Chapter 35

Chapter Thirty-Five

Chloe

H arsh fluorescent lights flicker above me as the nurse wheels me back toward my room. My body aches despite the medicine they gave me, and my arm throbs within the bright pink cast that now rests in my lap.

All I want to do is curl up in Holden's arms and breathe in his comforting scent. I hope Blake found his niece, and that Grady is okay. I don't remember receiving any updates on either of them. The pain meds cloud my mind, making it hard to focus or think straight.

All I want is to go back to Misty Pines and rest.

A nurse pushes open the door to my room, but instead of Holden and Dominic waiting for me, my mother stands by the window, looking beautiful even under the hospital's harsh lights.

"There's my little dreamer," she coos, high heels clacking as she rushes toward me with an affectionate smile.

"The doctor will be in soon." The nurse backs out of the room to give us privacy.

I want to beg for her to stay, but she's gone before I can get the words out.

I lean back in my wheelchair, trying to put distance between us. "What are you doing here, Mom? And where are Holden and Dominic?"

She gently strokes my hair back from my forehead, the same shade of pink I inherited from her. "Don't worry, my little dreamer, I'm here to take care of you."

"Did they… did they leave?" I choke out, tears pricking at the corners of my eyes.

The thought of them abandoning me during this ordeal is almost too much to bear. Deep down, I know they wouldn't do that. They want me to be their Omega. Don't they?

"Who are you talking about?" Her brow crinkles just enough to convey confusion. "The doctor warned me that the pain medicine would confuse you."

My mouth goes dry as I struggle to form words. "My Alphas. Holden and Dominic. They brought me here."

My mother's face scrunches, and she makes a show of moving her head back and forth as if searching for the Alphas. "There's no one here, Chloe. When I arrived, the waiting room was empty."

An icy shiver runs down my spine, and my stomach drops, anxiety wrapping around my heart like a vise. A bitter taste coats my tongue, threatening to choke me. My hands clench into fists before pain shoots up my arm, reminding me of the break.

"W-why are you here?" I stammer, unable to comprehend why my mother would be at my side instead of the two men who've come to mean so much to me. "How did you even know…"

"I'm your mother, sweetie. I always know where you are." Hardness underlies the gentleness in the words. "As for these Alphas, they obviously didn't wait around after dropping you off. You're not famil y, after all. They fulfilled their obligation by getting you here."

My heart races faster, and my breathing turns shallow. Something isn't right. Holden and Dominic wouldn't leave me here alone. But then why aren't they here?

You're not family . Panic rises. Not family.

The shrill ring of my mother's phone startles me, and she steps back toward the window to answer it.

Her hushed whispers are too low for me to hear the entire conversation, and it sets off alarm bells in my mind.

"Room 217," I catch, confirming something with the person on the other end. "Yes, everything's going according to plan."

Her words send dread spiraling through me, and my eyes dart to the intercom on the wall. Can I call security? Will they force her to leave my room? Why is she even in here? I don't have her on any approved lists for my medical care.

Before I can gather the courage to try, the door swings open, and the doctor strides in.

He gives me a smile. "Hello, Ms. Richardson. My name is Dr. Carter. How are you feeling?"

"Fine. How's Grady?" I blurt out, needing some good news.

If Grady were here, he'd know what to do.

"Your friend is out of surgery." The doctor's serious expression does nothing for my anxiety. "He hasn't regained consciousness, but we're monitoring him closely."

"Can… Can I see him?" My throat tightens as unspoken fears claw at me. I need to make sure Grady is okay. In my last memory of him, he wasn't moving.

"Not just yet. He's still in recovery and won't be able to have visitors for a while. He needs time to rest and heal," Dr. Carter replies, his tone firm but gentle. "We'll let you know when you can visit."

I nod, swallowing back the tears that threaten to spill over, and try to focus on the steady rhythm of my own breathing. "All right, please, keep me updated on any changes."

"Of course." The doctor gives me a reassuring smile.

He shifts the conversation, glancing down at my arm. "Now, Chloe, you're free to leave the hospital today, but you'll need to return in twelve weeks to have your cast removed."

His expression turns stern. "Given your injury, you should stay with someone who can assist you, especially since you can't get your cast wet."

"Don't worry." My mother comes up and places her hand on my shoulder, her nails digging in. "My daughter will be well looked after."

The doctor nods, satisfied, and leaves the room.

My mom's victorious smirk sends a shiver of unease through me. "Who were you talking to?"

She puts a finger to her lips. "It's a surprise."

"I don't need your surprise," I snap. "I need my Alphas."

She turns to face me with a heartless smile. "Your Alpha is right here."

My heart skips a beat, and my breath catches. The room closes in around me, the steady tick-tock of the wall clock loud as I feel my pulse in every injury on my body.

Fear strangles me. "Who do you mean, Mom?"

The sharp scent of almonds and anise cuts through the sterile hospital air, and bile rises in my throat as a cold sweat breaks out over my face. I recognize the pheromones even before the man behind me speaks.

"It's been so long, Chloe," Louie Santaro drawls. "Won't you greet your Alpha?"

I turn in my wheelchair to face him, swallowing hard as I take in his cruel expression. He stands in the doorway, his dark-blond hair slicked back and icy blue eyes calculating.

"Wh-what are you doing here?" I stammer, feeling like the child I was the first time we met.

"Isn't it obvious?" Louie steps forward, his predatory gaze locked on me. "It's time for you to come home."

My stomach churns with terror as I recognize the trap my mother set for me.

Nausea threatens as I frantically struggle to think of a way to escape. The door seems impossibly far away, and there's no telling what Louie might do if I try to flee.

"I-I have the money." Despair overwhelms me as I stare up at him. "Or I will, if you give me a month."

Louie chuckles as he closes the distance between us until his poisonous scent is all I can breathe. He leans down, his breath warm against my ear as he whispers, "Then I guess that's a month you'll be spending in my home, sweetheart. And who knows what might happen while you're there?"

His hand lifts, the heavy emerald ring on his finger flashing as he cups my neck, stroking my unmarked nape. "By then, you might be mine, and then no other Alpha will want you."

Fear and helplessness overwhelm me. I need a miracle. I need Holden and Blake. Even Dominic would be welcome. But they abandoned me, and not even Grady can step in.

I'm all alone, at the mercy of my mother and the man she sold me to.

The End…For Now

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