Page 85 of Where There's Smoke
“Oh dear, ask me anything!” she said. The sound of her moving echoed through the phone as she changed rooms, her voice a whisper when she spoke next. “Walker, could you please look after Luka for a minute?”
Quiet filled the background, and then I heard her shut the door, the knob clicking loudly into place.
“Okay, Luka is playing with Walker, so we can chat. Shoot!”
But it took me a few moments to summon the words. Even though I knew Sunny would be there for me, to help and offer advice, the weight of the situation pressed down so damn hard. I was trapped between a rock and a hard place.
“Legally, as an omega, what rights do my parents have over me?” I asked, my voice tight.
Sunny was silent for a moment, and I heard her sigh. “Shit. It can't be good if you're asking me that. Well, long story short, if you are an unbonded omega, then, legally speaking, you're almost viewed as a minor. Your parents can still decide where you live and that sort of thing.”
Dammit. That was the last thing I wanted to hear. “Sunny, my parents…”
The words got stuck again, and my eyes burned. I’d just discovered this incredible new part of myself, and my parents had already found a way to ruin it. Would I never be free of them?
“Yeah, I got the impression when you told me about them before that they weren’t exactly the best people. Have they made an appearance?”
I got up from the bed, pacing back and forth as my heart rate ticked up. I was putting myself under so much stress at this point. Well, it wasn’t me, was it? It was my parents and my stupid older brother, who was basically just a carbon copy of my dad.
“Yep, they're talking about setting me up with a pack that could help their business. I swear to God, I hate the way they trample all over whatIwant. They act like they’re important, fancy businesspeople who own a conglomerate. When in reality, they own a few used car dealerships! How the hell do I get out of this? The guys are being really sweet and insisting that they'll keep me here, but can they even get away with that? This is my life. Why should I have to sacrifice everything I want?”
“Oh, hun. Take a breath. Tell me, how’s your relationship with the guys? I know you were kind of dancing around each other last time we spoke, but now…”
It hit me just how much had gone on since I talked with Sunny, and my cheeks heated. We’d gotten a lot closer, in fact. The idea of never seeing them again, being bonded toanotherpack, made me sick to my stomach.
“Well, we've had sex, and I went through a heat with them, and we are sort of dating, but it's all so new.”
A delicate snort emanated from the other end of the phone. “Gosh, you sound like me a few months ago. Now, I have to ask. Are youseriousabout them?”
“I mean, Ilikethem, but I don't see how that's relevant.”
“Well, if you're bonded, your parents have no say over your life,” Sunny pointed out.
I stilled, shower forgotten. “Isn’t bonding like… forever?”
“It is, but,” Sunny sucked in a breath, and I waited on bated breath for her to continue, “is that really a scary thought? Or is that the nerves talking?”
For a few moments, I thought about it, likereallythought about it. The idea of being away from the guys was terrifying, but the idea of being with them wasn't. Moreover, there was something between us that I couldn’t deny. I’d been stuck in their orbit since the moment we met, but that didn’t feel like a collision waiting to happen. Whenever I was with my parents or Reed, I felt like a prisoner, not a whole person, and like I didn’t matter.
The opposite was true with Pack Wilder. I felt seen and cared for, appreciated for exactly who I was.
“I think it's scariernotbeing with them,” I admitted.
“So maybe it's worth bringing up a conversation about bonding.”
I scoffed. “Sure, that's going to be an easy conversation to bring up. ‘Hey, do you want to bite me, so my crazy family doesn't drag me back across the country and we can keep boning?’”
Sunny snorted, and I could just picture her rolling her eyes. “Well, I wouldn't word it like that. But yeah. Have a conversation. I have a feeling you’re going to be pleasantly surprised by their answer.”
“Sunny, you’re the biggest optimist on the planet. But…I’ll think about it. I need to hop in the shower, though. I’ll keep you posted.”
“You better,” she insisted. “I’m a phone call or text away. And you don’t have to wait for something crazy to happen to hit me up. We can just talk too. I’m here for you. Also, I happen to know a lawyer who has dealt with this sort of issue before. Gideon is bonded to the best friend of my brother's omega, and her family tried to pull this sort of shit with her too. I’ll get you his number because he would be happy to help.”
I sighed, unable to fight back my smile. “Okay, Sunny. Thank you. I will reach out too. Promise. Talk to you soon. Thank you, seriously.”
“Very soon! Tell everyone I said hi.”
“I will.”
