Chapter 3

My palms were sweaty, and I wiped them on my pants as I bounced up and down on the balls of my feet. I couldn't have stayed still even if my life had depended on it. I needed to see my pack, but I was stuck in the slowest elevator on the fucking planet.

"Don't forget to breathe, Ethan. They'll kill me if they see you this worked up."

I whipped my head around to look through narrowed eyes at Cole standing next to me in the elevator. He had quickly risen to rival Aubrey, my sister, when it came to people I wanted to be around outside the pack. Before everything had happened, we'd been developing a good working relationship and I'd gone over to his place a few times to game—not something Aubrey or anyone else in the pack wanted to do. Then when Shae was taken, he focused all his energy, day and night, on working beside me to help get them back.

"They would not. You're too valuable to Trevor and are unaffected by my wiles and all that. You're stuck with us. Deal with it."

One side of his mouth tipped up and he nodded, stuffing his hands in the pockets of his hoodie. I imagined he was feeling proud of himself for having distracted me. Finally, the elevator dinged, and I raced out before the doors had fully opened. Cole swore softly as he had to wait a moment longer because the bulk of his Alpha-sized body couldn't squeeze through. He didn't need to babysit me though; my pack was close by. I craned my neck, looking for the room number Trevor had texted Cole when he'd let us know that we could come to the hospital. The ward was set up the same as the one I had been on, with a nurses' station in the center and rooms for patients on three sides.

Someone hollered at me to slow down as I passed the nurses' area, but I'd already spotted the room number. I rushed through the door but the sight before me made me stop dead in my tracks as an icy chill ran down my spine. Theo was laid out in a bed, his body totally motionless. Jade and Trevor were nearly as still, so focused on Theo that they hadn't noticed me yet. Jade was leaning forward, holding Theo's hand, while Trevor stared fixedly at his brother, one arm slung across the back of Jade's chair. A whine slipped out before I could help it, and my vision blurred, as my mind conjured up the worst possible scenario.

"Is he…Jade, what?—"

Before I could make myself ask the question, the door to the adjoining bathroom opened, and there was Shae, with Miles crowding right behind them. I closed the distance between us as fast as I could, wrapping my arms around them and breathing them in. My nose wrinkled involuntarily at how off their scent was, but it didn't matter. They were here. We were all together.

"That's right, baby. I'm here. We're all here."

I hadn't realized I'd been speaking aloud, and a gasping sob slipped out as I gripped Shae tighter. Cole's voice sounded far away as he talked to my packmates, and I heard the soft snick of the door closing as he left, but I couldn't quite make myself let go of Shae.

"Easy, Omega. Shae needs to lie down on that bed to get checked out."

I dropped my arms and stepped back, but Shae grabbed for my hand and squeezed it for a moment, before shooting Miles a chastising kind of look. It was fine, though. I didn't mind. In fact, when I looked at Miles, I was relieved, because he was looking more alive than he had in days. I didn't expect him to be anything less than a hovering, ultra-protective Alpha for a long time to come.

"I'm not that breakable, Miles."

Shae threw the comment over their shoulder as they started toward the bed, so they missed the way Miles' expression dropped, changing from an indulgent smile to a barely restrained echo of the desolation he'd been consumed by until the news of Shae's rescue had come through. Over the past few days, Miles and I had built a weird co-dependency, and now, as I looked at his stricken face, part of me was struggling; I had to stop myself from trying to soothe him. But I knew that nothing I could do would have the healing effect of holding Shae in his arms: physical proof that they were back with us, safe and well.

I turned back to the other half of the room, the other half of the pack. Looking more closely at the man I loved desperately, I realized that Theo was hooked up to all kinds of quietly beeping machines, and he had tubes in his arms and an IV line running into the crook of his elbow. My focus on him was so intent that I startled as Jade's arms snaked around my waist and her chin rested on my shoulder. Then her gentle purr started up, forced me to relax.

"He's stable, Ethan. He wasn't injured. See? He's breathing on his own and his heart rate is good. He just…isn't waking up yet."

I couldn't tear my gaze from where Theo lay so unnaturally still. Even when he was asleep, he was a bit restless, so it was unnerving to see him totally inert.

"What happened, Jade?"

"He was removing someone from the building: an Alpha who was involved in the kidnapping and drugging ring. We think the Alpha and Theo fought. Somehow, the Alpha got Theo with an injection. The doctors are running tests."

"No more separating. Not until this is over."

She nuzzled her cheek against mine, marking me with her scent.

