Chapter 46
Forty-Six
DARIA
The marks are so comforting. Like the guys could be halfway around the world, and I’d still feel peace with their brands on my throat. Much to my surprise, the guys proudly walk around with the ones I gave them.
I’ve been covering mine while at work, out of respect for their company. The guys have worked so hard, and I don’t want their accomplishments to be overshadowed by the scandal of us becoming a pack. But since the guys have marks now, everyone has been gossiping, wondering when they’ll get to meet the mystery omega. It’s hard to keep the secret to myself every time my co-workers speculate about who it could be. Pretending like nothing is going on between us at Good Vibes is next to impossible. Which is why I’m more than relieved to be working at Moon & Rock today.
Megan left a new assignment on my desk, but before I can even log in, Jane descends upon me.
“I want to know all the things.” She perches on my desk and crosses her ankles. She’s wearing a cute black skirt and black-and-white top with a sexy harness over it. Professional goth might be the best way to describe it.
“Well, hello, beautiful.” I check her out again. “Who has you wearing your best outfits to work?”
“I’m going on a date after.” She narrows her eyes. “Don’t change the subject. Updates. Now. Megan wasn’t allowed to tell me what you were out with, but you’re an omega. Either you had the plague, or you went through your heat.”
“I had my heat.”
“Oh my god, I knew it. Did you spend it alone?”
“No.”
She does a little dance on the desk. “I knew it. I knew you’d go for those silver foxes.”
“They don’t even have gray hair yet.”
“Give it a few years,” she says with a wink. “So, is this serious? Did they mark you?” Her gaze drops to my makeup-covered neck, and she presses her lips together, her focus zooming back to my face and eyebrows arching in question.
Right. I haven’t told anyone I’ve moved in with them and how serious this all is. I should probably come clean with my friends. I should tell Jane now. We’re officially a pack. I know they’re happy to display my marks. But we haven’t told anyone about our relationship.
Like the mark, formally announcing it is something we should decide together. So, while I want to tell Jane every dirty detail, I give her most of the truth instead, hoping she won’t hate me for omitting crucial facts when it all comes out.
Sighing, I finish logging in. “We didn’t talk about marking before my heat hit, and they were adamant that I consent to something like that.”
“Consent Kings, love it. Like them, continue.” Jane makes a hurry up gesture.
I giggle. “Right. Uh, so I had my heat, and they were there, and I don’t remember much of it.” That’s the truth. Most of it is flashes of them surrounding me, giving me copious amounts of pleasure to help me ride it out.
“So, you’re dating?”
It’s probably okay to admit to that. “They’re courting me.”
“That’s amazing, Daria. Just think, one day you’ll be living your best pack life,” she says with a dreamy sigh.
I can’t wait to tell her that I already am. Deciding to distract her, so she doesn’t ask more questions, I turn the conversation around. “Enough about me, tell me about your date.”
Jane tells me all about a new pack she met at a coffee shop, and with every detail she feeds me, the more guilt slithers through my veins. I don’t like keeping things from my friends.
Tonight, when I get home, the guys and I need to talk about how and when we’ll announce our relationship.
Thirty minutes before Kai is meant to pick me up from work, I get a text from Marco. A smile breaks across my face until I see the message.
Marco
Can you come get me?
I frown at the screen.
What’s going on, bub?
Please come get me.
Okay. I’ll be there soon. Are you okay? Safe?
No.
My stomach drops. I don’t know what Mom’s done, but I do know how volatile she is, and Marco has never asked me to come get him before. Whatever is going on is serious.
I’m on the way.
Pulling up my contacts list, I find Kai’s name and call him. It only takes two rings for him to answer.
“Hey, babe.” His voice is warm and carefree, the exact opposite of how I feel.
Dread coils around my throat. “When will you be here?”
“I got off early, so I’m two minutes away.”
I spin and lock my computer. “I’m going to meet you out front.”
“Is everything okay?” Worry filters down the line, but I don’t have time to waste.
Sighing, I gather up my things, using my shoulder to hold the phone in place. “I don’t know. I promise I’ll tell you everything once you’re here.” Tension rides me, and I prepare for some type of argument, some demand to tell him now. That’s not my pack , I remind myself, and Kai proves me right when he simply says, “Okay. I’ll see you in a minute.”
