Chapter Seven
Well, that’s not good. What the hell happened?
“Evangeline! Can you hear me? Are you okay?”
Continuing to blink, I spin in a circle before my eyes land on Finnegan, who looks like he’s about to jump into the lake.
“Don’t jump in,” I try to tell him, but my teeth are chattering so hard, I think it comes out like gibberish. “The water is too cold.”
Finnegan frowns but pauses his movement. A splash nearby has me turning once more, wincing as the world spins and my stomach threatens to rid me of the contents of my stomach. Finnegan curses and shouts something, but I can’t make out what it is.
“Come on, Evangeline. I’ve got you.” I look up into the most beautiful pair of olive green eyes and smile.
“You’re pretty. Are you an angel?”
The angel scoffs. “How hard did he knock you with the kayak? Fuck. I’m definitely no angel, omega. It’s Alejandro. You know me.”
“Right.” I try to nod before halting the action as nausea and pain rush through me. “That was a bad idea.”
Alejandro curses again before wrapping his arm around me. “I’m going to swim you back to the shore.”
“But I know how to swim,” I tell him as he leans me back into the water. I watch as the sky passes overhead before it, too, makes me nauseous. Deciding that it’s best to close my eyes, I allow him to haul me to the shore. I’m not sure I could swim right now even if I wanted to.
I start to drift off, but Alejandro shakes me. “You can’t go to sleep, angel. You might have a concussion, and you’re definitely in shock. Just stay awake for a little bit longer. Can you do that for me?”
I don’t know if I can, or why it’s so important, but I nod my head. “Sure.”
My words come out slurred but my teeth are still chattering, and I finally realize just how serious this is. Something is very wrong—I can’t even feel my body any longer.
“We’re almost there. Finnegan and the others beat us back and are waiting for us. An ambulance just pulled into the parking lot. Bree probably had them on standby, just in case. She’s a bit of a control freak, that one, isn’t she?”
I laugh because he’s not wrong.
“Thank goodness she likes to be over prepared though, because we’re both going to need to get warmed up, and your head definitely needs to be looked at.”
I have to fight to keep my eyes open, groaning when I’m jostled. It takes me a moment to realize that Alejandro has me in his arms as he’s running through the shallower water.
“What the hell were you thinking?” I hear Finnegan scream, and for a moment, I think he’s yelling at Alejandro. I roll my head to the side to tell him off or something, only to realize he has Viktor pinned against a tree.
I don’t hear his response because there’s suddenly a new face hovering over mine. I jerk back, groaning at the movement.
“What happened?”
“Someone ran into her kayak with theirs and it ended up tipping. She was able to get free pretty quickly, but then the same person ran their kayak into her head.” By the time he finishes explaining the events, he’s practically growling. “I jumped in when I realized how disoriented she was. I towed her back to shore, and she almost passed out a couple of times.”
“Hand her to me,” the person says, and Alejandro’s arms tighten around me.
“Absolutely not.”
The person scoffs. “Let me guess—she’s an omega.”
“Damn straight,” I slur. “Why can’t I feel my body?”
Suddenly, I’m yanked out of Alejandro’s arms and lifted up. My back hits a flat surface as I close my eyes against the sudden onslaught of light.
“You can’t just—“
The person, who I now realize is a man, cuts off Alejandro. “Look, here, alpha. I need to get her under the warming blankets and look at her head. I need to do that inside of the rig. If you want to join us, that’s fine. In fact, I’d recommend it since you’re soaked as well. Alice!”
I flinch away from his shout, whimpering. The room suddenly moves before Alejandro appears at my side, his vanilla with sweet cane sugar and a zesty lime twist scent soothing my nerves. “Alejandro…”
“I’m here, Evangeline. I’m not going anywhere. Don’t worry.”
“What’s up, Thomas?” a new voice asks.
“I have a female omega who needs to get under warming blankets and a male alpha who needs the same thing. Something tells me he isn’t going to react well to me undressing her, so I think it would be best if I drove the rig.”