"As you wish, Omega."

A nurse wearing bright magenta scrubs pushed a treatment trolley in through the door and walked it to the bed where Shae was lying down, tucked against Miles. She chatted quietly to Shae as she assessed them and listened as Shae described the symptoms that had made them believe they'd had a concussion when they woke in captivity. All three Alphas tensed at the reminder of the damage done to Shae when they'd been taken. Shae continued with the clinical recitation of their injuries and the nurse then treated what remained of their cuts and scrapes explaining that they would continue to monitor for concussion symptoms. But when she picked up the needle, preparing to insert IV cannula, Shae's body locked up and the scent of rotten berries filled the small room. Miles" responding growl was near feral and the nurse backed away quickly with her hands raised. Jade joined Miles and Shae on the bed, purring, kissing Shae's temple, and whispering to them until their breathing leveled and their scent lost the sour note of terror.

A tap on my shoulder startled me. I turned to see Trevor with his head bowed and a nervous look on his face. The tears were still tracking down my cheeks though the rest of me had stilled in shock. Trevor never touched me. Sure, he'd been kinder to me in recent days, but he still kept his distance. I must've shown my surprise because he dropped his gaze for a moment. Clearing his throat, he spoke quietly, his voice gravelly with emotion.

"Sit with Theo?"

He glanced up as I nodded, and an expression of gratitude crossed his face before he moved around me to go to Shae's bed. I moved to the chair he'd been sitting in. Taking one of Theo's too-still hands in my own, I finally got the chance to study him up close. I would have thought he was simply asleep, but for that unnatural stillness and the setting. Pressing his palm to my cheek, I inhaled deeply at his wrist, then had to strangle the whine that tried to come from my throat. His scent was… corrupted. I couldn't think of another word for it. Like Shae's, there were unnatural, chemical tones lacing through his scent, but it was so much stronger with Theo than with Shae. Trevor's voice pulled me from my thoughts and I looked over to where he stood beside their bed.

"Sunshine? They need you to get a few banana bags in your system. Can I put the cannula in? Would that be better?"

I was transfixed as Shae nodded and held tighter to their mates. Trevor took the IV kit from the nurse who obviously knew better than to question the situation. He slowly stepped up to the side of the bed and held his hand out for Shae's. I held my breath as, along with the others, I waited to see if Shae would be able to do this; if their trust in their packmate would outweigh the impact of their trauma long enough to get them the care they needed. Tentatively, they reached out, placing their wrist in Trevor's palm. He smiled at them, and I was struck by the look of compassion and love on the face of this Alpha who, if you'd asked me a few weeks ago, I'd have said was incapable of such tenderness.

He rubbed his thumb back and forth against Shae's wrist since their breathing had quickened again and focused on their eyes, breathing deeply until the rhythm of Shae's breaths matched his own.

"Close your eyes, Sunshine. Lean into Jade."

Jade's scent was the most soothing of all the Alphas and Shae followed his command without question. Before my eyes could track more than a slight flinch from Shae, Trevor was hooking them up to the banana bag and Shae was leaning back into Miles, eyes drooping. I rubbed my face against Theo's palm one more time and set his hand back on the bed, keeping it between my own.

Trevor straightened up and announced that he would run out to get some food for us and a change of clothes for Jade. She'd shed her gear but was still in the dirty black shirt and leggings she'd worn under what I guessed was body armor. Trevor promised to bring back Shae's favorite from Mac's, then turned to me and asked what I would like. The small reminder of my status as still not quite part of the pack became obvious in the little things like that. It didn't hurt anymore, though. I knew he wasn't asking to point out that he knew what everyone else would want; he wasn't trying to make me feel like the odd one out. He was asking so he could learn what I liked. I let him know I'd be happy with whatever he brought back, and he gave me a brief nod and a half-smile. Suddenly exhausted, I lay my head down on Theo's bed, keeping hold of his hand but moving my arm to use as a pillow.

Sometime later, the sound of a harsh, unfamiliar voice pulled me from sleep. I sat up quickly, a little disoriented. I still had hold of Theo's hand and I shot a glance at his face, then over at Shae to make sure they were still there, and still alright. A relieved breath rushed out of me when I saw they were both peacefully asleep. As I took in the rest of the room, I realized that I must have slept longer than I'd expected to, because Trevor was back, Jade was in different clothes, and the sun had gone down. Then I worked out what had woken me. An angry-looking Beta doctor was facing off with both Trevor and Jade. Trevor was scowling back at him, while Jade stood with her hands on her hips, staring down her nose at the Beta. Miles glared at the doctor from the bed where he still had his body wrapped around Shae. As I took in their expressions, I tuned in to what the doctor was hissing, apparently trying not to wake the patients.

