Page 107 of Finding the Forward: Part One
A frown twinged on her lips. “You think I’d run?”
“I can foresee several scenarios where you’d genuinely believe that you leaving would remove the issue. If there’s a problem, we need to talk it out like grownups, not run away. If you don’t know how to talk to them, come to me. That’s what I’m here for. We’ll figure it out like adults, understood?” I told her. Communication solved so many issues. Certainly if my parents had actuallytalked,life would have been so much better.
I’d gotten a glimpse of the tattoo on her inner thigh–and a very good look at the fairy on her shoulder. Little girly tattoos. I knew never to underestimate the girlies. They would take you out with a stiletto–or an eyelash comb–in an instant.
That’s what I needed. Her to stab me with some tweezers when I was being a knothead.
Alphas didn’t just form packs to please an omega, they did it for support. Some things we could only get from each other–like a beating when we were being alphaholes.
Oh, the things I wanted from her.
“No third act breakup. We talk it out. Understood. That feels good. Maybe I should learn something like this? The online class I’m taking right now doesn’t go into it. I worry that I didn’t snuggle them enough. It’s too bad that I can’t spend the night; I feel like I should.” She sighed again in pleasure as I worked out a knot in her muscles.
I wish she could stay over, becausesheneeded it. Verity wasn’t good at listening to her own needs yet.
“You were good with them. I’ll cuddle them extra for you tonight.” And fuck Dean more, Grif if he asked.
The fact she was taking an online alpha class meant everything.
My hands worked up her thigh as I lifted it toward my shoulder. “This hurts?”
“No, the stretch feels good. I didn’t have time to stretch today. Mmmm.”
Her leg on my shoulder, I continued to work on it. “If you wake up sad, or are angry for no reason, know that it happens sometimes. They don’t talk about alpha drop much in the classes. I’ll have Grif keep his phone near the bed. I’ll try to send them to hug you in the morning before we leave.”
Maybe I’d hug her, too.
“I’d like that,” she whispered.
Dean pounded on the closed door. “What are you doing in there? If it’s each other, I want to watch. Food’s here.”
“We’re just talking. We’ll be out soon.” I wasn’t done. Not with her legs, not with this conversation.
“It’s okay, Dean, we’ll be there in a bit,” she soothed.
I started on her hip. “Dean’s parents are like a fucking fairytale. They’re an alpha-omega couple, no pack. They’re so nice that I spent the first two years wondering when they’d drop the act. But it wasn’t. Old money, giant house. Very accepting and supportive, like ridiculously so.”
They’d love Verity. Her and Dean’s mom would go to the spa, shop at boutiques, take tea in the garden, and shit like that.
“Grif grew up on the other side of town. His parents worked a lot. Sometimes when he was young, there wasn’t enough money for new things. Grif got many of the opportunities he did because of Dean’s parents.” I tapped her leg. “Turn over.”
Like the good girl she was, she flopped onto her stomach. I poured oil on her legs and continued rubbing.
“One thing his family has is a lot of love. They’re welcoming people and will share what they have. As for my parents...” I moved to her other side so I could get the other leg.
My shitty, shitty parents. I empathized with Verity.
“One of my alpha dads moved us around a lot for work. I discovered hockey when we were living in Sweden. My alpha mother is a colossal bitch. Punitive, abusive, degrading. OnlyPop, my omega dad, could soothe her. When he died, everything went to shit.” I worked my aggression out on her other hip.
Sure, when your bonded mate died it ripped out part of your soul. But she’d become unhinged.
“What happened?” Verity asked quietly, squeezing my arm.
“One time she went too far. Something in me snapped and rage replaced all my fear. I punched her in the face, then knocked her out. I got my sister, and we left and fled to the only safe place I knew–my hockey coach’s house. By then we were back in Toronto. We stayed with her until we left for university. You’re not the only one with a mom who did time.” It was for the better.
So was going no contact with them. They got none of my money. My sister and I even changed our last name, severing that connection. However, I had a beautiful marker made for Pop and my little brother and helped my sister as much as I could.
“Oh, thank you for sharing.” Verity went quiet as I kneaded her thigh.