“Thanks.” I hang up and stop by Megan’s office. Knocking on her door, I peek my head inside. “Hey, Megan.”
She beams at me. “Daria! I’m sorry. I meant to stop by sooner, but I’m swamped. How’s everything?”
“Uh, okay.” I scrunch my forehead. “I hate to do this, but my little brother needs me, and he doesn’t have anyone else to come get him.”
“Family is important, and it’s almost the end of the day, anyway. Go ahead.”
“Thank you so much.”
Megan nods and puts her hand on her chest. “I hope everything is okay.”
I wave but don’t respond, for fear of word vomiting about my family drama. The elevator seems to take longer than usual. Unease swirls in my gut, nausea threatening to make me lose my lunch. Finally, the carriage reaches the lobby, and I push out of the elevator, shouting a hurried apology to everyone else and dashing out of the door.
Kai’s SUV is idling at the curb.
I wrench the door open, getting in in record time. “I need to go get my little brother. My mom is unhinged, and I’m scared, and we need to go now, okay?”
“What’s the address?” He taps into the map on his dash screen and types it in as I rattle it off.
“Take the quickest route, okay?”
His forehead lines with sympathy as he starts to drive, but before he can ask more, a call comes through. “It’s my mom. She’s been trying to get a hold of me for a while now.” He hits the answer button. “Hey, Mom.”
“Well, look who’s finally decided to take my calls.” The teasing is evident in her tone, and Kai chuckles.
“I’m sorry for taking so long to get back to you. How are you?”
“I’m fine. What has you so distracted? Is it an omega?”
His gaze flies to mine, one eyebrow lifting. Can I tell her?
I nod, chewing on my cheek and waiting for his mom’s reaction as he tells her they’ve been courting an omega. He omits some of the truth, like I had with Jane, because again, telling the world that we’re officially a pack is a decision we all need to make together.
“Well, she must be something if you’re ignoring my calls.” There’s no resentment in her words, only curiosity...and maybe hope?
“She’s amazing. The guys and I are honestly still wondering what she sees in us.”
“She’s nice to Vic?” his mom asks.
My chest clenches, hating that even Kai’s mother knows how shitty their ex was to the beta.
“She loves Vic,” Kai says, smiling at me. “And she’s listening to our call.”
“Malakai! You should have told me sooner.” His mom pauses. “Hello, mystery omega.”
“Hi,” I say with a soft laugh, thankful for the distraction as we drive to the shit show that’s no doubt waiting for us at my mom’s. “I’m Daria.”
“Daria, huh? That’s a pretty name. I’m Polly.”
“Nice to sort of meet you.”
She laughs. “I won’t keep you, but make sure you treat my son’s pack well. They need an omega who sees how wonderful they are.”
“They are pretty great,” I tell her. “And I promise they’re being taken care of.”
“Good. Now, if my son could call me when he’s alone, I’d like him to tell me everything.”
“So you can gossip with my sisters?”
“It’s not gossiping if it’s with family,” she tells him, and I can practically hear her smile.
Kai scoffs. “It is. But yeah, I’ll call you later, Mom. I have a lot to tell you.” He smiles at me and says his goodbyes before hanging up. “Thanks for being nice to her.”
“Are you kidding? She sounds really sweet.” Which is the exact opposite of my mom. “I should probably warn you that we might be walking into chaos.”
“I can handle it,” Kai says.
I don’t voice my doubts. I can barely deal with my mom, and I’m her first born. Worries about what might be going on rush through my head, crowding my thoughts. Some zoom around, while others slam into me. My heart races a little faster. I try to take steady breaths. Bringing my nail to my mouth, I chew on it as Kai drives, trying not to focus on any single thought for too long.
“You’re going to make yourself bleed.” Kai’s hand wraps around my wrist, and he tugs my hand from my mouth, threading his fingers through mine. “Squeeze my hand instead?”
I nod and hold on like he’s my lifeline. If it hurts, he doesn’t show it. Kai’s navigation screen says we’re still a few minutes away, but I send Marco a quick text to let him know we’re almost there.
