Chapter 33

CHAPTER 33

MORRIS

A dira is a terrible patient, but I can’t even complain after her past experience with me.

“People are going to worry about me,” she says. “I just want to go home and sleep.”

“You lost consciousness,” I remind her. “Someone needs to check on you to make sure you wake up regularly, and the bump on your head is ah, huge.”

“You’re saying I look like a monster, aren’t you? Oh my God, I’m going to scare kids,” she moans, tears beginning to slide down her cheeks.

Fuck me. She's curled up on the couch with a blanket in one of Jed’s shirts now, looking pathetic, sad, and hurt. I hate that this happens so often to her. I just want to take care of Adira, but I feel like a jerk instead.

Jed merely looks amused, shrugging as I look at him in distress.

“Fix this,” Damon grunts. “I’m going to pick her up some clothes. She needs a splint for her wrist and a sling to immobilize it.”

“I’ll come with you,” Kane murmurs, glaring at me.

Oh my God, my pack may kill me and bury me for making our omega cry, while Jed laughs at my stupidity. I don’t know how to deal with women well. I can take care of people fine, but talking to Adira is a minefield today.

Also, she may not completely agree that she’s ours yet, but we’ll get there. Even if we have to spend the rest of our lives protecting her, while she pointedly refuses to forgive us. I just want to be near her.

“You guys suck,” I mutter.

The alphas all leave me alone with Adira, and I take a breath, knowing Duncan and Callum will be here soon to check on her. If she’s crying then, they really may murder me with my shit track record.

“Adira, you’re the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen,” I breathe. “A little bump isn’t going to change that. Will you please let me take care of you? You’ll know what any medication is that I give you, and if there are any side effects or issues. I hate that you’re hurt.”

“I’m not an invalid,” she growls, arguing for absolutely no reason. If it’s important to her, then we’ll do this.

“No one said you were,” I remind her. “With this being said, I do want to get your arm looked at, maybe get a quick scan to make sure no one scrambled your pretty brains, alright?”

Giving me a watery smile, she nods before wincing.

“Your head hurts, huh?” I ask in sympathy.

“It does,” Adira admits.”I wish he’d hurt more before he died, but —”

“They were really big fuckers, and sometimes it’s more important to kill them than play with your food,” I murmur, moving to kiss the side of her forehead that doesn’t have the giant bump.

Hell, I want to drag them back to life and kill them again myself.

“I can feel how grumpy you are,” she says. “I want to be snuggled, and you’re the only one here.”

“So I’m the consolation cuddler?” I ask, amused. My feelings aren’t hurt, because I can feel her amusement through the bond. She’s thoroughly enjoying herself, despite the pain.

“More like you’re the designated cuddler,” Adira says, a small smile playing on her lips.

Grabbing a tissue, I gently dry her face, sighing when a knock sounds on the door. Pulling a gun from my back, I press it into her uninjured hand.

“I’m pretty sure that’s the Kelly boys, but in case it isn’t, I need you to take that,” I tell her.

“They’re going to make me start practicing with my left hand,” she mutters. “So overprotective.”

“I feel as if they have good reasons,” I tease her, moving toward the front door as I pull my other gun. “All of the practice saves your life, baby.”

“I want to see Adira!” Duncan roars on the other side of the door, making me roll my eyes. Well, half of Minneapolis knows she’s here now, dick cheese.

“Keep it in your pants,” I groan, unlocking the door, only to get the full force of his alpha pheromones. “I wasn’t immediately sure it was you.”

Duncan and Callum look at each other sheepishly. “We made ourselves wait until at least mid morning,” Callum says.

They’re not exactly who I thought Adira would befriend due to the circumstances, but they are good for her. Opening the door, I let them in, noticing how they take note of the gun in my hand and the firearm in Adira’s lap.

Their long legs walk quickly toward her, their brows pulled low as they take in her injuries. Closing the door, I throw the multiple locks before joining them in the living room.

“Does it hurt?” Callum asks softly, wincing at the bruising that’s appearing around her eye socket as well where her face met the wall.

“It doesn’t feel good,” she says, her head carefully propped on a pillow. “Does Aisling know what happened?”

“Yes, and she’s calling for blood. I don’t think she’s ever been so mad. Caleb says you’re not to come back to work for two weeks, he’ll find someone who wants the extra hours,” Duncan says, taking the gun in her lap and handing it to me to put away. “You don’t need the money, Adira. Take a break.”

“School isn’t going to exactly understand that my face had a disagreement with a wall,” she complains. “Midterms are next week.”

“Then, we’ll figure it out,” I say. “A lot of the swelling will be down by Monday, when is your first test?”

