Chapter 15 #2
They had a lawyer. Something that would have been completely out of my reach without them. My omega was melting but my logical brain was still stuttering over all of this.
Lachlan crouched down in front of me, his hands wrapping around mine. At least he wasn’t acting like I was fragile, just holding on while he told me whatever came next.
“My brother is pretty good with computers. He dug into some information. It seems your mother has been in Vegas with some not-so-savory characters. She also just left Gavin with you for days without so much as a conversation. That’s abandonment.”
“The lawyer thinks we’ve got a fighting chance. I do, too. There’s a file inside for you to look over and I think you’ll agree,” August added.
“And the house is just... what? Our pack house?” I asked.
“It is,” Conrad confirmed. “We have to prove that you’re the better candidate. That you can provide a more stable home environment.”
“I mean... the electricity in our house hasn’t been shut off. Our mortgage is paid. There’s no way anyone’s going to believe this.”
“Firecracker, please,” August pleaded. “I need you to stop and listen to me. We have an amazing lawyer. One that she could never afford.” His expression turned serious. “I’m not the same boy she sent away. I’m not for sale like my shit father was. You have to know that.”
“We’ve got your back, Dhara. She’s not going to win this. It’s been your paychecks going to her pockets over and over and over again. She has no proper employment history.”
Each new piece of information ignited the fire in my chest, filling it with hope. They were giving me dreams of a future I’d never thought I could have.
Or at least not for a very long time.
“Don’t say anything yet,” Conrad pleaded, almost desperate for me to believe them. “Just let us show you inside first. Read the file.”
Those warm, brown eyes practically begged me to give in.
“Okay.” The word had barely left my mouth before all three of them were smiling down at me. August let out a whoop and tugged me up and around Lachlan. Conrad already had the door open for us to go inside.
“I can’t believe you guys bought me a house,” I said, shaking my head. “We all can acknowledge just how insane that sounds, right?”
“You mean how right that sounds?” Lachlan shot back. “We’re your pack and we’re not going anywhere. If you let us, we’re going to build a future that can provide for both of you.”
Warmth flooded my chest, the sting behind my eyes threatening to spill over. They were absolutely killing me here. I didn’t know how to handle this level of care.
“We couldn’t just bring you to an empty house,” Conrad admitted. “We may have paid someone to come decorate for us. If you hate it, we’ll change it.”
I wanted to tell them again how insane that was, but I kept it to myself this time as I walked into the open concept main level.
The interior designer had carried the beach theme inside. The hardwood floors were light and gleamed in the sunlight pouring through the oversized windows. The fixtures were brushed silver, the appliances stainless steel. Each reflected the light and soft blue walls just like the lake did.
It felt homey, just not lived in yet. A bit too staged but the bones were here and I knew with some effort it could be perfect.
I didn’t say anything as I wandered from room to room, taking in each new space.
The kitchen was beautiful, though I wasn’t about to admit the only things I knew how to cook were boxed meals, frozen dinners, and whatever was cheap enough to stretch. This pack probably expected real meals. I barely knew where to start.
Pushing that aside, I kept going. Letting doubt steal this moment away would be a tragedy. I owed it to them to keep my eyes on what they’d done for me.
The window behind the sink looked out over the garden and lake. The garden was more than a little overgrown, but I knew a little work and it would be back to its former glory.
The porch was wider out back and we could easily fit patio furniture and a grill. I could picture a life here.
Gavin and the guys racing down the dock before diving into the water.
Fall nights spent grilling on the porch and watching the sun sink down over the horizon.
This could be it.
“There’s an upstairs, too,” Lachlan said gently, pulling me from my thoughts. He led me to the stairs and up to the second level.
Every step made the warmth in my chest burn brighter, the tears in my eyes threatening all over again. They’d done so good. Everything was soft and neutral, just waiting for our touch.
“We picked this room out for Gavin,” Conrad said as he pushed open the first door. “It has an attached bonus room that he could turn into a hangout space for him and his friends. Or, if he happens to present an omega or delta and needs that separate space, we’ll be prepared.”
That was when the dam finally broke. They hadn’t just carved out a safe place in their lives for me, they’d included my brother in that vision, too. He was seen just as much as I was.
My brother meant the world to me, and they had made him a priority from the very beginning. There was no petty jealousy that my time would be divided. No whiny alphas demanding all of my attention. No expectation that I’d leave him behind and run away with them.
They were trying to figure out how we could all make a real life together that was untainted by my past.
“We’ve got you, Firecracker,” August murmured as he wrapped his arms around me.
He didn’t let go while they showed me the rest of the house, room by room, until we finally reached a gorgeous set of double doors. Conrad pushed them open to reveal an omega suite.
A large sitting room was filled with cozy places to curl up. The couch and chair looked soft as a cloud. A huge bed that could fit all of us comfortably was set up with far too many throw pillows to be functional but still looked cozy as hell.
Beyond that was a nesting room. It was empty now but the perfect size.
For the first time since stopping my suppressants I felt my omega stir and warmth spreading through me, like it was a premonition of what my heat could feel like.
It was insane… this whole house was. Yet, it was what we needed.
“This house is incredible,” I whispered. It could have been half the size and a hundred times grungier, and I still would have loved it. The fact that they’d carved out a place for me in their lives like this meant so much more than I could ever put into words.
I wanted it so badly it hurt.
Now that I’d finally accepted it, I was ready to find out just how we were going to make this a reality.
“Alright.” I finally stopped walking and turned to face my pack. “What’s the plan?”