“Do you want me to come in?” Kai asks as he turns onto Mom’s street. There’s no judgment as he takes in the rundown homes and the copious amounts of trash littered about Mom’s yard. He stops at the curb and squeezes my hand. “Daria?”
“It’s probably better if you wait here.” I don’t know what’s going on, and part of me also wants to shield him from how fucked up Mom’s life is. I climb out of the car, leaving my purse behind, and pull my shoulders back, preparing for a fight.
I head toward the house, wincing as loud voices carry through the thin walls. I glance back at Kai to find him watching me through the passenger side window he rolled down. Great. He can probably hear that too. Grimacing, I turn and march up the stairs and push through the door, not bothering to knock.
Marco is pressed into the corner, saying something to Mom, his eyes wide with fear as she blocks him in, growling something back. A guy I don’t recognize is leaning against the filthy counter, a creepy smile pasted on his face as he slowly takes me in. “Well, hello,” he murmurs, and I shudder.
“Ew,” I tell him.
“Don’t fucking make this harder than it has to be!” Mom finishes screaming at Marco before glaring at me over her shoulder. “Ever heard of knocking?”
“What’s going on?”
“None of your damn business,” Mom shouts.
I look at her for a moment, searching for any trace of the woman I used to love, but she’s long gone. “Marco?”
“I’m going with Daria,” he tells Mom, ignoring my question.
“The fuck you are,” the guy says.
“Who are you?” I ask, rounding on him.
His smirk is wolfish, and not in a good way. I immediately take a step away from him, and he chuckles to himself. “I’m your brother’s new keeper.”
I recoil and flick my gaze to Mom, but she’s glaring at Marco like she’s about to attack him for defying her. It takes three seconds to piece together what it means. Mom is trading Marco to absolve whatever debt she’s run into now. There’s a knife in my gut from everything she’s ever done to me, and it twists deeper as I realize how little her children mean to her. As white-hot rage shoots through my system, my hands start shaking.
I fist my fingers, glaring at the guy. “My brother is leaving with me.”
“The fuck he is,” the guy growls. “I was promised virgin omega ass, and I’m getting what was promised.” He pushes off the counter.
Leaden unease drops into the pit of my stomach. He’s bigger than I am. His meaty fists could knock me out cold, but I push past that worry to protect my little brother. I step into the fucker’s path, stopping him in his tracks. It’s dumb and reckless. There’s no way I’m letting this asshole touch my brother. I would literally rather die. “Marco, get in the car.”
“Don’t you fucking dare,” Mom snarls.
A struggle ensues behind me. Things crash to the ground, but I can’t afford to turn around. The guy is sizing me up. I wonder if he’s deciding between me and my brother. I wonder what sort of filth gets excited about taking a person against their will.
“Looks like your mommy is winning,” the guy says with a laugh. “Tell you what. Give me blondie?—”
“Don’t finish that sentence,” Kai growls, voice colder and harder than I’ve ever heard before. Relief floods through my system when the guy backs up a step. “Daria, get behind me.”
I shake my head. “Marco first.”
Kai huffs a disgruntled sound but looks at my brother. “Come on, kid.”
My brother scrambles around my mom. The jerk who wanted Marco for himself stays back, too afraid of a confrontation with Kai, but Mom lunges for my brother. My heart lurches, but he bats her hand away and runs out of the house, leaving me, my alpha, the douchebag, and Mom alone in the house.
“Goddammit, Daria!” She storms toward me. “Do you have any idea what you’ve done?”
I square my shoulders and glare at her. “What the fuck is wrong with you?”
“I have debts,” Mom says with a snarl. “Don’t judge me for doing what needs to be done, not when you’ve obviously conned some schmuck into thinking you’re worthy of love.”
That blade stabs a little deeper. I would scream, but this is pain I’m used to. The agony of searching for love that’s long since disappeared leaves me with a familiar chill. A frigid cold that I’m not sure I’ll ever be able to chase away.
“Watch it,” Kai snaps.
