Chapter 27
Chapter
Twenty-Seven
Dhara
The only thing keeping me sane as my life turned to chaos was making sure Gavin and I had everything we needed.
The first thing I did was find us both a therapist. Thankfully, I found one who specialized in parental abuse and saw both children and adults. It felt like one tiny victory in the middle of everything else.
Once that was taken care of, I moved on to the next item on my list. Getting Gavin back into hockey. I hated that my mother had stolen that from him.
As soon as the guys headed to the gym and Gavin climbed onto the bus for school, I drove to the arena, hoping I’d catch Coach before practice.
Maybe I’d even be able to convince him to give me my job back. Though, the guys weren’t eager for that to happen.
Since my mother never got her hands on my last two paychecks, I’d managed to save enough to at least get Gavin started again.
I’d find another job afterward if I had to. Whatever it took. My brother was going to have a future. One she would never get a chance to ruin again.
The arena was quiet when I stepped inside. It always felt strange seeing it empty instead of packed with cheering fans, shouting players, and workers rushing from one task to another. Even after working after-hours I never quite got used to it.
As I walked down the brightly-lit administration hallway, little sounds of life drifted through the offices. I passed the front offices and headed straight for Coach’s door.
It wasn’t my first time here. I’d interviewed for my job in this very office.
I knocked on the wood door and waited to face the coach. My bruises had faded to pale yellow and green, though the swelling around my eye still hadn’t completely disappeared. I knew I looked like a mess.
“Come in!” Coach stood the moment he saw me, concern filling his expression. “Dhara. I’ve been worried sick about you two.”
“I’ve been granted emergency custody of Gavin,” I said. The words still felt surreal. “I was hoping my job might still be available. And I’d like to get Gavin back on the juniors if possible.”
“Of course.” He waved the concern away immediately. “We hired someone temporarily, but didn’t fill the position until we had a chance to speak to you.”
Relief hit so hard it nearly knocked the breath out of me.
“Thank you. I can’t tell you how much that means. I would’ve understood if you had replaced me. It’s just been—”
He lifted a hand with a gentle smile. “Don’t worry. Your pack gave me the basics and told me you might be back.”
“What can I do to get Gavin started again? He belongs on this team.”
Coach nodded immediately. “He absolutely does. That kid has a future. Now he actually has a chance.”
I smiled. “He won’t be pulled away again.”
“I’m glad to hear it. The other boys have been asking about him. They’ll be excited to see him tonight. We’ve got practice at six. Will you both be there?”
“We will.” I hesitated. “Is his gear still in the locker room? I didn’t see it at the house when I was packing up to leave.”
Coach frowned. “No. Your mom picked it up the week she unenrolled him.”
My stomach dropped and I had to fight tears again. Even now she was fucking-up our lives. God… I’d worked so many extra hours to afford that equipment. Most of it had been bought secondhand after weeks of searching for deals.
Now, it was gone.
I closed my eyes for a second. “Okay. I’ll replace it.”
“You don’t have to rush,” he said, catching on that I was trying not to panic. “We’ve got extra gear here. You can borrow what you need until he has more.”
“Thank you.” I smiled weakly. “Could I get a list of everything he’ll need? I don’t want to miss anything.”
Coach nodded as he turned toward his computer. A few moments later, the printer hummed to life, spitting out a stack of papers. He handed over the list and offered me a fatherly smile.
“That’s everything. And seriously, take your time.”
“Thanks, Coach,” I said as I tucked the pages into my purse.
“We’ll see you both at six.” He smiled warmly. “We’re glad you’re back.”
We said a quick goodbye before I headed back toward the parking lot. I tried my best not to let the weight of everything settle onto my shoulders.
There was still one thing I hadn’t done today. I hadn’t called the clinic. I still wasn’t ready to hear someone tell me I was a broken omega. Or that I might never experience a heat.
That was yet another piece of myself my mother had stolen.
But that conversation didn’t have to happen today.
Today was for shopping with my pack.
Maybe I’d even let my omega choose something just because she liked it.
The clinic could wait another day. For my sanity, I had to.
When I got back to the pack house, I carried my old, battered laptop into the kitchen. One by one, I worked through Coach’s list, pulling up the options. It didn’t take long to realize how in over my head it all was.
I had no idea which brand had the best skates or helmets. I checked every sporting goods website I could think of and read through the reviews, compared prices, and created a spreadsheet of it all. I’d have to ask the guys their input when they got home.
My heart sank as I totaled everything up. Even if I bought the cheapest options, that was more money than I had saved up. I stared at the number on the screen then quietly opened another tab.
Maybe if I picked up a third job I could do this. Even a temporary option.
The front door opened, followed by the familiar sound of the guys talking as they came inside.
“Dhara?” Conrad called.
“I’m in the kitchen.” I barely finished the sentence before all three of them walked in. I was still perched on one of the stools at the island, my laptop open with Coach’s list spread across the counter.
