Page 2 of Brandy Snap: Part One

Visiting hours at Mum’s nursing home started early Friday through Sunday. I was booked for Sunday morning, and Rosa had reserved Friday because she said her whole pack was going away for the weekend on a trip for Tommy.

“I know, I’m so sorry, but everything is just piling up.”

I loved my sister, I really did, but it was hard not to get angry at her when she did this every single fortnight.

Our Mum had a stroke last year and needed round-the-clock care. We both paid for it, half and half, though her alphas still complained about the amount of money it took out of their budget. And it was why I worked six full days, Monday to Saturday, no matter what time of year it was. Sometimes seven, if I could get away with it. Unless it was those sweet, sweet two weeks of paid holiday, where I ended up going to look after Mum, anyway.

With rent and hospital bills, there were some months where I only had a small amount left for food, but I learned to make things stretch.

And any mention of the fact that there were four of them and only one of me was met with another barrage of excuses.

If I brought up things such as their two-week trip to Sydney or the hot tub they had installed in Spring, or the giant party they had for Tommy’s second birthday, they threatened to cut off Mum’s payments.

“Can’t you just take Tommy along with you?” I asked.

“I’m worried he might give Mum his cold.”

I’d guess Tommy had coughed once and she’d freaked out.

I was too tired. My body had ached for the past two days. Even though my mind was fuzzy and I was pretty sure a fever was coming, I still had a double shift today. I needed the extra hours to cover my rent.

If I pushed her, she’d switch to tears and guilt-tripping, and I’d feel like I’d been trapped in one of thoseAm I The Asshole?situations, forcing my poor sister to visit our sick Mum so I could have a day off like the scoundrel I was.

I just wish she wouldn’t promise to go then cancel on me last minute. But it wasn’t like I ever had any plans.

“Okay, fine. But can you send them your next payment?” I asked.

“Of course! Yeah! Of course I will. Oh my God, Mel. You are just the best. Thank you so much!”

At least she sounded happy when she hung up, and I knew she’d spend the whole day singing and dancing around the house and doing all those lovely things she could do as a stay-at-home mum, like reading in the garden, or cooking her alphas food, or generally living the omega dream.

And all while I was just trying to live.

Sin

“Youwillmatewitha female omega by the Ceremony or we will disown you!” Caspian’s mother’s yell was rather drowned out by the sound of the bone china teacup shattering against my chest.

She stood across from us, impeded from further chaos by a wide coffee table, and I was glad for the divide.

Zania Risler reigned over us in a pearled silk dress, whose elegance was a jarring contrast to the rage that marred her twisted face. Fifty years of spite never made for graceful aging.

A snarl tore from my right, along with the heady scent of salted caramel. I gently lowered my gloved hand to rest carefully on Caspian’s curled fist hidden between our thighs. With myself on his left, and our omega, Kai, gleefully digging his fingers into our mate’s leg on his right, it was enough to keep him down.

Kai’s black skirt and red silk shirt helped create an illusion of professionalism, even though his thin body shook beneath it. His amaretto scent held a bite that only appeared when he was truly angry.

We each took deep breaths as Caspian’s gaze snapped to the stain spreading over my pressed lapel as I neatly brushed the shards from my lap.

I instantly sent both of them as much love as I could muster through our pack bond, attempting to soothe them, albeit unsuccessfully.

As their pack leader, I needed them to be more composed. This was nothing unusual. It was simply that we were far more tense with Kai so close to his heat.

Yet another strained start to our already-worn routine. The first of the month had become the most dreaded day on my pack’s calendar.

Though the drama was to be expected. Tea with Caspian’s parents was a lesson in civility.

Even compared to my own parents, they grossly overestimated their own value and used that belief to subjugate others. Which included squeezing our male omega into a box they had specifically crafted in their own minds.

I withheld my forthcoming sigh as I pulled a handkerchief from my breast pocket to dab the Earl Grey from my neck.

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