Chapter 20

Chapter Twenty

CASEY

" B aby?" I croak after standing still like a goddamn idiot for way too long. Who the hell doesn't immediately fling themselves at their clearly broken fucking mate?! Me, apparently.

God, I'm such a terrible fucking beta and yet I swear she releases a relaxed sigh at the sound of my voice. I can't see her face, only her pale back with its protruding spine.

I swallow and take one step forward. It feels like all the nightmares I've had of Freya when she's been missing. Like no matter how hard I try, I'll never truly be able to help my mate. I won't ever find her, heal her. I won't be enough.

Like that guy said, I have no knot or bite to give her. How can I possibly help her now?

I take another step, my bare feet making no sound whatsoever, but I stop and look back at the supplies they brought in with me. It's not much, just a bucket of water and some rags, but I'll make it work.

I have to make it work.

I can't get lost in what this should be.

Running my omega a hot bubble bath, cleaning our pack bed sheets, and snuggling her into the early morning. I would brush her pretty, long platinum locks for as long as she would let me. Obviously give her a massage and ? —

No, I can't think about a fantasy when my very real mate is fucking shaking on the floor three feet in front of me.

"Okay, baby, come here," I whisper, not wanting to startle Freya as I approach her.

Before I reach her though, I quickly slip out of my jeans, tug my boxers briefs off and immediately step into my pants again, trying not to feel weird that I just did that without her knowing.

Shucking my sweatshirt off too, I kneel beside her and reach my trembling hand out to her shoulder, afraid of what I'll see when I finally expose her face. Freya sniffles and jolts when my fingertips graze her clammy skin, but it doesn't deter me. If anything, the longer she goes without responding to me, the more determined I am to fix this.

The alphas helped her, saved her, but my sweet omega needs me now, and I won't fail her. I won't let my girl down like I've been doing for years. Not ever again. I have to do my best even if it will never be as good as her alphas.

As gently as possible, I roll her onto my long sleeve that I will for sure be snuggling her into as soon as I get her cleaned up. I fold my boxers and tuck the makeshift pillow beneath her head. Freya's eyes barely flutter at the change of position, and it gets increasingly harder to hold my panic at bay when I notice her shallow breathing.

Her neck and chest are littered with hickeys and love bites from her mates. As much as I want to leave my own mark there, now isn't the time. But will it ever be? I shake that morbid thought away and take a deep inhale while pressing the back of my hand to her forehead.

Freya's warm but not feverish and my sense of smell might not be as heightened as an alpha's, but I can tell she really did make it through her heat.

Unfortunately, and I don't want to toot my own horn, but she was missing one of her mates. I think that's what's wrong now. My omega needs her scent matched beta to truly soothe her frantic need to have her pack close. For once.

"Okay, sweet girl," I murmur, trailing my thumb across her cheek. "Let's get you cleaned up." I might be crazy, but I swear her cheeks pinken just a little with each tickle of my finger.

Leaving her for even a moment hurts like a motherfucker, but I quickly drag the bucket of water and the clean rags over to her. I want to throw a fit at the chains and cuffs rubbing her skin raw as I assess her for injuries, but Freya needs me to stay calm. I bite my tongue when I dip the first rag into the cold water.

These people are going above and beyond their villain criteria, I swear.

It's impossible to avoid looking at her intimate parts as I wipe away days of sweat, slick and cum from her body, but my cock doesn't stir. This girl, this woman , this warrior is my friend above all else. She's not my omega to ogle as I see fit right now, she's my sweet mate who needs the loving, respectful touch of her pack member.

Freya is beautiful and incredibly alluring, but at this moment, all I want to do is strip out of all of my clothes and cover her reddening skin.

The rags provided are not soft whatsoever, but they do the job. With her upper and middle part of her body clean, I swipe down her legs quick and notice some dirt between her toes. Humming to myself, I dip the rag between each of the dainty little things and can't help the smile on my face.

"You know, these are the cutest things I've ever seen," I say, needing to fill the silence. "I've never cleaned Eli's feet this thoroughly before. Just a warning, don't look too close at his toes. Those big piggies would make you cry all the way home."

An unexpected puff of air rushes from Freya, shocking me shitless. My attention snaps from her toes to the small smile gracing her glorious fucking lips.

"Freya?" I breathe, astounded.

"That—" she coughs, her eyes still closed. "That was a good one, Case."

