Chapter 17
Chapter Seventeen
ROSALIA
“No,” I whimper. I am burning up, my mouth is dry, and I don’t want to wake up. It’s better in the darkness.
Safer.
“Come on, baby. The doctor is here. He’s going to help you feel better.”
Hearing Verona’s voice, I crack open one eye. Thankfully, the shades are down and the lights off, helping to open both of my lids.
“I feel like dogshit,” I rasp, my voice harsh and full of pain as the rest of me remembers why I wanted to sleep.
I started to throw up, and I’ve existed in a state of panic and drifting away into my mind to escape. Everything hurts.
“That’s probably very accurate,” Dr. Walsh murmurs. “I think your blockers were being laced with something, Rosalia. Do you think you can get up and shower? We’ll change the sheets, air out the room, and then I’ll start an IV to help you flush out these drugs.”
“What was he giving me?”
Beginning to push myself up through sheer grit, I’m surprised when a pair of strong arms help me the rest of the way. Glancing over my shoulder, I find Pablo’s hands are wrapped around my biceps to keep me from flopping back down. I can’t manage more than that, and return my attention to Dr. Walsh.
“Have you found that you’re more susceptible to alpha barks?” he asks carefully.
“Yes,” I rasp, beginning to cough. It unfortunately brings up bile as well, and Verona shoves a garbage can under my face just in time.
Coughing while puking is really awful. I do not recommend this at all. It fucking sucks. My throat feels as if it’s on fire, and a cool glass of water is pressed against my lips once I’m finished.
“There’s a drug being sold on the streets that’s been around for the past six months.
It’s supposed to help with omega hysteria, but truthfully, it makes omegas easier to control,” Dr. Walsh explains, removing the glass from my lips once I’ve had enough.
“No one knows where it started being made, but my money would be that your father is responsible for it. He’s stubborn enough to have someone tinker in drug creation to control you.
Therefore, the drug could have been given to you for longer. ”
“The pills started being given to me about eight months ago…”
He gives me a tight smile as he sees the shock in my gaze. Vero is cleaning out the garbage can, and Pablo is careful to stay silent, as if he’s worried about being kicked out.
If he’s helping Vero while I’m going through withdrawals, he can stay.
“What are the side effects?” I ask, wincing at how much my throat hurts.
“While someone is taking it? They’re more compliant without realizing why.
The fact that it was used with your blockers, is genius on your father’s part, even though it was highly illegal and unethical,” Dr. Walsh says unhappily.
“If I didn’t make it clear, I swear I had nothing to do with the procurement of those drugs. ”
“Okay,” I whisper, careful not to move too much. I’m still nauseous, but since I haven’t had much to eat in several days, I have nothing else to throw up.
“Alright. The problem with mixing so much together is all the withdrawal symptoms are going to play havoc with each other. You may have heat breakthroughs as the rest of the blockers work their way out of your body, but the street drug they call Alpha Bark is going to be the most concerning,” he says softly.
I notice he’s trying to be as calming as possible, which I appreciate. My skin feels itchy and uncomfortable, and I’m about ready for a freezing cold shower.
“Why?” Pablo asks, his thumbs slowly moving over my skin. His hands are cold, and I find myself leaning into his body, helping how overheated I feel. He scoots closer, and his thighs spread wide to accommodate me.
“Withdrawals for Alpha Bark are nasty. Fever, chills, dehydration, and nausea are some of them. Unfortunately, people usually think they’re some type of flu, and they never reach out for help.”
“Fuck,” Vero curses, and Dr. Walsh raises his hand to quiet her.
“Despite how terribly Rosa feels, I don’t think it’s as bad as others who go through withdrawals,” he murmurs. “As you said, you’d be able to feel if this were fatal. She’s going to have a couple more rough days ahead, but I can at least help make it easier.”
“What’s going to be in the IV drip?” I ask suspiciously. Yes, he’s been good to me of late, but I still have the right to ask questions, dammit.
“Saline, anti nausea medicine, B-complex vitamins, and electrolytes,” he replies easily. “It’s simply to ease the symptoms.”
“Okay,” I agree. “Ugh, I’m going to need help getting to the bathroom.”
“Not a problem.” Vero begins to move toward me, but Pablo scoops me into his arms and rises from the bed instead.
“I would complain that I’m heavy, but know it wouldn’t be true,” I grumble, my head on his shoulder.
“No it wouldn’t,” he murmurs. I focus on breathing in his sweet scent while the room spins, and I close my eyes with a small whimper.
Moving, slowly or otherwise, is ill fucking advised.