My body starts to shake, tears burning my eyes as the last of my love for her shatters into a million pieces. Mom looks at me like I’m repulsive, and to her, maybe I am. After all, I ruined her life.
“No, really, I want to know how you put up with her,” Mom demands.
“Your daughter is amazing,” Kai says.
“Ha!” She shakes her head. “She’s mouthy and needy.”
There’s a lump in my throat that I can’t swallow. A flush crawls over every inch of my skin as she points out every flaw I have. Too loud. Too high maintenance. Too dumb for my own good. Ugly. Clingy. Worthless.
Kai, my sweet alpha, tries to defend me at every turn, but that only makes her eyes flash with anger. Only deepens her desire to hurt me. To drag the knife across my skin, just so she can watch me bleed out. To tear me apart until there’s nothing but remnants of who I used to be.
“Daria, you don’t have to listen to this, baby. Come on.” Kai tugs on my arm to pull me away.
“Oh, she’s got you good, huh?” Mom laughs and sneers at me. “What? She sucks your cock hard enough to make you forget about her size?”
Surging forward, I raise my hand and swing. My palm cracks across her cheek hard enough to whip her head to the side. “Screw you!” The scream tears from my throat, ravaging my vocal chords with the vitriol. Kai catches me in his arms, hauling me back against his strong chest, trying to shield me, but the worst of the damage is done.
My relationship with my mother has been suffering since the day she left my fathers. This is the worst it’s ever been, but maybe now, I finally have enough reason to cut her out of my life. I’ve forgiven so much. All in an attempt to have some type of bond with her. It was silly, really, but to me, no matter how horribly she treated me, no matter how much hate she hurled my way, I still had a mom.
But what she wanted to do to Marco is despicable.
Disgusting.
Vile.
Unforgivable .
She’s inflicted so much damage over the years, done so many horrible things, this shouldn’t come as a surprise, but it does. This is a line I never imagine she’d cross. I never thought she was this heartless. I never thought I’d look at her and wish her dead.
But I do. I can’t stand the sight of her, and I?—
“I hate you,” I hiss. Admitting it out loud doesn’t bring any relief. If anything, it only hurts more.
A maniacal laugh pours between my mom’s lips. She clutches her cheek and side-eyes me. “There she is! That’s my daughter! A spiteful little bitch!”
“This family is messed up,” the creep mutters.
And if that asshole thinks this is bad, it’s bad .
“Babe.” Kai’s voice is soft. “Marco is in the car. Let’s go.”
“I need to get his things.”
“Like hell, you will. If that little twat wants to leave my house, he can leave everything I bought for him,” Mom growls.
“I paid for half of it,” I argue.
She shakes her head. “Try and take it, Daria. I’ll have the cops here to haul your ass away.”
“Fuck. I’m out of here. You’re not off the hook, Mallory.” The guy skirts around us, looking at the floor as he passes Kai.
Mallory has the phone in her hand, dialing 9-1-1.
A laugh bubbles in my chest. “Are you delusional? You wanted to sell your son. They’ll lock you up before they take me away!”
She scowls and hangs up the phone, dropping her hands onto her hips. “You’re not taking anything from this house. If you want that ungrateful little shit so much, you can have him, but you’re not taking my things.”
I paid for most of his clothes, but Kai is tugging me toward the door, quietly urging me to let it go for now, and as much as I want to stay and have it out with her, as soon as Kai says Marco needs me, I’m done.
There’s nothing left to fight for. No love. No affection. My mom—no, this woman—has nothing to offer me. And I’m officially done giving her access to me. Marco is safe. I’ll do whatever I can to keep him from coming back to her.
“Yeah, that’s right. Run away like a scared little bitch,” she screams, but I block her out as my focus zeroes in on the shadowy figure in the back seat of Kai’s car.
My heart threatens to break all over again as I climb into the car, and he collapses against me, sobbing and trembling.
“I was so scared,” my little brother rasps, clinging to me.
“I’ve got you.” I hold him tighter and blink rapidly to keep my own tears at bay.
Kai gets into the driver’s seat, glancing back and frowning. He glares at Mom’s house before turning on the car to take us home.
Home.
The pack wanted me to move in, but will they accept Marco too?