Omega’s Refuge (Rambling Cow Dude Ranch #1)

Chapter Eleven

When I woke the next morning, Rex was already up and I could hear him outside the tent moving around. I winced when my stomach gave an unhappy twinge. I assumed my recent stomach issues were stress related, but hoped they weren’t a sign of something more serious, like an ulcer. That was all I needed, health issues on top of all my other problems.

I did some deep breathing until the nausea passed and my stomach felt better. Then I got up and pulled on some more clothes to face the chilly morning. I left the tent, toothbrush in hand, and headed straight for the water so I could brush my teeth. I didn’t want to greet Rex with morning breath. Once I’d washed up, I headed to greet Rex.

Rex was cooking something over the fire, and when I approached, his face warmed and he smiled. “Morning, Tanner.”

I loved the way my name rolled off his tongue and a little shiver went through me. “Morning.” I’d been so vulnerable with him last night, I felt a little shy. But he’d trusted me with his story about his health scare, so I’d felt compelled to be open with him too. Hopefully I hadn’t overshared?

My insecurities were eased when Rex grabbed me and pulled me in for a kiss. His kiss was affectionate, and I loved the feel of his big warm body wrapped around mine. No other alpha had ever made me feel so protected. I truly felt like nothing could hurt me when Rex was near.

He released me, and his cheeks were flushed. “Hungry?” he asked, turning away to get me some food.

“Yep. Starving.” Thankfully, my nausea had faded away once I was up and moving about.

“Well, I have just the thing to fill your belly.” He handed me a plate with scrambled eggs and country potatoes. “Dig in.”

“Don’t mind if I do.” I inhaled the delicious food and took a seat near the fire.

Rex joined me, and he dug into his breakfast like a starving wolf. I smiled, watching him enjoying his food. Even though we didn’t talk much while we ate, the moment was companionable and the silence comfortable.

“Did you sleep okay?” he asked, looking up from his meal.

“I did.” I finished off the last bite of eggs, and sipped some coffee he’d handed me earlier. “I was surprised how well I slept.”

“I always sleep better out here.” He wiped his mouth with a napkin. “Not sure why.”

“I love the quiet,” I said. “It’s such a nice change.”

“If you stay here long enough, the noise of the city will affect you even worse.” He smiled. “I had to go to Boise Idaho one time to pick up some equipment for the ranch, and I don’t think I slept a wink the whole two days I was there.”

“I’m sure you’re right. The noise and smog will bother me more once I go home.” My heart sank at the thought of retuning to Billings. My depression wasn’t because I’d miss the fresh air and lack of traffic though. It was the thought of never seeing Rex again that made my chest ache. “Before I know it I’ll be back in Billings. Time is going quickly.”

“It sure is.” He watched me and his expression softened. “At least we still have the rest of the week.”

“Yeah.” I met his gaze. “I’m glad I stayed.”

A muscle worked in his lean cheek. “Me too.”

I dropped my gaze to my mostly empty plate. “But, soon the real world will come calling.” My stomach twinged uncomfortably.

“Unfortunately.”

Thoughts of returning home and possibly having to confront Steve swamped me, and my earlier nausea slowly crept back over me. I touched my stomach as sweat prickled my face. Why did the thought of going home always make me feel sick?

“I think I ate too much.” I set my plate on the ground near my feet, praying the queasiness would go away. I really didn’t want to lose my breakfast in front of Rex. “My stomach is acting up.”

His gaze intensified. “You feel sick?”

“Yeah. It’s probably just stress.” I winced as another wave of nausea hit. I blew out a shaky breath, trying my best not to give into the sick feelings.

He frowned. “You felt nauseous last night when we were cooking too.”

“Yeah, I guess I did.” I grimaced. “I’m not usually someone who gets sick. But then again, I don’t usually have my alpha run off with another omega and leave me stranded.”

He nodded. “Sure. It could be stress.” His tone was uncertain, and there was a line between his brows. “Did this ever happen back home when you were stressed?”

“Not really,” I murmured, closing my eyes. “It’s happened a few times since I’ve been at the dude ranch. I’m sure it’ll pass. It always does.”

“You want to head back to the ranch?” He sounded worried. “Just to be safe?”

I opened my eyes quickly. “ No . I… I want to stay out here… with you, Rex.” The last thing I wanted was to cut our trip short. Unless he wanted that? Did he want to go back because I was a boring companion?

He smiled, although he still looked worried. “You sure? If we head back, I could have the doctor come in from town and take a look at you. We could always come back out if nothing is wrong.”

“I don’t need a doctor,” I said. “It’s just a little belly ache.”

“If you’re feeling bad though, it might be better to head back and get checked out by the doc.”

“You tired of my company already?” I frowned.

