Callum
“Fergus?” I question as I come home.
The furry beast is sitting patiently in the kitchen, the pocket door shut. Usually he sleeps in Lain’s room or in the front room, but here he is, belly on the tile looking downtrodden.
I slide the pocket door open and he bounds out immediately. With a shake of my head, I turn back into the kitchen, opening the cabinet in search of some paracetamol. My head has been aching all damn night.
Usually being in the kitchen helps, but it seemed like everyone was being especially incompetent tonight.
With a glass of water, I take the pill and grip the counter.
It feels like all my stress is compounding right now.
Greer and Lain are being absolute fools over the American with large hair, along with my Nan, whose lifelong business is struggling.
Not that I think it’s the worst thing. I’ve told them they need to slow down at their age.
Then there’s my damn brother Graham insisting that we don’t spend enough time together.
Cooking food is the one thing that feels stable, controllable. Everything else right now feels like an epic weight on my damn chest. Fuck, it’s felt that way for the last two years. It’s like Fiona left and I was no longer myself. Now I’m this shell of a man I used to be.
I don’t pine after Fiona. I wouldn’t take her back if she came back on her knees begging, but I’m not sure how to fix what she broke.
“Shh, Fergus,” a feminine voice says and I rest my head on the cabinet and groan.
You have got to be fucking kidding me. They brought her here?
Her footfalls are trailed by four happy-as-shit paws. She even has the dog wrapped around her finger.
When she enters the kitchen she gasps behind me.
“Oh. Sorry. I’ll just…”
“Come in and get what you came in here for,” I say, turning to face her, which was the wrong choice.
She’s wearing one of Lain’s old football shirts. It hits her around mid-thigh, showing off her legs. They’re smooth, and her toes are painted a simple shade of white.
She reeks of Lain and Greer as she steps into the kitchen. “Do you have any Tylenol?” she says in a soft voice.
Biting my tongue is damn near painful as I open the cabinet and hand her the bottle.
“Thank you. Sorry, I didn’t realize you’d be home and Lain and Greer are fast asleep.”
I snort and lean against the countertop, looking at her.
“What?” she asks.
“You’re not sorry,” I tell her, taking another sip of my water.
She takes a deep breath. “Listen. I’m sorry I was rude about your food. I already said that I didn’t mean it. Outside of that, I don’t know why you’re going out of your way to be such a dick to me.”
I let out an unamused laugh.
“All Omegas are the same, I swear.”
She flinches back from the words, staring at me through her rounded glasses. Her dark blonde curls are all over the place. Clearly Greer and Lain had their fair share of fun tonight. Fucking sods.
“What does that mean?”
“You’re all manipulative and selfish, taking what you want with no care where it leaves everyone else.
You think they’ll be fine after this? That you’ll fly back off to whatever state you live in and go about your life and they’ll just go back to normal?
You’ll be the worst thing that’s ever happened to them.
” I say it all in a rush, a hint of guilt hitting me at the words.
Her lips part in shock at my words and I watch in awe as her anger towards me flares to life.
“Oh, we’re making generalizations now? You call me manipulative?
All the while, you tell those two men in there that you aren’t a pack anymore, yet you still live under the same roof.
Selfish? Like selfishly holding people you care about back because you can’t get over yourself?
They’re grown men, they asked me to come back here, we’re consenting adults all the while you’re a moping, angry, asshole who would rather sulk than fix your own shit,” she says the words quickly, talking with her hands.
We’re staring at each other, both of us fuming as large footsteps break the spell as Greer walks into the kitchen wearing nothing but briefs.
He looks at me accusatory, because of course he does.
“Everything alright, Maisie?” he asks her.
She glances at me and gives him a convincing smile. “Yes. I was just getting some pain reliever. I’ll go back to Lain’s room.”
Maisie doesn’t spare me a second glance, running her hand across Greer’s bare chest before leaving the kitchen and Greer levels me with a glare.
“What did you say to her?” he asks.
I roll my eyes, putting my cup in the sink.
“Nothing worth repeating. You really had to bring her here?”
“Yes. Because this is where I live. It’s our pack house, which you have claimed over and over not to be a part of. You’re one of my best friends, Callum, you’re my pack brother, or you’re supposed to be. I know that Fio—”
“Don’t bring her up,” I say, and he sighs.
“You can’t be rude to Maisie. She didn’t do anything to you. Acting like this under the guise of her saying an offhanded comment about your food? You don’t have to like her, but you will be kind to her.”
“Or what? You want me to move out so you can have a fling for a month? You’re choosing a girl you barely know over me?”
“No. Fuck, Callum. Why do you have to be like this? Like you said. It’s a month. You can’t be civil with her for a month?”
I scrub a hand down my face. I know I’ve been a right bastard and I don’t know how to stop. We aren’t a pack really, not without an Omega. I don’t know if I can let another woman in my life. Maybe Maisie is right in saying I’m selfish, wanting it both ways.
“Aye, right. I’ll be on my best behavior.”
“After she leaves, we’ll talk more about the situation,” Greer says.
“You know this is a horrific idea, getting close to her like this when it’s inevitable that she’s going to leave,” I tell him.
“I know I’m probably a fool, me and Lain both.
But you know damn well how good it feels to take care of an Omega, and if there’s someone who needs care, it’s her.
She’s lost her mum, her job, she’s more touch starved than I’ve ever seen an Omega before.
The last thing she needs is some dickhead on her case. ”
I sigh with a firm nod.
“I said I’ll be on my best. I’ll be taking the weekend, anyway. Graham’s been begging me to spend some time with him. I’ve pushed him off long enough.”
Part of me wants to swallow my pride and stay at his, or use one of Nan’s free rooms, but I suppose that might put me in the same place as her, anyway.
I cross my arms over my chest, looking down at the tile.
This house used to feel like something else.
I used to feel like someone else and I hate who I’ve become.
I hate that Greer has to corner me in the kitchen and tell me to not be an arsehole to someone, let alone an Omega who didn’t do anything to me.
That my Nan consistently keeps me busy with tasks cause she’s worried about me, and that my brother misses me even when we live in this small town.
Greer takes a step toward me, grabbing my shoulder firmly, and I have no choice but to look up at him.
“We love you, Callum. Everyone in this town does, please let us?”
I clear my throat. “I’ll stay out of your way with the Baobhan Sith.”
“Jesus Christ. Really?” I can’t help but to hold back my laugh, which has him smiling at me. “I guess I can’t fully expect you not to be a right arse.”
“Guess not,” I say, leaving the kitchen, heading up the stairs, up the attic steps and lying down in the vacant nest.
It’s nothing like the room used to be, scents evaporated long ago, all her decor went with her, yet the memories of her haunt me and all I want to be is myself again. I just have no clue on how to get there.