19. Vili
After talking with Pernilla, my parents’ housekeeper and the woman who acted as my nanny growing up, I believed my mother was terminally ill.
It seems Bianca was diagnosed shortly after I moved to Preidon but kept it quiet until a year ago when she couldn’t hide the fact she was sick any longer.
When I explained what I knew to the others, we agreed to finish out the week in Prio Gria, and after those two days, we’d fly to Numoland.
Thankfully, it was still summer in my home country, or else we would need to go shopping for clothes the second we landed.
While the tropical wardrobe we all packed wasn’t what I would have suggested, it would make do for the short time we will be there.
Besides, there was plenty of shopping available since my parents lived in the metropolitan city of Tumie.
The flight was long, but the benefit of having a private jet was plenty of space to stretch out.
I gazed at my kitten curled up on the plush sofa, her head in Yun’s lap, as he absently combed his fingers through her hair as he read.
Every so often, she would start to purr in her sleep just like her namesake would.
It had terrified me when we first bonded that she would see the ugly side of myself I kept buried deep.
There was no way for me to escape having a bit of my parents’ poison in my personality, having been raised around it.
Thankfully, we are all our own person and can choose to be different, better versions of what we grew up seeing.
My phone buzzed, and I smiled at seeing the message.
If I was going to be forced back to Tumie to deal with my parents, then I was going to do whatever it took to turn this moment into something beautiful.
The ballet I’d wanted to take Bailey-Rose to was hosting its last four performances this month.
One of those shows happened to be tomorrow night, and as one of Tumie Ballet Company’s top patrons, I got tickets and a private box for Bailey-Rose and me.
Ulysses sank into the seat beside me, taking out his phone to snap a picture of Bailey-Rose to send to her parents.
We hadn’t been able to send many while we were in Prio Gria since most photos we took weren’t presentable to share with parents.
Last night, we’d made sure to update them on our change in plans, keeping up our end of the deal.
My phone buzzed again as Ulysses sent the photo to our family group chat as well.
Quickly, I downloaded it and added the picture to my collection.
“Hey,” Ulysses said, leaning closer to keep his voice low. “You doing all right?”
“I suppose,” I answered, not really sure how I felt.
It wasn’t like I hadn’t been back to Numoland numerous times since moving and meeting the guys.
Only those had been business meetings hosted at a corporate location or one of the stores for a quality check on my designs.
It had been ten years since I’d stepped foot in my parents’ home.
As soon as I could, I moved out and got my own place, needing to be free of their toxic nature.
“I don’t know how to feel,” I admitted. “Should I be sad? My mother is dying, but I feel nothing.”
“No one can tell you how to feel, Vili… that’s for you and only you to decide,” Ulysses stated. “Like Rosie, I have a good relationship with my parents, so I can’t begin to know how you feel, but I’m happy to listen if you need to talk.”
Brushing a hand over my jaw, feeling the stubble that was growing in since I decided not to shave during our island vacation, I could hear my mother’s voice telling me it was a sloppy look to have facial hair and I should shave every day.
The amount of time and effort my parents invested into maintaining their appearances was exhausting.
Although I agreed with the sentiment to dress for the success you want to have, there were limits to how far that would take you.
If you suck at running a business, nothing you wear could change that fact, but educating yourself could change everything.
“Did I tell you I never finished university?” I asked offhandedly.
“No, I don't think I knew that…” Ulysses frowned, taking a sip of his brandy before his eyes went wide. “Wait, are you telling me you got into one of the most prestigious business schools and didn’t graduate?”
“Indeed,” I confirmed. “I only needed one more year, but Wilhelm made a call, and I was magically handed a diploma.”
“I’m confused, so you did graduate?” he questioned.
“The records say I graduate, but I did not,” I explained. “A well-placed donation afforded me a diploma. I tore it up, much to Wilhelm’s ire.”
“Wooow, that is fucked up,” Ulysses muttered.
I hummed in agreement. “Just one of many moments. This is what they do… throw money at the problem, not caring about morals.”
Ulysses took another sip before spinning the swivel chair to face me. “Did you really mean it when you told Jonas you want to cut ties?”