“No. Of course not.”

I laughed gruffly. “Then stop trying so hard to get me back to the ranch.”

He grimaced. “I don’t want to go back, but I am concerned about you.”

“You don’t need to worry. I’m sure I’ll be fine in just a minute.” I cleared my throat, doing my best to ignore how queasy I felt. “What did you have planned for today?”

He hesitated. “Well, before I knew you weren’t feeling well I was thinking we could do some hiking and fishing today. But if you’re not up for that, we can just hang out down by the river and take it easy.”

“What? No.” I scowled. “You didn’t go to all this trouble just to sit by the river and hangout in camp with me all day.”

“You got that wrong. It’s your company I want, Tanner. I don’t need activities. Just being with you is good enough for me. ”

I smiled weakly. “You’re just saying that because you’re so nice.”

“I’m not being nice. I’m being honest.”

“I’ll be okay.” I sighed. “Thank you though. I appreciate how empathetic you are, Rex.”

He shrugged. “I care about you.”

That candid statement summed up Rex. His compassion and willingness to be vulnerable put me to shame. I’d never met an alpha like Rex. Maybe if I’d met him sooner in life I’d have learned to be more open too. “How is it possible you don’t have an omega?” I hadn’t planned on saying that out loud, but it just slipped out.

Pink tinted his cheeks and he dropped his gaze. “I could say the same thing about you.”

I laughed gruffly. “I’m not sure you could.”

He glanced up, frowning. “You’re a catch, Tanner. Don’t kid yourself.”

“I don’t see myself that way,” I rasped. “Hell, I couldn’t even hold on to the alpha I had.”

Anger fluttered through his eyes. “That wasn’t on you. It’s not your responsibility to stop your alpha from cheating on you.”

“I know. I know.” I squinted at him. “Hey, you turned the subject onto me. We’re supposed to be discussing why you don’t have an omega.”

His jaw tensed. “Finding a life partner is twice as hard living out here in the middle of nowhere. Whoever I meet has to be willing to live out here in the middle of nowhere with me. ”

“I guess that’s true.”

He frowned. “Or I’d have to be willing to move to where they’re from.”

I narrowed my eyes. “You’d move for love?”

“Depends.”

My pulse spiked at the way he was watching me. I wasn’t conceited enough to think he was trying to send me a message, but I’d have been lying if I didn’t admit I liked the idea maybe he was. “That’s surprising,” I murmured. “You seemed so certain this was where you belonged.”

“I think it is where I belong.” He glanced up at the big blue sky. “But I hope to settle down one day, and if living out here means that’s never going to happen, I guess I’d have to rethink some things.”

“I can’t see you living in the city. Even if you did before, I just can’t see you doing that anymore.” I picked up my plate, needing something to distract me. The conversation was making me uncomfortable. I didn’t like the thought of Rex one day meeting another omega who’d make him want to move back to the city just to be with them.

“If I were you,” I said gruffly, rising. “I’d try long distance before I uprooted myself for some city omega.”

He also rose. “Is that right?”

I nodded and took my plate to the rinsing station. “Seems wrong to pull you away from a place you love. Especially if things didn’t work out.”

“I might end up alone forever if I’m too stubborn.” He followed me to the washing area, watching me as he spoke. “I mean, yeah, I love where I live and work. But a job can’t replace what an omega could give me. I’ll want a family one day.”

I met his gaze as I scrubbed the plate. “You’d regret moving back to the city. You know I’m right. Leaving this place would be a mistake for you, Rex.”

He laughed. “Is that right?”

“Yep.”

“I had no idea you were such an expert on me.” His tone was teasing.

My face warmed. “I’m just saying don’t let some omega talk you into moving back to the city. If they love you, they’ll understand this is where you belong.”

He shrugged. “Love equals sacrifice. Someone always ends up giving a little more than the other. But in the end, it’s probably worth it. If you end up with the one you love.”

“You truly are a romantic, Rex.” I set the plate to the side of the basin of water.

He shrugged. “I’m not a romantic all the time. Just sometimes.” He moved away. “So, shall we take it easy or shall we try some fishing?”

I forced a smile. “Let’s definitely fish. ”

“I’ll grab what we need.” He turned his back on me. “Would you grab the canteens out of the tent? We should fill them up before we take off.”

“Sure thing.” I left him to go get the canteens, but the whole time my thoughts were on what we’d talked about. Selfishly, I hated the idea of him with any other omega. “Stop being dumb. Just enjoy the time you have with him,” I muttered to myself.

I ducked into the tent to grab the canteens that were in the front corner of the shelter. My hand grazed the cool metal of one canteen, and just as I was about to pull it free, something soft brushed against my fingers. I frowned at a strange rattling sound and before I realized what was happening, pain shot through my hand—sharp, like a searing needle. I yanked back my hand, heart pounding as it sank in what had occurred.