"... over. He is not a bonded member of the pack and therefore must leave."

Shit. The doctor wanted me to go. A sick feeling bloomed in the pit of my stomach. I drew in a shaky breath, ready to say it was fine, that someone could take me home or even to Drake House. But I didn't get the chance, because not one, not two, but all three Alphas snarled at the doctor in unison, causing him to pale and stumble back a step. At the sound of the Alphas' growls, Shae stirred which drew everyone's attention to them briefly, and gave me the chance to recover from my shock at the Alphas' reactions. Once she was confident that Shae hadn't been woken, Jade took a step toward the doctor.

"Tell me, Dr. Thomas. Is it the policy of the hospital to separate pack members from one another during times of trauma?"

"No, but he's…"

"Our Omega. Bite or no, if you try to remove him from this room after what he has been through and what our Betas have been through…you better be prepared to have every member of your security staff on hand and the hospital's best lawyers ready, because that's only happening over my dead body."

Jade had advanced further on the man as she spoke, and the Beta's scent of mild tobacco turned acrid with burnt notes of apprehension in response. I smiled a little to myself because I would never get tired of watching Jade knock an asshole down a peg or two. And when she did it because she was standing up for me? Well, that just made it unfairly hot. Being an Omega, I was used to ill-timed hard-ons, but the one I was sporting now seemed especially inappropriate. As the doctor shuffled out of the room, Jade turned to look at me, then walked over to nuzzle my cheek and murmur in my ear.

"Not the time, Omega, but I have missed you perfuming for me."

Warmth bloomed in my face as I saw Trevor cover his mouth to hide a smile. As Jade straightened up, I ducked my head down, looking at Theo's hand rather than any of the Alphas in the room. It was only the sound of wheels rolling into the room that had me looking up again. The same nurse who had been in and out since I'd arrived was bringing in an extra bed. She began to maneuver it, so it nestled between the other two, with just enough room either side to get in and out. On it were extra blankets and pillows.

"My shift is ending soon, but you can expect the night nurse to be in every few hours to check on Mr. Owens' vitals and change out the IV bags. Just buzz if there's any change in his condition, or if there's anything else that's needed."

Jade nodded her thanks and the nurse left, this time pulling the door behind her so that it was almost closed.

"Jade, you and Ethan take the bed. I need to step out to check in with everything at Drake. When I come back, I'll sleep in that chair." Trevor gestured at the chair I was sitting in. I made a noise of protest, but he waved it off before I could argue. "You all need your rest. And the chair reclines; it's not a big deal."

Trevor left the room without waiting for a response. After the door shut behind him, Jade looked down at me and put her hand out in invitation. When I didn't move, she raised one eyebrow then tugged my hand until I was on my feet and pulled me over to the new bed. I just stood beside it, holding her hand, so she pressed on my shoulder until I sat. A soft smile crossed her face as she dropped to one knee and started to remove my shoes. Looking down at her, it took a moment or two for me to shake myself from the haze that had descended on me.

"I can do it. You don't have to?—"

The grip she had on my calf tightened, cutting me off mid-sentence. Her beautiful dark eyes captured mine with an almost pleading look. My automatic response was a soft purr of comfort. I watched the tension bleed from Jade's shoulders as her hand slid back down to my foot.

"Let me take care of you, Ethan. Please?"

I looked into her eyes and nodded, letting her remove my shoes and help me out of the hoodie I was wearing. After she draped the hoodie over the foot of the bed, she grabbed two pillows and threw them behind me. Then she took the other pillow and a blanket around to the other side of Theo's bed, setting them on the chair for Trevor. When Jade looked back over at me, she tipped her chin toward the pillows behind me, indicating that I needed to lie down then she bent and pressed a kiss into Theo's hair. She inhaled deeply, and her fists clenched, whether at his altered scent or at the situation, I didn't know.

I watched as she moved around to the other side of the bed I was lying on and took off her shoes. Padding quietly over to where Shae was still sleeping, she gave them the same kiss she'd given Theo. She and Miles whispered softly to each other, but I couldn't tell what they were saying. When she turned back to me, I was still lying awkwardly in the same position. She laughed under her breath and picked up the blankets.

"Roll over, Ethan. Face Theo."

