Chapter 6
Six
Kade
With my head in my hands, elbows on my knees, and eyes squeezed shut, I work on compartmentalizing all the shit that's occurred in the past twenty-four hours. Hell, the past fucking week.
It's not healthy, but I can't fuck the energy out on Jarek or Silas in a damn hospital. There isn't even a damn gym in the building. Even if there were, I don't think I could leave Vivian for that long.
The image of Riot standing behind us with blood dripping from his fingertips and a wild look in his good eye still gives me goosebumps. The man tore his fucking arms open to get the IV line out. All for my omega.
Gunshot wound in the shoulder, fucked up eyeball and all, he still caused himself more damage just to lay eyes on Vivian. Nobody who is willing to actually walk away from someone would do that.
Not to brag or anything, but any alpha would be delighted and fucking thrilled to have Vivian's claim on them. I think Riot is thrilled, but I worry he’ll hold himself back.
I’m sure he has his own demons. Ones that might make him hesitant to approach Vivian. Is something in his mind saying he's not worthy? Or does he have trauma regarding pack life? He's an unknown, and it has me on edge.
"How do you think he will react when he wakes up?"
Peeking over at Silas, I smirk at his sprawled out position on the large couch. With a book in his hand, I can see he's trying to relax, but the situation doesn't allow for much of that.
"I don't care how he reacts," Jarek grumbles. "He's staying, and that's that."
Silas tosses his book toward his feet and raises his eyebrows at Jay. "It's great you feel that way, but he's a grown man and has free will."
"Not anymore," Jarek says, monotone. With his arms crossed, Jay leans against the wall between Riot and Vivie.
After they both passed out a few hours ago, I called in the nurses immediately and demanded his shit be moved in here. Both of them need to be healing, not worrying about where the other is each time they open their fucking eyes.
"Jay—"
Sighing, I cut Silas off. "He's right, my love. Whether Riot likes it or not, he's pack."
"I don't think you can decide that for someone, Kade. Plus, how do you think Vivian would feel if she realized the only reason he was with us is because you forced him?"
Damn it.
A knock sounds at the door before I can come up with an argument. The three of us stiffen. "I'll get it," I declare. I don't want my mates near anyone ever again.
Silas climbs off the couch and stands beside Vivie's bedside. Jarek's positioned to fight between the beds. Good, we're on the same page.
My jaw clenches as I swing the door open. "What are you doing here?"
Two police officers raise their eyebrows. The shorter of the two speaks first. "I'm aware your pack is feeling vulnerable and protective right now, Kade, but we need those statements. It's been over twenty-four hours."
I stiffen. "No."
The taller man nods but doesn't leave. "I get it. I really do. But the longer we wait, the more possibility there is for them to forget things. Or for their trauma to blunt the sword we need to take these assholes down."
"She won't speak to you." They both open their mouths at that, but I wave their words away. "No, I mean she physically won't be able to speak to you. My omega is selectively mute, and judging by how upset your faces make me, she won't be able to do it."
"Perhaps a written statement."
At the suggestion, I shrug. "She's sleeping."
"And the alpha you rescued? Is he also sleeping?"
I don't know if it's the distrust in the excessive questioning, or the fact that they're being pushy, but a growl slips free. "Yes. He's sleeping."
"Kade!" Silas calls out, sending my body into alarm. Whirling around, I run back to them only to come to a stop. Vivian's awake and writing fast in a large notebook.
Her hand flies across the page, and out of the corner of my eye, I see Riot wave at the officers. When did they wake up?
The officers begin introducing themselves and eventually split up, the shorter one going to Riot and the taller man to Vivian.
I catch myself glancing back and forth, reading both Vivian's and Riot's body language.
As much as I don't have a connection to Riot, it seems my protectiveness is rising far too fast for me to keep up.
I don't give a fuck about their statements as long as they don't feel pressured or uncomfortable. Vivian gives the tall officer wary glances, but she continues writing. My discomfort seems to be the most palpable in the room.
Although Jarek looks ready to kick the other officer's ass every time Riot frowns. Fuck. We're screwed if that man decides he doesn't want to come home with us.
It might not even be just for Vivian. We clearly feel a pull too, and it may just be biological for our omega, but Riot is pack while he's with us. How do I ensure he stays of his own volition, though?
I feel a little better every time Riot glances over at Vivie. And vice versa.
I was beaten and kicked...
One alpha dragged me out by my hair. They locked me in a deep hole in the ground. It was cold and damp. Then they closed the door above me. It was so dark.
They starved us.
The main guard demanded I remove my shirt, but I wouldn't. He didn't deserve to see my skin. But he took my consent away and ripped it from my body when all I wanted to do was stay strong for my pack.
I was called many names. Bitch and whore were the top ones. They didn't bother me so much until things started feeling personal. I was told omegas are high maintenance, needy, unnatural, annoying.
