Chapter 8: A Mother's Push
1414 Words
By the time I make it back to the Omega housing district, my legs feel like they’re going to give out. The air is cold and biting, the kind that clings to your skin and gets into your bones, but I barely notice it. My mind is spinning, looping over Damian's words on repeat.
"You’ve got until sunrise."
The house is quiet when I slip inside, my breath catching as the door creaks. I pause in the dark entryway, listening for any sign of movement. The last thing I need is to wake Mom right now,not when I’m still trying to figure out what the hell I’m going to say.
But, of course, Mom’s already awake.
“What time do you call this?”
Her voice cuts through the darkness like a knife, sharp and laced with exhaustion. I turn toward the kitchen, where she’s leaning against the counter with her arms crossed. Her eyes are bloodshot, her hair messy, and she’s wearing the same cardigan she always wears when she’s too stressed to sleep.
“Mom,” I start, my voice trembling.
She holds up a hand. “Don’t. I’ve been up all night waiting for you. You can’t just run off into the woods like that, Raven. You scared me half to death.”
“I’m sorry,” I whisper, my chest tightening.
Her expression softens, but only slightly. “What happened? Where were you?”
I don’t even know where to begin. My heart is racing, my hands shaking at my sides. “It’s…complicated.”
Mom lets out a sharp laugh, shaking her head. “Complicated? You’re always complicated. Sit down.”
I took a seat at the small kitchen table, the wooden chair creaking beneath me. Mom moves to the stove, grabbing the kettle and filling it with water. The sound of it boiling fills the silence between us, and I can feel her frustration simmering just beneath the surface.
“Start talking,” she says finally, turning to face me.
I stare at the chipped edge of the table, my thoughts still tangled. “Maxwell…he…” My voice catches, and I hate how weak I sound.
Mom’s face hardens. “Let me guess he rejected you, right?”
I force myself to look up at her, tears burning in my eyes. “Yes he did,he rejected me. Publicly. He chose Sabrina.”
Her mouth tightens into a thin line, and for a moment, she doesn’t say anything. Then she sets the kettle down with a loud clink.
“ That bastard,” she mutters under her breath.
The sound of her anger should make me feel better,like at least someone is on my side,but it doesn’t. It just makes the ache in my chest worse.
“That’s not all,” I say quietly.
Her eyebrows shoot up, and she leans against the counter, crossing her arms. “There’s more?”
I nod, my heart pounding. “After…I ran into someone. In the woods.”
Her expression sharpens instantly, her eyes narrowing. “Who?”
"Damian Blackwood” I admit, my voice barely above a whisper.
Mom’s jaw drops, and for a second, she just stares at me like I’ve grown a second head. “Damian Blackwood?The Alpha of the Bloodmoon pack? What the hell were you doing with him?”
“It wasn’t planned,” I say quickly, holding up my hands. “He found me. I…I don’t even know how.”
“And?” she presses, her voice tight with curiosity and something I can’t quite place.
I take a deep breath, my hands trembling in my lap. “He made me an offer.”
Mom’s silence stretches long enough to make me squirm. Finally, she raises an eyebrow. “What kind of offer?”
I swallow hard, my throat dry. “He wants me to…pretend to be his mate. To produce an heir. In exchange, he said he’d give me power, respect…freedom.”
The words sound ridiculous coming out of my mouth, like some twisted fantasy I never signed up for. But Mom doesn’t laugh. She doesn’t even look surprised.
Instead, her lips twitch into something almost like a smile. “He said that?”
I nod slowly, unsure of where this is going. “Yeah.”
“And what did you say?”
“I didn’t say anything,” I admit. “He gave me until sunrise to decide.”
Mom’s expression shifts, and for the first time, I see something that looks like hope flicker in her eyes. “And you’re actually considering it?”
I hesitate. “I don’t know. It’s…he’s a stranger, Mom. And he’s thirty-five. That’s a thirteen-year age gap. I don’t even know if I can trust him.”
“So what?” she snaps, her voice sharper than I expect. “This isn’t about trust, Raven. This is about survival. Do you have any idea what an opportunity this is?”
Her words hit me like a slap. “Opportunity? Are you serious?”
“Yes, I’m serious,” she says, stepping closer. “Do you know how many girls in this pack would kill to be in your position right now? Damian Blackwood is one of the most powerful Alphas in the region. If he wants you, you’d be insane not to say yes.”
I shook my head, my chest tightening. “It’s not that simple, Mom. He doesn’t want me. He wants an heir. He wants a pawn.”
“And?” she shoots back, her eyes narrowing. “Do you really think Sabrina is any different? Do you think Maxwell chose her because of love? No, Raven. He chose her because of her rank, because of what she could do for him. That’s how this world works.”
Her words make my stomach twist,but I can’t argue with them.
“You’ve spent your whole life being treated like you’re less than nothing,” Mom continues, her voice rising. “And now, someone’s giving you a chance to change that. To finally take control of your life. And you’re hesitating?”
Tears prick at the corners of my eyes, and I shake my head. “You don’t get it, Mom. He’s thirty-five. I can’t just…”
“You can’t just what?” she snaps. “Grow up? Stop feeling sorry for yourself? This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, Raven. Do you really want to spend the rest of your life cleaning up after people who will never respect you?”
Her words feel like a slap, and I flinch, my hands gripping the edge of the table.
“This isn’t about love,” Mom says, her voice softer now. “It’s about survival. It’s about power. And it’s about making sure that no one ever looks down on you again.”
I bite my lip, my chest aching with the weight of her words.
“You’ve always been stronger than they gave you credit for,” Mom says, leaning down so we’re eye level. “Don’t let them win, Raven. Don’t let them take everything from you.”
I shake my head, tears streaming down my face. “What if I can’t do it?”
“You can,” she says firmly. “And you will.”
The silence between us is heavy, broken only by the faint hum of the kettle on the stove. I can feel her watching me, waiting for me to say something, to make a decision.
But I don’t know if I can.
The thought of tying myself to Damian, of stepping into a world I don’t understand, terrifies me. But the thought of going back: of facing Maxwell, Sabrina, and the rest of the pack,feels even worse.
Mom straightens, her expression softening slightly. “Just think about it, okay? Really think about it. And remember,this is your chance to take your life back.”
Her words echo in my mind as I stand and make my way toward my room, my legs feeling like they might give out beneath me.
I close the door behind me, leaning back against it as the weight of the night crashes down on me. My thoughts are a tangled mess, and I feel like I’m drowning in everything.
Damian's offer. Mom’s words. Maxwell's rejection.
It’s all too much.
I sink to the floor, my head in my hands, and let out a shaky breath.
Sunrise is coming.
And I have no idea what I’m going to do.
- Writer