I’d thought about doing just that for years, but fear had kept me tied to a family I wanted nothing to do with.
Now, there was nothing to be scared of. My pack would support whatever choice I made, and Bailey-Rose would never judge me for turning my back on my lineage.
All that mattered to her was that I was happy.
“Yes, I believe it is time to make that happen,” I decided. “I am their son in name only. They don’t need me, and I don’t need them. What is there to hold on to?”
Ulysses nodded, tapping his finger against his glass. “What if you started your own business? Your designs are the ones that sell, so you’ve already proven you’ll have customers. I know with all of our knowledge, we could help get things up and running in no time if that’s what you want.”
My heart swelled hearing Ulysses’ suggestion, and it only confirmed that I was making the right choice. A true family is one who has your back, offers selfless support, and wants to see you achieve greatness. I only hope I could offer the same to each of my pack brothers when the time comes.
“Possibly, I think I’d like to explore the idea,” I answered. “Who knows, maybe Bailey-Rose and I team up to build her studio. She does the art, I deal with the people who want to buy.”
He chuckled. “Yeah, I don’t see Rosie doing well at pricing her work for what it’s worth. She’d probably give it away if someone really loved it.”
“Or ban the person for life if they don’t,” I added, knowing how feisty our Omega can get when she’s feeling protective.
Snorting as he tried to cover his laughter, Ulysses grinned. “True, but I have a feeling those would be fun interactions to watch.”
I glanced at my watch, seeing we still had another three hours to go, so I leaned my chair back and settled in to get some sleep.
Since I refused to stay any longer than necessary in my parents’ home, we got the penthouse suite at the Royal Crest Hotel.
It was fifteen minutes away from my childhood home but central to everything else in the city.
When we landed, it was the middle of the afternoon, and my plan was to see my mother right away.
Then the matter would be done and settled so I could enjoy showing my pack around the city I loved.
Looking in the mirror, I adjusted my gold-rimmed glasses I’d designed.
My hair shone with a strong red hue after being out in the sun so much.
I purposefully didn’t shave, leaving the dark blond facial hair that was filling in nicely.
Not having a plan for what I was going to do with it, I just liked it was a silent fuck you to the values my parents held to so strongly.
However, I did dress nicely in a pair of slacks and a button-down shirt I’d ordered to be sent to the hotel.
In fact, all of us were wearing new outfits since I planned to take them to one of my favorite restaurants for dinner.
There weren’t many places I went to that had a dress code, but the food was so amazing I didn’t mind the rule for business attire.
Thankfully, they didn’t enforce men having to wear a tie anymore since it wasn’t mandatory for most companies anymore.
Bailey-Rose wore an adorable lavender button-down dress that hit just below the knee.
She paired it with mint-green accents, and the skirt was extra swishy, as she described it.
Her hair was curled and full of bounce, making it look like cotton candy.
My kitten was the prettiest Omega who ever lived, and I couldn’t help but pull her into my arms and kiss her.
I tried not to mess up her makeup, but she was going to need more lipstick after I was through with her.
“Vili,” she scolded as she wiped the pink lipstick off my mouth. “We can’t show up at your parents’ house looking like we’ve been making out.”
I nuzzled my face into her hair. “Why is that, kitten?”
“Because,” she answered, not really sounding sure of her answer, then rallied, “This is a somber moment, and it seems like your parents are rather serious people.”
Sighing, I hugged her tightly, loving how she melted into my arms. The only reason I had the courage to do this now was because of Bailey-Rose.
She deserved nothing but rainbows and sunshine in her life, not in-laws who were storm clouds who rained on our parade.
Knowing that standing up for myself and my happiness would also bring peace to our lives as a pack was all the motivation I needed.
Taking her hand, I threaded our fingers together and raised it to my lips, brushing over my mark. “Fine, we will behave, but after… I make no promises.”
The shiver that ran through her body, followed by the flood of desire and excitement through our bond, I knew we’d have her out of her dress the moment we got home. Grinning, I kissed her forehead for good measure then whistled to get the guys’ attention.
“If we want to make dinner, we should leave,” I announced.