Page 52 of Patiently Yours
The groan that leaves me when I see my mother’s caller ID could probably be heard from Mars.
Knowing that I’ll have to hear from her sooner or later, I reluctantly bring the phone to my ear.
“Hello, Mother.”
“Stacia,” she begins, her tone curt. “It’s been a while. How are your studies?”
I go through the motions of telling her about my classes and grades, leaving out anything and everything in my social life. She’s not exactly someone I can talk to about it.
“Good. I’m glad your grades are up and you’re doing well. Although I don’t know why you wanted to bother with school at all, considering omegas are tended to hand and foot by any alpha they turn their eye to.”
I clench my jaw, then relax it after giving a deep breath. My parents are both betas, and they’ve always been a bit too comfortable spouting what they think of the other two designations. They don’t even hate one over the other. They just believe their own designation is the most reasonable of the three.
“Not all omegas settle down, Mom. Some get jobs and live very happy lives all on their own.” I decide not to repeat—for the millionth time—that neither alphas or omegas are complete slaves to their biology. She wouldn’t hear it anyway.
“Still, it seems like a waste of time. But you’re planning to write silly romance books, so it’s not like you’re wasting too much time.”
I feel my body start the numbing process before her words even finish. I always feel myself stepping away when I’m talking to my parents. It feels impossible to ever have a civil conversation with either one of them.
I reacted this way for a long time before I started to become aware of it. It took even longer to realize that it was always happening around my parents. It seemed to be the only way to handle speaking to them.
I think about the past few weeks with my scent matches, getting to know them while being authentically myself. It’s been a whirlwind of confusing emotions. I’m not sure why, but it almost feels like a trap.
I don’t think I know how to recognize when something is good.
“Stacia, are you there?”
I blink, realizing I must have zoned out while she continued ranting at me.
“Yes, I am.” I swallow. “I think I have some stuff I need to do around the house today, can I call you back?”
My mother gives an annoyed sigh. “Yes, I guess that’s fine. Please call soon, there are things to discuss.”
She hangs up without saying goodbye or those three special words that other children normally get to hear. Like every time before, I pretend like it doesn’t hurt.
Like it’s notunbearable.
I remember the cold indifference between me and my parents early on. Nannies taking care of me, but never getting too close because my parents were particular about professionalism. I ate by myself until dinner. I wasn’t allowed to go outside unless it was for horseback lessons or practicing tennis. I fucking hated both of those things.
I can’t remember the first time they started spouting designation prejudice at me. All I know is that it takes up a hugespace in their life. I don’t know who my parents are without their bias. All I know is that it always left a bad taste in my mouth so—after a while—I just stopped listening.
When I designated as an omega, they reacted worse than I thought. Nasty, vile comments were thrown my way for days. I was only sixteen, and felt like I wasn’t allowed to be excited about this new thing in my life. The part of me that every human waits to discover. It was tainted by their hate, and I’ve never been able to move past it.
Because maybe it reallywasmy fault. Maybe I didn’t try to be a beta enough. Maybe my indifference towards it caused this path to appear for me.
I shake my head. That’snottrue. No matter how much I try to rationalize the way my parents are, there’s never a proper reason. It always comes back to ignorance, bitterness.
They’re miserable in their mansion, so they want everyone to feel that way, too.
Derek, on the other hand, is a bit more difficult. My parents have never tried to hide who they are. They’re a couple of sharks, while he’s a snake. His commitment to getting in my good graces is borderline impressive. I wonder how long he’d been waiting to finally shed his skin and stick his teeth into my neck.
A shiver rolls over me.Ewh.I don’t even want to imagine that.
Before I let the thought cause a spiral, there’s a knock on my bedroom door. I close my eyes and take a deep breath, willing my emotion to calm before I let my best friend into the room.
I call out to her. “Give me a minute, Rory. I’m changing.” But the voice that echoes back isn’t her usual alto.
“I’ve seen it all before, doe. But if you insist.”
