22. Chapter Twenty-Two

Chapter Twenty-Two

Bennett

My phone rang and I answered it without looking–because that would require me to open my eyes and I just couldn't–thinking it was Seth wanting to know how many tacos I wanted.

"'lo?" My voice sounded terrible from crying, raspy and snotty, and I knew I probably looked as bad as I sounded. I was an ugly crier and always had been. My nose got all red and splotchy, my eyes got red and swollen, and I knew tomorrow morning I would have the headache from hell.

"Benny, baby? Is that you? Are you sick?"

My omega dad's voice in my ear had me sighing. I really, really wasn't up for talking to him tonight. Swallowing around another sigh–this one of annoyance–I braced myself for the ensuing conversation, which would go one of two ways. He either wanted to gush over a new boyfriend, or he needed money .

It wasn't that I didn't love my dad; I did. We were just two very different people. He made choices I didn't understand. But he was my dad and he had raised me on his own my entire life. Though I used the word raised in the loosest definition possible. I didn't blame him for it all, though, he had been a kid himself when he had me.

"Hey Dad, it's not a great time." Not that me telling him that would dissuade him from the reason he had called. History had taught me it was doubtful he was just calling to check on me.

"Oh Benny, I've had a terrible day too," he breezed along, not even asking why it might not be a great time for me to talk. That was nothing new either. Dad tended to live in his own little bubble that revolved mostly around him. Or whichever alpha he was hooking up with. Definitely never his only child.

"I wouldn't have called, but you know Fridays are my bingo night, and I thought he'd be back by now. I hate to ask, Benny, but could you spare some money so I could get some groceries? I'm a little short this week."

Pinching the bridge of my nose with two fingers, grimacing when snot dripped out my nose, I wiped it with the sheet. Gross, yeah, but I was beyond caring at this point. Because I could read between all the lines of my dad's rambling and just what he hadn't said. We'd been down this road so many times and I wondered when–if–it was ever going to stop.

Stop helping him and it might , my wolf snarled.

"Who took what this time, Dad?" If my voice sounded annoyed, I wasn't even sorry. I was kind of in the middle of my own crisis at the moment, but my dad hadn't even asked. Because he never asked, and I was the idiot for thinking he was ever going to ask .

There was a shuffling sound over the phone, and I could almost picture Dad standing in his kitchen, chewing on a ragged nail. The same dark brown hair as me, the same light green eyes, the same small build. That was where the similarities ended. We had two completely different personalities.

"Now Benny," Dad cajoled, and I could practically mouth the script word by word. All I had to do was insert the latest alpha's name. "Don't sound like that. His name is Andre and he's French."

Rolling my eyes, I very much doubted the man was French. He probably had a fake accent, and realized how gullible my dad was. "He's so handsome, but he's just not good at keeping track of time."

Throwing an arm over my eyes, I felt my muscles tense with stress. "How much did he take?"

Silence, then finally, a loud put-out sigh. Really, he was put out with me ? Shaking my head, I rolled my eyes again behind my arm. Some things never changed.

My dad was gorgeous, but he wasn't the brightest crayon in the box, and he was way too trusting of any alpha with a dick that showed him any kind of attention.

Dad had been fifteen, captain of the cheerleading squad, and head-over-heels for the big, alpha football player that turned his head and promised him everything under the sun. As I had learned growing up, my dad was easily swayed by pretty words and a handsome face. My sperm donor–because I refused to call him anything else since the man refused to even acknowledge my existence–had sweet talked him right out of his cute little cheerleading uniform and into the backseat of his car. Where they had made me .

Of course, my sperm donor had then denied they had ever hooked up, or that the baby Dad was carrying was his. My grandparents had kicked Dad out, and he had only survived by going to the local shelter.

After having me, Dad had managed to get somewhat on his feet by taking classes and learning to cut hair. We had left the shelter and moved into an apartment in a not-so-great part of town. I soon learned at a very young age, that my dad was good at charming men–usually the wrong kind of men–but terrible at adulting. He'd forget to pay bills, or the rent, or buy groceries. The lights or water would get turned off, or we'd get evicted, and end up back in the shelter, before I took over as much of the adult responsibilities as I could.

