Page 26 of Omega Makes a Family
"I mean, maybe." Oliver shrugs, his cheeks burning red. "It's been a while since I've been home. I left without telling them anything. If I come back, I'm not sure what to expect."
"Well, there's one way to find out," I say with a smile as I look out at the road ahead. "Where's the next interchange?"
"Soon," Oliver says, his tone brightening considerably. "About ten miles, and we'll take the first exit. That should put us on the right highway."
"Then it's settled," I reply.
"Are you sure, though?" Oliver asks. "If you guys don't want to, then…"
"We'll follow wherever you go, Ollie," Sebastian insists.
"And we'll all be by your side the whole time," Lucas adds.
"That's right." Roman nods. "Nothing's going to happen to you while we're here."
I smile and reach over, squeezing Oliver's hand reassuringly. "You've got four alpha mates who are willing to follow you anywhere. No matter what happens, we've got your back."
Oliver beams, his eyes misting up as he squeezes my hand in return. "Okay then, I guess we're going home."
We swap drivers periodically, giving each of us a chance to rest so we don't have to stop overnight anywhere. It's been a long and uneventful drive, but the mood in the car has been hopeful the entire way. Oliver's been understandably nervous, but by the time we pull into a small town at the base of a mountain, he seems excited about what lies ahead.
"Alright, just up this road and through the gate," Oliver instructs as we wind up the narrow dirt road. "It's nothing like what you guys are used to. Your pack is huge, but this is where I grew up."
As he speaks, we pass through a large set of gates that mark the entrance to a working farm. A small house sits on one side of the path, and several other buildings are scattered about the grounds. There are a few people out tending the fields, and as we pass by, they stop what they're doing and stare at us.
"That's my parents' house," Oliver explains, pointing to the large, two-story home that's situated at the top of a small rise overlooking the rest of the farm. "We'll head up there first. I'm sure my mom will have some words to say."
"Are they going to be mad at you?" Lucas asks, somewhat quietly. I know he's probably thinking about what his father's reaction would be in this situation.
Oliver shakes his head. "I mean, yeah, my mom will probably chew me out, but I know it's because she's been worried. I didn't tell them anything about my plans. I just…left."
"What were your plans exactly?" Sebastian asks, raising a brow.
"I didn't have any," Oliver admits. "I just felt like I needed to make room. I needed to do what was best for my family. If I stayed, I would've weakened the pack. Having an omega inherit leadership would've been too much for the pack's reputation. But the thought of leaving hurt so badly. I didn't have a plan, I didn't have a goal, I just needed to leave. And, as it turns out, fate had other plans."
The others chuckle, but I just smile. I'm still not certain I believe in all this fated-mate crap. It sounds like a fairy tale that fills people's heads with fantasies that will never happen. But when I look at Oliver, I definitely feel something I've never felt toward anyone before. And when I look at the others, I know the four of us are capable of almost anything if we stick together.
Chapter 19
Oliver
I take a deep breath as I climb out of the car and look up at the house I grew up in. The familiar sights and scents have had my wolf pacing excitedly ever since we started getting close to the farm. Nothing here has changed in the few months since I left home.
It's the middle of the day. Right around the time my parents are usually stopping their chores to have lunch together. In all the time they've been mates, they've never missed a meal with one another. It was one of the things I always admired about their relationship. No matter what, they made time for each other.
I climb the steps to the front porch, my heart rate climbing as I do. I can hear them inside, my mother talking about how one of the chickens is brooding a clutch of eggs. My father is asking her questions and telling her he's proud of her prized flock of egg layers. They're adorable.
Then I hear my brother. He's quiet, barely audible. I can't make out what he's saying, but he sounds like he's sulking. My parents both go quiet.
My heart stops in my chest. I get the feeling that he must've said something about me. Something about the way I left and abandoned them all. The way I ran away from my responsibilities and dumped them all on him. The way I just made a decision without telling anyone anything about it.
Maybe this was a mistake. Maybe I should never have come back.
Just as I'm starting to wonder if I should run away, the door swings open.
My mother stands there, gaping at me with a surprised look on her face. She stares at me for a moment, blinking slowly, as if she's not sure she believes what she's seeing.
"I knew I caught your scent on the wind," she says with tears shining in her eyes. "I knew it wasn't just my imagination this time."