“Wednesday,” she says. “Monday’s classes have papers due without an exam, and classes are canceled. The teachers said we have better things to do than stare at them, while stressing out about tests.”

“They aren’t wrong,” I agree. “Are the papers done?”

“I finished last Wednesday, and uploaded them to the teachers already. I just have to study. I started, but I know I’m not ready yet,” Adira explains.

“I bet you know more than you think, Short Stuff,” Duncan says, sitting at her feet.

Remembering that she said she wanted to be cuddled, I carefully pick her up and sit where she was, allowing her to snuggle against me. Fixing her blankets, I shift my body until I know she’s comfortable.

“I want to steal her already,” Callum grumbles as he settles next to his brother. “She looks damn comfortable though.”

“I am,” Adira says smugly. “Morris said I’m too scary looking to go back to the shelter, though.”

“You’re a menace,” I whisper in her ear, enjoying her smile. “I told her I’d like for her to get medical treatment and let me take care of her instead.”

“Basically the same thing,” Duncan says with a chuckle. “I’ll get Aisling to get your books and things, so I can pick them up for you, Adira. With your permission, I would also like to push the families to understand the larger scale issue here. They seem to be under the impression that since they don’t traffic omegas in Minnesota, no one is being trafficked.”

“I have no issues showing them my ugly face to explain why they’re wrong,” Adira says tiredly. We woke her up every hour, and she didn’t sleep well.

“You’re gorgeous, even with the lump on your noggin and the black eye,” Duncan says.

“I didn’t know about my eye,” she grumbles.

“The bumps and bruises are going to develop more today,” I tell her. “It’s nothing that will scar, not even your forehead cut. My vain little omega, you’re fine.”

“I like it when you call me yours,” she says softy, her eyes fluttering closed.

My heart pounds for a moment as I watch her, checking her pulse. I can feel her faintly through the bond too, and I slowly let out the breath I didn’t realize I was holding.

“She good?” Callum growls, slowly rising.

“Asleep,” I reassure him. “I was worried for a second, because it was so abrupt.”

“Things seem to be going better,” Duncan says, moving to the other couch now that Adira is sleeping.

“Slowly,” I say, nodding. “It never feels as if I’m doing enough, and then I wasn’t there last night for her.”

“You can’t do that,” Callum says, also finding his way to the other couch. “Jed needed you, and the meeting was a trap.”

“Jed is getting worried,” I explain. “It feels like a ticking bomb is coming for us in the form of his father.”

“His father has been texting me over the last week,” Duncan says. “Rock offered to buy Adira back, and I told him she was my lucky charm. Can’t give her back now. I reminded him that Adira’s ability to get knocked up will take time as well due to the traumatic way she came to Callum and I.”

“Basically, we’re stonewalling him,” Callum grunts. “I’m worried too, which means it’s time to play dirty with the families. Cian is rounding up every senior leader who is a father or is packed up with an omega to demand a meeting. He’s planning to present Adira to them.”

“I have a feeling this will happen without Pack Dresmond,” I rumble. “Am I right?”

“Afraid so. I was on the phone with Cian Sullivan while we drove here. He’s insistent that we begin pushing the families even more now. Jed has been able to meet with one or two of them, but they don’t know why they should care about Missouri’s issues,” Duncan says. “A random trafficker kidnapping who they think is an unknown omega is enough reason.”

“This could have easily been Aisling a few years ago,” Callum says. “Cian sees his daughter in Adira, and he’s going to strong arm the families to fall in line. After that, it’s up to Adira.”

“Fuck,” I whisper. “When?”

Pulling out his buzzing phone, Duncan winces.

“Hold that thought,” he says. “Hello, Cian. Yes, I’m here with Adira. No, she’s sleeping, Sir. She just fell asleep.”

The door unlocks, and I pick up the gun I left within easy reach on the side table. Callum leaves his brother to talk to Cian, twisting to pull his own gun and point it at the door.

We’re all on edge, especially with the information that Rock wants Adira returned already. What the fuck is going on in his head?

Kane, Jed, and Damon walk into the apartment, ignoring the guns trained on them. They have bags in their arms, and Callum and I relax, returning our weapons within easy reach.

Noticing Duncan is on the phone, they quiet down quickly, moving to put things away as they listen to the one-sided conversation they can hear.

“Yeah, Pack Dresmond is here,” Duncan says. “I’ll put you on speaker now, sir.”

