Expensive Cat Food (MxMxM)

Part 43

Part 43 ( Damian Pov)

When it came to troubling situations, Damian wanted to think that he was great at getting out of them. Living on the street, you learn how to squeeze your way out of sticky stuff. Like learning how to cover your ass or how everyone can be a threat without knowing, it's better to be cautious always--or even plan to save food for the harsh winter coming around sooner or later. And Damian had to admit stockpiling truly helped him more than he would like to admit. However, something he didn't learn on the street was how not to get into a heated argument with his mother in the middle of a packed sidewalk.

Owen was standing beside him, grasping his hand in a death-like grip. His face was stoic, and he seemed to want to blow up at any moment. Damian could always count on Owens's explosive personality to get them into trouble. So he knew it was probably better to get Owen away from this soon-to-be chaotic situation. But with Kane currently held up with the patients inside, Damian had no one else to support him. So it was better to just keep watch of him, plus he was pretty sure the man wouldn't dare leave his side now that he knew Irene was here.

Not only was she standing their glaring daggers at him, but the older lady that mother brought along also turned out to be Damian's older sister Mia. Her snotty attitude seemed almost seeping into the air like a toxin. She stood proudly blocked behind two bodyguards, aggressively tapping her black high heels onto the pavement, seeming rather pissed off that she even had to give Damian an ounce of her attention. Obviously, the prissy brat didn't know anything other than to follow their mother like a loyal lap dog. Damian had seen a few come into the vet, and Mia was acting exactly like how they did. Damian couldn't see Mia running the family name without her mother helping her. She had no right to be the family head, even if she was the oldest of all the siblings.

And that's how Damian found himself in the sticky situation that he currently seemed unable to avoid. This talk with his mother should be ending quickly; as earlier stated, she had more important things to do than deal with her disowned son. He only reminds her of her failure as the heir to the Bellina family. The stain on her permanent record will never be wiped away as long as he existed. A small part of Damian wondered why she didn't get rid of him permanently. That way, she would never have to deal with him ever again. But a small part of Damian wanted to believe his father had something to do with it. Probably sticking up for him or ensuring Irene didn't do anything nasty to her only son.

"Let's get this over with; you came to our place of business demanding to talk. Now you're as quiet as a ghost. Get talking before we have to get back to our jobs." Owen snapped, his rage taking over. Damian tightened his grip, hoping the contact would send some comfort to him. Enough to hopefully balm the fury building inside.

"I'll take all the time I need to process the fact my only son is dating a human man. I always knew he was a failure; however, there was a small sliver of hope you would marry some unexpecting shifter who didn't know about your little," Irene waved her hand towards Damian's lower region. "Issue of yours not being able to produce a possibly proper heir for the family. There are a few shifter families with barren daughters you could have courted."

Damian's blood ran cold, hating the thought of being in a miserable marriage with someone he didn't love. All because both partners couldn't produce an heir that could drag the family name more profoundly into the mud. He almost threw up thinking about the horrid life, wanting to do nothing but run to Kane and drag Owen along, seeking comfort from the more prominent man for the nauseating images that flashed through his mind. Whimpering, Damian shoved his face into one of Owen's arms. He wants to do nothing but sink into Owen's mass, becoming one with the man to escape his mother.

"Fuck you!" Owen snapped, clasping a hand over Damian's head, pushing him harder into Owen's body. "You're a cruel bitch, not even caring for your children's happiness. Damian is living a better life now without you and the rest of your degrading family. Bethany and Nova deserve the same, not forced into an unwanting marriage with shady men and rich, influential families."

"You know nothing of how shifters work, so don't be making comments on the way we run our business. So you better head back inside so I can have a private conversation with him."

"You're not getting to be alone with Damian even if you try. So you're going to have to get used to me." Owen smirked, happy that he was getting on Irene's nerves. Making the woman's face redden with anger, and she sputtered her words. "You're nothing more than a nuisance, my son and I need to talk about his duty of being in the family and the whereabouts of his sisters."

Damian slightly dislodged from his position on Owen's arm, staring in disbelief at what his mother had just said. Duty to his family did that witch not remember kicking me to the side of the street, disowning me, and slashing my name from the family records. Maybe she was becoming senile; was he too hopeful that perhaps she was losing her mind? If so, she wouldn't be a problem for long in their lives. "I have no duty to your family, you disowned me, making me no longer a part of the Bellina name, so I have no obligation to listen or speak to you. I'm doing this out of the courtesy of my heart and wanting to know what happened to my sisters."

Mia rolled her eyes, almost looking like she found the sky more interesting than the conversation before butting in snarkily. "Nova, that good-for-nothing brat, decided to run away last night because she didn't want to fulfill her duty to the family and marry the perfect man mother picked out for her. She said something about some low-life human woman," Mia scoffed, waving her hand dismissively. "Said she was in love with the woman and would live with her. Unfortunately, mother and I weren't truly listening to her self-absorbed rant about true love and being 'gay,' so we didn't think she would actually do it. Now she and Bethany aren't anywhere to be seen, and they slipped their bodyguards. Even Chris hasn't been in contact with Bethany, so you're the last people to see them."

"You really think I'm going to help you find them or that I even know where the two of them are? We only reconnected a few days prior. Even then, I only got a small snippet of their life story or an inkling of where they could have run off to. But I learned that Juna's death could have been prevented if you both weren't such self-centered assholes. Instead of considering the family name and reputation, think about the people around you and your real family members. You can't force someone into a relationship they don't want, so don't even think of trying to find Nova because she won't come back willingly." Damian sucked in a breath; he hadn't meant to rant like that to his family. Especially his mother, who looked shocked by his sudden outburst. He felt a slight blooming of pride sprout in his chest; finally, he had taken a stand and defended himself and his sisters. He had never felt such power over his mother before.

Without warning, Irene turned on the balls of her feet, showing Owen and him her back. "We're leaving right this moment. If you're not going to help, then we're leaving. Better watch your backs if any of your sisters end up at your home when we find them." She turned, cold eyes landing on Damian's, burying into his soul. "You'll have more than you can handle, understand that stray. If your sisters come to you, send them home if you know what's good for you and that lover of yours." At that, Irene started walking away, Mia and her bodyguards following close behind, not giving Damian another glance before hopping into a black car and driving away.

Owen pulled Damian into his arms, shoving his face into his lover's chest. "We're going inside right now and closing up. I don't care how many patients we have. Your mother isn't getting away with this. We're also finding your sisters." Damian merely nodded, his throat closed up from anxiety. The crashing weight of everything that had happened finally smushed his body, crushing his lungs and making it hard to breathe.