“Where are you taking her?” a voice I recognize but can’t quite place immediately asks.
“The closest hospital is Oakes General—it’s twenty minutes up the road. We need to get her there as soon as possible, and I can’t do that with you in the door. Clear out so we can get going,” Thomas says before the doors slam shut, and I wince again. It’s just so loud and bright in here. It hurts my head.
I feel movement around me before the light pressing against my eyelids finally abates somewhat.
“There you go. That should help some. Why don’t you open your eyes and tell me your name, omega?”
“Her name is Evan—“
The woman clears her throat. “I didn’t ask you what her name was, did I? I asked her. Now, strip your clothes off and get under the blanket Thomas has for you. We need to get both of you to the hospital, but I need you to stay out of my way.”
I blink my eyes open to find a woman I would guess is in her sixties, smiling down at me.
“There she is. Hi, darling. Can you tell me your name?”
“E-E-Evangeline,” I stutter out around the shaking of teeth, glad that my voice doesn’t sound nearly as slurred as it did before.
The woman’s smile only grows. “It’s nice to meet you. My name is Alice, and I’m going to take care of you while Thomas gets us to the hospital. You took a swim in some pretty cold water. I’d like to take your clothes off so we can warm you up.”
“‘s fine,” I tell her. “Bottoms are scent-canceling, though. Might stink up the room without them.”
Alice laughs. “Don’t you worry about that. I have just the thing to help with your scent. Let’s just focus on getting you warm.”
“S-s-sounds good.”
I don’t know if I pass out or what happens, but the next thing I know, the bed I’m lying on is being lifted and I’m flinching away from more lights. A whimper spills from my lips again. I’m surrounded by voices and I don’t recognize any of them, pulling more whimpers from me. What’s happening? Where am I?
“You’re okay, Evangeline,” a voice says—the voice of an angel. “I’m here. We’ve made it to the hospital. They’re going to help you get all better.”
Darkness pulls me back under as the scent of vanilla and lime fills my nose, making me feel safe.
“Ugh.” I wince, lifting my hand to my pounding head. My eyes pop open when I feel a bandage.
“Look who’s finally awake.”
I turn my head to the side, blinking as I try to focus on the person who spoke. It takes me a moment to realize it’s Bree. “Bree?”
“Hey, Evangeline. How are you feeling?”
Taking stock of my aching body and head, I want to laugh, but I’m afraid it’ll make me hurt more. “I hurt—a lot. What happened?”
She hums as she types on her phone. “What’s the last thing you remember?”
“I was on a date with the day two suitors, right?”
She looks up from her phone and nods.
“Yeah, that’s all I remember.”
She sets her phone to the side, shuffling closer to me. It’s only then I realize I don’t know where I am. I frown, glancing around me. “You’re in an omega nest at the Oakes General Hospital. They’ve found that omegas tend to heal better in a nest—even if it’s not their own. As far as what happened, it seems that Viktor bumped into your kayak—something he says was an accident—and then when he was trying to circle around to see if he could help you, he smacked you in the head with his kayak.”
“Why do you say it like that? Do you think it wasn’t an accident?” I ask, frowning. While Viktor lit up my creep meter, I wouldn’t have thought he would do something like this on purpose.
“I don’t know. Nothing indicates it was anything more than an accident, but after listening to what Finnegan and Alejandro had to say, I’m not totally sure.” She shakes her head. “We haven’t sent him home or anything because there’s no proof that it was intentional, but if you want us to, we’ll send him home.”
Immediately, I shake my head. “No. I don’t want to do that.” My eyes widen as a realization hits me. “Shit. What about the show? What time is it?”
“Don’t worry about the show.” Bree waves me off. “We’re just going to delay for a week. You can have a do-over of your date with Alejandro, Viktor, Lillian, and Dustin if you want. But they said you’d be here for at least a few hours.”