We started living like guests. Comfy beds, flowers, water, toilet. Each time they visited, they took something away.
I was shirtless the entire time.
They demanded to know why I ignored them. The guards didn't earn my voice. I simply couldn't talk, but I responded with my actions instead. I fought back.
I needed to rile them up to get the keys, so I spat on one of them. He was so mad. That was the only time I was strangled.
Riot tried to feed me his food. We got caught one time. It didn't end well for me. Riot is much bigger than I am. He needed the strength more. I saw him swaying a lot and denied his offer of help. I worried that if he got into a fight or stopped eating, he would suffer.
The guards wanted everything from me. I needed to submit and prove I could be docile and compliant before they sold me. I refused.
My vulnerability is meant for those I trust.
My words are for those I trust.
My submission is my pack’s.
I fought as hard as I could.
Riot saved me and I saved him.
"Kade, you need to breathe."
How can I breathe after that? The cliff-notes of Vivian's statement are tumbling around in my mind like every part of my psyche is trying to latch onto it and declare it's theirs to harbor.
I want to murder everyone and anything that hurt Vivian, but I must comfort my omega. Every direction, every possible feeling and thought batters my soul and mind.
I'm losing it.
"Silas, stay with them. Kade, let's go."
I don't fight Jarek as he drags me from the room. Nor do I even fucking blink as he pulls me through the halls and out the back door onto the manicured lawn.
"Scream."
Frowning, Jarek comes into focus. About a yard away from me, he stands, braced for anything. Maybe that's what pulls me back into myself and away from the all-consuming horror of learning what happened to Vivian when we weren't there to protect her.
"What?"
"Shout, scream, kick. Anything. Do it. Get that rage out right now, because Vivian doesn't need that. Riot definitely doesn't because as soon as he feels that energy, he's going to match it."
"They beat her, Jarek. Threw her in a pit. Starved her. Fucking STRANGLED OUR OMEGA!" My eyes burn and my throat lights up with fire as I unleash the demons crawling under my skin.
"They did."
We weren't there. "THEY TOOK HER CLOTHES!"
"Yes."
We didn't protect her. "SHE WAS THROWN AGAINST THE BARS OF HER CAGE!"
"She was."
"RIOT DIDN'T PROTECT HER!"
"He tried."
How could she endanger herself the way she did? "SHE PROTECTED HIM!"
"She did."
Tears track down my cheeks, and the force of my knees slamming into the ground makes my teeth clank together. The discomfort and horror of what I'm feeling now has nothing on what Vivian experienced.
Jarek doesn't touch me. He doesn't coddle me or try to make it better; he just stands there with his pack alpha on his knees in front of him.
"She saved herself, Jarek. Vivian, our sweet fucking omega, sacrificed herself to get them out of there. She provoked those monsters into hurting her over and over again. Who—who does that? How could she do that?!
Jarek kneels and audibly swallows. "Someone who is very, very fucking strong and devoted to herself and her pack. She wouldn't give in because she reserves that gift for us, Kade. Vivian would rather be beaten down than give any part of herself to monsters."
Forcing my head to lift and see the light of day, I plead with my mate to make it make sense. "Fuck, Jarek. How can you be so accepting of this?"
He chuckles a humorless laugh and presses his palms into his eyes.
"Because I can't spank her ass or fault her for being literally the strongest, bravest person on the damn planet.
What she did, Kade..." He trails off with a shake of his head.
"Was tragically honorable. You heard Riot.
..how she stood her ground wasn't normal.
But Vivian isn't normal. She's fucking epic and different.
Letting her feral side out in unknown, dangerous territory is exactly who she is.
We've never suffered an experience where we've had to witness it or rely on her ability to charge into battle, but I'm proud of her. "
"But you want to spank her for putting herself in danger," I remind him, still trying to grapple and understand all the shit that's slamming into my skull.
Jarek hangs his head and laughs softly again. "Of course. But this is Vivie. We knew she had claws and sharp little teeth when we met her. I'm glad she knew how to use them for what she believed was right."
"Fucking hell. I wish Riot had been in the same damn cell as her so one of us could have protected her."
"Me too, Alpha. Me too..."
"He tried to fight for her just like we did..." I murmur, sinking onto my ass in the grass. "She didn't need any man, though, did she?"
"Oh she did, but we have a stubborn one, huh?" Jarek teases and tilts his head back to feel the sunshine on his face.
"I love you," I murmur a bit later. "I love Silas. I love Vivian. I love you all so much it hurts."
"Sometimes it really does hurt, doesn't it?" Jarek replies thoughtfully. "I love you too. Come here," he urges and backs himself up against a tree. "Take a rest. Silas has them safe and comforted."
I rest my head in his lap and close my eyes. I need to be comforted and vulnerable too. Just for a moment...