Chapter Twenty-Seven
Wes
“Wow, this place looks brand new,” I said to Spencer as he parked his car at the Omega Center hospital Brennan said they’d taken her to.
“She’ll be all right, she’ll be all right,” Spencer whispered.
I squeezed his shoulder. “She’ll be okay.”
Hopefully. It had been hard feeling her pain and being so far away. Especially for Spencer.
Worry burrowed into me. Failed heat? What the fuck?
That happened when omegas didn’t have the resources to be comfortable or safe.
She had us. Everything was fixed between her and Brennan.
Her room was cute and cozy again. Spencer tried to get her to eat right.
Grace had everything she needed for her body to want to go into heat.
If she even could.
Oh. Maybe this was a gamma thing? Like when the process of becoming an omega was halted it fucked up her ability to go into heat?
We got out of the car and rushed into the hospital. Brennan, Jett, and Evan sat in a corner of the lobby, which looked like a living room.
“What’s wrong with her?” Spencer asked.
“We’ve been trying to piece this together, mostly, so the doctor doesn’t have us all arrested for neglect.” Brennan looked up at us.
“Neglect, again?” I’m not sure I’d ever seen Brennan this rumpled in public. He was literally wearing a T-shirt from his university, sweats, and sneakers, hair unbrushed.
Spencer wore a suit, and I’d thrown on the pants and button down I’d planned on wearing in the morning.
“Don’t worry, the advocate they sent to talk to me knows me and Mrs. Beekman. I think a lot of this isn’t just Grace being a gamma, but what made her a gamma. Electrical current can fuck up a body’s ability to go into heat,” Evan explained. “I sort of forgot about that.”
“Fuck. I remember what they did to her. She’d come to me in our dreams and cry and tell me about it, while I held her.” I punched my hand. She’d clutch Mr. Hippo and sob into my shoulder.
“She told me that they gave her a fucking heart attack.” Brennan looked like he wanted to rip someone’s head off. Jett gave him a squeeze.
“Yeah, I remember that, too.” My head bowed. The dreams had stopped not long after that–and part of why I thought that she died.
“I’m guessing that Grace has been having years of really shitty heats without knowing.
I don’t know if they got shitty because of heat sickness, or if they’ve always been that way because that’s all her body could accomplish.
She thought she was getting bad pre-menstrual cramps and sometimes vomiting and having a fever.
But she was really in heat–and no one realized it. Not even her,” Evan told us.
“I wasn’t there.” My hands fisted. “She was all alone, and I wasn’t there. Fuck.”
My poor Peaches. The idea of her suffering, and not knowing what was happening to her, wrecked me. Years and years of being all alone with her heat and no one helping her could fuck her up so bad.
Spencer squeezed my shoulder. “It wasn’t your fault, Wes.”
“I still feel bad. Though I’m surprised with everything that has happened to her, that her body could even go into heat. Not all gammas do.” My brows furrowed.
The three of them looked at me.
“What?” My heart fell.
“She’s mated. It was probably her body’s way of looking for you.
Every so often it would go, Where is he?
And it would try to call you in the best way it knew how.
Well, that’s what we’re guessing,” Evan said softly.
“Sometimes it happens. Also, you bonded young, and were very serious from a very young age, which can have ramifications.”
True. They warned us about that in alpha class in school, but I always ignored it, because they were dreams–and she was my soulmate.
“Fuck.” I wanted to punch something as anger at myself coursed through me. We were mated, and omegas could get sick when separated from their mates for too long. Just because she was a gamma, and I’d bonded her in our dreams, didn’t mean it hadn’t affected her.
“Hey.” Evan got up from the couch and wrapped his arms around me.
“What happened this time? She has us now,” Spencer said.
“She does. Grace has us, the right food, and a comfortable home. We saw her body respond well to Evan’s heat. Also, the Center’s been shooting her up with hormones. The hospital did, too,” Brennan added. “We think it was earnestly trying, but given everything, it just… couldn’t.”
“Fuck.” I clung to Evan. My poor Grace.
“What are they doing for her?” Spencer looked around.
“They’re making her comfortable and trying to figure out the best way to fix it. This can’t keep happening to her,” Jett said.
Shit. Shit. Shit.
“I want to see her.” Spencer paced the lobby like a feral animal in a cage.
So did I. But I also didn’t want to get kicked out.
Brennan sighed. “They’re making us wait. But maybe now that you’re both here, they’ll let us in.”
“They think we’re neglectful beasts, even though Evan was trying to explain things.” Jett put an arm around Brennan.
