"Hi, little Omega," Kade croons, hovering over Jarek's shoulder with so much feeling in his features that I break. Kade's eyes widen and his mouth drops open when a sob explodes out of me.
Everything from the kicks and slaps to the depth of loneliness and fear I experienced slams into me over and over again. Jarek curses, hugging me and holding the back of my head.
Sweat builds beneath my arms and lower back as I grit my teeth through the pain in my side. It feels as if each tremble, tear, sob, and wince that I didn't allow myself to experience in captivity is demanding release.
"SILAS!" Kade bellows, making me jolt and cry out. "Fuck, I'm calling a doctor."
"Don't call a fucking doctor," Silas snaps, and I swear my heart fills with pure joy and hope as my beta rushes into the room. "Just don't make her jump anymore. We'll call one once we've had a moment to hug her, damn it."
"S-S-Silas," I whimper, reaching my left hand out for him. My chest pounds with the ferocity of my heartache and relief at seeing my mates again.
"Vivie," Silas breathes, collapsing onto his knees beside the bed. "I love you so,somuch. We'll get through this, okay?"
"You're strong and brave. Fucking resilient," Kade adds, placing a trembling hand on my thigh over the blankets. His heat still penetrates, warming me in the way only his dominance and guidance can.
Their words are enough to help me breathe around the sobs that still feel like they're punching my lungs. I am strong and brave. I'm resilient too.
"You're not alone anymore, either."
Gasping, I lift my head and dislodge Jarek. Behind Silas and Kade stands a pale and shaky Riot. "Riot," I breathe so quietly it sounds like a whimper.
"You have your pack again. You'll be okay now, Firefly," he says, but it sounds so pained more tears spring to my eyes.
"Ri—" I swallow, trying like hell to get my words to work. "I was never alone. I had you..." How can he say I was alone? We went through that helltogether.
I swear his eyes lose focus for a moment, but he blinks and breaks my heart. "I did nothing to help you, Vivian. You saved us.You."
How do I get him to see that I need him too? He's my alpha. I know he is, even if what we created was forged in trauma and rage. "Need you, Alpha," I plead, trying to sit up.
Jarek, Silas, and Kade hold me in place. The boneless feeling sends my anxiety skyrocketing. So much so that I do the only thing I can think of and yank on the buzzing bond around my arm.
Need you, need you, need you! Don't let go!
The last thing I see before everything goes dark is Riot's eyes widening then rolling into the back of his head.What did I do?
Six
Kade
With my head in my hands, elbows on my knees, and eyes squeezed shut, I work on compartmentalizing all the shit that's occurred in the past twenty-four hours. Hell, the past fucking week.
It's not healthy, but I can't fuck the energy out on Jarek or Silas in a damn hospital. There isn't even a damn gym in the building. Even if there were, I don't think I could leave Vivian for that long.
The image of Riot standing behind us with blood dripping from his fingertips and a wild look in his good eye still gives me goosebumps. The man tore his fucking arms open to get the IV line out. All for my omega.
Gunshot wound in the shoulder, fucked up eyeball and all, he still caused himself more damage just to lay eyes on Vivian. Nobody who is willing to actually walk away from someone would do that.
Not to brag or anything, but any alpha would be delighted and fucking thrilled to have Vivian's claim on them. I think Riotisthrilled, but I worry he’ll hold himself back.
I’m sure he has his own demons. Ones that might make him hesitant to approach Vivian. Is something in his mind sayinghe's not worthy? Or does he have trauma regarding pack life? He's an unknown, and it has me on edge.
"How do you think he will react when he wakes up?"
Peeking over at Silas, I smirk at his sprawled out position on the large couch. With a book in his hand, I can see he'stryingto relax, but the situation doesn't allow for much of that.
"I don't care how he reacts," Jarek grumbles. "He's staying, and that's that."
Silas tosses his book toward his feet and raises his eyebrows at Jay. "It's great you feel that way, but he's a grown man and has free will."
