na's

ote this? But one thing was clear-the person w

e up in my head. "

thought away. Penny was bad,

y mom's body. Tears blurred my vision

her call. If only I hadn't been s

uld've saved her. I would've

hispered, "Mom...

hard times when we barely had enough to eat. Mom would give u

be happy and healthy, that's all. You'

and not me? Who will be there for me now? Who wi

's body, pulling

orever. I'll never complain about being an Omega again. I won'

r to come back. Tears streamed do

me? Please, Mom, do

body stayed still and cold. I held

**

elled awful. I sat with my arms wrapped

wake up, to say someth

er to come back and kill me. But th

t something stopped me-som

om, dragging her body behind me. I was comple

s off. We moved to the city, hoping to s

t my mom, and t

erson who had ever truly loved me. The thought

d this

shaking hands. My heart broke as I realized

ul of dirt over her face.

e nothing was hol

I made my way back to the house

s. No siblings. No fath

tement of finding my mate-only to realize it was Richard. The short-liv

ething-anything-to numb the pain. But the emp

, eyes burnin

g my coat, I climbed into my mom's old truck. Her scent linger

uggling to breathe. The

th three bottles of vodka. Nothing else m

on. I twisted off the cap and took a

least it made me

down. By the time I reached the third bottl

skipped a beat when I saw Richard standing there. His f

I didn't know what I was hoping for, but it felt l

r I just needed to forg

hands were on his face. And then, I kissed h