“What are you working on?” Lachlan asked as he walked closer. He leaned down to kiss my temple before moving toward the refrigerator.
The guys were always starving after the gym. Apparently, lifting heavy things made them incapable of surviving without food for more than five minutes.
“My mom picked up all of Gavin’s hockey gear after she unenrolled him.” I swallowed down the rising bile. “I’m assuming she sold it.”
“What the fuck?” Conrad’s head snapped up. “Did she even buy any of that gear?”
“Of course not.” I let out a bitter laugh. “I paid every bill in that house. I bought Gavin’s school supplies, his clothes, paid for registrations. She just stole everything else.”
I rubbed a hand over my forehead as they moved in around me. Sharing was part of being a pack and I knew I needed to let them shoulder some of the burden, but I hated to sound like I was begging for money.
“I knew I’d have to pay to get him back on the team. I just didn’t realize I’d have to replace everything.”
Conrad didn’t hesitate. “We’ll take care of it.”
His voice wasn’t asking. He was simply stating a fact.
“Hockey is our world. We know which brands last. What gear actually matters. Between the three of us, we’ll make sure Gavin has everything he needs.”
When I hesitated, Conrad walked over and sat beside me. He gently turned my stool until I was facing him. His warm, brown eyes held mine.
“This is what being part of a pack means. You’re not alone anymore. You don’t have to carry everything by yourself. It’s okay to lean on us.”
“It just feels like a lot to ask right away. I don’t want you to feel like you have to carry everything,” I explained.
“We don’t think you’re using us. You’re not a charity case. We’re your mates. Taking care of things you can’t is our job. It makes us happy.”
For so many years everything had depended on me. The idea of handing over even one responsibility felt impossible. But, he was right.
“Okay.” The word came out in barely a whisper. When I opened my eyes again, Conrad was smiling. Not because he’d won something but because I’d trusted them with this.
“What else did you accomplish today, firecracker?” August asked with a grin. “I know you like to stay busy so you don’t have to think too much.”
I rolled my eyes. “I scheduled therapy for both me and Gavin. Met with Coach and he said my job is still there. Lydia said I can come back, too. She’s dropping me down to part-time for the time being, though.”
“Good.” Conrad nodded immediately. “You don’t need to work yourself into the ground anymore.”
I let out a slow breath. “I’m trying to remember that.”
“It’s going to take time,” Conrad said gently. “For both of you. You’ve spent years surviving.”
His thumbs traced slow circles across the backs of my hands. My pack’s scent wrapped around me. It was warm and steady and safe.
Some of the tightness in my chest eased as they moved in around me, hands warm and steady on my skin.
“I’m sorry.” The words escaped before I could stop them. “I wish I was one of those omegas who finds her pack and immediately throws herself into their arms. I come with so much baggage and trauma. Sometimes, I don’t even know how I’m still standing.”
Lachlan’s expression softened. “We don’t want that omega.”
My head lifted to look at my red-haired delta. He waited to continue until I was looking at him.
“We want you, gorgeous. I adore how fiercely you protect Gavin. We like how independent you are. But strength and softness aren’t opposites. You can still be strong and let us take care of you.”
“I know.” I looked down at my lap. “I’m trying.”
My mind drifted to the nest upstairs. It was beautiful. Lachlan had made it dark and cozy. They’d poured so much love into creating it. Yet, I still couldn’t settle.
What if I never became the omega they deserved? Or figured out how to be soft?
Even as I fought internally about my shortcomings, Conrad never looked away.
The certainty in his eyes never wavered. My eyes drifted to Lachlan and he was the same steady force.
Then August. He smirked, daring me to get on board with them.
Slowly, as they gave me unwavering trust and determination, something shifted inside of me.
Maybe I wasn’t protecting myself anymore, I was only keeping myself isolated.
They’d never given me a reason to doubt them. They’d only ever asked for one thing.
To give them a real chance and let them be the pack I needed.
“I’ve never given myself the chance to even dream about that life.” It sounded so pathetic to admit out loud, but hope was dangerous with my mother. She’d sniff it out like a bloodhound and snuff it as quickly as possible.
Lachlan shrugged. “Then maybe it’s time you do.” He said it so simply. As though it really could be that easy.
“I want to take you and Gavin both shopping tonight,” Conrad said. “We’re not trying to buy your love. We just want you to feel at home.”
August tapped the table in front of me. “He’s right. Your rooms are beautiful, but they’re still missing something. They’re missing you.”
“Me?” I questioned with a snort of laughter.
“Yes,” he said, more serious than my delta usually was. “We filled Gavin’s room with hockey because we know he loves hockey. But there has to be more than that. We want to find out what those things are for both of you, and we want this place to feel like home.”
“Even if you don’t know what that looks like yet,” Lachlan added.
They were waiting for me to say something now. There was nothing left to do but agree.
“Okay.” The pride that spread across Conrad’s face warmed my chest. He wasn’t trying to solve everything for me, because he knew it would mean more if I chose it.
He was probably right about that.