It was a chaotic existence, marked with few times of true security growing up. The one thing I could count on was Dad's ability to always find the worst possible type of alpha to drag home. Dad definitely had a type. The abusing, thieving kind.

I tried to remind myself he wasn't that much older than me, and he'd been just a kid when he'd had me. But sometimes he was just exhausting. Dad was the definition of doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result. Then he would be absolutely shocked when some asshole slapped him around and stole his rent money.

Dad was the single reason I had applied for jobs away from Hollow Ridge. Hours away. I loved him but I needed the distance between us. I could not have him in my life every day. Sweet Alps was close enough that I could be there in a few hours, but far enough that we weren't in each other's business. And Dad was very much an out of sight, out of mind person. He really only remembered I existed when he needed money .

Because of my somewhat chaotic childhood, and watching my dad being abused on more than one occasion, I truly did understand some of what Shay was dealing with. Which was why I was willing to give him the space he needed, even if it killed me. Because I had prayed many times for my own dad to put me first. To get himself straightened out, and to get us to a stable environment. Shay being able to admit he needed to put himself and his child first was truly something I admired. Even if I wished things were different.

"Stop letting these assholes have access to your stuff, Dad."

"I'm not a child, Bennett," Dad sniped, clearly unhappy with my always ignored advice, "don't talk to me like I am. I'm the parent here."

"Too bad you never acted like it." The words were harsh, and I regretted them as soon as they were out of my mouth. Sort of.

The sharp inhalation of air through the phone told me I had hurt my dad.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean that."

"No, you did," Dad's voice was wobbly, and I could picture his green eyes shimmering with tears. "I wasn't always the best parent, Bennett, I know that. But I was a child raising a child, and I did the best I could. I'm sorry it wasn't good enough for you."

Let the gaslighting begin. Mouthing the often-repeated words along with him, I shook my head, knowing he would never understand how his actions had made me feel or affected me.

"How much did he take?" I repeated tiredly. I was not up for dragging this conversation out tonight.

"All my rent money," Dad admitted quietly, then hurriedly tacked on, "but I covered it with my paycheck and my savings. I did what you said and put money in a bank account every week, Benny." He sounded proud of himself, and I nodded, even though he couldn't see me.

For some reason I never understood, Dad always cashed his paychecks, never putting money in a bank account. Which meant there was always cash in the house for whichever alpha dickhead he brought home that week to help himself to. Rent money, grocery money, Christmas money.

"That's great, Dad." Because I didn't need to be an asshole too.

"It's just now I'm short for groceries."

"Sure, Dad, no problem." It was easier to just give in. And he was my dad. I couldn't say no, even if I wanted to. I should, I knew that. I wasn't doing him any favors, but there was no way I could. "Do you have a list started on your grocery app I set up for you? I'll take care of it."

"It's just a few things, Benny," he rushed to get the words out, "to get me by until payday."

It had taken me a hell of a time convincing him to let me set up a grocery account for him. But it worked out well since he still wasn't sure that he trusted any of the cashapps when he ran short of things.

"It's fine, Dad." Rubbing my temples, I tried to ease the tightness that was starting to give me a headache. "Put whatever you need on there, and you'll get the text when you can go pick it up."

"Um…about that. Does it cost to have them delivered?"

Pursing my lips together, I counted to ten and told myself losing my temper would do no good. Sighing, I asked, "He took your car, didn't he?"

"He just needed to run to a friend's house that owed him money." Dad sounded so earnest and fucking na?ve, and he honest to Goddess believed the lies that came out of all these alphahole's mouths.

Bringing the sheet up to my nose, I sniffed, feeling instantly calmer as the musky, rain-soaked earth smell filled my senses.

"How long ago?" I couldn't even muster the energy to be angry, because I was tired of being the only one angry in this situation. Dad was never angry about anything these guys did. He always believed they were coming back, and I always, somehow, ended up the bad guy.

