Page 195 of Claiming the Pack's Omega

My mom blinks quickly. I can see in the shadows in her eyes and the heaviness in her shoulders that she still feels guilty, but maybe that's something that won't disappear overnight. Maybe I have to show her that I'm happy, that I'm living a beautiful life I never thought I'd be able to live.

"How've you and Dad been doing, though?" I ask, leaning against the kitchen counter. "This place is really nice and I hear the kids are all going to school now?"

"It's been amazing," Mom says, her voice going soft and wistful. "Like a dream come true. Your father earns enough on his income alone for us to afford all our living expenses without me needing to work anymore, so I get to spend a lot more time with the kiddos. And he only has to work the normal nine-to-five hours, so he's home for dinner every night."

"I'm so glad," I say, smiling at her. "You deserve that, Momma, you've worked your ass off ever since you got pregnant with me."

She shrugs and opens her mouth—probably to say something self-deprecating—but I interrupt her.

"No, Mom. You worked hard. Dad got you pregnant with me when you were both in high school, and you guys still managed to figure out a way to make things work."

She smiles at me, but it's a sad one.

"I just wish we'd figured out a way to give you that kind of childhood," she says.

My breaths quicken and my throat goes dry. Mom reaches over to me and brushes something off my cheek.

My tears.

Shit, I'm crying.

"Sorry," I say, wiping at my cheeks.

"You don't have to apologize for crying," Mom says, pulling me into her arms.

I cling to her, like I'm a child again. As my tears fall, I feel the sad mourning for the childhood I never had. But I also feel this immense sense of joy that childhood is possible for my siblings. That my parents can live a life where they don't have to kill themselves in order to barely provide for all of us.

Once I finally pull myself together, I straighten, wiping away the last remaining tears from my cheeks.

"My makeup still look good?" I laugh.

My mom helps me dab gently under my eyes before she nods.

"Flawless as always," my mom confirms.

I nod, smiling at her.

"Even though you guys couldn't give me that kind of childhood, I don't hold it against you. There're some real systemic issues going on in this stupid town. You and Dad have worked harder than anyone I ever met and you could barely keep a roof over our heads. That's not normal. That shouldn't be normal."

I feel it, then. That calling that Milo and I talked about, a while ago. I feel a spark ignite in my chest.

"I'm going to fix it," I vow. "Or at least I'm going to fucking try."

"If anyone can do it, it would be you," Mom nods. "You've always been so strong, Reyna. But something's changed in you, recently. I can see it."

"It's because I'm not alone, Momma."

"Dinner's ready!" My dad calls as he carries a large tray full of burgers and hot dogs in from the backyard. He sets the tray down on the kitchen counter and opens his arms out for me.

I wrap my arms around him, and he lifts me up off the ground as he hugs me close.

"Good to see you, Rey-Rey. Those alphas of yours been treating you well?"

"They have been," I nod, smiling up at him. "Real well. I hear you're doing good too. Do you like your new job?"

"I do. But you shouldn't be worrying about that. You've done far too much worrying about your mom and me when we should be the ones worrying about you."

My stomach growls loud enough for the both of us to hear and my dad throws his head back, letting out a deep belly laugh that makes me giggle.