“You ran into a burning building for…” He doesn’t even want to finish. I don’t blame him. I’ve heard enough people say, ‘You ran into a burning building for a few pieces of paper.’
It was insanity... and could have cost me my life.
“I did that… but also, there was something of importance for my dad and his pack in there. Even if they didn’t have the money for the deal, that contract was everything. The legal binding of that agreement. If that was gone, they would never be able to get a new one made.”
“Why not?”
“The person who signed it was dead,” I reveal. “There was no copy made of it, and you know the legalities when it comes to official documents. It’s either the original or everything is voided.”
“Fuck, Astraea.”
I like how he seems so frustrated with me. I can’t help but smile and reach out to stroke his cheek.
“I made it out, though,” I say cheekily. “Sure, had smoke inhalation and had to be in the hospital for a few weeks, butmy dad and his pack managed to get a loan from his friend and secure the deal.”
“And you? The scouting deal?”
I nervously giggle.
“It fell through.” I still can’t hide the disappointment, even after all these years.It still hurts…“Despite having proof of the fire, they couldn’t wait for a ‘fragile’ Omega to recover when it comes to recruitment, so I lost out on it.”
It’s laughable now, but man, it hurt a lot back then.
“That was probably the first time my dad and his pack saw me cry. Like snot dripping, tears overflowing crying. Nothing they could do would console me. My heart was just broken. I took a long break from writing after that. I think that’s why I started writing lyrics for songs.” I shrug slightly. “The therapist said it would be a good outlet.”
“Did that bitch apologize?” he growls.
I know he’s referring to my mother.
“Nope. Why would she?” He seemed more baffled by my statement than I expected. “The fire was the talk of our neighborhood at the time, and she gained loads of sympathy. People thought her collection had been burned to a crisp. Companies sent her free bags. Her friends at the time made an effort to take her out and buy her shit with money they got from their packs. She was the victim of the fire catastrophe.”
“She wasn’t the victim!” he snaps as if he’s defending me at that very moment. “She’s the fucking mastermind! The damn villain in all of this.”
“Bingo,” I whisper and give him a soft gaze as I lean in and lightly press my lips to his. That seems to calm him down enough, the tension in his body beginning to fade the longer I kiss him.
Breaking the firm kiss, I whisper against his lips.
“You can see why our relationship is toxic. The true reasoning as to why my dad and his pack would rather be anywhere in this world than here with their Omega and her daughter.”
“That’s not fair to you,” he mutters. “To finish your young adulthood without parental support because your mom is a luxury addict with the toxic trait of sympathy fishing.”
“Life’s not fair,” I remind him as though he must have forgotten. I don’t blame him. Alphas don’t suffer as much compared to Omegas. Their lives and lifestyle are designed to see them succeed.
For us, not so much.
“That’s just how it is for us Omegas.”
I’ve accepted it, but that tiny part of me hates this reality.
My little inner child who wished for her stories to be out in the grand world.
“Well, that’s not how it’s going to be anymore,” he huffs. “You’re not going to be in this world struggling to get your words out there. I have connections. Your books can be Hollywood famous in days. I can make the calls, and voila. Done.”
“Icarus…” I’m speechless. “B-But you haven’t read any of my books.”
“But I’ve read every lyrical creation you’ve written for the artists who have gone viral with them,” he reveals. “That’s not just luck. That’s a gift that should have been shared long ago, Rae.”
“Why…” There’s no way he can just support me so effortlessly like that.There has to be a catch. There’s always a bargain waiting to be laid and used like a leash around one’s neck.“You’re not supportive like this to everyone, are you?”