19. ETHAN

Chapter nineteen

ETHAN

I’m bouncing from room to room, the ache in my chest that’s been tearing me apart for days finally loosening, but it’s not gone. Not yet. My heart is pounding, not from the familiar pull of sadness or longing, but from pure, electric anticipation. Zana called. She found him. She found Reid. My Beta.

My beautiful Beta.

I can’t sit still. I can’t even breathe properly. My hands keep reaching for things—pillows, blankets, anything that might make the nest more comfortable. It’s not just my nest anymore. It’s his too. Well, it will be. Hopefully.

The thought sends a little jolt of nervous excitement through me as I toss another blanket into the living room. The couch is practically drowning in soft fabrics and plush pillows. “Comfortable,” I mumble to myself, adjusting one of the cushions. “It has to be comfortable.”

Zana told me to keep it together. Be strong, Ethan. He’s been through hell, and he’s not going to be ready for a bright, bouncy Omega in his face right away. But I can’t help it. This is who I am. I’m sunshine, damn it, and Reid deserves every single ray of it.

I flit back to my main nest, tweaking a corner of the blanket I laid out for him earlier. It’s warm, inviting, and perfectly arranged—no lumps, no weird gaps. The pillows are stacked just right, and I even added a few of my favorite stuffed animals for good measure. I hope he likes it.

No, scratch that. He’s going to love it.

I check my phone again. No new messages from Zana. I huff out a breath and shove it back into my pocket, pacing near the front door. “Okay, Ethan. Breathe,” I tell myself, dragging my hands through my curls. “You can do this. Just... don’t scare him off.”

But how can I not be excited? How can I not be buzzing out of my skin, knowing that he’s finally coming home? The ache in my chest that’s had me on edge for days feels softer now, like a wound that’s starting to close. He’s not even here yet, but I can already feel the difference.

I make another lap around the house, smoothing out nonexistent wrinkles in the blankets, fluffing pillows, and lighting one of Zana’s favorite candles. She always says it smells like “calm” and “focus,” which sounds exactly like what we all need right now.

And then I hear it. Tires crunching in the driveway. My heart lurches, skipping a beat, and I’m at the door before I even realize I’ve moved. My hand hovers over the doorknob and for a second, I freeze. What if he doesn’t like it here? What if he doesn’t like me? What if—

The car engine cuts off and I yank the door open without another thought. Zana steps out first, her face unreadable, but I barely have time to process it before my eyes land on the figure in her arms. Reid.

My breath catches in my throat. He’s too pale, his body hanging limply in Zana’s hold like he’s barely holding on. Bandages peek out from under his shirt, a fading bruise on his cheek that makes my chest tighten with rage and sadness all at once.

“Reid,” I whisper, my voice trembling. I want to run to him, to take him from Zana and hold him, but my feet feel like they’re rooted to the ground.

Zana’s eyes meet mine and her expression softens. “He’s alive, baby,” she says quietly. “But he’s injured. We need to be careful.”

I nod, my hands clenched into fists at my sides. “Is he—” My voice cracks and I swallow hard, trying again. “Is he going to be okay?”

She doesn’t answer right away. Instead, she shifts Reid in her arms, cradling him like he’s something precious, something worth protecting at all costs. “He will be. We’re going to make sure of it.”

That’s enough to unstick my feet. I step forward, my hands reaching out instinctively. “Can I—” I stop myself, unsure if I should even ask. Zana shakes her head, a soft laugh tumbling from her lips.

“Baby, he’s too big for you. Let’s get him inside and you can curl up next to him, okay?” Zana clutches him a little tighter against her chest, a faint, shuddering breath coming from our Beta.

He’s here. He’s alive.

Tears sting my eyes and I blink them away, pressing a gentle kiss to his temple. “Hi,” I whisper, my voice breaking. “I’m Ethan. I’m... I’m your Omega.”

He doesn’t respond, but I think I see his fingers twitch, just a little. It’s enough. It has to be.

“He needs rest, Ethan.”

I nod, stepping back into the house with Zana right behind me. The scent of the candle I lit earlier fills the air and I hope it’s as calming as it’s supposed to be. I hope it feels like home. For him. For all of us.

Zana walks past me into the house, her arms cradling Reid like he’s made of glass, and for a second, I forget how to breathe. He looks even worse up close—paler than I thought possible, his lips cracked, his skin waxy and dull. The bandages wrapped around him look too tight, too harsh against his bruised and battered body. My stomach churns, but I force myself to snap out of it.

I can’t let them see me fall apart.

“Let me help,” I say, my voice a little too eager and I rush ahead to clear the path to the living room. My hands are shaking as I fluff the pillows on the couch, making a spot for Reid to rest, even though it’s already perfect.

Zana sets him down carefully, easing him back against the cushions. She doesn’t let go right away, her hands lingering like she’s afraid he’ll fall apart. I don’t blame her. I feel the same way.

“Here,” I say, grabbing my favorite blanket from the back of the couch. I drop to my knees beside him, my heart racing. He’s right here, inches away, but he feels so far out of reach. I don’t know what to do, how to make this better. All I want is to hold him, to take away every ounce of pain etched into his face, but I’m terrified of making it worse. “Hi,” I whisper. My hand hovers over his, trembling as I reach for him. “I’m Ethan. Remember me? From the diner?”

Reid flinches before I can touch him, his whole body jerking like I’d struck him instead of trying to comfort him. The movement sends a wave of tension through the room and my stomach drops.

“Reid,” I say quickly, pulling my hand back like it’s on fire. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to—”

“I can’t,” he croaks out, his voice raw and broken. His hazel eyes flicker open, meeting mine for just a second before darting away. “I can’t go back smelling like another Omega.”

His words hit me like a slap to the face. My breath catches and I sit back on my heels, staring at him in disbelief. “You’re not going back. Reid, you’re not going back there. I won’t let you.”

He lets out a bitter laugh, the sound sharp and hollow, like he doesn’t believe me. Like he doesn’t believe anyone. “That’s not how this works,” he mutters, his voice laced with exhaustion and something darker—resignation. “They own me. I don’t get to leave.”

“They don’t own you,” I snap, my hands curling into fists at my sides. “You’re not a piece of property, Reid. You’re a person. You’re—” I stop myself before I say mine. “You’re safe here. With us.” He’s not ready to hear that he’s mine or that I’m his. Zana said to ease him into that but I find it almost impossible when Reid says that there’s nothing I can do to keep him here.

He shakes his head, his eyes squeezed shut like he’s trying to block out my words. “You don’t understand,” he whispers. “They’ll find me. They’ll take me back. They always do.” He lets out a soft, pained whine, his body curling in on itself beneath the blanket. The sound cuts straight through me and my anger melts into something softer, something raw and desperate. I reach for him again, slower this time, my hand hovering near his shoulder.

“Reid, please .”

He doesn’t answer this time but he allows me to touch him, a sudden relief washing over me. The ache is gone, my mate now beside me even if it’s been replaced by anger. Zana feels the same way through the bond, rage billowing beneath the surface but she hides it well. As much as I want to crawl up onto the couch beside him, I hold back.

I don’t want to terrify him.

I just want him to know that he’s mine.

A few moments later, his snores hit the air, the tension in Reid’s body dissipating. For the first time in days, I feel like I can breathe.