“Damn it, I’m sorry, Bree. I didn’t mean to slow down production.”
She once again waves me off. “Don’t you worry about that. Your health is obviously more important. It does mean you’ll have one less week to choose your pack.”
“I’m sure that’ll be fine.” And what choice do I have if it’s not fine? None. All because I somehow landed myself in the hospital. It’s not like it’s going to prevent me from doing things like this again. Accidents happen all the time—even though Bree isn’t sure it is an accident, and that’s not something I currently feel like thinking about.
I close my eyes, trying to think back, and the memories start rushing back.
I sigh, lifting a hand to my head. “Do I have a concussion? Because if so, I’m going to have to figure out what to do for the rest of the dates. There’s no way I can do most of the activities I have planned.”
And that fucking sucks. I put a lot of thought into those dates. Plus, they’re all things I want to do.
“Surprisingly, no. It seems you passed out from a combination of blood loss and your body temperature. It was your body’s way of trying to conserve energy or something.” Bree shrugs. “The doctors explained it to me, but I was only half listening. I was so worried about you.”
“How long do I have to stay here?” I’m already getting itchy at being in this nest. It’s not right—nothing like my nest. I want to get back to the nest in my suite.
“I texted the doctor to let him know you were awake. He or one of the nurses should be here soon. They said as soon as you woke up, they’d need to observe you for a few hours, and then we’d be able to head back to the compound.”
I nod slowly. “So how is this going to work, considering I have eight suitors at the compound already, and no others are allowed for a week?”
Bree grimaces. “Unfortunately, you’ll need to stay in your suite as much as possible over the course of the week. We can’t have you spending extra time with the suitors who are already here. It wouldn’t be fair to the others. But we’ll work out a schedule where they need to remain in their rooms so you can go outside or whatever you want to do.”
“I don’t mind staying in the suite, honestly. I can watch TV, read, or work on some new designs while I rest. I’ll probably spend most of my time in the nest.”
Before she can respond, there’s a knock on the door moments before it swings open to reveal a very large older alpha. He doesn’t move from the doorway. “It’s good to see you awake, Miss Deveraux. Do you mind if I enter your nest along with a beta nurse? We want to do a quick exam to make sure you’re doing alright.”
“Of course.” I wave them in as Bree moves away so they can do just that.
My mind wanders back to the date and the insinuation that Viktor had possibly intentionally knocked me into the water before running into me with his kayak. I don’t like the idea of someone doing that on purpose. It also doesn’t make sense why he’d try to hurt me. He’s here as a suitor, trying to become part of my pack. So what would he have to gain by hurting me? It just doesn’t make sense, and thinking about it is making my head hurt.
I have a week before I have to deal with this, so, for now, I’m going to let it go. I’ll figure it out later.
It turns out that being stuck in my suite for a week straight isn’t nearly as easy as I thought it would be. There’s only so much TV I can watch at once, only so many books I can read in one sitting, and I’ve already designed my entire next season. And that was all by day four.
Unfortunately, there was no way I could convince Bree to let the show resume any sooner, even if I was feeling fine. She just kept reminding me it was the doctor’s orders.
Thankfully, the week is finally over. Since my date with the day two suitors was cut short, Bree set up a picnic lunch for us before the next round of suitors arrive. Bree says all eight of the suitors have been driving her crazy, asking how I’m doing and when they can see me. Apparently, Koda has been the worst. Though I’m not supposed to see him again until I’ve met all the other suitors, he’s supposed to be coming by because he’s been having issues with his omega side.
Bree said any omega suitors have to be on suppressants while on the show so they don’t go into heat. It makes sense, and it’s only for a few weeks, so it wouldn’t cause any adverse effects. But when she brought me my breakfast, she said he was having breakthrough symptoms. They think it’s over the stress of what happened and the fact that he hasn’t been able to see me. Hence the visit.
I’m already waiting by the door when a frantic knock sounds out. I throw the door open to find a distraught Koda standing there. I have a moment to realize there are tears in his eyes before he throws himself through the door, wrapping his arms around me.
