An Omega's Desire

Chapter Thirty-Four: "News"

Sean slept off the stronger effects of his sickness, but even after he woke up, he refused to get up. Laying on his back in his bowl chair, he propped his legs up along the side. He liked having his feet up. It was helping him stay relaxed somehow. Flipping through the pages of a graphic novel that he hadn't read in years, he let himself get absorbed into the story. He could hear his phone dinging but ignored it. He wasn't in the mood to retrieve it. Nor did he feel like going back to reality just yet. He just wanted time to himself. After hours of reading and getting half-way through his book, his dad knocked on the door and asked through it gently. "Sean? Can I come in?" Sean pulled his blanket over his waist to hide his underwear but didn't care if his dad saw his bare legs. Putting a bookmark in the book, he answered a bit drained. "Ya." His dad cautiously opened the door, looking from him to the dinging phone on the floor where his pants were. Closing the door, his dad walked over to pick up his phone, asking curiously. "Have you seen what's going on?" Sean shook his head, mumbling out honestly. "I've been avoiding it. I don't feel good... I didn't want to add to it. Why?"

His dad turned off his phone, then set it on the dresser before walking over to him. Reaching out, his dad put a hand on his forehead and asked lovingly. "Symptoms?" Sean set his book down, exhaling out grimly. "It's my stomach. I started feeling weird at the hospital and on the way home... I tried to eat, and it came back..." Sitting on the floor, his dad played with Sean's long bangs a little, while telling him with a small smile. "Your mom is eating the leftovers. I should have warned you about craving spicy food while pregnant. It never ends well..." Sean rolled his eyes, hugging himself as he mumbled out without looking at his dad. "Ya..." His dad brushed his bangs away from his eyes, leaning on the edge when he asked gently. "What's on your mind?" Sean sighed heavily, uttering out weakly. "I'm sure you've seen videos of what happened..." His dad propped his head up on his hand, his voice calm and loving when he answered. "I did. But I wanna hear it from you. What happened, Puppy?" Sean sniffled, mumbling out honestly. "I lost my temper... and while I feel like Ethan deserved every word... I feel like I humiliated him. I just... I don't know if I did the right thing. Dad, I'm sorry..."

His dad stroked his hand down his cheek to get his attention, then told him warmly when their eyes met. "You and I both know that Ethan was never going to stop putting a target on your back. I told you to stop rolling over and you did. You didn't hurt him. You just told him the truth... and the truth hurts." Sean wiped his nose on his sleeve, mumbling out. "Then why do I feel so bad..." His dad put a hand on Sean's chest, rubbing him comfortingly as he said. "Because you know what it feels like to be on the receiving end. You know how bad it feels to realize your friends are not who you thought they were. To fall from the top and be left bruised at the bottom." His dad touched his cheek, looking deeper into his eyes when he continued seriously. "No one wants the rug yanked out from under them... but it's a hard truth that we all learn eventually. If it wasn't you, it would have been something else that knocked him off his high horse. The only difference is... no one would have been there to pick him up after his fall... but you were." His dad grinned brightly, saying with pride. "I did see the video. And I'm so proud of you. Yes, you shot him down... but when he was down... and his friends turned on him. You didn't."

His dad pulled his forehead to his, saying in his best daddy voice. "You treat others the way you want to be treated. You didn't take his bullshite, but you knew when enough was enough. A lesser person would have laughed and teased him. You stood up for him. You took him from there to keep them from making him feel worse. He may be ungrateful now... but you didn't become a bully. I saw a strong young Delta, showing the Pack what true unity looks like." Sean felt a tear run his cheek, before he hugged his dad. Hugging him tightly in return, his dad softly added against his ear. "Ethan's dad called me. I was expecting to fight... but he just wanted me to tell you something." Sean pulled from his dad, his gut twisting as his mind flooded with all the things he'd said to Ethan about his dad and how that must have upset him. Only to have his dad tell him with a little smile. "He wanted me to thank you for bringing Ethan home." Sean swallowed, expecting more but his dad just wiped his tears away. Giving him a shrug though, his dad chuckled out. "In fact... That damn video has the whole Pack talking about you. Your mother had to turn off her phone just to keep her ears from ringing."