“ We have a problem,” Cian says, his tone dark and angry. “ A few of the families are getting together to discuss selling you out to your father to wash their hands of the both of you. This meeting is happening tonight, and there’s nothing I can do about it. I was hoping they would come around. They invited me as a sign of respect to put my two cents in, and I want to take Adira with me.”

Jed takes a deep breath, struggling with his emotions. This is a slap in the face to us, but the most important thing is Adira.

“She’s pretty banged up,” Jed says slowly. “I can see how this would help them to see the mess that’s happening in your city, outside of my father’s influence, but I would prefer she see a doctor before the meeting.”

“ Oh of course,” Cian says quickly. “ I have a family doctor most of us use in the area. I can either have him come to you, or we can make other arrangements.”

“I am very certain she has a sprained wrist,” I chime in. “Adira lost consciousness last night when she was attacked, because her face met with a brick wall several times. I stitched up her cut, but I’d like her to be run through a CT scan. Her memory is intact, I’m being over protective.”

“Her face… Jesus. How bad is it?” Cian asks.

“Permission to send a photo,” Duncan says miserably. Anyone else would think he is speaking to Cian, but he isn’t. He’s asking us.

Kane, Damon, and I nod, while Jed grunts, “Yeah, do it.”

Duncan stands to take a picture of Adira’s face and hand, which is swollen enough to be seen on the camera before sending. Cian is quiet for long enough that the pause feels as if it’s gaining a life of its own.

“ Duncan, you told me one of these men escaped?” Cian asks, the barely restrained anger crackling over the phone.

“Yes, Sir. Adira killed the other two, Sir,” Duncan responds.

“ She’s right handed, isn’t she?” Cian asks. “ I don’t think she’ll need to carry a gun tonight, but I don’t want her unarmed.”

“Adria can fight well either way,” Damon chimes in. “The Kelly brothers and I have been working on her ability to use a knife with both hands, which is what saved her last night. We need to work on her ability to shoot with her non-dominant hand now.”

“ Thank God for small miracles. She needs a hospital, boys. Aisling has an acquaintance she works with who may be able to help,” Cian says. “ I’ll call you right back. If I didn’t need to drag her into this mess the way she feels, I wouldn’t.”

“I appreciate that, Mr. Sullivan,” Jed says respectfully. “Last night was a shock to us all. Thank you for any help you can give us.”

“ Adira is important for many reasons, but as the daughter of a man my father once respected, I feel as though she slipped through the cracks of our protection,” Cian says. “ I’ll be in touch.”

As the phone line goes dead, I sigh. “Does Cian Sullivan scare the hell out of anyone else?” I ask.

As the men in the room raise their hands, I nod. “Awesome,” I mutter.

“While I wish Adira would get some time to heal, it’s not going to happen,” Callum says. “What did you bring back, guys?”

“It’s all comfortable clothing, unscented toiletries, and ice cream,” Damon grumbles. “There’s nothing there that says ‘mafia princess’.”

“I’ll get it handled,” Duncan says standing. “I’ll text you, Callum if anything comes up. Adira needs to make a statement. Did her knife holster survive?”

“It’s covered in blood,” Kane says, glancing at the kitchen where he was trying to get it clean. “I’ll keep working on it, but it won’t be ready for tonight.”

“I’ll buy her another,” Duncan says easily. “The knife she has is difficult to open, especially left handed. I’ll pick up a switchblade. I refuse to make her fumble to open a knife when it counts.”

“How difficult?” I ask, curious. Damon finds the knife, handing it to me, and I grunt as I pull the blade from the handle. It’s wickedly sharp, created for maximum destruction. “This is ridiculous, Duncan. How did she get this open in the first place?”

“Adrenaline,” Adira whispers. “I also knew you’d never let me live it down if I couldn’t get my knife open with my left hand. Lurch slammed my right hand into the building so it felt numb and tingly.”

“Lurch from the Addams Family?” Duncan asks, smiling down at her.

“Uh-huh,” she whispers before drifting off again.

“That explains things,” Duncan mutters. “She’s so drowsy. Caffeine isn’t good for her stomach, though.”

“I can probably figure out what the coffee shop owner puts in his protein drinks for her,” Damon offers. “I’m also terrified I’m going to fuck it up and make her sick though.”

“Let’s not do that,” Duncan says with a snort. “I’ll add a protein drink to my list, and see if I can get the owner to tell me exactly what’s in it. She may be nauseous with her possible concussion.”

“Okay good,” Damon says, his eyes still worried.

Adira is adored by so many people, she can’t possibly know how her fierceness draws people to her.

“It’s going to be a long one, boys,” Duncan mutters, leaving the apartment.

That may be true, but maybe we’ll have allies by the end of the day.