I’d failed her. Again.
“Hey, none of that,” Evan said softly.
“But it’s all my fault. I… I bonded with her because I was trying to help her, and all it’s done is cause problems for her.” I winced.
“You obviously did it because you loved her. How were you to know?” Brennan said.
“You need to stop blaming yourself. It’s getting tiresome and doesn’t help,” Spencer grumbled. “I’m serious. Every time you do so, I’m going to assign you a business trip with a speaking engagement.”
I stared at him in horror. “You wouldn’t.”
“I would.” Spencer glared at me. “Do you know how many people would love for you to present at their conferences, be on their panels, or speak at their universities?”
“What?” I laughed. “I didn’t even graduate.”
“You work in cybersecurity at one of the hottest companies in the world. No one has to know it’s nepotism.” Brennan laughed.
I sighed. “You’re right. Please don’t make me speak to people.”
“That’s entirely up to you,” Spencer pointed out.
“Oh, there’s the doctor.” Brennan waved. “Her alphas are here.”
The male doctor was tall for a beta. The older man scowled at us.
“Thank you, Doctor. I’m Spencer and this is Wes,” Spencer introduced.
He looked unimpressed.
“She’s stabilized and resting comfortably. For now,” he stated.
“Can we see her?” I asked, the need to be at her side clawing at me.
“We need to make some choices,” he told us. “Her body doesn’t know how to fully have a healthy heat, and she can’t take much more of this. We need to fix that.”
“Okay, what do we do?” I’d do anything for her.
“The first option is that we medically induce a proper heat. Once it takes, we move her into one of the observation heat suites that we have here. You tend to her, and someone will observe the entire time to make sure it goes smoothly.”
I didn’t like that idea. Mostly because I wanted her first heat to be nice. Not have it forced on her and be in some hospital heat suite with doctors watching. The thought made me shudder.
“And the other?” Spencer asked.
“We give her medications that basically try to trick her body and reset it, in an attempt to break this cycle, hoping next time she goes into heat that it will be better,” he said.
Spencer shook his head. “I don’t like either of them.”
“I know. They just seem… medically invasive,” I replied.
“We don’t have many options, unfortunately. We can’t simply let her body continue to do what it’s been doing,” He glared at me and Spencer.
“The second seems better?” Evan nodded.
“What are the drawbacks?” Brennan inquired.
“In my research on gammas, I found that sometimes they push back over to being an omega. Would either of these cause that? Grace barely understands being a gamma, as it is. I wouldn’t want to give permission to anything that might alter her designation without her consent. ”
The doctor nodded, looking pleased at his question.
“The obvious is that neither option may work. Even if they do, she still might have a future of medically supervised heats, both to make sure that she’s okay and to help her body achieve a full heat until it can figure out how to do so on its own.
The first is a lot easier to control, and we’ll know sooner how best to care for her going forward.
One issue with the second is that we won’t be able to predict when her body will go into heat, if it ever does, and there might not be any markers.
But,” he scowled at us, “I’m sure a pack like yours has a heat plan. ”
“Oh, we do,” Evan assured.
We did? Grace and Evan might have made one together. That seemed like something you’d do in an omega class.
“Good. It might not work. If she goes into heat again and it happens like it did tonight, then you’ll have to bring her in, and we’ll need to go forward with option one.
Either way, you must make sure that she always feels safe and cared for and that all her needs are being met,” he added.
“Obviously, she’s endured some trauma. Usually, I’d expect to see something like this while working with refugees or in a war zone, not here. ”
“Of course,” Spencer assured. “While some of her past was unfortunate, she’s with us now.”
“As for your question,” he turned to Brennan, “I don’t expect either of those options to push her back over to omega.
I’m not sure anything ever will. But who knows?
Every gamma is different, and yes, some gammas can and do go into heat regularly.
They’re usually very short and far apart but can be healthy. ”
Well, then.
Spencer turned to me. “The second? I just can’t see forcing her into heat and then having her have one with people watching in a hospital.”
“Agreed.” I looked at Evan. “Second?”
“Yes.” He nodded.
“I support that,” Brennan told us. “I don’t like the idea of her not having a choice about going into heat. She had no idea what was going on.”
“Agreed,” Jett added.
I turned to the doctor. “We’ll go with the second option. Wait, what does she have to say?”
The doctor gave me an approving look. “She’s sedated and not in a position to make that choice. Which is why we’re coming to you.”
“But did you ask her at any point?” Brennan inquired.