Oh my god, she's speaking to me.

Clearing my throat of the overwhelming amount of emotion that's trying to suffocate me, I pull a smirk out of my ass and tease, "I bet Luke's are worse. Cleat feet." I fake shudder and continue cleaning her toes.

Another huff of laughter from her makes my eyes water. It's working, she's coming back to me.

"Well, your adorable piggies are fresh now, baby girl. Let's get you dressed," I say, reaching for her arms to pull her up.

Freya groans but doesn't fight me as I pull her into a seated position. Shuffling around her a bit without letting go, I grab my sweatshirt from behind her and pop her head through the top.

Finally, her bright blue eyes flutter open, but my excitement is shot to shit when she frowns. "I don't have clothes, though."

"Well now you do," I reply happily, but when I lift her right arm to put it through the sleeves, I realize my mistake. I can't get her arms in the shirt because she's chained to the fucking wall!

I feel myself vibrating with anger and helplessness. I can't even put a goddamn shirt on my mate! Snatching my boxers from behind her as well, a growl builds in my throat when I also realize I can't put these on her either.

Swallowing repeatedly so as not to scare my sweet girl, I drop the underwear and gently pluck my shirt off her head. Instead of covering her like I need to, I tie the long sleeves behind her back so at least her front and lap are covered.

"Casey," she whispers sadly, making me go on high alert.

Without thought, her chin is in my grip and I'm searching her face for whatever has her upset. Sparkly blue eyes are filling with tears, and I think this might be the moment I actually freak out.

Freya's lip wobbles. "Thank you," she sobs, collapsing against me. "I-I didn't think?—"

"Shh," I coo, tears dropping from my lashes as I wrap her in my arms. I hate thinking it, but she's so damn frail, I worry I'll break her if I squeeze too hard.

We sit like that for a while as she babbles incoherent words into my neck and creates her own little pool of tears in my collarbone. My own tears come and go, but I try to stay strong for her. I can guess she's thanking me for taking care of her, but I hate she feels like she has to thank me.

I did the bare minimum .

My bones begin to ache and I'm almost certain Freya isn't comfortable anymore, either. It takes some shuffling, but my back finally rests against the freezing wall and my omega's head is resting in my lap.

If this were any other situation, I would be fucking preening at the fact that she's snuggling my boxer briefs like they are her most prized possession, but I don't. I'm just happy she's finding comfort in the softness of the fabric and my scent clinging to it.

I'm humming again and slowly working my way through the tangles of her poor hair. I have so many questions and things I want to say to her, but I keep them to myself. Freya needs to heal and for me to just be here for her.

"Casey," she whispers in between sniffles, her tears having slowed a bit ago.

I lean forward a bit, hoping to see more of her beautiful face. "Yeah baby?"

"I-I'm sorry."

"What? No." I decline her words. "You have nothing to be sorry for, Freya."

Another sniffle. "I got you into this mess and now you're all hurt and stuck here, too."

Removing one of my hands from her hair, I tickle her cheek with my middle and pointer finger until she tilts her head back to look at me.

Smiling softly at my omega, I respond, "If there's anything I might be upset about, Freya, it's that I wasn't a part of this mess to begin with. But I understand why you kept it from me, from us, so there is nothing to apologize for."

When she opens her mouth, probably to argue, I put my finger between her teeth. "No, no, baby girl. You chose us for years. You have to let us choose you too."

I don't know if it's my finger in Freya's mouth or my words, but her eyes spark and her breath hitches. Like the little brat I know her to be, she swipes her tongue against the ticklish tip of my digit and pulls away.

The heat in her gaze doesn't fade, but insecurity trickles into her eyes and voice when she whimpers, "Mine?"

My heart does a somersault in my chest like it's trying to reach her through my fucking flesh. "Yours," I declare, my voice thick with emotion.

As quick as lightning, my omega snatches my forearm and nudges her canines against the thundering pulse in my wrist before I can react. My breath gets caught in my throat at the sheer possessiveness glinting in her eyes, but there's also a question there. One final ask. And one I am one hundred percent certain of the answer.

"I'm yours, Omega."

Little teeth puncture my skin, but the pain quickly fades into a pleasant warmth.

My soul twines with hers as much as possible without an alpha to solidify our bond, but the connection is bright and fizzy.

It's mine. It's ours.

I'm hers.