I Could, But Wouldn't Stay

XIV

The omega packed this back months ago with very little intention of ever using it. Four years with an alpha was a long time to just walk away from, especially considering she'd been raising his kids for that time.

She packed this bag and hid it deep in her closet under the guise that it would keep her safe. Like a panic button she could press at any time, she could grab the bag and leave. The first time he hit her she called it a fluke, he was stressed, and she was mouthy.

Even after about four years of the same behavior, she could still write it off as a character flaw. The pulsing and inflamed spots where he hit her, grew to be a comfort that she was at least still alive.

She could have gone years more without ever questioning whether she deserved it or not, but her circumstances had changed quite a bit. She knew she couldn't stay so she dug out her panic button, but she had to repack it because the clothes she packed before didn't quite fit her two months pregnant body anymore. They say a child change everything and Anne was certain that was true now.

Her hands moved in a flurry replacing the clothes and adding more money when a child sprinted across the floor. "Mumma!" A small curly haired boy called while sprinting into the master suite and dive bombing the bed Anne currently found herself packing the small bag on.

She knew it was Harry only because she dressed him in that spider man shirt this morning, the two looked more alike every day, "Harry, dear, you scared me!"

"Sorry!" Harry giggled and rolled onto his stomach on the bed, "Whatcha doin?"

"I'm just putting some things together."

"For what?"

"Well, can you keep a secret, precious?"

"Yup!" Harry nodded, frantically, "I'm the best secret keeper around."

"Ok, because it's a surprise!"

"Ok!" Harry smiled rocking a little with excitement about the secret.

"I'm going on a little trip."

"Where?" Harry whispered, "Can I tell, Eddie?"

"No baby just between you and me." She smiled a little sad, "It's a surprise for Daddy too but your grandpa is also coming up from Florida."

"Grandpa?" Harry cocked his head to the side, "I didn't know I had a grandpa."

"You do!" Anne smiled lightly, "He's going to come up in the next couple of days and you'll get to meet him."

"That's fun." Harry smiled, "I'll show him my cars!"

"Uh huh." Anne nodded, "You won't miss me at all."

"I will." Harry nodded urgently, "I'll miss you at bedtime because no one tucks me in like you and and and... What's going to happen when Daddy gets mad and you're not here?"

"Your grandpa will be here."

Harry nodded thinking through this new information, "Did daddy hit you?"

When Michael hit Anne, it was in the privacy of their room, never in front of the kids. She currently hid her largest bruise yet with a mound of cover up, "Why'd you say that, Hun?"

"You got bruises like Eddie." Harry wrung his fingers together, "Daddy hit's Eddie a lot and he tells me and him not to tell anyone, but you can tell me because I can keep a secret."

Anne felt a sting in her chest because she suspected that Mike had been hurting the quieter of the twins for some time, but Edward always denied it. She found the bruises, the whip marks, and the belt marks during bath time but it seemed to traumatize the quiet twin more to talk about it.