“Yup. I tried to buy them something nicer, but this is where they wanted to stay. It’s paid off and I handle the property tax every year,” I tell her.
“You’re a good son,” she says, taking my hand as I open the front door.
The minute we’re inside, my mom is on Hailey like a woman possessed.
“Oh my goodness, Paxy, she’s gorgeous,” she says, wrapping her arms around Hailey and hugging her tight. Hailey hugs her back, but looks at me with wide eyes.
“Natalie, give the girl some air to breathe,” my stepdad says, and my mom pulls away a little to hold Hailey by the shoulders.
Tears fill my mom’s eyes and Hailey looks over at me concerned.
“Sorry. It’s just always been Paxton’s dream to have a pack. When he was a little boy, he would play house with the other kids. He was usually the designated Omega though.”
“Mom,” I hiss her name.
Hailey just grins. “That’s very adorable.”
“Come. Come. We have plenty of snacks. Oh my goodness, would you like to see pictures of Paxton as a baby?”
“I would love that,” Hailey says as my mom takes her over to the couch, stacks of albums on the table.
“You did good, son,” Hank says, gripping my shoulder. Hank Hayes was the man who made me who I am today. Without him, I’m sure I’d grown up to be an angry as hell kid turned adult. My dad was a piece of shit. Paxton was a family name on his side. It doesn’t bother my mother, so I let her use it, but it’s why I don’tlet anyone else call me by it. Being called Hayes made sense. It’s who I always felt like I was. Hank might have only adopted me at thirteen, but he was my true family.
“Thanks, Dad,” I say, and he takes a deep inhale. I realize I don’t call him that enough.
“Oh my god, you were so fucking cute,” Hailey says looking at a picture of me in one of my Halloween costumes. “I’m so sorry, excuse my language.”
My mom barks out a laugh. “No, you’re right, he really was fucking cute.”
I grin as I watch my mom and Hailey chat. It makes me realize just how true my words to Hailey were. That we’re her family now, and we’ll never let her down the same way her biological family did.
I love the Omega laughing on my mom’s couch so much, and I hope one day she’ll feel the same way toward me.
CHAPTER 28
HAILEY
Hayes’mom is the warmest, most wonderful woman I’ve ever met. We spend the whole day there, and it goes by easier than I ever imagined.
This is what a family is supposed to look like, and they’re mine if I want them.
Which I do.
Just a day without Sterling and Nate has me on eggshells, and I know bonding will put that at ease. Hayes is the only thing keeping me steady. He keeps me busy so I can’t think about it too much. I’m not sure how I went from the world’s number one Alpha hater to obsessing over two of them, but I’m not mad about it.
Being with Hayes’ family, knowing how happy these men make me, brings me some clarity.
Why wait?
I know I’m not going to change my mind. There’s no pack that could be better for me than this one.
As I watch Hayes kiss his mom’s cheek, promising to come back again next week, I realize something bone deep.
I love him.
Hayes is fun, caring, wild, and so fucking beautiful in every way. He makes me feel safe and loved unconditionally, something I didn’t know existed.
He’s pursued me, shown me he cares deeply, and I want to show him the same. I need him to know that I appreciate him, and that I’m all in too.