“I know this sucks,” Pablo whispers. “I’m sorry. Verona, do you need help?”
The last question is asked slightly louder for Vero’s benefit and I open my eyes to find her looking hesitantly at me.
“It’s fine,” I mutter. “So many people have seen me naked at this point, I don’t think I have any modesty left.”
“It’s not a matter of whether or not you have modesty. You can take approval away from people seeing your body at any point and time,” he says. “I think you might have vomit in your hair though.”
“Ugh,” I groan. “Okay, you can help.”
“Are you wearing a bra underneath this shirt?” he asks.
“I don’t think so. Ugh, am I wearing underwear? I didn’t undress myself.”
“You’re wearing underwear,” Vero says, hiding a smile. “Let’s get you clean, sweet girl.”
Between the two of them, they’re able to sit me in the tub in my underwear to help me get cleaned up. Pablo washes my hair, Vero washes my body, and she rushes to the bedroom afterward to grab me new clothes.
“Dr. Walsh changed the sheets,” she whispers, eyes wide as Pablo helps me stand so she can dry me off.
“Is he an awful person?” Pablo asks. “I only heard a handful of things.”
“He worked for my father, and they’re all terrible people in my eyes,” I grunt.
Once I’m dry, in new pajamas, with my teeth brushed, Pablo scoops me back up into his arms because my legs are threatening to buckle on me. Honestly, the tooth brushing sapped the rest of my strength, but it had to be done.
My sheets are clean as Pablo lays me down, and Dr. Walsh works quickly as he puts in the IV.
“Rest while you can,” he murmurs. “Sleep is going to be the best way to get through this.”
My eyes are already heavy, and I’m aware of Pablo pulling me into his arms as Verona finishes speaking to the doctor and thanks him for coming.
“If she’ll allow me to be, I’d like to become her personal physician,” Dr. Walsh murmurs.
“I know she may not trust me yet, but I don’t want to be paid.
I don’t know when my moral compass went so astray, however, the day I was called to reattach the fingers of a rapist and sew a tear…
It’s when I knew I had hit rock fucking bottom, Verona. ”
“We aren’t going to be your redemption, Doctor,” Vero says coldly. “I’ll speak to Rosa when she feels better, and she can decide if she wishes to assuage your conscience.”
My eyes slide all the way closed, and Pablo holds me tightly, his fingers massaging my aching scalp.
“I’ve got you,” he murmurs. “Whether you like it or not.”
I drift off to sleep before I’m able to ask if that’s a threat or a promise. With my luck, it could go either way.
* * *
Five days later
I feel warm, but for the first time in too long, it’s not due to a raging fever. There’s an ache I don’t understand in my lower body and I whimper as I move against the large body behind me. A hand squeezes my breast, and a low voice mumbles near my ear, sounding sleepy and incoherent.
My eyes open slowly to see Vero’s tentative smile, though her beautiful gaze darkens as her nostrils flare.
“You smell so good,” she murmurs. “Pablo is asleep and seems to have found your breast. Are you okay with where his hand is?”
They’ve both been helping me shower over the last few days, and I was finally able to eat some toast and broth recently. Now, I feel horny.
“Yes,” I whimper, rubbing my thighs together as slick pushes out of me, and my pussy clenches on nothing.
“Good.”
That’s all Vero says before she’s cupping my cheek and kissing me.
I went to sleep in an oversized shirt and panties last night, and I’m grateful for the lack of clothing keeping her from skimming her fingers over my skin.
My shirt was pushed up throughout the night, and Pablo grinds his cock against my ass in his sleep with soft noises.
It should scare me, but it doesn’t. If Pablo wanted to take advantage of me at any time, he could have. I’m aware enough that I know this, and when the neckline of my shirt slides further down, his fingers pinch my exposed nipple.
Verona moans as her exploring finds that the scrap of material covering my pussy is wet.
“Please,” I gasp, knowing I need more.
“Why are you begging?” Pablo rasps, burying his nose in my throat. “Verona, she’s too sweet to beg. Make it stop.”
I don’t think anyone has ever called me sweet outside of Verona before. Everyone has always thought I’m spoiled or scary as fuck. This is an entertaining change.
With a flick of his wrist he gets rid of the blanket covering us, and then his lips kiss and nip at my sensitive skin, teasing me as Vero rubs her knuckles tentatively against my clit.
My hips buck against them as I whine, and Pablo covers Vero’s hand, using her fingers to pull aside the only thing standing between her and my pussy.
“Put the girl out of her misery,” he murmurs. “Eat her until she creams on your face.”
Vero and I both freeze, because neither of us have gone that far before.
“Do you want that, Rosa?”