Chapter 42 #3
It feels like too much responsibility to lay at her feet while she’s recovering.
She doesn’t need this emotional bullshit on top of what she’s feeling.
We all try to stay as positive as possible around her, but a part of me thinks that she can tell.
Not to mention, everyone has bitten her but me, which means she can feel our emotions.
It’s difficult to hide that you’re falling apart when your omega has a direct line to your omega. I can feel my pack’s pain, which means she can as well as she becomes more and more aware.
“They don’t technically,” I reply, trying to figure out how to explain this.
“Pack Alston runs illegal operations for whoever can afford it and aligns with their values. It’s why we don’t see much of them.
They would like to start a security company to branch out their services.
It would be for people with money who have high profiles, and would include home security as well as personal. ”
“Okay,” Dario drawls. “Does this mean we need to reach out later once they’re ready to begin taking clients?”
“No, they want to hire me to set up security systems for them,” I explain.
“I’d only be responsible for Savannah, and anything outside of that I could consult for.
They want to call it Alston Security Services.
This way, I can design what I want for the house, but I also know there’s someone to fall back on in case shit goes down. ”
“Savannah is our home base, so I support this,” Nico says easily. “As long as you’re safe.”
“Most of it I can do from home,” I confirm. “I want to set up more cameras outside. I don’t think Avery will be back though. She may be curious about Rosa’s blood, but it’s a hell of a lot harder to get to her now. Add in the fact that travel isn’t exactly easy?”
“She wouldn’t be able to sell her again either,” Ciro mumbles. “Rosalia is perfect to me. That’s not what I’m saying—”
“We know it’s not,” Verona says softly. “Avery had one shot to kill Rosa, and it didn’t work. She can be as curious as she wants to be about our girl, but she will never be able to get close again. Between guards and her pack, she’s always going to be well guarded.”
“I hate that she knows where we live,” Nico whispers.
Dropping my head back, I think about children and if it’ll ever be safe enough for us to have them. We are a long time off from this happening, but fuck. It’s something to think about.
The door opens to the room, and we all scramble up and rush inside to join them.
“It wasn’t that long,” Dr. Walsh admonishes.
He may say that, but Nico’s fingers still tremble as he shoves them in his pockets. We were in the hallway for forty minutes. Closing the door shut his ability to see her, which caused issues for him.
He’s always going to struggle with bond sickness. It’s just a fact of life for him.
“So what did he say?” I ask, ending the doctor’s scolding.
“Dr. Winters wants to take the case. He says she’s healing well and would like to book an operating room next week.
I told him there will be guards at the hospital and at her room, both of which he took in stride,” Dr. Walsh says.
“I am feeling optimistic about this. Nico, this is the list you asked for, along with phone numbers and emails. You can tell them I recommended them.”
Nico perks up as he takes the papers, and I take a deep breath before I squat beside Rosa’s face.
“How are you feeling about this?” I ask her.
“I asked the doctor if fake skin could be tattooed,” she giggles.
“I increased her pain medication,” Dr. Walsh admits.
“I was really digging at her back today, and I try not to be an ass if I can help it. It’ll make her feel a little silly while it works, but it’ll help with the residual pain from what I did.
I’ll decrease it again once I know she’ll be alright with the pain level. ”
“Can it be tattooed?” I ask, nodding in the doctor’s direction to show I heard him.
“Mmhmm,” she says. “He said to wait at least three years, and that he wants to check in regularly as it heals. Dr. Winters works primarily with patients who have been victims of violent crimes and trauma. He does a lot of pro bono work as well.”
“I think I might like him,” Nico murmurs.
“I’ll never be able to forget what happened, but maybe I can create something beautiful from it,” she whispers before her eyes close.
“She’s sleeping a lot,” Dario says worriedly.
“Healing is hard work,” Dr. Walsh grunts. “She won’t be allowed to move much at all once the surgery happens. I know she’s feeling antsy, but the more she sleeps, the better. I’m going to review some of the data from her vitals since I went home. I’ll be upstairs.”
He has certainly made himself at home.
We are very lucky that the obstinate doctor has refused to leave Rosa. None of us have medical backgrounds, and he genuinely cares about her.
As he leaves, the six of us sit on the ground around her and take our own naps. One day, our lives will have some kind of normalcy, until then, we just want to be where Rosa is.