Chapter 17
A long nap was just what I needed. The aches in my body aren’t as persistent after allowing myself to rest. If only sleep could cure the demons haunting the corners of my mind.
Unburying myself from the mini-nest I built out of my mate’s clothes, I pause when I stumble upon a to-go coffee-themed stuffy. I don’t remember seeing it in the bags that Orion brought from back in New York.
Giving it a small sniff, I catch faint hints of my mates, but it’s weak enough that it is likely just from the contact with their clothes.
Is this… a gift? But which of my mates left it for me?
Glancing around the room, I study each of them, watching for signs of anticipation, but no one appears to be waiting for me to discover it.
Hugging it to my chest, I internally squeal over the softness of the material.
I fucking love stuffed animals. I have an entire collection of them, some of which I’ve had since I was a literal baby.
The only thing that would make this absolute cutie better is if it were saturated in my mate’s scent!
Setting it gently on the pillow beside me, I finish pushing myself into a sitting position.
Ridley’s eyes light up when he sees I’m awake, and I have to stifle a chuckle.
Once, when we were on tour with Primordial Covenant, Omen said he reminded her of an excited puppy.
Fates-dammit, she was spot on with that description!
“How are you feeling, sunshine?” he asks, standing from his seat to hover beside my bed.
“Okay,” I tell him with a shrug. My stomach chooses that moment to rumble loudly. I don’t think I’ve eaten anything solid since before Orbital Somatic’s concert in Portland, and that was at least two days ago.
“Hungry, apparently,” I add, ignoring the heat that rises to my cheeks when I realize the rest of my mates are also watching me.
Shiloh stands, straightening the front of his rumpled suit jacket with one hand. A move that is way too hot for being as simple as it is.
The twinge of pain between my tensing thighs derails any growing horny thoughts, sobering me. Yeah, none of that for a while. Think of scolding grannies or something, Bea.
“If you would like, I can speak with the nurse and find out if there are any restrictions on what or when you can eat.”
“S-sure,” I squeak out. Clearing my throat, I add a quick “thank you” as he turns to leave.
A few minutes after he leaves, the door opens. I expect it is him returning, but all of my bravado disappears when my best friend and her pack walk in.
“Oms,” I whisper, eyes watery when I see her. Fucking Fates, I do not want to break down with her mates and mine in the room!
Shiloh returns a few seconds later, thankfully. “You are clear to eat whenever you are ready. Their only suggestion is not to overdo it. Smaller portions until your stomach has adjusted.”
“Is there anything in particular you are hungry for, butterfly?” Orion asks, moving to stand beside Shiloh at the end of my bed.
“I’m not sure,” I admit. “Something light would be best.”
“We will order something and bring it back.” Shiloh gives me a sharp nod, his nose slightly scrunched. “No need to subject yourself to horrendous hospital food.”
Rolling my eyes, I thank him for offering to grab me something. He waves me off, staring awkwardly for several seconds before he turns on his heel and leaves.
Orion moves to my side and presses a soft kiss to the top of my head. “We’ll be back soon. Lex is still standing sentry outside, so you’ll be safe here.”
Giving him a grateful smile, he follows Shiloh out of the room.
Ridley takes his spot, leaning down to peck me on the lips. I pout, wishing the contact lasted longer. He smirks and straightens. “Come on, Creed. Let’s leave the Omegas to catch up.”
Creed frowns and crosses his arms over his chest, making no move to get up from his spot in the chair at my side. Turning pleading eyes his way, he releases a heavy sigh.
“Fine, but only because I can see this is what you want, Omega. I’ll be outside with Lex if you need me.” He squeezes my hand and ushers Pack Graves out with him.
I feel bad for kicking Omen’s mates out without saying hello, but I’m one heartbeat away from a full-on sobfest. Not something I want them to witness.
“Oh, Bea.” Oms crawls into the bed beside me and wraps her arms around me, letting me lay my head on her chest. The tears come quickly. Thick rivers flow down my cheeks and soak into her hoodie. When the dam really breaks, she pulls a blanket over us to muffle the sound of my sobs.
I keep my head buried against her when my tears slow. “This has been the worst year of my life.”
An unattractive snort escapes her lips, making me glare up at her. “I’m sorry! I’m not belittling what you’ve been through, I promise!” She hugs me tighter, resting her head against the top of mine when I turn and press my ear against her so I can hear her heartbeat.
“It’s just, we’ve both been through hell this year. Our first year out of the Academy, and what a disaster it has been.”
