t great parents, we were always forcibly molded to fit their outlook and reputation, but I had assumed there was at least a semblance of compassion somewhere in those shriveled hearts. Silly me.
Grabbing my phone from the bedside table, I checked my notifications, hoping against all odds it was some kind of elaborate fucking joke, but nope! In fact, in my inbox was confirmation from the doctor and more contacts for help if I needed them.
Liam:Tell me you’re okay?
Liam:I finally got an answer from Ellis. Chin up. You’ve got this.
Me:I’ll be fine.
Liam: Don’t sugarcoat it for me. I know how fucked up this is. When I get out from under this, it’s you and me, sis… and my adorable niece or nephew.
His text back was immediate, and I snorted at his response, but it quickly turned into a sob. My vision blurred with tears, and I let my phone fall onto the bed as I curled into a ball, letting myself have this moment.
Even though Liam’s reassurances were well intended, I refused to give them a second thought. He deserved to find his own pack without his little sister and her baggage trailing along behind. It might be too late for me, but he still had a chance at a normal life, and despite everything I was currently dealing with, I wanted that for him.
Not wanting to wallow or sit around like I was a scared little mouse, I pulled myself together and went into the ensuite. It was as nice as the rest of the house, full of shining tiles and gleaming fixtures. Cleaning this place couldn’t be easy, but maybe if I took over, it would give me something to do aside from applying to jobs and fielding rejection letters. If I was going to stay for even a short time, I couldn’t become a burden. My mind was blindly grasping at ways to make this work. I needed to assuage some of the guilt I was feeling thanks to this entire situation and my knights in shining armor. They were being kind despite me being thrown into their lives, disrupting their usual routines.
My hand hesitated over the knob, but the prospect of coffee and food urged me forward. I might have to drink decaf, but maybe I could trick my mind all the same.
Of course, despite everything being gleaming and new, the door hinge was squeaky. I sighed, already defeated. So much for subtlety.
“Stop tiptoeing around. You won’t make it a week here with that timidness,” a voice called out—the older man who’d been hanging around the kitchen when I’d arrived. Graham, I thought they’d called him.
“Sorry, I didn’t want to be more of a bother than I already am,” I said, going for honesty over pretty, honeyed words. He smiled at that, raising his eyebrows a bit as he pushed a muffin toward me.
Graham shrugged. “You’re not a bother. We help out our friends and family, and Liam is a good man.” I hadn’t considered that as Ellis’ uncle, he’d know my brother, but it made sense.
“He’s about the only one in my family worth a damn,” I said bitterly, blinking rapidly to fight off any rising emotion. They didn’t deserve an ounce of it. Not from me.
“That may be,” he agreed easily. He was so close now that his scent filled the space between us, a mix of spiced rum and cloves. It was downright delicious, and just as smooth as he was. “But now you’re in a different world, so how are you going to handle it?” He followed his question by holding up two pitchers, one filled with cold water and another of orange juice.
“Orange, please,” I answered before looking down. “I can help with whatever you need here. I’m not a freeloader. I can clean and run errands, I’d offer to cook, but that wouldn’t end well for any of us.”
“We don’t need a maid. We have one. We’d never ask you to do that,” he said with a bit of anger in his tone that had me tensing.
“Sorry,” I muttered, unsure what I was actually apologizing for.
“Who told you that in order to have value you had to lower your standards? I know damn well you didn’t clean for those people you called family,” he challenged. Instead of being put out by his directness, I was actually kind of enjoying it. It gave me something to anchor myself to, forcing my mind to think about his question rather than running off wherever it wanted to go.
“My parents,” I answered. “I may not have been a maid, but even omegas earned their keep. My mother had a lot of strong opinions about what an omega should be doing, and those definitely included the running and maintenance of the family home.”
“Well, I think we’ve established your parents are shit, so let me get one thing straight here. You were invited. That means you’re a guest here. You’re not a burden, and you won’t be ‘earning your keep.’ If you want to help out, fine, but it’s not because you have to or face the risk of being tossed out on your ass.”
“How are you going to hit her with that wisdom bullshit first thing in the morning? Though you aren’t wrong about Tallon,” Ellis interjected as he walked in. Graham glared at him, though it was definitely playful, and I bit back a laugh. I didn’t know what to say, and I wasn’t about to step in between the brewing storm.
“Look, I’m not being an ass. I’m just being honest,” Graham said, offering me a wink before walking out. Ellis poured himself a cup of coffee then joined me at the counter.
“I guess you’re allowed to touch the coffee maker?” I joked, hoping to get his attention off of me and the conversation he’d overheard.
He chuckled into his mug, eyes glinting with humor. “This one, yes. Wells has that contraption.” He gestured to the huge machine near the fridge. “I’m fairly sure you need a degree to work that one.”
That had a grin spreading over my face. “You’re not wrong.”
“He means well, by the way, but he was wrong about one thing. You’re not just a guest. That room is yours for as long as you need,” he said. It was a genuine statement, but it still didn’t feel right to me.
“I’m not going to take advantage of your kindness,” I said simply. “I’ll be applying for jobs, figuring stuff out. A baby can’t mean the end of the line for me.”
“Well, maybe you should have kept your legs closed, omega,” Tallon’s bitter voice chimed in. The words stunned me enough that I froze, glaring up at him as I tried to figure out how to respond. Anger quickly won out, and my energy surged, running hot and ready.