“Thank the gods,” he says, hugging me almost too tightly. “Bree said you were okay, but I just couldn’t believe it until I saw you.”
Wrapping my arms around him, I lay my head on his chest. “I’m okay, Koda. I promise.”
Letting my eyes fall shut, the two of us stand there, just holding onto one another. I don’t know how long we’re like this, but we don’t pull apart until someone clears their throat. Even then, Koda keeps his arm wrapped around my waist as we turn to find Bree standing in the doorway.
“I hate to interrupt, but this meeting shouldn’t even have happened,” she says as she glances between us. “Are you feeling more settled, Koda?”
He nods slowly, his hold on me tightening as if he doesn’t want to leave—and he probably doesn’t. Hell, I’m not sure I want him to leave.
“Yes. I just needed to see that she was okay with my own eyes. I’m sorry I’ve been a pain in the ass, Bree.”
She waves off his apology. “It’s not your fault. I know what it’s like to be an omega. But we do need to let Evangeline get ready for her date. Please make sure you shower, so Koda’s scent isn’t all over you.”
“I was planning on it.” I laugh as I turn in Koda’s hold. “I’ll see you in a few days, okay?”
Koda nods, leaning down to press his forehead to mine as his eyes fall shut. “Enjoy meeting your suitors.”
He pulls back enough to press a kiss to my forehead. He’s gone before I can tell him goodbye. Sighing, I shoot Bree a tight smile. “Thanks for looking out for him.”
“I’m here to watch out for all of you. Don’t worry about it.” Bree’s smile is almost as tight as mine. “Now, go get ready for your date.”
“Yes, ma’am.” I give her a mock salute, and she flips me off as she shuts the door. I laugh as I head back into my bedroom, tossing my clothes into the basket and going straight into the shower.
I’m still not sure how I feel about today’s date. I feel like I need to make up for the fact that I’d completely forgotten that Dustin was even on the date. Not to mention the whole thing with Viktor. For now, I’ve decided to assume it was an accident. I just don’t see what he has to gain from hurting me. I am excited to see Lillian and Alejandro again. After all, Alejandro saved my life.
I dress casually in leggings and a comfortable shirt. I’m going to have to get all dolled up tonight to meet the next set of suitors, and I just want to be comfortable until then. I’m meeting them outside near one of the gazebos since they’ve already picked me up from my room for our first date.
As I step outside, I let my head fall back as my eyes close. The sun feels amazing on my skin, reminding me I haven’t spent nearly enough time outside over the last few days. But that’s all coming to an end now.
Lowering my head once more, I smile as I see Alejandro, Lillian, Dustin, and Viktor standing near the gazebo. Though, it seems they’re not really speaking to one another. Lillian and Alejandro stand to one side, backs turned to where Dustin and Viktor are chatting. Interesting. I wonder what that’s all about.
Figuring there’s no time like the present to find out, I march my way over to them. “Hey, everyone!”
“Evangeline!” Lillian spins around, hurrying over to throw her arms around me. “We were so worried about you.”
I laugh as I return her hug. “Well, as you can see, I’m perfectly okay and ready for today’s date.”
When Lillian pulls away, Alejandro takes her place, though he doesn’t hug me. His hands are jammed in his pocket, a tight smile on his face. “You’re sure you’re okay?”
“Yes. Thanks to you.” I don’t know how he feels about hugging, but after he saved my life, he deserves at least a hug. I wrap my arms around him and for a moment, I think I’ve overstepped as he freezes, but then he releases a sigh as he pulls me closer.
I melt into his touch before leaning back just far enough to look up and meet his eyes. “Thank you, Alejandro. I know Finnegan would have saved me, but you didn’t hesitate to get me out of there. I really appreciate you saving me.”
“It was my pleasure, Evangeline.” He presses a kiss to my forehead before stepping back, his eyes narrowing at something over my shoulder.