I’ve been bitten by a snake.

“Shit,” I rasped, stumbling out of the tent and ending up on my ass. Dazed, I stared wide eyed as a light brown snake with a triangular head slithered out of the tent and into the bushes.

Rex must have heard the commotion because he arrived two seconds later. He knelt beside me, his face grim. “Did you get bit?”

I met his gaze as my arm throbbed painfully. “Yes. Pretty sure it was a rattlesnake.”

“Damn it.” He grabbed my arm and pushed up my sleeve. Where my hand met my wrist, there were two small puncture marks, already starting to swell. “He definitely tagged you, but it looks like he didn’t get a deep bite.”

“That’s good.” I was trying to stay calm, but the seriousness of the situation wasn’t lost on me. We were nowhere near medical help. I needed to get down off the mountain fast.

“Keep your arm low, below your heart.” Rex sounded calm, but there was an urgency too.

“People can die from rattlesnake bites, right?” I asked, voice wobbling.

“You’re not dying, Tanner,” he said, his voice tight. “But we do need to get down the mountain ASAP.”

Panic clawed at me. It had taken us a little over two hours to reach the camping spot. Did I have two hours? Would the venom reach my heart before we could get to help?

Rex must have seen the fear in my eyes because he put his hand on the back of my neck and he leaned closer. Peering into my eyes, he said in a soft voice, “You’re going to be fine, Tanner. I’m not going to let you die, okay?”

“Okay,” I whispered, responding to his confident energy. I wanted to believe he could protect me, but I worried time was our enemy. Rattlesnake venom was hemotoxic, meaning it destroyed blood cells and tissues, and could cause significant damage if left untreated .

He helped me to my feet and led me to one of the rocks by the fire. “Sit. Remember, keep your hand low. I’ll get the horses saddled.” He kicked dirt on the fire, snuffing it out. “I’ll come back later and get the rest of the stuff.”

I nodded, but didn’t speak. I was struggling to remain calm because I could already feel the effects of the venom. The bite was becoming intensely painful, and the skin around the bite was turning a sort of purple color. I didn’t have to be a medical professional to know that probably wasn’t a good thing.

Rex moved fast, saddling the horses within minutes. His jaw was tight and his body rigid. He was doing his best not to show how worried he was, but I could sense he was definitely concerned.

My fingers throbbed painfully, the venom spreading in waves up my arm. I forced myself to breathe, though every inhale felt harder than the last. It seemed no matter how hard I tried to keep calm, my heart raced.

He moved to me and slowly led me to Spitfire. “You’re okay,” he said as he helped me mount. “We’ll get down the mountain much faster than we got up, okay?”

“Okay.” I nodded.

“I’ll call for medical help to meet us at the base of the mountain as soon as we’re a little lower. I don’t have a signal here.” He jumped up effortlessly into the saddle and we were off. The pack mule followed along behind us as we left the camp behind, without even being tied to either of our horses.

We started down the trail, the rhythmic clop of the horses’ hooves the only sound breaking the stillness. My body felt heavy, and every bump in the trail sent fresh jolts of pain through my arm. I gripped the reins tighter, focusing on staying upright. The cool mountain air brushed against my skin, the scent of pine strong in the air, but all I could think about was the throbbing in my hand.

What if I died today? The thought of that sent a chill through me from my head to my toes. I remembered how Rex had said when he’d been told he was going to die, he’d had many regrets. I felt that now, deep in my soul. I’d been living my life as if I had an eternity to get things right. In truth, my days were numbered. Even before the snake bite, there was a finite amount of time to enjoy this world. Why had I been so overly cautious about trying things? Taking chances? I’d led a mundane, careful life, and even then, here I was possibly about to die.

“You still with me?” Rex’s voice cut through my growing haze of pain.

“Yeah,” I muttered, though my voice wavered. My vision was starting to blur, which was worrisome .

“We’re making good time, Tanner. Don’t worry.”

I didn’t respond. My throat was tight and sweat beaded on my forehead despite the chill in the air. “I wasted so much of my life,” I mumbled, feeling dejected.

“You’ll make changes once you’re feeling better, okay?” He glanced at me as we rode side by side. His eyes were dark with worry, but I appreciated he was trying hard to keep my spirits up.

The horses carefully navigated the narrow switchbacks of the trail, hooves kicking up dust as we descended. My vision blurred further, and I leaned forward slightly, struggling to keep myself from slumping over. I felt Rex’s big hand rest on the small of my back. I felt so weak now, partly from fear and partly from the venom.

I didn’t know how much time passed, but at one point Rex tugged out his phone. He made a call and he spoke quietly but forcefully into the phone. I was feeling dizzy now, and it was hard to focus on what he was saying. But I trusted him to do his best to save me.

