Talk About… Trouble (Rockwood Valley Omegaverse #4)

Chapter 1

Wren

T here were only two ways this day would end, and both included tears. Meeting Avery for lunch today was something I needed to find closure.

She was kind enough to actually see me. Though, I’d never blame her if she had refused.

Seeing your best friend fucking your pack wasn’t something you simply forgot.

Guilt and nerves made it so the four hour drive to Rockwood Valley was pure torture.

What I hadn’t planned out was for my entire car to be packed up with my belongings, the rest I hired someone to clear out and donate for me.

If things with Avery went bad… well, I wasn’t sure what to do. If they went like I expected, then I’d be heading for The Omega Network Clinic to see if they could help me find a place to stay and a job.

The Landing was fairly quiet this time of day, only a few cars in the parking lot. I wasn’t even sure what Avery drove to know if she was one of them.

My hands shook as I gathered my purse and phone and climbed out of the comfort of my car. The sun was already hot, harsh against my cool skin from the air conditioning and the long drive.

“You can do this, Wren. It’s Avery. You know her,” I hissed at myself, urging my stubborn feet to move.

The familiar anxiety started to claw up my throat and I glanced around, picking three things I could see.

Mountains in the distance. A lake behind the restaurant. Avery.

Shit, she was waiting for me at the door. My gorgeous friend looked different. She still had that same gorgeous, dark hair and hazel eyes, but she looked happy and glowing, her smile wider than before.

Maybe I never realized just how much her former pack had dragged her down. I’d always known her with those awful alphas, though they had us all fooled. If she gave me a chance, I’d love to know who she was now without that baggage weighing her down.

“Wren!” Avery said, waving at me from where she stood. “I’m happy to see you!”

“You are?” I questioned, shock stopping me in my tracks. “B…but…”

“Yes,” she said firmly, hazel eyes hard yet sincere. “Let’s get this out of the way right now. I’ve healed and I know the truth now. It was never your fault and you have to stop blaming yourself for that.”

“I thought you’d hate me,” I admitted, voice cracking as a tear slid down my cheek.

Avery sighed and pulled me into a hug. Her arms were warm but she smelled like a mix of alphas, making my nose wrinkle. I didn’t feel jealousy, only relief. She deserved the world and after everything she had been through, I hoped that her pack gave her everything she deserved and more.

“You found a pack?”

She laughed as she pulled away. “That obvious?”

“You smell like alphas,” I said as she hooked her arm through mine and led me inside.

We both let out a sigh as air-conditioned air swept over us, sending a shiver down my spine thanks to the sweat that was already forming.

“I’ll tell you all about them once we snag a seat,” she promised, waving to a curly haired guy walking out of the back hallway. “Hey, Taylor! Can we sit anywhere?”

“Absolutely,” he said, waving around the mostly-empty room. “Take your pick and I’ll be over in a second.”

“I thought you didn’t handle tables,” she teased.

“My mate’s bestie gets the VIP treatment,” he said with a wink, his dimples popping out as he grinned. The omega was adorable and bubbly. It hit me with an odd pang of sadness, realizing we used to have that in common.

Now… I was nothing like that girl.

Somehow I kept my fake smile on my face until we got to the table Avery picked, tucked away in a corner with plants on either side, giving us a bit of privacy.

It still felt awkward between us. Even if it was mostly in my head now. She seemed unaffected and fairly relaxed as she settled into her chair.

“Are you still a vegetarian?” she asked as she picked up the menu waiting on the table.

I nodded. “Yes, working with animals made it impossible to go back. You know it won’t bother me if you eat meat, though.”

“Maybe I’ll let you pick what we get today. I like to be adventurous sometimes,” she said with a shrug.

This was something we used to do when we went out for brunch or after work meetups. It made me feel normal, like the girl I was before they ruined it.

The peace that followed as I flipped through the menu was one I wished I could bottle. I knew damn well it was fleeting.

“How about a hummus plate, and we can share halfsies on the veggie lasagna and the black bean street tacos?”

“Sounds delicious,” she said, waving Taylor over.

“You must be new in town,” he said, directing that megawatt smile my way.

“She’s a friend from the city. This is Wren,” Avery said easily, not leaving me to answer awkwardly.

“Well, a friend of Avery is a friend of mine,” he echoed. “What can I get you guys?”

I gave him our order before we picked our own drinks. In the city we probably would have gotten cocktails, but with my current medication that was a no go.

“So, how are you coping?” Avery asked gently. The compassion in her expression had my walls falling around me and I had to take a few breaths to fight the tears.

“I feel so fucking stupid. They… it was so much worse than just that time,” I admitted, the dark secret leaking from my lips before I could stop it.

