~Chapter 21 Dustin's POV~

~Chapter 21 Dustin's POV~

"Like you, my problems started when I found out my secondary gender." Echo said as he began to tell me his story. "Except for the things that followed were caused by my mistakes. I was being foolish. Nothing good came out of my mistake initially, but I've learned more from them than if I just accepted the truth. Before I found out my secondary gender for most of my life, everyone told me I would be an Alpha. The people around me looked up to me. I was top of my class and did community service every month. I had good grades and was enrolled in multiple extracurriculars. I was what most people would define as main character material.

My family was proud of me and was proud that I would probably be an Alpha. Then came the day I got the test results back. Spoiler alert the results came back and said I was an Omega. My friends and family were shocked at first but quickly accepted me. I was different on the other hand. I became frustrated that I was an Omega. I knew I could try to be the best but Alphas would always be a weakness for me. I believe the term for it is instinct. Omegas will always be the weakest to an Alpha's pheromones. I was young and hellbent on proving instinct wrong.

I took my suppressants religiously and worked ten times as hard. I don't know if it was that I believed I would never be as good as an Alpha or something else that caused my downfall. Later I decided to move out and start traveling the world. My parents wanted me to continue to live with them. I feel bad about the way I left to this day. Instead of arguing with my parents over the matter I ran away that night and left a note." Echo explained to me. I was about to say something but he spoke before I got the chance to. "Before you say anything I know it was stupid and I shouldn't have done it. If I could go back and change that mistake I made I would. The only problem time travel isn't possible so I can't fix that mistake.

Back then the reason I wanted to get away was I always thought the other shoe would drop. I was running away from getting hurt. I was so afraid of getting hurt I ended up hurting my parents and friends by leaving. I was blinded by my fear so I didn't see the love and support people showed me." Echo told me. He then looked down at the water. "I don't mean to sound rude but have you talked to your parents?" I asked Echo. He looked at me for a solid minute before he answered my question. It was as if he was working up the courage to answer my question.

"No. It's been six years and I haven't spoken to them." Echo said. "I might sound like I'm trying to nag you with questions but I just want to know more about what happened. Plus since your going to be officially part of the pack soon I have to make sure my packmates are okay. I was wondering if you ever at one point were thinking of seeing your parents again?" I asked Echo. "I did think of contacting them at one point but in the end, I was a coward and didn't," he said. "I understand why you were nervous about talking to them. I don't have any right to tell you this but we all have to face what has hurt us or what we are afraid of at one point in our life." I told Echo.

"Everything you say is true Dustin. I have one question to ask you though. Will you ever go to see your parents one day too? I know your situation is different than mine but I was wondering." He asked me. "It's a good question you have and to be honest I don't know if I will see them. I have no reason to go see them. From what Blaze has told me my father's opinion on me is the same as before," I explained. 'We should start to head back or start our lunch,' I thought. "I think we should start to head back so Mason and Blaze don't get worried," I said to Echo. "Sure. We can eat the sandwiches at your house since Blaze and Mason are working. Plus judging from the bump on your stomach you might want to have a nap soon." Echo said to me.

I just laughed "I don't know where you got the idea from but that is just Oliver taking a nap." I responded. Echo is a funny person, to say the least. "You might want to be careful if you go around saying that to others though. Especially if you don't know them." I warned Echo. "Yeah. I'd prefer not to get beat up." He said. I stood up carefully so I didn't wake up Oliver. I had to hold him awkwardly so he would stay warm while he was asleep. It was kind of like holding a baby except he was in my sweatshirt so it wasn't the same. It was starting to warm up as we were hiking back home.

Though the temperature didn't rise so you were any warmer than before. If I only focused on hearing Oliver I could hear him breathing. Animals are so cute. When I was younger I wanted to live on a farm and not in the city. My father's job wouldn't allow him to live out in the country so we lived in the city. "Do you want me to hold Oliver the rest of the way back?" Echo asked me. "Sure. If your arms get sore we can swap." I told him. Echo came over to me and put out his arms. I pulled up my sweatshirt and moved my arms to hold Oliver again.

"You can hold Oliver in your sweatshirt. It might be easier to carry him that way plus it is probably warm." I told him. "Okay," Echo said. He then took Oliver in his arms and started to carry him. From the way, he was carrying Oliver no wonder everyone thought he was an Alpha. Echo carried Oliver like he was only a couple ounces when in truth he was about eight pounds. The walk back was peaceful. We didn't go any farther into the forest today, but I feel we'll be back. The color of the trees are beautiful shades of red, orange, and yellow here. In the Midnight Pack where I lived there were hardly any trees. The change in the scenery was better than I could have imagined.

~The End Of Chapter 21~