11. Ten
Ten
Micah
As she moves further away, I have to mentally force myself to turn around and go back to my office. Checking the time on the clock, I note I have maybe fifteen minutes or less to collect myself before my next appointment, so I slump into my seat behind my desk and put my head in my hands with a groan.
Cozette McClain will be the death of my restraint, and I’m not even upset about it. The moment I laid eyes on her, I knew being her therapist would test every ounce of control I’ve always had, and I was right. When I met her, I could feel my chest crack open with the weight of her fear as she avoided eye contact and retreated from me like a frightened animal. Witnessing the genuine fear in her big, sad blue eyes ignited an anger within me that I had never felt before, a burning sensation deep within my soul.
For all intents and purposes, I’m an easygoing, laid-back guy. My temperament has always leaned towards remaining calm and composed, rather than giving in to irrational anger or becoming carelessly upset. I’ve always had a knack for defusing tense situations and treating others with kindness, even if they didn’t necessarily deserve it. In a world already filled with so much hatred and horror, I’ve never understood the appeal of conforming to alpha stereotypes. An alpha I may be, but one fully capable of controlling his emotions.
Usually .
Keeping them at bay becomes more challenging whenever Cozy is nearby. Each detail of her time in captivity that she exposes forces me to exert more effort to remain composed. I can’t explain it, but every fiber of my being longs to nurture and safeguard her. I’ve come across many omegas throughout my life, but there’s something about her that resonates deeply within me. It’s not a scent match, but it’s… something. Something inexplicable and distinct.
It’s also something I can’t act on because she’s my patient, which only adds an additional layer of complexity to this entire situation.
But today. Today, that ever-impervious control of mine was truly tested when she unexpectedly perfumed right in front of me. I had to remind myself mentally that she wasn’t perfuming because of me, which served as a reminder to tighten my leash, but it was challenging. As soon as I caught a whiff of her sugary lemon scent, I became acutely aware of my uncomfortably tight pants, which made me feel like a total creep.
Cozy’s resilience in the face of the extraordinary circumstances she’s met only amplifies the allure of her pure innocence to my alpha nature. I’ve noticed a multitude of things about her during our time together, ranging from the easily noticeable to the more elusive.
She never curses, even in the most frustrating situations.
Any sort of praise or compliment she receives always makes her cheeks turn a rosy shade of red that’s endearing.
The prospect of not being a normal omega after everything she’s endured fills her with an overwhelming sense of fear.
The smallest act of kindness, something often overlooked as basic human decency, has the power to completely transform her demeanor.
I’ve never crossed a line with a patient in all of my years as a therapist, but suddenly, with Cozy, the lines are blurred. I’m having a hard time keeping the feelings she’s stirred in me locked down, and the longer I deny the alpha side of me that says to throw caution to the wind, the more I struggle.
The sound of a knock at my office door breaks through, jolting me back to the present and reminding me of the appointments waiting for me. Taking a deep breath, I run my fingers through my hair, feeling the strands slip through my fingertips as I shove my errant thoughts away. With a smile on my face, I open the door, determined to keep thoughts of the invisible lines separating Cozy and me at bay.
When my last patient for the day leaves, I grab my things and lock up behind me. My phone rings as I’m walking out to my car, and I smile when I see it’s my mother calling.
“ Mamá,” I answer with a grin as I climb into my car.
“Oh, mí angelito! How are you, mijo ? I miss you.”
I can almost visualize the exaggerated pout she puts on whenever she wants to guilt-trip one of us for not visiting. It would be an understatement to say that she hasn’t handled having an empty nest well. When Gabrielle—the baby of the family—left for the Omega Center last year, pandemonium erupted. Now, she calls most of us every day, which tends to lead to one or more of us showing up for dinner because we know how hard an empty nest has been on her.
Lucia Tate, my mother, was born and raised in Ponce, Puerto Rico, which is where she lived until she met my dads sometime in the early eighties while they were visiting on holiday. Considering her upbringing in a large family filled with a handful of siblings, many aunts and uncles, countless cousins, and grandparents from both her mother’s side of the family and her father’s, it’s no wonder she ended up with a whopping eight children. Growing up in a chaotic household, she found comfort in the constant noise and commotion that comes with a large family. When she left everything behind to be with my dads, she filled the void of silence with us kids.
