Page 64 of Talk About… Trouble

Trinity’s high-pitched squeal had my ears ringing before she crushed me in another hug.

“Oh my god, finally!”

It was my turn to protest. “What do you mean, finally? I’m not that old.”

She gave me a look that was all teenager before rolling her eyes.

Before the conversation could turn into an interrogation, I got us back on track. We were, sadly, on limited time.

“What’s been going on, T?”

She looked at me, shoulders slumping and green eyes shadowed. “They’ve been staying in their suite nonstop. They don’t come out for dinner or anything, I’ve been running it all.”

Anger boiled in my blood. I understood more than ever the draw of a mate. Yet, one week after finding my scent match and we were all getting back to our lives. You’d think over forty years of being packed up they’d be able to handle their responsibilities.

“How do they pay bills?” Wren muttered. “Don’t they have jobs?”

“No,” Trinity answered for me. “Two of our dads are trust fund alphas. Remind me to never give a rich alpha a chance. They’re selfish.”

“Maybe we can have you guys out to the farm some weekends. Get you out of the house and give you time to rest,” Wren suggested. Trinity’s eyes lit up at the prospect.

“Your pack wouldn’t care?”

“They’d never tell me no,” Wren said with a wink. Trinity giggled but her smile fell again as the front door slammed open.

“Trinity, go inside,” I urged. She gave me a look but nodded before turning to Wren.

“Please let us come.” Then she gave her a quick hug and ran off, right past my mom who was walking out, eyeing us both. My fathers were never far behind. I heard them yell something before rushing out after her.

They looked disheveled, hair wild, stubbled faces, and my dad’s were either lacking shirts or the buttons were undone. I forgot how much of a mess they were.

Wren’s hand slid inside mine and held on tight. I didn’t think she was worried, more bracing herself and reassuring me.

“What the hell are you doing here, doc?” Mom asked, sneering and making the last word sound like an insult. Her once glossy, brown hair was a mess. Tangled and stuck in a messy bun that was anything but cute.

“Checking in on my siblings. Someone has to,” I said, keeping my tone even. Usually I wasn’t this defiant or bold, but I was done letting them act this way. That and I knew my omegawas watching. I couldn’t let her think I was some complacent, enabling asshole. I wanted to be more than that, for her and for myself.

“Excuse you, boy?” my father, Tanner spit out, his tone and narrowed eyes told me he’d be screaming if it wasn’t for our guest. Like I said, they’d never been stupid enough to raise a hand to any of us. Though, he could be scary enough, yelling and puffing out his chest to intimidate us into listening.

“Oh, you become a vet and think you’re so much better than us,” Mom challenged, crossing her arms over her chest and glaring at me. It should hurt more that she looked at me with disdain and hatred, but I was too numb to them to care. I’d found my family. They didn’t matter, only my siblings did. “You don’t know anything about this house anymore.”

An idea formed in my mind. It could be dangerous, a gamble, but at the end of the day my parents were narcissistic cowards. Their pack was truly made for each other.

“I do, in fact, know what it’s been like here. Not just because I lived it, but I’ve taken pictures of a few things, including the state of my siblings. Clothes that don’t fit or are too worn down, matted hair, thin frames from lack of food that you never provide. There is also video evidence and before you complain, this is absolutely legal without your consent, especially seeing as how this house still technically belongs to Uncle Ian. I’ve got it all saved in a backup account, too, so don’t even bother asking me to delete it.”

Watching their faces pale was satisfying. Wren’s hand tightened in mine, giving me even more courage. I’d never felt so fucking strong in my life. I’d let this part of my life bring me down for too long and if no one would intervene, I was going to have to find a way to handle it.

“Frankly, you’ve been terrible parents and even worse people. Fucking stand up for your family, treat those kidslike your children and not a burden.Youbrought us all into this world, one after another without a fucking care for our wellbeing. I made something of myself, despite you. Half my siblings ran far and cut contact the moment it was legal, because of you. It’s not because we’re entitled or think we’re better, it’s because we don’t even know you. This is pure and simple neglect. You should be fucking ashamed.”

“How dare you,” Marco growled, chest puffing up to defend them. It didn’t escape my notice that no one argued my points, they were simply offended that I said it out loud.

Tears were welling in Mom’s eyes and they kept shifting to the omega at my side, as if asking for sympathy. She wouldn’t find it there.

“Every one of your children can’t stand being around you. They brace themselves for your yelling and think Trinity is their parent, just like they thought I was before I left. Hell, even I was raised by Sam. Is there a single one of your children that you truly raised?”

“Don’t come here and tell us how to runourhouse,” Adrian tacked on in a huff. For a beta, he hardly had any empathy. I don’t think I’d even talked to him more than a handful of times, which was insane if you thought about it.

Their fight was draining out of them quickly and my plan absolutely was working. It wasn’t fair that I had to blackmail them into parenting, but if it could make them step up and take care of my siblings, then it was worth it.

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