Page 17 of Talk About… Dramay
While Cameron got to lead his fake, pretty life on PackVlog, I’d be suffering his absence.
I felt like I was going to puke, stomach churning and chest aching sharply.
“I understand,” I finally said as I met his eyes to show him that I truly was present, hearing his words. “I won’t risk it.”
His entire body sagged in relief and he gave my shoulder a gentle pat. His compassion was unmatched, but if he was any nicer to me I’d fall apart.
“I’m going to go, bill me or have them call to set up anything further,” I said in a rush as I gathered my things and ran out of the room. The nurses tried to stop me but I was hanging on by a single, quickly unraveling thread, and I couldn’t give them a single word of response.
When the warm, spring sunshine hit me I closed my eyes and tilted my head up, soaking it in and letting it ground me.
It wasn’t the same as it was back home. Here in the city it was full of sounds and smells that didn’t belong.
Footsteps broke me out of my trance and I stepped aside before I could get swept up in the crowd heading for lunch. I hurried to my car, climbing in and taking a shaky breath.
My grandmother was the first person I wanted to call and the stark realization I couldn’t nearly broke me all over again. There was Roman, but I wasn’t ready to talk to him just yet.
Grief and pain warred in my chest but I shoved it away. It had been a few years since she’d died and some days it still felt like yesterday.
Instead, I called up my omega father.
I’d call my mom but she was not the touchy feely sort. She was a calm and collected beta. I knew she’d give me a logical solution, but right now I needed a shoulder to cry on.
Brandon’s picture filled the screen as I made the call, his crows feet and smile lines always were my favorite thing about him. He laughed often and loved hard, two things I always wanted to do as well.
His eyes were a dark blue and hair mostly black with a touch of gray. He was my safe space, even after all this time away.
“Hey, Little Bird,” he said. The sound of the mixer running in the background had a smile filling my tearful face.
“Hey, Dad,” I managed before I heard it click off and his voice changed.
“What’s wrong?”
My choked sob had other voices joining in, my other dads demanding answers and ready to rally around me.
God, I fucking missed them.
“Calm down and let her talk,” Brandon hissed. I heard the door click and silence take over as he locked himself away from the others. “Talk to me, Ori.”
“I’m allergic to suppressors.” That was all I needed to say for him to put all the pieces together. His audible gasp was followed by a deep sigh.
“Oh, sweet girl,” he whispered. “I’m so fucking sorry. I could kill that alpha myself.”
“No,” I responded as quickly as I always did. So far they had respected my boundaries but I knew damn well they were not nice to the Whitaker triplets. Cameron for obvious reasons and the others for not smacking some sense into him. “It’s his choice.”
“It’s the wrong fucking one, Little Bird.”
“We both know that, but I refuse to be an afterthought. Someone taught me my worth.”
He snorted at that. My omega father had confidence in spades and taught me not to take any alpha’s shit. Honestly, he ran things with my parents and I loved that about him.
“You ready to leave that city yet? I miss you,” he said. “If you need a break just come home.”
I wanted to say yes, to run home and let him pamper me out of this funk. But then I knew I couldn’t avoid Lucy Whitaker or her asshole triplet sons.
“I’ll think about it,” was all I offered him. We both knew it was a no but he didn’t push me on it. He never did. My dad respected boundaries and knew I would do what I thought was best. “I’ve got Roman waiting at home. I’ll be okay.”
I’d told him all about him. My dad was practically bursting with questions and lighting up as I gushed about our dates and how amazing he was.