Page 2 of Omega's Pretend Mate
My grandparents’ house manager, Bennett, opened the doors and my grandfather, Martin Everest, shuffled in, obviously being helped by my grandmama, Irene.
I winced. They hadn’t said a word, and I could tell that grandfather wasn’t well.
A quiet murmur spread through the room, and I realized that I wasn’t the only one who was surprised.
Grandmama fussed over grandfather for a moment before he finally got frustrated and motioned for her to sit beside him. Then he took her hand, and I watched him bump his thumb over her knuckles.
“I’m sure my appearance is a shock to most of you,” grandfather stated, his voice slightly weaker than I remembered. He looked around before continuing. “And, as I’m sure you can deduce, I don’t have much time left.”
“Ganfa! Ganfa!” cried one of the toddlers in the room, who squirmed off his mama’s lap and ran over to grandfather.
Grandfather picked up his great-grandson with a pained grimace and set him on his knee, then turned back to the rest of us. “I was diagnosed with cancer just over a year ago. As to why this is the first you are hearing of this, I’d asked everybody local to keep my illness to themselves until we were confident that we’d explored all options for recovery. This was so that I could spend my time focusing on treatments rather than entertaining visitors.”
He sighed as he snuggled the toddler closer. “Unfortunately, last week my doctors informed me that we’ve exhausted all the standard regimens given my age and progression. We are moving onto some off-label options, and they’re looking into experimental and foreign therapies, but unless we have success with one of these, it’s estimated that I only have a year or so to live.”
Another murmur spread through the room.
“Let me be clear,” he continued. “I have not given up, and neither should you. The Everest family is one of fighters, and I’m not going to let something like a cancer diagnosis change that. But we’re also practical, and I decided that now is the time to inform you of all the changes going forward.”
He coughed, then nodded at Bennett, who stepped forward while grandmama fussed over grandfather again.
“Everything will remain mainly as you’re accustomed to for the time being,” Bennett said. “Walter,” he paused to nod in my dad’s direction, “has managed the day-to-day operations of Pinnacle Publishing for many years already, allowing Mr. Everest to reduce his role to that of occasional consultant. So changes to the company will be minor.”
He paused and looked around the room before he continued. “The changes that concern most of you are in regards to your trust funds, and how Mr. Everest will be changing the trustee roles for them over the coming year.”
Bennett allowed another murmur to go through the room as he unfolded a piece of paper and settled his glasses on his nose.
“Alpha heirs over thirty, and all heirs over twenty-five and mated or married for at least one year will be named trustees for their respective trusts upon Mr Everest’s passing, or sooner at his discretion. All other beneficiaries will have their trusts overseen by Evelyn,” he stated, nodding towards my alpha aunt, “until such conditions are met.”
I frowned. Surely he misspoke and meant everybody over thirty. Maybe it was because I was the only unmated adult omega in the family, and there were several alphas. They were old-fashioned, but surely I could be trusted to manage my own money.
He folded the paper again. “Evelyn has spent the past few months reviewing expenses in preparation for her role, and has already indicated that she sees some potential savings in tightening the budget of discretionary disbursements.”
Bennett looked over to my aunt, who stood.
“You’ll likely find me stricter than father when it comes to discretionary disbursements,” she started. “This is in line with my fiduciary role as trustee. While there will be no changes to any recurring payments, I think the younger members of the family may find that this is a good time to learn proper budgeting so that they are prepared to make their funds last for the remainder of their lives once they do assume control of their trusts.”
There was some grumbling among the college-aged grandchildren, but I wasn’t surprised. I’d seen their social media posts of lavish vacations and new cars.
Still, I didn’t begrudge them their complaints. I wouldn’t want my money controlled by my type-A personality aunt either. She was so rigid and demanding that she could be the dictionary photo for a micromanager.
Aunt Evelyn glared at the grumbling twenty-somethings, who quickly quieted under her gaze. “That reaction alone proves that this will be a necessary lesson for some of you. Father will continue to approve or deny requests for now, but you will also receive my notes alongside any of his indicating what my response would have been, so that you can see how my approach to discretionary disbursements will differ from his.”
She sat and Bennett stepped forward again.
“Mr. and Mrs. Everest will be meeting privately with you all over the next few days to catch up since so many of you live out of town. This will give him a chance to balance health needs and family time. For now that covers the mass announcement.”
Bennett turned to grandmama and grandfather, leaned in to listen to a request, then strolled from the room.
I watched as various family members stood and converged to discuss the news. Then I saw that grandmama and grandfather were still sitting alone. Seeing my chance, I stood and made my way over.
“Gabe,” grandmama said, standing and opening her arms for a hug.
“Hi grandmama,” I said, walking into her embrace. I then leaned over and hugged grandfather around the toddler who had fallen asleep in his lap. “Hi grandfather.”
He nodded at me while grandmama motioned me towards a chair, which I pulled around to face them.
“How are you sweetheart?” grandmama asked. “We hardly ever see you.”