“Yes. She said that she wanted chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream with extra fudge and a heating pad,” he replied.
That was my Grace.
“We’ll bring her that when she’s awake then,” Spencer said. “Can we see her?”
“We’ll get her comfortable and administer the first series of drugs, then we’ll bring you in–as long as her advocate says it’s okay. I’m concerned about her,” the doctor told us.
“Me, too. Especially the seizures, and, well, this. I feel like her other doctor isn’t taking her seriously.” Brennan frowned.
“Wait here until someone gets you.” The doctor turned and left.
Evan turned to Brennan. “Dr. Davidson is a good doctor. They have no baselines for Grace. They’re being cautious. No one, even I, thought shitty cramps with puking meant that she was going into heat and didn’t know it.”
“I just want her to be okay.” I slumped down into a chair.
Spencer sat down next to me. “That’s what we all want.”
“We have a heat plan for Grace?” I eyed Evan.
“Sort of. I cleaned out the nest in the basement and scent bombed it a couple of times. Also, I got a few things in colors and fabrics she likes. It probably could use painting and new carpet. If it came down to it, we could use it for her,” Evan said quietly.
Oh. The emergency nest. I sort of forgot that it was down there. It came with the house. Back after Caroline, when Evan’s hormones got out of whack and his heats became irregular, we got it ready in case we couldn’t make it to the cabin. We never used it much.
“Grace should have a space that’s not mine, and well,” he looked to Spencer, “we might not always be able to fly to Greece.”
Brennan squeezed Evan’s hand. “That’s a good plan.”
“It is.” I nodded.
Spencer frowned. “She’s going to be okay? I don’t like all this.”
“The doctor’s right, there aren’t many options,” Evan confirmed.
“I’m going to get some coffee. Does anyone want some?” Brennan stood.
“Please?” I asked.
“I’ll go with you.” Jett put his arm around Brennan, and they headed toward the coffee station.
Spencer was on his phone, so I sat down next to Evan.
“Hi, Babe.” I put my arm around him. “Did you have a good time with Jett?”
“Yes. I scared Grace though.” He sighed.
I gave him a squeeze. “Bren told me. And that you all made it up to her. He… he was gentle with her, right?”
“He was perfect with her,” Evan assured. “Did you know that Spencer bought her a pink truck?”
“Yes, he asked me for my opinions on models.” It wasn’t only really cute, but tough and we could actually take it off road.
Brennan and Jett came back with coffee.
Mrs. Beekman came over to us. The older beta looked tired. “Hello, boys.”
“Hi, Mrs. Beekman.” Evan waved.
She sighed. “Every time someone goes somewhere, something bad happens. How about if you all just stay home and remain together for a bit?” Her eyes flicked to me and Spencer.
“Of course, Mrs. Beekman,” Spencer agreed. “We’re still trying to get all this figured out. There’s so much about her we just don’t know.”
“We really are trying,” I pleaded. “We love her.”
“I know.” She sighed again. “Honestly, I didn’t figure it out either when we were talking about it. Still, Grace is delicate. You need to take care of her like she’s a fragile figurine, not a metal truck.”
“We will, Mrs. Beekman,” I told her.
She looked at us. “Do you have a heat plan for her?”
“I do. I haven’t really talked to her about it, because I wasn’t sure she could have a heat. But I came up with one just in case. When she feels better, I’ll sit down with her and we’ll go over everything, then she and you can talk about it further,” Evan replied.
“Good.” She rubbed her forehead.
“We appreciate you looking out for Grace,” Spencer added.
She sighed again and left.
“Well, I’ll be rearranging some business trips,” Spencer whispered.
“I offer to not go on anything for business ever,” I volunteered.
Evan fell asleep on my lap as we waited. Finally, the doctor returned.
“We have her set up in a room now. We’ll probably keep her here for a couple of days.
She’ll be in and out of consciousness as we administer treatment.
However, it would be advisable for someone to stay with her at all times.
She’ll do better if someone’s there,” the doctor explained, as he led us to a room.
“We will,” I assured him.
She looked so small, asleep in the big hospital bed.
“Grace.” I rushed to her side and took her hand. “I… I should have–”
“Wes.” Spencer’s tone went warning. “I meant it. Just because Mrs. Beekman doesn’t want us to travel, doesn't mean that I couldn’t have you speaking someplace tomorrow afternoon.”
Yeah, I didn’t want that.
I kissed her on the forehead. “We’re here. And when you wake up, you can have that ice cream, okay? I promise.”