An Omega's Desire

Chapter Thirty-Five: "Baited"

Approaching them, his mom shooed them from the kitchen. His dad started to pull him away, causing him to blurt out. "But I was going to cook." His mom huffed, telling him firmly. "In your condition? No. You shouldn't be anywhere near a stove. And if I had known, I wouldn't have let you cook before!" His mom turned to face the stove, then sudden tossed a spoon to whirl back around as she blurted out in sudden realization. "Oh, shite! Noah, you knew, and you let him cook before!" Sean slipped from his dad's arms trying to escape her wraith, but his dad hugged him to keep him between them. Giving her a smile, he told her gently. "He's in early stages, Lauren. He's fine." She stopped a few inches from Sean, before her expression changed to a softer one as she said aloud. "Wait... Does Mark's mother know about this? Was that why she and her husband are so... moody lately?" Sean finally wiggled from his dad's grip, allowing his dad to nod and say openly. "Ya. They are concerned the puppies aren't Mark's but Nathan's." Sean bit his lip as he slid into a seat at the table. His mom stared his dad down, shrugging out bluntly. "Ok. But she can't prove they aren't his. So, she should calm her-" His mom was cut off by the doorbell ringing.

Sean tensed, while his mom checked her watch. It was only a little past noon, but they rarely ever got visitors unless for her work. Gesturing them to stay, she strolled out toward the front door. Sean rose slowly from his seat, trying to stay where he was. Only to have his dad pat his shoulder and encourage him to move into the living room to listen better. His mom opened the door, revealing their distraught neighbor. She was younger than his parents and had been the last of the Zetas to have her first puppy. His mom always found her to be a bit overprotective but being a new mother, it wasn't that uncommon. His mom tried to be nice to her and his dad often helped her when he could. Right now tears were running down her cheeks and she seemed so distressed. She'd never been this worried about something and his instincts were making him worry. His mom looked her over, asking with composed concern. "Tia? What's wrong?" Tia's hands shook and she couldn't seem to catch her breath, when she asked her desperately. "Lauren, please tell me that you've seen my Isabelle?" His mom glanced at his dad, then shook her head with deeper concern.

Tia sniffled, starting to turn away as she cried. His dad quickly moved up to the door, asking her in a tender voice. "Tia, what happened?" Tia hugged herself, shuddering out. "I... I don't know. She was playing in the yard... I went inside for just a moment to get her a drink and when I came back... She was gone." His mom straightened up more, asking seriously. "Did you track her scent?" Tia shrugged, sniffling out as more tears ran down her face. "I tried... I've looked everywhere! I've been asking around... but no one has seen her... It's not like her... They keep saying not to worry... That she'll show up... but I can feel something is wrong." His dad stepped out toward her, and she backed away, pleading out to him. "Don't say it... I'm not being overprotective, Noah. I'm telling you... It's like she vanished! I can't find her! What am I going to tell Peter...?" She burst into tears and his dad rushed over to pull her into a hug. Holding her closer, his dad told his mom gently. "Lauren, see if you can sniff her out." His mom nodded, removing her phone as she rushed off the porch. "I'll call Peter and put the neighborhood on alert for her."

Sean shifted on his feet anxiously. It was rare for puppies to go missing for very long. Most parents sniffed them out eventually. Although, it was hard to say how good of a sense of smell she had. His dad rubbed Tia's arms, trying to calm her down as he told her comfortingly. "We'll find her. She couldn't have gone far." Tia pulled at her long blonde hair, shaking as she asked him completely broken. "What do I do? Who would take her?" Sean heard her words start ringing in his ears. There was only one group of people that might take her... but why? He'd only babysat Isabelle a few times. Not enough for people to link him to her. Putting his hand on the doorway, Sean exhaled out breathlessly. "Mark..." Turning on his heel, Sean raced up the steps to find his phone. Turning it back on, he waited impatiently for it to wake up. Pacing the room, he quickly brought up Mark's cellphone number and called it. He hoped that he was overreacting... but he just wanted to be safe. The phone rang and rang, before it picked up. He expected to hear Mark, but Nate answered. "Hello. Sean?" Sean's heart leapt from his chest, when he blurted out in a worried voice. "Nate?! Where is Mark?!"