Chapter 18
Sarah nodded off shortly after we finished our dinner.
I know she’s been stressed about this trip, and I can’t even blame her.
Tom Petty said it best: the waiting is the hardest part.
All the fucking anticipation of doing something you know you should do, everyone expects you to do…
but you really don’t want to fucking deal with.
She mumbles and rolls over, latching onto a long stuffed cat when I slide out from under her arm.
She pulls it tight against her chest and buries her face in the soft fabric—her whole body shudders before she finally settles back down.
I just need to hit the bathroom, and I want to take this plate downstairs so her bedroom doesn’t get a stank.
I tiptoe out the door and close it as quietly as I can, slowly turning the doorknob after it’s shut to keep it from clicking.
The bathroom is just down the hall, but there are lights coming from under the door, so I’ll pop down to the kitchen first to get this plate washed up and put away.
I don’t want her family to have any more reasons to dislike me, even if I don’t like them.
I’m almost to the bottom of the stairs when I hear voices from the kitchen. Sarah’s mom’s voice is easy to recognize, but the other one is a man. Older, deeper. And honestly, there are so many alphas in this house, I have no idea which one it is. Maybe one of the uncles.
“You are too hard on her, Quercia. You coddle her sisters and treat them like glass, but let them walk all over Sarah. I don’t understand, hermanita.
Please explain this to me because I don’t see why she even bothers coming home at this point.
” I peer around the edge of the doorway and see the man from before, her uncle Miguel, shaking his head as he gestures blindly towards the stairs I just came down.
Her mother heaves a sigh. “Of course you don’t understand.
All you had were sons, four alphas to raise.
They are all exactly like you. Sarah is…
different. Sasha and Shelly behave like omegas.
They settled down; they have packs and children.
They expect a certain life. They didn’t stay in school, refusing to meet a pack.
And now they are where they are supposed to be, with their families.
But they still need help. They have questions I am supposed to answer. ”
She breathes a deep sigh. “Mierda…some days all they have are questions. Or they need a babysitter…they want to go do something with their pack and I am left to take care of the little ones. Sarah has no pack; she doesn’t need anyone else.
She’s always been the most capable. If she needs something, she figures it out on her own.
I can’t even remember the last time she asked for our help. ”
He nods. “Ah, yes, I recall. You all lived just down the road…well, we all lived on the property. It was before the north field expansion. Sarah came to me upset. She needed help with her schooling. I asked why she didn’t ask you, because all of her siblings except for Scarlet had already taken pre-algebra.
My own Thomas had taken it the year before and helped her with her homework that night, and she came back every day for the next few months to have dinner with us and ask for help.
She even brought Scarlet sometimes. Did you not realize that two of your children were missing most evenings?
Or were you so busy with Sasha and Shelly?
I never got around to asking you what happened. ”
I’m holding my breath, restraining myself from railing at this stupid woman who ignored her own child.
“Ahh, si, Sasha was…complicated. It took all of us just to be on standby for her constant fights at school, and trying to get her to go to therapy. She had just presented as an omega. She was a nightmare, and she always needed something. Jacob and Jayden were constantly fighting at school because of her presentation.” Her breath comes out in another sigh, and it’s harder to hear her when she drops her face into her hands.
“Shelly was starting to show signs of presenting as well, so Jeremy had appointed himself as her protector, even though he’s younger than she is.
We thought it would be a good idea to get her registered and ready too, since she was likely to be an omega as well.
Sarah was almost the youngest. There was no need to worry about what would happen with her yet.
Between the two of them, well…they needed constant attention. It was exhausting.
“I remember now that Sarah came and asked for help, and everyone else was at work. I had just sat down to try to rest. I told her the same thing that our parents told us: the squeaky wheel gets the oil, and that right now her sisters just squeaked louder. I thought she would come back for help after her fathers got home. When she didn’t, I guess I just assumed she figured it out on her own or was just looking for attention, and it was really nothing.
I didn’t want to encourage her to need me more; I was barely able to function with the other two.
Even now, Sasha can’t seem to make it through a full day without wanting something.
” Her hands finally drop from her face as she looks up at the man, who stares at her with affection and frustration.
“Ahh, sweet sister, so if she didn’t need your help then, she doesn’t need it now?
I love you, hermainta, but that was foolish.
” Her mother draws back like the older man just slapped her, and I kinda want to cheer him on.
Instead, I pull back, making sure I’m out of sight for the rest of this conversation.
“She needed you then, Maria, and you told her she was not as important as her sisters. Why would she seek you out again when she had someone, even her frustrating cousin, to offer help so freely?”
Her mother’s voice is a broken sob. “Oh, you don’t know. You have never raised an omega. Sasha and Shelly were both so difficult to raise compared to their brothers. It was always something with those two. Sarah hasn’t needed us for years.”
“Once again, sweet sister, you are wrong. Omegas are easy to raise. I know, I helped raise you. Narcissistic assholes on the other hand are a different story, and you have only yourself to blame in this case. Sarah doesn’t ask you for anything now because you refused it then, and you punish her for it.
Insisting she find a pack, deriding her choice of mates… ”
Her mother’s voice sputters out. “But he’s a beta, you know she will need alphas!”
“Yes, she will need alphas eventually. But she loves this beta, and he loves her…if his hiding at the bottom of the stairs and listening into our conversation is any indication.” He lets out a low, raspy chuckle as she gives an indignant screech.
“He has a right to know why his mate’s family treats her badly.
I am surprised he did not already drag her away to go home after that scene earlier. ”
My throat works to swallow, expecting more anger or at least a confrontation.
But they continue to talk, ignoring my presence that he just called out.
“It is obvious to anyone with eyes that you love your children, Maria. But Sasha needs a reality check, Shelly needs to learn to stand on her own feet, Sarah could use support, and thank goodness that Scarlet is an alpha, because she would probably be following in Sarah’s footsteps right now. ”
His voice is harder when he continues, more angry than frustrated.
“That would be a good thing since Sarah raised herself to be strong and independent. But she shouldn’t have had to do it at all.
The poor girl has been left to her own devices since she was a child.
You bitch to me that I treat her like an alpha.
She was mostly brought up in my home with my sons.
You may have given birth to her, but I raised her as well.
” His voice is an aggressive growl, and Maria lets out a loud sob.
“Aye, Maria. I am…I am sorry. I just…I care about Sarah. She is like a daughter to me, and it bothers me to see you so hard on her when she has become such an amazing woman. Mierda…I will go, but…just be careful, sister, or you may lose her. She needs family in her life, but not one that will hurt her. Also, the squeaky wheel gets the oil shouldn’t be used for people—it always makes someone feel like shit.
You know Mami would be irate if I told her what you said, and then how you tried to blame it on her. ”
A watery giggle comes from the other room, and I give up.
I’m never gonna get in there to clean this dish.
I place the plate on the floor and nudge it through the doorway, keeping everything but my foot out of sight until I hear a loud masculine chuckle.
“Aye, we got it, thank you, beta…what was his name again?” There is some hushed mumbling before he continues, “Um…Sarah’s beta.
Sorry. I didn’t catch your name. Go take care of our girl, yeah? ”
There’s a thwack noise like someone hitting a piece of fabric before he adds, “No, he knows I don’t mean it like that.
She’s hurting and he can help.” I don’t wait for anything else; I just turn and walk back up the stairs.
Quietly closing the door behind me, I pull my omega against my chest and wish, once again, that I had brought my guitar to play for her.
All I can do to offer comfort is sing, so I begin humming softly, trying not to wake her.
She lets out a breathy little whimper, sinking back against my chest before we’re both asleep.