“It hasn’t been all bad.”
“No, it hasn’t. We got to go on tour!”
I smile, remembering the excitement of standing in the wings of the stage during the first show last summer. The euphoria of accomplishing our dreams together. “Yeah, we did!”
“And we got to meet Candy Courage!”
“I met Skye Pierce too,” I add.
Omen’s chest rattles with a soft laugh. “You sure did! Look at how many bucket list items you’ve crossed off!”
“Do those moments of good outweigh all the bad, though?”
Omen shifts us so she can lie face to face beside me. If we were on a normal hospital bed, this would be impossible. Thankfully, they have extra-wide beds for Omegas. Too many smaller ones broke when Alphas tried to curl up with their mates inside them.
“There will always be bad days, Bea. Catastrophically bad in this case. But those moments of joy? They’re the foundation we build the rest of our lives on.”
“Our stories are just beginning.”
She smiles, taking my hands in hers and clasping them. “Exactly! You have so much to look forward to!”
Sinking further into the bed, I sigh. “It just hurts, Oms. My body, my heart, my soul. All of it.”
“I know it does. I’ve been there. Not in the same situation, but…” she trails off, looking sheepish.
“You mean almost dying because you stubbornly took on your asshole of a father when you were already struggling with the side effects of a chemical rejection?”
“That. Yes. I survived everything my father put me through, and the Rejected Omega Syndrome. You can survive this, too.” Her confidence in me is unwavering, glowing in her mossy green eyes. “You aren’t facing this alone, either. I’ll be here. So will your parents. Foster, too. And your mates.”
Pursing my lips, I flip onto my back, keeping one of my hands intertwined with hers. “That’s a whole other bucket of bullshit.”
“Fucking Alphas, right?!”
“If I could forget their scents and find a hot all-female band whose scents I can tolerate, I’d abandon them in a heartbeat.”
Omen rolls her eyes so hard I can practically hear it. “No, you wouldn’t. You’re already attached. Which is exactly why you’re so frustrated with them. Give them hell, bestie!”
We’re quiet for several long minutes, lost in our thoughts. “So, who is Mr. Tall, Dark, and Slightly Terrifying?” she finally asks.
I cackle, clutching my stomach when it pinches from how hard I’m laughing. Wiping a tear from my cheek, I hold up my hand for her to high-five. “His name is Creed. He’s the mystery mate whose pain I’ve been feeling for the past few weeks.”
“Oh, no! He seemed okay. What happened?”
“The breeding ring.”
“Well, shit. You met him there?”
Nodding, I give her the basic details of our meeting. Nothing too in-depth, because I’m not ready to touch on all of that yet.
We talk for a long while. Catching up on her life and chatting about nonsense. When the door opens, the aroma of earthy spices assaults my senses. My mouth is already watering by the time Shiloh and the others’ hand me a bowl of still-steaming beef broth Pho.
Omen laughs, patting me on the back lightly as I dig into my food. She moves to sit on the long couch with her mates, enjoying her own food. We settle into light conversation and laughter as we eat. It’s wonderful, and exactly what my head needed to get my heart in line.
After a while, Oms steps back up beside my bed, offering me a soft smile. “We’re going to head out and let you rest. If you don’t get discharged in the morning, we’ll bring lunch tomorrow, okay?”
Her Beta mate, Callisto, steps to her side and whispers in her ear before handing her a small box.
She blushes from the close contact, stars twinkling in her eyes as she looks at him.
For a brief second, jealousy spikes through my heart, watching the ease with which they interact.
Then I remember the hell he helped put her through, and it fades just as quickly.
“Here. You lost your phone in the chaos, so we grabbed you a new one,” she tells me, passing it to me.
“Oh! Thank you! I hadn’t even considered needing to replace it.”
“Call me if you’re staying again tomorrow. Or if they release you. Either way, I’ll see you tomorrow!”
I grin at her, glaring at her mates as they get ready to leave. She may have forgiven them, but I will not let them forget their shitty actions so easily. They owe her an eternity of groveling and a lifetime of endless orgasms.
Having a nurse come to check in with me every four hours has been terrible for my sleep schedule. I’m so fucking exhausted. It is unreal.
Unfortunately for the guys, this means I’ve been super bitchy all morning.
“Good news, sunshine!” Ridley announces as he walks back into my room. He’d gone to find me coffee, only to return with the awful vending machine shit they sell downstairs. When I immediately spat my sip back into the cup and burst into tears, he had left to find me something better.
An unsuccessful task, given that his hands are empty.