Following her instructions, I drew my feet up and tucked my hands beneath the pillow, then just stared at Theo's still form. I felt the mattress dip slightly then Jade draped the blankets over both of us. A contented sigh slipped out of me as she molded herself to my back then wrapped her arm around my waist and began to purr softly. I tried to keep my eyes open, to keep watch over Theo, but between Jade's purr and the scent of the pack surrounding me, it was a lost battle.

"He'll wake up soon, won't he?"

Almost afraid to say the words out loud, I whispered them so softly that I wasn't sure if she'd heard me until she replied in an equally soft voice.

"I hope so."

I must have slept deeply, because I wasn't aware of a thing until I felt the warmth of morning light on my face. I tried easing open one eye but had to slam it shut because the sun was streaming in through the hospital windows. As I lay there, contemplating whether to press my face into my pillow to try to sleep longer, I registered the sensation of a weight across my legs. I could feel Jade behind me, still, had the nurse dropped off some extra blankets during the night? The events of the previous day started to whirl through my mind, and I turned my head to the side to peek at Theo's bed.

When I saw that his eyes were still closed, I tried not to let the disappointment get to me. Letting out a quiet sigh, I turned my gaze toward the bottom of my bed… and my eyes nearly popped out of my head. If I had been standing up, you would have been able to knock me over with a feather, because there, lying half across my legs, was Trevor.

He must've moved the chair when he came back, because it was no longer by Theo's bed alone but at the at the end of the one Jade and I shared. He had one arm stretched out behind him on Theo's bed, and his hand was just touching his brother's ankle. Although his bottom half was in the chair, his top half was draped across our bed, with his other hand on Jade's calf and his forearm cushioning his head. But his face… my eyes widened even further… his face pressed right up against my legs. Every time he breathed in, he was taking in my scent. My mind was racing. Had he positioned himself like that, on purpose, before he dozed off? Or had he just moved around in his sleep and ended up like that? That must've been it; he wouldn't have chosen to sleep where he would be breathing my scent in all night. Would he?

I dropped my head back against my pillow and closed my eyes; it was all too much. After a few deep breaths, I felt a little calmer. Then, there was the lightest brush of fingers against my right cheek and my pulse skyrocketed as my eyes flew open. I whipped my head to the bed beside me where Theo was giving me a weaker version of the crooked grin I loved so much. The sound I made at seeing that he was awake was an unhinged melding of a screech and a cry as I scrambled out of the bed and launched myself on top of him. I nearly tripped in the blankets and my foot connected with something that resulted in cursing. But I didn't pay any attention. All I could focus on were those bright blue eyes that were crinkling at the corners, as if he found great amusement in my scrambling urgency to straddle his lap and drape myself over him.

"You're awake! I'm— Oh, fuck! Am I hurting you? Shit. I wasn't thinking."

I started to move off him much more gently than I'd climbed on, but one of his hands gripped my hip, holding me in place, then the other wrapped around the back of my neck as he pulled my mouth down to his. My hands fisted into his hospital gown as he pressed our lips together in a sweet kiss. Jade's throaty, sleep-roughened laugh cut through the daze that I'd fallen into, first from Theo's waking, and then with his kiss. I lifted my head up and inhaled deeply, Theo's scent had shifted again. It was still slightly chemically but it was also stronger. So much stronger than any Beta's scent should be. I involuntarily pressed my hips down onto him and a whine escaped me. In response to the sound, a deep Alpha purr rumbled through the room. I turned my head to look at each of the three Alphas, but they were all looked shocked, and Shae's eyes were wide. When I turned back to Theo, his brows were drawn together in confusion, I realized that I could feel the vibrations of the purr from where I was sitting on him. Holy shit. Theo was purring.

"What the fuck?"

Theo's voice was gravelly from disuse but the sound of it spurred the rest of us into motion. I slipped off him and dropped into the remaining chair on the side of his bed that was closest to the window. His eyes followed me, and I snagged his hand, holding it tight. Jade dropped her legs over the side of the bed we'd slept in to stand between the two beds. She lifted her hand to his face and brushed the backs of her fingers along Theo's jaw, causing him to turn to her and smile.

"Hey, gorgeous."

I watched Jade's face scrunch and her chin wobble as tears welled in her eyes. Theo shook his head, tugging her down to press their foreheads together, murmuring, "None of that."

He kissed her just as sweetly as he'd kissed me, and a smile split my face. Theo was awake. We had Shae back. Sure, we were all a mess of traumas and Theo was purring like an Alpha, when he was actually a Beta… but none of that mattered, really. As long as we were together.