“I’m so fucking sorry, Wren. I wish I had known how bad they were, I never would have put you at risk,” she said emphatically.

“No, you can’t blame yourself if I can’t,” I argued. “If it wasn’t us, they would have found someone else. Hell, look at the amount of victims and they dated back years, Avery.”

“Now they can rot in prison. I have a feeling alphas like that won’t have a good time,” she said. I never considered that but I secretly agreed. They deserved nothing less than pure hell for what they took from me and the others.

We were interrupted by the drinks and a bread basket being dropped off. Avery and I both took a second to butter the warm bread before she finally spoke again.

“What’s next for you, Wren?”

“Getting out of the city,” I admitted. “I can’t leave my apartment there. I’m terrified all the time. I need a change of scenery.”

“Come here,” Avery said without skipping a beat. “Rockwood Valley is amazing. The whole town kind of becomes family and they’re protective as hell. Your parents can always visit here, instead.”

“No, they won’t,” I said, giving her a sad smile. “They cut me out of their lives over it all. I brought shame to the family, it seems. The moment my name was leaked they disowned me.”

“Fucking assholes,” Avery cursed, looking disgusted. She waved a hand between us like it could clear out the negative energy. “Seriously, come here. I can share my family and my friend group here is amazing. Even better with you around.”

She reached out, her fingers wrapping around mine and meeting my eyes so I could see that she was being genuine.

“I missed you, Wren.”

“Me, too,” I said, another tear escaping. “It’s been… lonely.”

“You need a support system. If you need a place to crash, you can stay with me and my pack. Though, I have to warn you the triplets are a handful.”

“Triplets?!” I squeaked, eyes going wide. She laughed and pulled out her phone, showing me the wallpaper of three adorable toddlers. She hadn’t posted them online, so I had no clue she was pregnant.

“We’ve missed a lot,” Avery admitted. “But I have babies now. And a pretty big pack. I was a mess when I got here but they were so gentle with me, gave me room to heal. Ford, Mason, Arden, and Cohen are… everything.”

“I won’t crash your place. You deserve to enjoy your pack without a house guest. I’ve actually got a meeting set up at the clinic. I figured if this went well, maybe I’d see about that Rockwood Valley magic you always talked about.”

“These mountains will help you heal, Wren. I’m sure of it,” she promised.

Taylor was back again, dropping off our dishes and extra plates before he was off again. We both dug in, filling our plates before conversation shifted to something a little easier.

“So, I might have stalked you on PackVlog. It looks like you brought this town back to life,” I said before dipping the pita bread in the hummus and popping it in my mouth. The flavors were incredible and a groan of appreciation escaped me at the same time Avery did. Only hers was around a mouthful of pasta.

“It was honestly incredible. I started out putting it to use with Whitaker Brews, with minimal protests from my brothers,” she joked, laughing at their expense.

I’d seen the lives and their videos. Her brothers were gorgeous, especially Nash with his mischievous grin and sexy thirst traps. I could see why they brought in extra views.

“Then I convinced the town to give me a shot and the rest is history. It feels like it was the turning point for Rockwood. First the social pages, then the Artisan Fair is back on, now it’s a steady influx of people moving in, new businesses, and tourists. This is what it used to be like.”

“I’m excited to get to know Rockwood Valley, too,” I admitted, letting her love for the town hype me up a bit so I didn’t chicken out.

“What about work, have you called the vet offices here yet?”

My cheeks warmed a bit. “No. I want to settle in a bit first unless something amazing comes up. Thanks to the big lawsuit and the settlements their families paid on their behalf, I have a chunk of change to get me by. Some of the girls donated theirs, but I kept mine. I went through the trauma and I’m still suffering. If that makes my life a bit easier while I heal and find out how to move on, then I’m going to do it.”

“Good for you, Wren,” Avery said, pride in her voice. “I knew you were strong, but you’re incredible. I’m so fucking proud of you.”

If only she knew the amount of therapy and meds I had to go through to get here. Not to mention, the dark thoughts that often took over.

My life had spiraled out of control the day she left and they kicked me out, half drugged and stumbling down the street. If the wrong person found me, my outcome would have been even worse.

The kind woman who found me got me to the hospital and with the screenings they got in as soon as I was brought in, it started the ball rolling on this entire thing.

The detectives that worked my case were also incredible. They found out more than I ever knew had happened, and the closure I got in return helped me fight my way here.

Maybe if I found a way to be kind to myself then I could really heal and find a way to live with my past.

My omega had been dormant for over a year now. No heats, no hormones… I felt like a shell of my former self.

But at least I made it through it all alive.

Now, if I could find a way to truly live, to find happiness and peace again, then maybe I would find her, too.