Page 7 of The Omega's Secret Baby
I grabbed myself a cup of coffee and sat down with it at the kitchen island. The coffee had probably been made a while ago as it was only lukewarm, but I didn’t mind.
“So what happened?” Griff asked in a hushed tone.
I sipped at my coffee just to get a second to think about how I was going to word my response. “Apparently the rumors flying around about me have made it to the playground.”
Griff winced. “Ouch. Kids can be cruel.”
I shook my head. “They're just parroting what they hear from their parents. I told Jake he can't punch anyone, but honestly... “
“Kind of makes you want to, doesn't it?”
“Yeah.” I drank some more of the coffee. “And then of course I got back to work late and had to listen to Harold's shit all day.”
“You really need to quit that job.”
“The job's not so bad, the coworkers...” I let the sentence hang.
Griff gave me a grim smile and I knew what he was going to say before he opened his mouth. “You could do so much better than being the designated boy for everything at the local shelter.”
“Not without a degree I can't,” I reminded him, only half my attention on the conversation because I'd heard it all before. My brotherlovedto remind me of all that I could have been in another life. If I wasn't an omega. Or maybe it wasn't just that I was an omega.
Griff was an omega too.
But he hadn't fucked up the way I had.
It was a little bit humiliating to be berated by my baby brother.
“I know you've been thinking about going back to school,” Griff said.
I raised an eyebrow at him. I'd entertained the thought yes, but I hadn't discussed it with him. Mostly because I'd dismissed the idea.
“I saw a page about vet school opened on your laptop the other day,” Griff explained. “You could still do it.”
“I have enough on my plate with my job at the shelter and Jake. I don't need to be a vet.”
“I can watch Jake while you're studying.”
I set the mug down with a sigh. I appreciated the offer but... “Jake's my responsibility. I don't want to keep holding you back.” My little brother had already done enough for me. It was time he got out of this house a little and started living his own life. I was sure there was a good mate somewhere out there for him, if only he took the time to look.
“You're not holding me back.” Griff's expression turned the slightest bit sad. “I used to look up to you, you know.”
Used to.Ow. He probably hadn't meant for his words to come out that way, but they hurt.
“You showed me that omegas could get scholarships if they tried hard enough,” he went on. “I can't stand to see you let yourself be kicked around by the fu... by the freaking gossips in this town! You have to--“Griff stopped himself when he was interrupted by my son climbing on the stool next to him.
Neither of us had noticed Jake get up, but he was looking at us curiously now.
“Are you fighting?”
“No, we're not fighting,” I said. “Actually I was just about to take Fiona out for a walk.” She probably didn't need it, but I did.
“I'm coming!” Jake decided.
I wanted to say no and have some time for myself, but Jake was already running off to fetch the leash, an excited dog at his heels. The image made me smile. Especially when Jake put Fiona’s blue woolen hat on her. She looked so silly with that thing on, but Jake loved it.
And I had to admit that no, not everything in my life was bad. I had the best kid and the best dog, and that made up for a lot.
“Okay, you can come,” I told my son. “But no throwing snow balls at the dog.”