Turning, I find Viktor standing there. For once, there’s no smirk waiting on his lips. In fact, he looks quite contrite.
“I’m glad you’re okay, Evangeline. I’m so sorry about what happened. I wasn’t paying attention to where I was paddling when I bumped your kayak—which was obviously stupid. Then trying to reach you in my kayak? I really thought I was helping.” Viktor shakes his head, looking away from me so he doesn’t have to meet my eyes. “I realize now that my actions did nothing more than endanger you further. Obviously, I wasn’t thinking clearly or I wouldn’t have done what I did. All I can do is ask you to forgive me.”
I stare at him for a moment before nodding. He seems sincere in his apology, and regardless of what others think, he has nothing to gain from hurting me. I truly believe it was an accident. “I understand losing your head in a situation like that. Accidents happen, but try to remember this in case you ever find yourself in a similar situation, yeah?”
Viktor’s head jerks up, eyes wide with surprise. “Really?”
“What? Did you expect me to think you did it on purpose or something?” I shake my head as he drops his eyes once more, which is curious. “Let’s not even think about it. I have one other person to say hello to—where did you go, Dustin?”
“Right here,” he says with a smile as he moves to stand beside Viktor. “I’m so glad you’re okay. And that you forgive Viktor. Things have been a little tense around here since the accident.”
“It wasn’t a fucking accident,” I swear I hear Alejandro hiss, but when I turn to look at him, he just shoots me a grin.
“Well, in that case, let’s eat, shall we?”
The tension in the air is clear between the four of them, and I don’t even want to delve into it. I don’t know what’s gone down between them and the other suitors this week and honestly? I don’t have it in me to worry about it right now. My head is already starting to throb, another headache coming on, and it’s the last thing I need to deal with right now.
So I choose to ignore it as I plop down on the blanket next to the basket, immediately digging in. I smile when I realize all my favorites are here—egg salad on croissants, tomato and cucumber salad, ham and cheese sandwiches, potato salad, and truffles for dessert.
“That good, huh?” Lillian asks as she sits down beside me.
“Huh?” I jerk my head up at her words.
Lillian giggles as Alejandro sits beside her. Laughter dances in his eyes as he nods at the food I’ve pulled out. “You were moaning with every food you pulled out.”
“Was I?” I wrinkle my nose, flushing. “What can I say? They are all my favorite picnic snacks, and they’re in perfectly portioned containers.”
Dustin snorts as he sits on Alejandro’s other side, leaving Viktor to sit beside me.
“What?” I ask, lifting my brows.
“I’ve just never seen anyone as excited about food as an omega. That’s all.” He grins. “My best friend’s pack has an omega, and he’s the same way.”
I shrug. “What can I say? We like nice things.”
That seems to break some of the tension as we all eat. Don’t get me wrong—the tension is definitely still there, but it seems more subdued. It’s enough for me to be able to focus on eating and getting to know them better.
It’s not much longer before Bree appears. “Evangeline, it’s about time for you to start getting ready.”
“What time is it?” I frown, looking up at the sky as if it’s going to magically tell me the time. I don’t usually wear a watch, so it’s not like I can check myself.
“Almost three o’clock.”
My eyes widen as I jump to my feet, Bree losing her battle with trying to bite back her laughter as I screech, “Why didn’t you get me sooner?!?!”
“You looked like you were having a good time,” she says with a shrug.
Damn it. Now I only have like three hours to get ready, and I definitely have to take another shower. Can’t meet new suitors with the scents of other suitors on my body.
Shaking my head, I send a smile around the blanket. “Thank you so much for your patience over the last week and for making our date redo amazing. I guess I’ll see you in a few days.”
I don’t bother waiting for their responses as I take off toward the house. But I do hear some muttering that I can’t quite make out. It definitely doesn’t sound like a compliment, but I don’t have time to worry about it.
Am I being rude? Probably a little, but I don’t like being rushed. I’m sure they’ll forgive me.