With eight kids to take care of, you’d think she’d have gotten easily overwhelmed, but she always handled the chaos with grace. Her ability to handle the never-ending stresses, pressures, and countless obligations of raising so many children made us playfully dub her our very own Wonder Woman in disguise. From instilling family values and respect in us to giving us a reality check when it was needed, she made sure we grew up to be good people with independence. Her guidance molded our character, emphasizing the value of empathy and self-reliance. None of us have ever felt neglected of her love because she’s always made time for any of us when we’ve needed her. Whether it’s a hug, a listening ear, or words of encouragement, she’s always been there. She’s never missed a game or talent show or debate, and no matter how exhausting it seemed to us when we were growing up, she’s always worn a smile and continued to go with the flow.
Don’t get me wrong, our dads were just as present and caring, and we love them just as much as we love her, but I can confidently say that for me and all of my siblings, our mom is our hero. For each of us, she’s been a therapist, a nurse and doctor, a chef, a teacher, and so much more. She’s been everything, and she’s never complained or taken a break. Even now that we’re all grown and have our own lives and homes, she’s still trying to take care of us in her own way.
“ Lo siento, Mamá. I’ve just been really busy with work lately,” I say, switching the phone to my car’s Bluetooth before pulling out of my parking space. “I’ll try to stop by tomorrow after work if it’s not too late, okay?”
“ Promesa ?”
I can’t help but picture her honey eyes narrowed into thin slits and her lips pursed in a way that says she doesn’t believe me.
“ Si, prometo. ”
She laughs joyously through my speakers, and I relax in my seat with a soft smile. All it takes to make my mother happy is a simple night at home with the comforting presence of one of her kids back under her roof. As I drive, she talks to me about everything I’ve missed in the time I haven’t been home, and I listen dutifully.
“ Tus papás are trying to talk me into going to Italy for a few weeks, but I haven’t decided yet. But, other than that, everything is as usual. Still too quiet without all of you running rampant through my house. ?Todavía no me gusta!”
I chuckle, shaking my head as I pull into the parking garage at my apartment complex and park.
“You should go . Quit being so stubborn and go on a vacation with your mates. You’ve talked about going to Italy for as long as I can remember, and now you can. Nothing is stopping you but yourself now.”
She huffs down the line and mutters low enough under her breath that I can’t hear what she says. But I can guess.
“I’m supposed to be the parent giving you advice. When did the tables turn?”
“Eh, probably around the time I graduated college to be a therapist,” I snort.
“Ah, yes. My son, the shrink. And how have things been with your job? You’ve been very busy lately. Dare I say, too busy. How will you ever find someone to love if all you do is work, mí amor ? I want to be a grandmother before I’m too old to even enjoy it.”
There it is. I knew there was something missing from this conversation.
I sigh and rub my hand down my face, rolling my eyes.
“You already have grandkids, Mamá ,” I deadpan.
She sniffs and I can imagine she’s pursing her lips at me pointing that minor fact out.
“But only three! I should have more than that by now.”
Gods. The woman is a loon. She’s lucky I love her, but this interrogation will have to resume tomorrow at dinner.
“I just got home and need a shower so I can figure something out for dinner tonight. We’ll continue this discussion tomorrow, okay?”
“Fine. But we will talk tomorrow.”
Her tone is no nonsense, and I know she means it, stubborn woman that she is. She can’t stand the fact that all of her children aren’t packed up and in love. I mean, four of my siblings are, but the rest are still figuring their lives out and my younger omega siblings are still at the Center and haven’t met their matches yet.
“ Té amo mucho, cari?o, ” Mom murmurs softly, and I close my eyes.
I know she does. Just like I know her nagging for all of us to find love comes from a good place. She just wants us happy. And yeah, she wants more grandkids, but really, she just wants us to find what she and our dads have.
“ Yo también té amo,” I reply, listening to her kiss me through the phone before hanging up and finally shutting my car off.
I groan as my head falls back against my seat, thoughts quickly turning back to Cozette when I have nothing distracting me. Her wild red curls. Her tiny button nose that rests above dusky lips that beg to be kissed properly. The way her clear blue eyes sparkle when she truly smiles….
Shaking my head, I climb out and head inside.
She’s my patient and I need to stop fantasizing about her as anything more than that.