Chapter Three
Bennett
June
“Sir.” A gentle hand rested on my shoulder, and I slowly opened my eyes.
Apparently, I’d fallen asleep on Felix’s stomach last night with one arm wrapped tightly around him.
My other arm tingled with pins and needles, still gripping his hand tightly in mine by his side.
I turned to the figure standing next to me.
“I’m Julia. I’m Felix’s nurse for the day,” she said gently. “Is it safe to assume you’re his alpha?”
I blinked at her, trying to force my eyes to focus. They were blurry and sticky from dried tears, so I reluctantly let go of Felix and wiped them before grabbing his hand again.
The nurse had a petite frame with smooth brown skin and shoulder-length brown hair. She couldn’t have been much older than me, and the patient expression on her face gave me hope that she was kind.
I didn’t want to lie to her. But she hadn’t asked if I was his mate—that would have been a complicated answer, given Ryder’s reappearance. Regardless of Felix’s past, I was certainly his alpha now, and I was confident that he would say the same if he could speak.
“Yes,” I said. “I’m his partner and his alpha.”
Thousands of years ago, before wolf shifters and humans intermated, creating the species we know today, there had been laws to protect people who’d chosen to spend their lives together in the human world.
Things had evolved a lot since then, but the laws weren’t dissimilar.
Once upon a time they had marriage certificates.
Now, we had bonding certificates. Most bonded pairs registered their relationship with the government for moments exactly like this so they could prove their relationship if necessary and be allowed certain rights, like designation as family in the hospital.
Some bonded pairs didn’t register their relationship, and some couples chose never to officially bond, making things a bit more tenuous when it came to legal rights.
Ultimately, as long as no one challenged me openly, I’d be allowed the right to stay as his alpha unless Felix woke up and said otherwise.
If someone else showed up, claiming to be his alpha, things would get complicated quickly.
Getting arrested for murdering Ryder would certainly be a complication.
Because that’s what would happen before I’d walk out of this hospital room willingly. Either I’d leave in a body bag, or Ryder would.
Why did I never ask Felix if he and Ryder had registered their bond? That would be helpful information to have right now.
“Is there any other family who’ll be coming by regularly?” Julia asked. “We have limited visiting hours for family since this is the ICU. You’re the only one who will be granted full-time visitation. We know better than to separate a sick omega from his alpha.” She gave me a knowing smile.
I bet some hospitals learned that lesson the hard way. Another reason for them to take me at my word, given I’d probably rip this unit to shreds if they told me to leave.
“Um, yeah,” I said. She held a pen and clipboard out for me.
“You can write their names down here. We typically check ID.”
“And you only let in the names listed on this sheet?” I asked, wondering if this would be a way to keep out Ryder.
She nodded. “That’s protocol.”
“Then how did I get in yesterday?” I asked.
She smiled. “I’m told the sheriff escorted you in. We don’t really challenge Sheriff James. He’d never bring someone to a patient if they weren’t legitimately family.”
Then how the hell did Ryder get in yesterday?
I wasn’t about to draw attention to the fact that another man might walk through those doors and claim to be Felix’s alpha, so I shut up and scribbled the names of my sisters, Wyatt, and Felix’s sister, Clara.
She was on bedrest, pregnant with twins, but I wanted her to have the option of coming if she was up to it.
I hesitated, wondering if I should write down his mother’s name.
Fuck it, if she wants to see him, she can go through me. She’s not going to show up anyway.
I handed the clipboard back to Julia.
“Has anyone contacted his sister?” I asked.
“I can find out,” Julia said. “Can I get you anything? Water? Breakfast? Coffee?”
I shook my head and ran my hand through my hair. “What time is it?”
“It’s eight in the morning. Based on what I’ve seen with most alphas who end up here with a sick omega, I want to warn you that failing to take care of yourself won’t help your omega.”
I shallowed thickly and nodded.
Probably a valid point.
“Coffee and eggs would be great,” I said.
She squeezed my shoulder and turned to leave.
“Wait. Can you tell me anything? Anything about his condition at all?” I pleaded.
“The doctor will be in to do her rounds within the hour. She’ll explain everything.
” Julia looked at me with pity, and I wasn’t sure what prompted her to share more, but she rounded the bed on Felix’s other side and lifted his left arm, showing me the fresh track mark in the crook of his elbow.
“He took a typically lethal dose of heroin and he’s lucky to be alive, but there is hope that he will make a full recovery. ”
My relief at her words was quickly overcome by my growing suspicion.
I narrowed my eyes at the red circle where the heroin was injected. It looked completely out of place on his smooth, pale skin, and the reason hit me immediately. “That’s his left arm,” I said.
“Yes.” She set his arm down gently. “Most users shoot up in the left arm.”
“Because most users are right-handed.” I stood up and ripped off Felix’s blankets to uncover his right arm, the one that held all his scars. “He’s left-handed. He’s never shot up in his left arm in his life.”
I lifted his arm for her to see, pointing to each of his scars. The ones I’d traced with my fingers and covered in kisses, constantly reminding him that I’d be there for him no matter what. Through hard days, good days, relapses, anything.
I’d made sure he knew that I would stay by his side and he never needed to worry about disappointing me. I would love him through anything.
She narrowed her eyes and lifted his left arm again, looking closer. “There are no scars on this arm,” she said curiously.
“Because—like I’ve been fucking saying—he didn’t do this to himself,” I said. I yanked my phone out of my jeans pocket and fired off a text.
Me: I need you here now. I have evidence that Felix didn’t take heroin on his own.
Wyatt: Did you leave your garage unlocked yesterday?
Me: What? I don’t fucking know. Did you read my text?
Wyatt: I’m at your garage dealing with the fact that it’s busted to hell. Windows broken. Tires slashed. It’s bad, Bennett.
Me: I don’t fucking care.
Wyatt: Well, I care for you. I’ll send Donovan to the hospital to hear what you found.
Me: I don’t want Donovan. I want you.
Wyatt: You’re getting Donovan.
I groaned and dropped back into my chair. “It’s safe to assume you’ll be seeing Wyatt again, and his deputy, Donovan.”
Julia gave me a skeptical look. “I know it can be challenging to accept when our loved ones are in pain. Their choices can cause us a lot of hurt and anger. We have support groups for families of individuals who struggle with addiction. Do you want me to see if any of them are meeting while you’re here? ”
“I don’t need a fucking support group. I need answers,” I growled, knowing that I sounded like an asshole, and for once, not caring enough to do anything about it.
Someone had done this to Felix. They’d tried to make it look like he’d had a relapse and left him on the side of the road to die. There was no support group in this hospital that was going to calm me down until I found out who hurt him and why.
“I’ll be back with your breakfast,” Julia said quietly before seeing herself out as I leaned forward, grasped Felix’s hand, and kissed his knuckles.
“I know you didn’t do this, handsome. There’s not a chance you did this to yourself and I’m going to prove it.” I pressed my lips to his forehead and stayed there until my tears started to fall on his cheeks again.