Fortuity // Seth Clearwater

.22.

This was exactly what we signed up for. And we were loving every minute of it.

About halfway through dinner, my phone rang. I only went to retrieve it out of possibility it could be work, excusing myself politely to grab my phone from the corner of the room.

Upon picking it up and reading the screen, my heart stopped. 

The wolves in the room must have heard it, all of them stopping their conversation at my sudden rise in anxiety. "Oak?" Paul questioned.

I turned slowly, my face no doubt pale as a ghost, and began shaking from nervousness as I found Paul's eyes.

"It's mom..." 

He was on his feet in a split second, coming over to me protectively. "If you don't wanna talk to her, give it to me. Or hang up. Don't do this if you aren't ready." he insisted, a hand on my shoulder supportively. 

Seth was up just as quickly, coming to stand on my other side, as I subconsciously found his hand for comfort. 

I took a few deep shaky breaths. "I wanna know why she's calling." I whispered nervously, nodding to Paul that I was okay, but not leaving the room, not feeling like explaining the call and preferring to just have them hear it firsthand.

Paul took a step back and let Seth take care of me while he sat down at his seat again, the pack all listening in while Seth held my hand comfortingly. If it were any other situation, I'd appreciate Paul actually allowing Seth to take the reins when it came to my comfort rather than being the protective helicopter he was, but I was too focused on clinging onto Seth for dear life and what the hell my mother wanted.

"I'm right here, sweetheart." he whispered to me, his eyes promising me he wouldn't leave. With a final nod, I answered. 

I said nothing, waiting to hear if it was even a purposeful call or an accident.

"Oakley?" my mother's voice questioned through the phone. She sounded drunk, or maybe high, but I knew she was affected in some way - she usually was. "Oakley are you there?"

I sighed, not wanting to talk but wanting to know what she wanted. "Yes." I said sternly, not giving away any emotion. I looked around the table and met Quil's eyes, Embry's eyes, working my way around the table to see them all there supporting me whole heartedly. 

This was family. The people around the table ready to catch me if I collapsed or comfort me if I cried. Not the person on the other end of the phone.

"Hey baby." she muttered softly. I visibly cringed and winced at her choice of words, knowing it wasn't a phrase she deserved to use. 

After a few seconds of silence I think she realised I was staying quiet, waiting for her to tell me what she wanted.

"What is it." I eventually said, trying my best to not let her hear the uncertainty in my voice.

My mom sighed a sad breath. "I miss you, Oak. I wanna know how you're doing. I wanna know if you're succeeding, if you're going well at wor-"

"You mean you want to know if I'm stable enough for you to leech off." I corrected. Ever since I began working to earn my way through college my mother had always tried to find a way to get some for herself. It was always a guilt thing, telling me she had worked so hard for me and now it was my turn.

She stuttered. "Uh..no honey, I just miss you." she lied.

"Yeah well you haven't called for months on end. Not a word since I moved. So something tells me you didn't just wake up today deciding you cared." I spat back calmly, surprising myself at how controlled my voice sounded despite the explosions in my head.