Page 63 of Talk About… Trouble

My morning and early afternoon was a busy blur, which was kind of nice. It kept me out of my head and there was a soothingpeace at doing my job. I loved working with animals and despite the random bites and scratches, it was rewarding work.

“Alright, you’re free, doc,” Mindy said before the door chimed again. We both froze and she winced until I saw who it was.

“Wren,” I breathed out, smile widening at the sight of my omega. “Mindy, I’d like you to meet one of my omegas.”

“Oh, Wren! You’re gorgeous and I’ve never seen doc so happy. I’m so glad to meet you,” Mindy gushed, pushing her hands to her cheeks as she took in my girl. Wren blushed furiously and gave her a shy smile until I saved her by tugging her into my arms and out of Mindy’s reach.

“What are you doing here?”

“A little birdie told me this was your lunch break. I thought I’d swing by and see if you were up for a little lunch date?” Her hopeful smile had my heart sinking. Watching it fade at my reaction was a punch to the gut.

“It’s not you. I’d love nothing more than to have lunch with you,” I explained as I took her hand and led her to my office before she could overthink it. “However, I got a text from my sister.”

There was no point hiding what a mess my family was, so I simply gave it to her in a nutshell. The good, the bad, the gritty details that explained why I had to go.

“Can I come with you, then? If it’s something you struggle with, let me share the burden. We’re pack now,” she said, no longer sad, but determined.

My heart slammed against my ribcage at the thought.

“I don’t know if my parents will be home. They’re… not good to me, Wren.”

“I’ll behave. Maybe,” she offered with a snort. “My omega is a bit protective of you guys.”

“You’ll have to meet them sooner or later, I guess. Just promise you won’t run from me?”

“Hey,” she said, putting her hands on my cheeks, her soft skin a soothing balm to my rising worry. “Your family doesn’t get to scare me off. I know you, or I’m working on it, and nothing they say or do will change that image.”

“Lunch after, then?” I offered. Maybe a little something to look forward to would get us through this nightmare.

“Do you want an alpha to go with us? I could call someone,” she offered.

“No, it’s fine. They’re not violent or anything, just assholes,” I promised. She nodded and moved toward the door. I dropped my lab coat and grabbed my things before leading her to the back lot where I parked.

“I don’t know why I thought you drove a beat up truck,” she said as I clicked the fob to unlock my Charger.

“That’s the clinic’s truck, I use it for animal pickups so they don’t ruin this one,” I admitted as I opened her door for her. When she climbed in I leaned over and buckled her seatbelt for her, brushing a kiss over her forehead.

“Thanks for embracing this and coming with me,” I said as I looked into those big blue eyes of hers. She was so pretty and sweet that I couldn't believe she was mine.

“Braxton,” she laughed. “You saw me have a meltdown. Now we can be even.”

“Well, when you put it like that,” I teased back, hurrying around to get in the driver’s side.

“So, how was your morning?” she asked as I pulled onto the main road. I regaled her with today’s adventures, from saving Moxie’s leg to dislodging a ball from a lab’s mouth, and doing the routine checkups of all Rockwood Valley’s crazy animals. They may not have the same psycho flair as Harding’s animals, but they were characters all the same.

It didn’t take long to pull up to the old, two-story house I grew up in. The yard was littered with outdated yard toys that my siblings and I swiped from being taken out with the trash. The yard was at least two weeks past needing cut, and the house itself wasn’t anything to look at.

The front door opened and Trinity stepped out. She lit up as I stepped out, but she was looking far too thin. I held open my arms and she rushed forward, desperate for a hug. An omega needed touch and the only ones she got it from were my hugs and the younger siblings clinging to her all the time.

There were dark circles under her eyes and I was about two seconds away from marching in there and giving my parents a piece of my mind. It would only end in a blow up fight again. I’d done just about everything to try and fix things and nothing ever worked.

“You look rough,” I said as gently as possible.

“Braxton!” Wren gasped. “You don’t say that to an omega.”

Trinity’s eyes widened and she peeked over at my mate.

“Wren, this is Trinity, my sister. Trinity, this is Wren, my omega.”

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