Alpha's Little Secret

Chapter 31| Two Families (1)

Max's P.O.V

The announcement of our engagement was temporarily postponed until Drake figured out what was going on with his mother. We both agreed that we wanted both sides of our family to be present and completely on board. Besides Jacob, Oscar, and Patrick, no one had any idea that I had even proposed.

"I think it's cute that you want both families to be there. It'll make it more memorable," Oscar claimed as he leaned forward over the counter top to steal a piece of chopped strawberry. The British boy had gone through some sort of metamorphosis since his time in America. I'm not sure if it was living with Jacob that had changed him so quickly, but he was becoming more than what was just expected of an omega.

"Memorable yes. Very annoying...even more. I have like a million brothers and sisters," I huffed back. Imagining my entire family in one place made my skin crawl. Growing up was absolute chaos. There was always so many kids in the house and personal space was non existent. Not that I was complaining about it. My parents loved us and that was enough.

"Your family can't be that bad Max. Look how you turned out," Drake said with the most innocent look in his eyes. I looked at him, wondering if he even payed attention to how my opa acted around me. I couldn't do anything without him butting his way into my life. With my entire family around that was multiplied by 10.

"Okay so maybe your opa is a bit dramatic, but the rest of your family can't possibly be that bad?" Drake assumed. I looked at him like he was absolutely crazy. Every single one of my brothers and sisters were either super dramatic, legit bat shit crazy, or both. I was the only one who really took after my Apa. Granted he wasn't all that sane either.

"Wait until you meet them. If Jacob wasn't in heat right now, I'm sure he'd tell you how overwhelming it can be with everyone in one place," I replied. Drake rolled his eyes, probably seriously underestimating my family. I guess the only way to convince him was for him to meet them.

"Anyways, Oscar—are you coming with us to visit Drake's mother," I asked. Oscar blinked a few times and turned his head towards the hallway that housed Jacob's room.

"I would, but I don't want to leave Jacob alone with Patrick. I'm sure they're okay, but I want to be sure," the handsome omega replied. It was hard to imagine Oscar falling into this older brother role for Jacob. Their friendship was so instant, but it seemed like they had been friends since birth.

•••

Watching Drake confidently walk into his old home without fear, made me smile. He was so much stronger than before. So much more poised and powerful. If it weren't for the fact that we were sitting right in front of his mother, I would've pulled him into one of the many rooms and proceeded to take him right there. He was just so damn sexy the way he held himself so highly.

We sat across from the woman who had birthed the love of my life. Her greying hair was a complete mess, her aged face devoid of its usual make up. Her baggy eyes looked between me and her son, almost as if we weren't there.

"Mother, Patrick feels as though something is wrong. I feel like something is wrong," Drake said as he looked at the disheveled woman. Her eyes twitched upward, falling once she noticed us staring.

"Oh dear me...I completely forget that he has school today. Do you know if he..."

"Mother?" Drake looked at her in confusion. Did she even know what day it was? It had been almost 2 weeks since Patrick came to stay with us. Plus, Patrick was on break.

"Patrick hasn't been home in awhile. He came to stay with me after he realized something was wrong," Drake explained. The woman stared blankly at her only omega son. Her tired eyes seeming to relax slightly from the news.

"Cookie...I...I don't know what's going on with me..."she began, her voice becoming a bit more scratchy and low with each word. It was as if she knew that Drake would take over her role as a mother. "—I'm starting to forget things that I normally remember and when I do remember them it's to late. Then there are days when all I can think about is you. The mistakes I made in not protecting you. The mistake I made in not running from your father sooner. I...I feel like life is moving faster than my thoughts sometimes," she gloomed.

My mind had jumped to a number of things after she said all that. Depression, regret, even an early on set of dementia or Alzheimer's. I wasn't a medical physician so I couldn't diagnose any of that. All I could do was assume and recommend that she see a professional.

"Mom, what's happened to me is done. It's over with and you don't have to burden yourself with guilt. I forgave you. I understood why you couldn't leave my father and I'm okay with that. Don't..."

"Cookie, no. It's not just that. Something is wrong up here," the woman explained as she tapped the side of her head. It meant that she was aware of her condition, or at least partially aware.

"I...I don't understand," drake replied. He was still so innocent. He probably thought his mother was invincible. I knew that because I thought my opa was invincible. He was the strongest person I knew and imagining him in that state haunted me.

I gently took Drake's hand and leaned over towards his ear. "I think that maybe we should get a doctor to see her," I relayed. I'm sure Drake probably also thought his mother was to young for any of those mental disorders that came with age, but I knew the signs. My grandmother's symptoms had started in her late 50's and my opa had spent her last few years taking care of her. I never really talked to him about it, but I could tell it hurt like hell to loose her that way.

•••

After getting Drake's mother all set up with a temporary at home support nurse until we knew her diagnosis, we decided to take the long way home. I knew when Drake was stressed and right now he needed space to think. Home was to busy with Patrick and all his friends hanging out to think clearly. Jacob's heat had ended a few hours ago and Patrick decided to have some of his teammates over to hang out, so our house was occupied with a bunch of Alpha and Beta males. Jacob had gone home with Oscar after his heat to freshen up and get away from all that testosterone.

"How do I tell my brothers that our mom is sick?" He asked. I didn't know how to answer that. I'm not even sure he wanted an answer. It wasn't an easy tasks to explain to your family that your mother is sick. Their father had just abandoned them out of guilt and fear. Now they could possibly be slowly loosing their mother as well.

"Drake I...I don't know what tell you. I usually know what to say, but I don't. There's no good way to tell them. I just know that they have a right to be told," I replied honestly. Drake nodded his head, but I could tell he felt an unbelievable amount of regret.

Regret I wouldn't begin to understand until later.