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“How dare you,” Dr. Labine spluttered.
“Even now,” Crew went on, squeezing my fingers, “you’re standing here arguing with me instead of letting me help Hazel. So, what’s it gonna be, doc? Does she really need an alpha to help? Or were you just trying to get your pack laid?”
I whimpered at the implication and tried to pull away, but Crew held on tight to my fingers.
Dr. Labine’s chin jerked. “Isla, let’s go. We’ll check back on Miss Jones in an hour.”
Isla shot me a nervous look from where she’d been doing her best to blend into the wall, and then scurried out the door. The doctor paused, shooting Crew one last glare before leaving.
“Asshole,” Crew muttered before turning back to me. The irritation in his eyes instantly softened into worry. “Hazel… Damn. I don’t even know what to say.”
That made two of us. “How did you know I was here?”
The corner of his mouth hitched up, and he reached out to gently probe the black shirt. “Kellan. He’s part of my pack.”
I looked around, my heart beating wildly at the idea that Kellan was nearby. “Where is he?”
Crew rolled his eyes with a huff. “So, it’s like that, huh? Thrown over for Kellan?”
I instantly froze, terrified I’d offended him until I saw him fighting a grin. My shoulders drooped with relief, tears springing to my eyes for the hundredth time today.
“Hey,” Crew started, panic widening his eyes. “Hazel, slow down. Take a breath for me, honey. I was just teasing.”
I did as he said, sucking in a sharp breath and holding it until it felt like my lungs would pop. “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. I have so many questions and…” My breathing became shallow, coming in gasps and pants.
Crew’s eyes narrowed. “Hazel.”
I shook my head, feeling a flush heat my skin as I struggled to figure out the mechanics of breathing. My head swam, black fuzzy spots appearing in my vision as the steady beep of the machine near my head increased.
Crew let out a rumbling growl and let my hand go, only to lower one of the safety rails of the bed. Before I could blink, he picked me up, carefully maneuvering himself under me with all the wires attached to my body. Settling me into his lap, he wrapped his arms around me, caging me in.
At first I wanted to fight back, to be free. Too many visions of being held against my will tumbled through my head. But then Crew did something I’d never, ever expected him to do.
He purred. For me.
The low rumble started in his chest and vibrated into my weary bones. It was like someone massaging my entire body, from scalp to toes. I melted against him, my breathing evening out as my heart rate slowed.
An alpha purring for an omega really was like the absolute best thing in the world.
“That’s better,” Crew murmured, his purr pausing as he spoke, only to start back up as a hand settled on my head, gently stroking my hair. He toyed with the ends, holding them up to the shadows like he was trying to see what they were made of.
I didn’t care. Tucking my head into the divot between his shoulder and chest, I turned on my side and drew my knees up. I dragged in a slow, cleansing breath, feeling like I could actually breathe for the first time in years.
“I was in Quantico when you went missing,” Crew started, the purr drifting off, but he kept petting my head. I soaked up the affection, still feeling the rumbly vibrations as he spoke. “Calla told me you were missing, but… Shit, Haze, I just figured you two had lost touch.”
I closed my eyes as pain lanced through my chest. “How is she?”
“Good,” he said, and I could hear the smile in his voice. “She’s Calla.”
A smile played on my lips, knowing exactly what he meant. Calla was strong and resilient, two traits most people didn’t associate with being an omega. But she was also sweet, loyal, and utterly loveable.
“Does she have a pack? Kids?” I asked, wondering how much I’d missed of her life. It wasn’t uncommon for omegas to be married and pregnant before they were twenty, and Calla had frequently gushed about how she couldn’t wait to find her pack.
Crew’s fingers stilled for a second before he went back to playing with my hair. “No. She actually just finished her last year of college, and she’s on the fence about what to do next. She doesn’t seem all that focused on finding a pack.”
I frowned because that didn’t seem right at all. Calla had picked out the names of the five kids she planned on having before we were fourteen. And she’d hated school. “She willingly went to college?”
Crew snorted, clearly amused, too. “Yeah. Damn, she’s gonna be happy to know you’re okay.” His body went rigid for a beat before relaxing in a way that seemed forced. “Can you tell me what happened?”
