33. Phoenix #3
I hate how he talks about her like she’s not here. Like she isn’t an omega deserving respect. He’s the one who always says omegas are deserving of reverence, but he’s the worst when it comes to talking about them like they’re property.
“I can make arrangements. Xavier has performed the procedure more than me. But based on the size of the masses, I doubt his opinion would be different from mine.” Fox finishes typing and then rests his hands in his lap.
“I want Grisham to look,” Zephyr demands, immediately calling the family alpha in question.
Fox shrugs and then types “Be ready to pay that cost.”
It’s not a monetary cost. It’s the competition cost. But I’m already at the bottom of the ranking, well, barely above Zephyr, who went to prison this year. It can’t exactly get much worse.
In all of this, Honey hasn’t said anything. She’s here, head down, brown hair hiding her face just like the crappy fabric gown hides her body as she cries.
“You knew this?” Lazarus’s hand comes to rest on Honey’s thigh.
It seems oddly intimate, even though he’s barely paid her any attention.
She shakes her head. “The apostles knew something was wrong with me. But they never said what. They told me when I was put with an apostle, their grace would heal me.”
Lazarus translates her words. “Grace is a word they were just starting to use for the shadow’s shroud to an omega.”
“If the apostle could fix me, it would prove that we’re doing the right things. That God really had chosen us for his people,” Honey murmurs.
Fox is quick to move to the keyboard. “I would like to reassure you, or perhaps crush false hopes, that any number of alphas and their shadows couldn’t fix this.
No matter how perfect the match is, this is beyond anything a shadow could repair.
This is biology at work. It would be plausible that without the growth, repairs may be made for potential fertility issues, but I would not hold hope on that. ”
Honey nods while she reads the screen. She looks between the three of us but says nothing. Her eyes are distant and still rimmed with tears.
I pull Honey’s chin so she can look at me, see my smile, and hear me when I tell her: “It’s settled then, you’ll stay, we’ll get you surgery and figure out the rest. I’ll never leave you. You’re mine. You’re ours.”
Honey’s eyes leak more big tears.
Zephyr reaches past me to wipe them away. “It’s okay, you don’t have to be afraid. I know you don’t know this, but our family is kinda a big deal when it comes to omega health. You’re with the best of the best.”
Revenant grabs the back of my cut, pulling me to face him.
I don’t want to be away from Honey, and I fight back.
But he levels me with that look. The one that says the bigger predator is talking now, and I need to be a good club member and listen.
“I’m sorry this was difficult for you, but you need to remember your place, Phoenix.
Mayhem stopped Fox from rightfully tearing into you after your stunt in the office, but don’t think I have any issue making your life difficult.
You paid a service to the club, sacrificing time while Zephyr was locked up, but that isn’t a lifetime pass at disobedience.
Readjust, Phoenix. Come into line. Right now. ”
I nod, and my throat is dry when I try to swallow. I let my feelings for Honey override my vow to my patch.
“I understand.” I don’t completely believe my words, but I know what I need to say. “I appreciate your leniency, and I’ll fall back into line.”
Revenant lets me go and ruffles my hair before leaving out the clinic door.
He’s not my older brother; he is my club president, but in many ways, Revenant and Mayhem are brothers that we didn’t know we needed. Didn’t know I needed.
Fox clears his throat. He’s typed a new message on the screen. “This has all been quite . . . emotional. You’re all forgetting one thing. We don’t know if you’re even spectrum matches.”
“Fuck being a match.” I scoff. “She’s ours.”
“We should at least know?” Zephyr puts a hand on my shoulder. “If she needs healing, we should at least know if we can.”
I hate that he’s right. I also hate that Honey hasn’t glowed for us yet. “How long was that glow blocker supposed to last anyway?”
When I look at Fox, he’s holding up seven fingers. A week.
“So, it should have worn off by now.” I shrug, and plans start flowing through my brain. “We’ll just have to make Honey entirely too happy.”
“Phoenix.” Lazarus warns with a low growl. “This isn’t up to you.”
I don’t argue with him, but I should. I narrow my eyes at him as I suspect it’s his fault we even went through this.
That his insistence, something he said to Honey about her leaving, caused all this to start with.
But I don’t have proof. One small look between them felt like it told the story, but I can’t prove it. I can’t prove any of it.
Instead, I take my hoodie off and start pulling it over the top of Honey. She doesn’t object and helps me get her arms through the holes. The hoodie is big on me, so it’s a tent on her.
When I get her standing, she winces. Zephyr doesn’t give me the chance. He scoops Honey up into his arms, and his shadow wraps around her.
Honey nuzzles in against his neck. How could anyone deny she’s ours?