Major’s hands close into a fist, and he breathes out tension even as the word rolls off his lips. “No.”
Dad flicks his eyes at me before turning back to my brother. “So that means letting her go.”
It’s world-shattering, bile rising up my throat. I knew this, I fucking knew this, but the blow still hurts. My teeth ground as I try not to show any emotion after my father’s words. It feels fucking wrong that Veda’s chance for happiness is not on the ranch with us.
Fuck, I got used to seeing her in her cute outfits going to feed the chickens. Her smile as she looks at the golden acre. That land is more alive because she’s on it, and all that is gone now. It's all happening so fucking fast.
Major nods, his posture tense, but that’s all he shows.
“Maybe you have time. Maybe she’ll scent-match with you. Who knows?” Pop smiles, but I don’t.
Everyone in this room knows that’s virtually impossible at this point. The temperature climbs, and I feel suffocated inside the cabin. I hate to be reminded of what we missed out on by never experiencing matehood. I’m usually good at pretending I don’t care. The situation was permanent, and thinking about an Omega that doesn’t exist didn’t do me any favors. It’s easy to forget about a mystical creature I don’t know.
But how can I forget about Veda?
I can’t stay still. I can’t look in my dad's eyes anymore and watch the pity in their gaze. I swallow gravel and pain, and I stumble out of the cabin to leave.
It’s childish to leave my big brother to deal with our parents, but my whole body tingles with awareness and shame, and I can’t take it anymore. The more I put space between me and my parents’ home, the more I feel stupid for not holding on. I know Major feels like he needs to shoulder every responsibility, and I just proved him right.
My feet decide my path. I’m not looking where I’m going, only that I desperately need space. The voices in my head are loud until I hear a sniffle, and I know right away who it belongs to. I lift my eyes and find Veda watching me with tears running down her cheeks.
The instinct to protect hammers inside and takes over. Why is she crying? It’s a fucking bad idea, but before I stop myself, I take her hands in mine. “Come with me.”
I’m in so much trouble.
twenty-two
Derrick
She follows me with her head cast down, and I don’t dare look around either. I can feel people’s eyes on us even if I don't lift my eyes from our destination. A small trail behind the township follows the path of the river. She’s out of breath as we make our way, two steps of hers to each one of mine, and I slow down.
Veda smiles, mouthing her thanks, and again I’m thrown off by her need to feel thankful for every smallest act. Why is everyone such an asshole? I don’t have the answer, so I just show her the way. We walk briskly beside the river, until it gets narrower and shallow, and it’s finally just a stream born from the side of the mountain.
Tension leaves my shoulders when we reach a clearance, far enough so no one can hear us.
“We are alone now,” I tell her, guiding her to sit on a small rock.
“Thank you.”
A hundred different things run through my mind. Is it her grandfather again? I haven’t seen her with a phone, so I don’t even know if she has someone to text. If that asshole is bothering her even this far? I’m going to fucking—
“Why are you crying?” I decide to cut my own murderingthoughts.
Veda sucks in a breath, her beautiful brown eyes look around the woods enclosing the stream, and she smiles softly; it’s a stab on an open wound. She looks so sad, so lost like this.
“Why wouldn’t I cry?” She lifts a shoulder. “I have a good reason.”
For the first time, I hear resentment in her tone. In a way, I’m happy for her. I don’t want her to be manageable. I don't want her sweet. She’s allowed to scream and curse. Actually, just thinking about it makes me hard. Damn, anything she does makes me hard.
Veda doesn’t scream or get angry. All she does is sigh as she stands from the rock I put her on.
“Your mom told me that I’m an Omega. Is that true?”
Her eyes are piercing, zeroed in on me when she asks the question. On the back of a bronco, I thought I was a brave man.
I’m obviously not. All the ways I imagined explaining things to Veda, I assumed I’d have Major and Jesse by my side. Major would give the facts while Jesse would smooth our edges. It seems like a job for the three of us together. One helping the other. Instead, it’s just me and the woods.
There’s no point in lying to her, especially if Mom already spilled the beans. I breathe out and nod.
