Veda doesn’t understand what an honor it is to take care of her. We’ve lived our whole lives thinking we'd never get a chance, but again, I’m met with the feeling that this isn't just because she’s an Omega. I want to see her smile because she’s Veda.
“I have hospital details I can share with you. I have everything in my phone and computer. Something I always thought was odd is that Grandpa didn’t let me go to a fancy hospital. He’s known to like expensive things, but I gave birth in a small hospital outside Dallas. The doctor gave Mirasol straight to Grandpa. Right away, I never even held her.”
She says it with such bravery, but I know the memory alone sinks deep like a knife twisting inside a fresh wound. I reach over and squeeze her shoulder. “I’m sorry, sweetheart.”
“It’s okay,” she says even as she wipes her eyes with the back of her hands. “It feels different now that you all know. I don’t feel so hopeless anymore.”
“We’ll do everything to bring her home,” I say, bold enough to call the ranch her home once again.
She doesn’t correct me on that.
Instead, her smile is big, and she looks happier than I’ve ever seen her. It occurs to me how small the pieces of Veda we’ve got until now are. She came to live with us while still recovering from the emotional stress her own family put her through.
Nothing will be the same once she’s back on her feet. If I think she’s a ray of sunshine now, I know she’ll be the whole sun when she’s properly cared for. The prospect excites me. I hate that she went through it at all, but this is an opportunity to help. And I’m taking it.
For the rest of the trip, Veda tells us everything about the pregnancy. She mentions Mirasol’s sperm donor a few times, but she doesn’t dwell much on him.
“Were you in love?” I can’t help but ask.
She makes a face, tilting her head to the side as she really thinks this over.
“I thought I was, but I think I was just lonely. I don’t think about Joe at all. I don’t miss him, and I never cried for him.”
“I’m glad you didn’t cry for him, darlin’,” Derrick drawls. “He sounds like a whimpy little shit that doesn’t deserve your pretty tears.”
“Why, thank you. I didn’t know my tears were pretty.” Veda giggles.
“Everything about you is pretty.” Derrick shrugs, and she turns as red as a tomato.
Major clears his throat, obviously uncomfortable with all the flirting. He should get used to this, because it’s sure gonna happen a hell of a lot more.
“You said your name isn’t St. James, but Darling,” he asks. “Is that your mother’s last name?”
She shakes her head. “No. It’s my grammie’s maiden name. Carrying the St. James last name has always been a lot, and Grammie was the only one who ever cared for me, so”—she lifts a shoulder—“I was being a rebel.”
That makes Major chuckle. “You’re a brat.”
She gasps, but I see there’s a smile in her eyes. Major sees it too when he glances her way. “Can’t deny it. It’s who you are.”
“I like to think I’m a good girl,” she says, crossing her arms in front of her chest. “I only know my mom’s first name. It’s Manuela, though I’m not sure if I’m even pronouncing it right. Grammie told me accidentally once, and Grandpa got really angry with her.”
“See, I feel that St. James knows a lot. He’s involved in all shit,” Derrick says.
“What do you mean by all shit?”
Major sends his brother a hard stare over his shoulder, but Derrick doesn’t seem to mind. We shouldn’t keep secrets from her; this is her life, and she trusted us with the truth. She deserves the same.
“We’ve learned about some bad people who started trafficking Omegas a long time ago, when they first disappeared. It’s been happening under our noses,” I said with a tip of my chin, letting my packmate know I’m not going to lie to her anymore.
Veda’s face transforms in front of me as she takes a sharp inhale. Fear scent sours the car, straightening our spines. Major grips the wheel, Derrick balls his hands into fists, and I sit here with a horrible sense of impotence. I don’t ever want to smell her fear again. Understanding comes to Veda’s features, followed by horror. She’s a mother, so her mind goes there without any word from us.
“It might be unrelated,” Major says. I know he’s cursing me, but I don’t care.
“But it might be very much related.” Veda shakes her head. “Do you think Grandpa is involved in something like this?”
“Too many Omegas disappearing under his care,” Derrick adds. “It doesn’t look good.”
“Too many Omegas?” She twists her nose. “Do you mean my mother too?”
