Chapter 28: Chapter 28

“Whose car is that?”

They’re walking back to the main house. Millan had wanted to get away from the hospital room and Weston had accepted on the condition that he’d rest at the main house.

Although there is no way he is letting himself toss and turn and most of all, think alone in bed again. He’d agreed just so he could get out of the hospital.

Anyway, he’s prepared to sneak out if need be, knowing his wolf can easily make the jump from his room’s window.

As they’re approaching the entrance though, Millan can see a car parked right outside and he is intrigued.

Werewolves usually don’t use cars unless they’re with humans. A car in Headquarters would mean humans in Headquarters…

That’s not something Millan has seen very often.

At Millan's inquiry though, Weston only shrugs, unbothered.

“Looks like Maddie’s parents’ car. Probably just dropping her off.”

That’s… That’s a lot of new information to take in.

“Wait. Maddie’s parents are human? How’s that-? And she doesn’t live here?”

Weston snorts. “Wow. Sometimes I forget how archaic other packs can be.”

Millan's eyes are wide, waiting for Weston to elaborate. The Alpha sees Millan’s waiting expression and smiles before kissing his forehead gently. Millan tries not to melt at the sweet gesture, because no one, not even his own mother, had kissed him in the forehead before.

“Yeah, Maddie’s parents are human. She was adopted when she was still a baby. She sometimes stays the night at the main house since she goes to school here but she mostly sleeps at her parents’ house in the suburbs.”

“And it doesn’t bother you that humans are…”

“That humans are coming here in the Headquarters? No, of course not. I mean, it’s Maddie’s parents. Everybody loves them. And we have a pretty good relationship with humans around here.”

Millan nods, a little dazed.

Most packs have trouble accepting other lower rank werewolves into Headquarters let alone humans.

This pack is going beyond anything Millan has ever seen.

It’s great. The more he knows about the Blayne Pack, the more he aches to be part of it.

Millan is lost in thought as he slowly opens the door and he is quickly shaken out of them when a weight comes crushing right into his arms.

“Millan! I was so worried when I heard about what happened! Are you okay?”

The omega winces as Madelyn’s arms squeeze a bit too close to the bruise on his jaw.

“Oh sorry! Did I hurt you? So sorry! Are you okay?”

Millan laughs breathily, shocked by Madelyn’s display.

It’s weird how much he cares for her already, how much he wants to reassure her, how he doesn’t want her to worry. Ever.

It’s getting harder and harder to imagine himself leaving this pack.

He swallows and blinks rapidly, forcing himself to focus.

Maddie. Worried. Right.

“I’m fine, Maddie. Don’t worry about me. I’m all right.”

Madelyn takes a step back and unexpectedly punches him in the arm.

“Ow! Why’d you do that for?”

“Because you’re an idiot! Why would you put yourself in danger like that huh? Don’t do that! Don’t ever do that.”

Millan's still clutching his arm in a show of pain and confusion when she grabs him into another hug.

Once confusion passes, Millan lets himself reciprocate the hug, understanding that Madelyn needs it just as much.

“I’m sorry, Maddie. I’m sorry I worried you.”

Madelyn eventually breaks the hug and sighs.

“All right, well, it’s in the past now. You’re okay. Do you want to meet my parents?”

Millan looks at Weston who nods encouragingly.

“Uhm… Sure.”

Millan's smile is stiff.

Meeting new people must be in the top five things Millan hates to do the most. He usually doesn’t make a great first impression so it’s rarely a good experience.

He isn’t sure why, but meeting Madelyn’s parents feels like it means something.

Like it’s important somehow.

Maybe because for the first time in a long time, he actually WANTS to make a good impression. He WANTS them to like him. He wants to be accepted.

As he walks towards the living room with Weston beside him and Madelyn leading the way, his palms are starting to sweat and his breathing picks up.

He stops walking.

No.

He can’t do this.

He can’t let it go further.

If he leaves the pack, it’ll tear him apart. He won’t survive it.

He has to back up a little. It’s all going too fast.

He’s getting more and more attached to this pack. Faster than he could ever think possible.

And this is dangerous.

He stops walking and swallows audibly.

“Mill?” Weston has a hand on his back, eyes questioning.

Millan's eyes are wide, not even trying to hide how scared he suddenly feels. His mouth is dry.

He has to get out. So he does.

He took a step back.

And ran.

Millan ran away.

Someone is shouting behind him but he just wants to be left alone.

He has to think. Clear his mind.

He has to decide now.

If he leaves. He has to leave now. He has to do it now.

If he waits any longer, it will be too hard.

*****

Millan did not think this through.

Having left his backpack behind, he doesn’t have anything but the clothes on his back.

He doesn’t have his map either so he might as well be running right back into Brook Territory for all he knows which would be a disaster.

And above all, he doesn’t WANT to leave.

Fuck.

Tears veiling his vision, he has to slow down. The lump in his throat makes it hard to control his breathing and his damn leg is still aching.

He stops running. In the middle of the forest, unsure of where he is. Sitting down on a fallen tree, he decides he needs to think this through.

This isn’t like him. Acting rash and then thinking about what he should do only to realize he’s already screwed everything up by acting rash in the first place.

Millan hates himself sometimes. Most of the times, actually.

The silence of the forest as daylight decreases contrasts drastically with Millan's racing mind. Regret sets in sooner than he’d have ever anticipated.

Why did he run away?

Weston told him he wants him to stay.

Why can’t Millan just believe that?

Why can’t he just… stay.

He’s vaguely aware of the tears on his cheeks and the hiccups in his breaths when he hears someone approaching. Even as he’s crying, Millan rolls his eyes, recognizing the scent instantly.

Of course Weston would run after him.

Millan had tried to cover his tracks and run in an unpredictable pattern, but he’s beginning to think Weston would find him wherever he went, whatever he did.

The Alpha gets closer, slowly, as if approaching a wounded animal.

If Millan wasn’t embarrassingly crying, he’d have a few comments to say about that.

Weston doesn’t speak as he gets closer to Millan and sits next to him. He remains silent as he brings Millan closer and into his arms.

Millan is stiff. He knows he’ll have to break this off. He’s realizing that leaving without a proper goodbye is going to be impossible.

Weston won’t accept it and will keep trying to find him.

And that is just unacceptable for Millan. He isn’t worth it. He is just a rogue omega for fuck’s sake, and Weston is the Head Alpha of a very respectable and kind pack. There are more important matters than just going out there and finding a rogue omega such as himself.

“Weston…”

Reluctantly, Millan gets out of Weston’s embrace and gets up in front of him, crossing his arms and willing his sobs to stop already.

Looking into Weston’s anxious gold eyes isn’t a sane decision, but it’s one he takes anyway.

“Mill?”

Weston’s worry is palpable and infects Millan instantly. The omega has to take a deep breath to try and calm his heartbeat down.

“Weston… I have to leave. I’m sorry.”