"Three days. But it's fine, Benny, I've got my bus pass. I've been getting around. I just…groceries on the bus–"

Unblinking, I stared up at the ceiling. "I'll have them delivered. Do you have bingo money for tonight?" Dad loved his Friday night bingo. It got him out of the house, and he had friends there. He really was a social creature, which was half his problem most of the time. It would do him well to be less social and more of a homebody.

The silence on the other end of the phone was all the answer I needed.

Seth appeared in my doorway, triumphantly holding up a bottle of my favorite sweet red wine and the biggest fucking Twix bar I had ever seen. He waved the foot long box at me, and I sat up so fast I nearly dropped my phone, making grabby hands for it.

He climbed on the bed with me, his nose wrinkling when he got a whiff of the sheets and blankets I was cocooned in.

Mouthing, "My dad," and pointing at the phone, I stared at the ginormous candy bar with wide eyes. Come to daddy, big boy. I was going to tear into that chocolate, caramel, and cookie bar like it was my last meal on earth .

Seth rolled his eyes, well versed on the telenovela drama that was my dad.

"I'll send you some bingo money on the app, Dad," I told him softly, "do you remember how to use it?"

"Frankie knows how to make it work." His voice was full of excitement knowing he was going to have money for his Friday night activity. "He uses his phone to pay for his games all the time."

"Okay, Dad." Frankie was a good friend to my dad, and I knew he would make sure Dad was able to play, and he wouldn't take advantage of him. I had met the kind, older omega once when I had gone home for Christmas, a couple of years ago. He was protective of Dad and was always trying to get him to stop letting men take advantage of him. "Let me know when your grocery order is complete, and I'll take care of it for you. Have fun tonight."

"You're a peach, Benny," Dad's airy voice was all happiness and sunshine now, and I could hear him moving around his apartment, no doubt getting ready to go out. "Love you!"

The phone went dead in my ear, and I snorted, tossing it next to me.

"Usual bullshit drama?" Seth asked sympathetically.

"Yeah." Turning on my side, I rested my head on my folded arm. Not wanting to get into Dad's same old drama, I snatched the candy bar, pulling it to my chest and cuddling up to the hard box. "Where did you find this beautiful, beautiful thing?"

"Duh, that awesome candy store in the mall." Wrinkling his nose, Seth stood up. "These sheets gotta go. They smell like that asshole, and you aren't sleeping on them."

He attempted to strip the top sheet off and I yanked it out of his hand. Holding it close with one hand, and my big ass chocolate bar in the other, I growled, "No! I'm not changing these sheets for at least a week. Or until they don't smell like him anymore."

Hands on his hips, Seth narrowed his eyes at me. "Gross."

Flopping back dramatically while still clutching a foot long candy box in my arms wasn't as easy as it should have been, but I managed it. "Just let me wallow. For a little bit."

"Now I'm worried. You don't wallow, Bennett. Like ever."

"This is different. He's different."

Seth let his head fall back on his neck, rolling his eyes. "Is this that fated mates bullshit again? Because if so, then why isn't he here? Why's he over there?" He waved his arm in the entirely wrong direction of where Shay's new house was.

"It's complicated." Shay's secrets weren't mine to tell, not even to my bestie.

Seth gave me a put-out look. "‘It's complicated' is a bullshit answer that isn't really an answer."

My phone beeped with a text. Saved by the bell. Holding up a finger to Seth to hold that thought, I quickly scanned my dad's meager shopping list. He really had tried to not take advantage and had just put some staple things on it. Bread, milk, eggs. A few other things to make a couple of meals. Quickly I added some items–several actually–then checked out after paying to have them delivered.

Dad drove me nuts, but he was still my dad. The only family I had. I wouldn't let him go without food when I had the money to help. And I had been taking care of him for pretty much my entire life; now was no different.

That completed, I sent him some money on the cash app, making sure he had enough for bingo, and hopefully he used the rest for anything else he might need until the alpha-hole showed back up with his car. Which would, without a doubt, be with an empty gas tank.

