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SAMUEL

I was expecting it, even had my muscles clenched preparing for it, but living it is beyond what I could have readied myself for.

First Mom's blue eyes widen, then her shaking fingers lift to her wobbling bottom lip, and it's almost as if the touch releases all the emotion she's harbored for the girl she loved and missed for years.

Those years I spent hating Amaya, my parents harbored no ill feelings toward her, only sadness and concern. Not once did they waver in their love for our childhood friend. The disagreement caused a rift between us. Then being sent to designation school? Well, the relationship Oliver and I used to have with our parents has never been the same.

I've always been a little rough around the edges, but before Amaya went missing, I respected my parents and admired the shit out of them. We were happy. I was understood and loved for all my quirks, same as Oli. Then our little ray of sunshine left us and not only did I feel betrayed by the girl I've always loved, but my parents sided with her too.

"Momma?" I whisper, wanting to lean forward and wipe her tears. Oliver has stopped pacing and is standing stock still beside me with horrified eyes trained on our beautiful mom. "Please say so?—"

"Silence, boy!" Dad snaps. He rushes forward and scoops my mom off the couch and rushes out the back door, her sniffles following them all the way out. I flinch at the slam of the door.

"Fuck," Papa Scott murmurs, and pushes off the couch to look down at me. I deserve whatever punishment they give . "Come outside in five minutes."

With that, our fun-loving dad leaves me in his wake of disappointment that weighs heavier with his alpha energy. Taylor sighs, drawing my attention to him just as he tips his head back to the ceiling.

"Pops..." Oli whispers, stepping toward his bio dad.

Taylor shakes his head and looks at each of us, including Vincent in his saddened gaze. "How long?"

How long what?

"How long have you known that sweet girl is your mate?"

I pale. Oliver stops breathing and Emmett makes a choked noise.

Taylor's jaw bounces with the force of his teeth grinding. "You have three minutes to pull yourselves together. I'll see you outside where you'll give your mother the truth to every question she asks. Understood?"

"Yes, sir," the three of us murmur.

"Oh." Taylor turns back to us on his way out and points to Emmett. "I'll be getting your dads on the phone for this conversation too."

The door slams closed. Emmett curses and drags his hands through his dark hair.

With our parents huddled on the back patio consoling my mom, we're left in silence. I glance at Vincent who looks a little nauseous but curious. Before I can ask the alpha what he's thinking, he nods and uncrosses his arms. "I like them. I'll bring the case of beer."

"Start at the beginning," Dad demands, tone dark and glare lethal with his arms wrapped around Momma on the patio couch.

"I–I don't—" Fuck, I don't know which beginning to start at.

Emmett's on the ground with his head leaned back in Oliver's lap beside me, both of them comforting each other. Em's dads are on speakerphone in the center of our group.

Vincent's sprawled out, much like Papa Scott, in their own swivel chairs. Behind mom, Pops raises a brow at me. "How about you start by answering my question from inside? How long have you known Amaya is your mate?"

It feels like a steel ball lodges itself in my throat, but I clear it with a little pent up aggression from my alpha side. ' We have to atone for our mistakes ,' my alpha snarls in my head, still angry with me for how we treated our omega.

It's a good thing everyone has a beer in their hand. Except for Momma, who politely and quietly declined Vincent's offer to numb the pain we're about to cause .

I inhale, only for Oliver to bump my leg with his. "Sammy, I can do it," he whispers, eyes still bright red with tears and so much fear that my chest aches. I shake my head. I can save him from saying it out loud.

"Since the night she left us, we knew."

Protests and anger-filled accusations fill the space between us, some coming from Emmett's dads’ on the phone, making my Em stiffen and clench his eyes shut.

"WHAT?!" Momma shouts above everyone else. She tries to launch herself off Dad's lap, but he keeps his grip on her firm and unyielding. "How—Why—You were so angry!"

I nod solemnly. "I thought she abandoned me..." I croak, hanging my head but dragging it back up because I need to face this head on.

"You thought..." Taylor repeats. "But what really happened, Samuel? Oliver, what happened to Amaya?"

I thought I could do it. Really, I did. I thought I could be strong and take the burden of breaking my parents' hearts, but the words don't come. Oli practically recoils, all his previous confidence slipping away with each pounding wave of disappointment and rage. Em looks like he's trying to cave in on himself to get away from it all. We're incapable.

"Her mother sold her to The Premium Designation Academy."

Vincent. No. Fuck. No.

I don't hear anything else, too stuck on the horrible truth being laid out there for my family to bear the guilt and pain of. Who knows how long it takes for my mom to gather herself again? Once her sobs subside and she scrambles away from Dad, her frantic question finally pierces my zoned-out state.

"Where is she? Where's my Maya?! Sweetheart, where are you?!"

"Fuck," Oliver gasps, his body shuddering on his own silent cry.

"Momma." I stand and grab her hand to stop her wild spinning like my omega is going to come out of the bushes at any moment. "She's not here."

"Well, where is she?! I have to see her. Gosh, I missed her so much. Where's my little girl?" The horror of learning the truth morphs into hope of seeing my mate. Now I have to watch as dread coils and strangles the life out of her sparkling blue gaze.

"She—" I can't. Pathetic.

"No..." Scott says, on his feet now too, with wide eyes. "They took her again, just like the other omegas? Please tell me I'm wrong. They're saying it's omega traffickers behind the disappearances, Sam! Tell me I'm wrong!"

At least this time I can't respond because no response tells the truth without a breath uttered.

"Oliver?" Taylor turns to my brother.

Oli chokes and shudders, then Emmett's there, scooping his beta into his arms and whispering in his ear. Vince moves to the couple and wraps them both in his large arms like he can shield them from the pain.

"Start over. Tell us everything, Samuel."

So I do, because there's no choice but to listen to my dad's demand. And the truth is the only thing I can give them since I can't give them the girl they've always loved as their own.

My penance? Watching my momma break.

I didn't think I could hate myself any more than I already do, but shattering the heart of the woman who raised me and loved me through all my bullshit? I deserve nothing less than hell.

I'm sorry won't cut it anymore.

I have to bring her home. It's the only way to mend the shattered pieces of all our hearts.