After what felt like an eternity, the trail widened as we neared the base of the mountain. The sound of a siren in the distance reached my ears—faint but unmistakable. I felt a wave of relief wash over me, though my body was weak, and the pain was almost unbearable now .

“There they are,” Rex said, his voice rough with exhaustion. I could barely make out the flashing red and blue lights of an ambulance waiting at the trailhead.

As we reached the road, Rex dismounted quickly, helping me down from Spitfire. The ground felt unsteady beneath my feet, and Rex had to catch me as I stumbled.

A middle-aged paramedic with gray hair rushed toward us. “Where’s the bite?” he asked, helping me to sit on the bumper of the ambulance.

“Between his hand and wrist. It’s not a deep bite, but he’s feeling the effects already.”

“Right. Got it,” the paramedic said gruffly. “How long ago was the bite.”

“A little over an hour ago.” Rex’s voice was terse.

I closed my eyes, feeling the paramedic’s gloved hands on my arm as he examined the bite. I was relieved to finally be off the mountain, but realized I wasn’t out of the woods yet.

Rex put his hand on my shoulder, and I leaned into him. His presence helped calm the swirling fear. I inhaled his alpha scent, trusting him to do all he could to protect me.

After a cursory examination of the bite, they got me in the back of the ambulance and the paramedics began to monitor my vitals. The inside of the emergency vehicle smelled faintly of antiseptic, the sharp scent mixing with the lingering smell of pine on my clothes.

I felt a cool compress wrap lightly around my hand, the pressure comforting as the paramedic began to take my blood pressure. Rex’s voice was a steady hum as he spoke with the ambulance driver, though I could hardly focus on their words. At one point, Rex’s tone changed.

“I want to ride with him,” Rex said in a growly voice.

“Oh, well, it’s best if you just follow later.” The ambulance driver sounded vaguely annoyed. “We don’t allow anyone to ride with us other than the patient. You’ll need to follow in your own car.”

Rex snapped, “I’m on horseback . You expect me to ride back to the ranch, grab a truck, and then follow you guys? That’s not happening. I’m riding to the hospital with Tanner.”

“But it’s not protocol.”

“I don’t give a damn about your protocol,” Rex rumbled. “I’m not leaving Tanner, and that’s just how it is. If you think you can keep me out of the ambulance, you have another think coming.”

“Both of you, calm down,” the older paramedic interjected. “Surely you can make an exception in this case, right, Tom? This gentleman doesn’t have a vehicle handy and he can’t exactly follow the ambulance on horseback. ”

“Exactly,” Rex groused, raking a hand through his hair.

“I guess we can make an exception in this situation.” The driver’s voice was more conciliatory now. “Just try not to get in the way while my partner administers care to your omega.”

“Obviously,” Rex muttered under his breath.

Your omega.

The guy had misunderstood the situation and thought I was Rex’s omega? I was surprised by how much I liked the thought of that.

The ambulance doors closed with a heavy thud, and I felt the vehicle lurch forward. The ride was bumpy, the cold metal of the stretcher pressing against my back as the paramedic adjusted my IV.

A sense of serenity washed over me as Rex slipped his big hand around mine. I opened my eyes and met his concerned gaze. He tried to smile, but it didn’t reach his eyes. I squeezed his hand, wanting to wipe the guilt I saw from his eyes.

“Not your fault,” I whispered.

He swallowed hard, his Adam’s apple bobbing in his tanned throat. “It kind of is. I sent you to get the canteens. Plus, I’m the only reason you were up there on that mountain.”

“I wanted to go. ”

“Still.” He grimaced. “I don’t understand how a snake got in the tent. I’ve never had that happen before. I checked that tent before we left for the rips and I didn’t see any holes.”

I let out a shaky breath. “I forgot to zip it closed when I got up this morning.”

His face tensed. “Did you?”

“Yeah.” I closed my eyes again. “So if I die, if it’s anybody’s fault, it’s mine.”

“You’re not going to die,” he said harshly.

I opened my eyes in surprise at how angry he sounded. While my eyes were blurry, I could see he was flushed and his eyes glittered with raw emotion.

“Don’t just give up, Tanner, okay? Keep fighting,” he said hoarsely.

“Of course.” I squeezed his hand. “I won’t give up, Rex, I promise.”

Some tension left his body. “Okay.”

My eyes felt heavy, and exhaustion tugged at me. I fought to stay conscious because Rex was so worried. I knew he’d worry more if I passed out, but the steady thrum of the engine and the soft murmur of the paramedic’s voice lulled me into a more relaxed state.

Hard as I tried, I lost the battle and drifted off into nothingness.