Seth watched me with hawk eyes, then opened one end of the candy box. Pulling out the massive Twix bar, that was as wide as my wrist, he broke a piece off and handed it to me.

"Did he even ask how you were?"

Nibbling on the candy, I muttered, "Does he ever?"

"Benny, you have to stop helping him out of the situations he makes." Fun Seth was gone, and in his place was painfully honest, Seth.

"I know I'm enabling him, I do." Swallowing the caramel and chocolate covered cookie bar, I sighed, "He's my dad. What am I supposed to do?"

Seth wrapped an arm around my shoulder and pulled me close, kissing the side of my head. "Take your own advice. Do what you would tell someone at the shelter."

He wasn't wrong and I knew it.

Shaking my head, I gave him a wobbly smile. "I don't want to talk about my dad's drama. I want you to make me feel better with wine and chocolate. Hey–" looking around, I sniffed the air. Closing my eyes, I let my wolf senses take over, and the scent of chicken, onions, and cilantro filled me with happiness. "Tacos."

"You said that like they are your lover. It's kinda creepy, not gonna lie."

Shrugging, I wasn't going to apologize for my taco love.

"Tacos are in the kitchen. You know what we need first though?" Seth asked.

"Hmm?" Too busy licking chocolate from my fingers, I waited for him to tell me what he was concocting in that brain of his.

"You," he pointed a finger at me, "need to get your wolf on."

It had been a while since I had shifted .

"Let's do it."

Dropping our clothes in a heap on my patio, we took our shifted forms. I always marveled at the raw power and beauty of Seth's cougar. His large paws pounded the earth as he raced ahead of me, looking back to make sure I was following him. My wolf was on the small side, and I ambled behind him into the woods at a leisurely pace.

Strolling along the well-worn path, my wolf ears perked up when I heard Seth's cat let out a warning rumble that filled the air. His angry cat sounds almost resembled a scream and could be heard all over the woods. Running to see what had him so riled up, my wolf skidded to a halt, throwing a warning growl his way.

Shay stood wide-eyed in front of Seth, while Asher snapped, "Seth, I swear to the Goddess, my kids are over there, and you will act right in front of them."

My bestie continued growling low in his throat, his tan fur standing upright along his neck .

Walking up to him, I smacked his shoulder with my paw, showing him fang when he snarled at me.

Gabe, in his Kodiak bear form, was frolicking with his twins, the two human babies crawling all over him. They were still too young to shift yet, and probably wouldn't for another year or so. It didn't escape my notice that the bear was keeping a watchful eye on Seth's growling cougar.

Shay's eyes moved from Seth to me, a soft look coming over his face as he took in my small gray wolf.

Movement caught my eyes, orange and black, and a fluffy tiger cub came bounding over. Shay went to grab him before he could run up to the snarling cougar, but the cub deftly evaded his hands. Ignoring the cougar making all the unnecessary noise, the cub who was obviously Lucas, ran straight up to me. Stretching his paws in front of him, he peeked up at me with his blue eyes, then twitched his nose, chuffing.

Lucas was so cute in his shifted form, and I lowered my head, nuzzling his soft fur with my nose. Seth finally relaxed next to me, picking up a paw and licking it like he hadn't just been making a huge scene.

Lucas snuggled against me, and I couldn't keep myself from running my nose all over his orange, fluffy face. It was the last thing I should be doing–scenting this cub–but my wolf didn't care. As far as he was concerned, Lucas was ours, and we were going to make sure everyone knew it.

Shay watched, silent, his face unreadable, until my wolf was satisfied. Lucas chuffed at me again, then bounded back over to his bear uncle and went back to letting his younger cousins pull at his soft fur.

"Bennett–" Shay held an outstretched hand to me, and my wolf wanted to move closer to him. To let him stroke our fur. Seth's cat cocked his head, watchful, but he kept his thoughts to himself this time and was silent.

Throwing his head back, my wolf let out a mournful, sad howl, then turned and walked away. Seth gave one low warning growl, then bounded after me.