Chapter 43

Chapter Forty-Three

BECKETT

I 'm a bastard.

I mean, I'm very aware I'm a douchebag, but I never thought I would stoop to this level. My attention is split between two women. One is my beautiful, angry, little mate, and the other is a woman I've never met but the person I've been searching for all my life.

I know it's her. The unconscious female with blood coating her is Briar. My soul has been screaming her name since I learned of her at the age of four, hell even before I knew of her, and it certainly hasn't stopped now that she's cradled in another alpha's arms as we soar through the sky.

This is my worst nightmare; being torn between the two most important women in my life while stuck in a flying military grade tin can.

My sole focus should be on Kate, who currently has her nose dug deep into my neck. Between Nick and I, Remy having been left behind when his presence freaked our omega out, we've calmed her down enough to rest fitfully.

She was so angry when we separated her from her new friend to drive to a spot the helicopter could retrieve us, so her soft snores help me relax a little.

My thoughts have been all over the place since the nine of us, my pack and Briar's, or Freya as they've been calling her, jumped into the ginormous flying machine.

I should be soothing Kate through our bond, but I can't stop thinking about how little I know about the girl in my arms and the one across from me. I don't know these omegas, not even the one I've been bonded to for years.

I only know how Kate feels and responds to stressors, much to my horror. Her favorite ice cream, what she sounds like when she's eating dinner I cooked up for her, the clothes she would wear if given the choice? All the small things that make my mate who she is, I have no clue about.

Not only do I have no idea where we go from here, but how do I tell my mate that I refuse to be separated from the other omega they locked her away with?

Omegas are notoriously territorial over their mates, and I only imagine that instinct is heightened when you're fated to one another.

I should have paid more attention in high school . Maybe then I'd have a better idea of how Kate will react to my need for Briar—Freya—even if it is nothing like what my omega and I share.

Christ, how do I do this?

"Is she alright?" Nick rumbles through the headsets connecting all the guys and me.

The omegas just have noise canceling headphones on to keep them comfortable, plus we have no fucking clue why Br—Freya's ear is bleeding. My pack mate's question makes my stomach twist uncomfortably, but I appreciate he's asking about how Freya's doing.

Ronan barely reacts to the first use of the headsets, and the other alphas are much the same, never taking their eyes off the rise and fall of their mate's chest.

Casey looks up though, but his attention swiftly shifts to scrutiny when he looks at me. Honestly, I don't blame the beta for being wary of me now. If another male was acting as shifty around Kate as I have been his omega, I would be on edge.

"I don't know... She seems stable enough," Casey murmurs, eyes flicking back to Nick.

The pain in his voice and eyes makes me uncomfortable. My instincts are flickering in and out at strong intervals. I've never felt so much from my alpha side. Truthfully, I've always been a bit broken, never feeling like my alpha half and I are one.

I have theories as to why it feels like my very foundation is split in half, and I think I'm finally getting the answers.

The longer I'm near Briar/Freya. Fuck what do I call her? I should probably get used to calling her by the name she's lived with, I guess. The longer I'm near Freya, the more I get the odd sensation of merging with my alpha side. Like being near her is piecing me back together.

"We're here!" the pilot says over the roaring of the helicopter.

I'm so focused on keeping Kate steady on my lap and making sure Freya's mates don't drop her, that I hardly notice the landing. Atop a hospital landing pad is not where I want to be. Not much is worse than fucking flying, but running across a tall building through wild winds is a close second.

"Goddamnit!" I grunt, bolting through the doors being held open by real doctors.

"Don't like heights?" Kate teases quietly, scaring the daylights out of me. She huffs a small laugh and says, "Sorry."

Blowing out a breath, I reply, "People weren't given wings for a reason. We aren't meant to be so far off the ground," I grumble while taking in the bustling hallway.

Nick raises a brow at me, and Kate snorts. A pretty pink blush follows her silly noise, helping me forgive the little minx for making fun of me. Then I see Freya being rushed to the elevators with her pack and a couple of frantic people in scrubs.

"What's going on?!" I ask, my voice wobbling as I jog to catch up with them, only for the door to close on me.

"Beck, set me down, please?" Kate asks softly.

Gripping her tighter to my chest, I jab my finger into the buttons to call the elevator back. "Where are they taking her?!"

"Sir, I need you to calm down," a man, an alpha in a white jacket, holds his hand up placatingly.

"Tell me what floor they are on!" I growl, stepping through the opening doors as soon as I fit.

Nick and the doctor join me with pinched brows. The unknown alpha nods and pushes the button I requested. At least he better have .

"Your... friend?" he clarifies, and Kate nods for me against my chest. "She hasn't regained consciousness. The team assigned to her pack is finding them a pack room and taking her to get emergency testing done."

The door opens and fucking thankfully I see Lucas and Casey following a hospital bed on wheels through the hall.

"WAIT!" I snap, running to them with Kate cursing and wiggling in my arms. I don't have the capacity to feel bad because I refuse to be separated from Freya ever again.

"I have to be with her," I force through gritted teeth trying to catch a look at the platinum blonde omega being rushed through a set of doors.

"Beckett?" Kate tries to get my attention, but it's no use. I refuse to let her go. To let either of them go.

"Beckett! Breathe!"

An alpha bark from an evenly matched alpha.

Lucas.

But my alpha flares and I bare my teeth at the dark-haired fucker who dares stop me from getting to Freya.

"Stand down, NOW!"

The command snaps through the air, forcing air into my lungs slowly and my muscles to loosen.

"Set Kate down right the fuck now before I make you."

Nick.

I do as he says, but surprisingly, my omega just stands in front of me with a look of concern.

Another doctor is talking to Ronan. "Mr. Hart, your room is right down this way. Ms. Hope will be in your pack room once she is thoroughly checked out. We need to get you all looked at."

Like a fucking predator, I watch Ronan nod and turn to his pack to take them away. Away to where Freya will go.

"No," I snarl, taking a step forward only for Kate to place a palm on my cheek.

"Beck, honey. What do you need?" No judgement. I detect nothing but pure concern from my mate.

I choke on the words, but I force them out with everyone staring at me. "I-I can't be far from Freya. Please . I just can't—I don't… I can't—won't?—"

Kate's voice rings through the hall with authority that stops my frantic rambling. "Pack rooms next to each other, please. Or you'll have a feral alpha and his omega rampaging through your hospital."

I'm a mess of crossed wires and an entire fucking entity trying to merge with me and get to Freya. But my omega's next statement calms my misfiring instincts.

"We will be right next to her when she comes out, but she'll need space with her mates for a bit. Come lay with me while they finally fucking feed us?" My spunky girl bats her lashes at me before sending a piercing glare at the nurses around us.

When she grabs my hand and pulls me to the large room with hospital beds, I calm once I hear Elliott's deep rumble filtering through the wall.

"Freya will be okay," Kate whispers, pushing me into the nearest bed and snuggling into my side. "And I'm here whenever you're ready to tell me."

I close my eyes, avoiding Nick's glare burning into my temple, and release a heavy breath.

The three words come tumbling out for my pack to assess. Similar to the three words the kind woman at the orphanage told me when I was four. I tell my pack who Briar is, and the destroyed soul I've lived with my entire life.

I tell them what I so desperately need to tell Freya when she wakes up. Because she will wake up. She has to.