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“Alright I have faith that your Alpha will get you out of the space if he senses you are in distress in any way. Mr. Owens, I need your assurance that you will not attack my patient no matter how justified you may believe the action to be.”
A growl thrummed from me and through the room.
“I’m not sure how I feel about the way you phrased that, Doc.”
The doctor lowered her head slightly before pushing back from her desk and walking around to lean against it, facing us.
“I am only being this candid because I have my patient’s permission. How familiar are you with scent bonding or the feral state of a bonded Alpha?”
“Our Beta has talked about scent bonding. That they believe Ethan is the scent match for our pack. I don’t know anything about a feral state beyond what the words imply.”
I looked over to Ethan, who shrugged and shook his head at the doctor.
“I will let him explain more about his experiences and everything that led him to commit those crimes against you. I do not say this to negate what he did nor to refute any kind of blame for his actions. It is important for you to know, however, that when he was brought to us those months ago, he was in a feral state that is typically only seen when a bonded Alpha and Omega are separated?—”
Ethan’s scent went to burnt sugar so quickly that the mixture of anger and fear in his voice didn’t surprise me or the doctor.
“He didn’t bond me! His bite—the bite he tried to force on me, didn’t do anything. If he’s trying to claim that, then he’s fucking lying!”
I reached a hand out to rub the back of Ethan’s neck. Concentrated on forcing out a soft purr. Focusing all my attention on him until I saw the heaving of his chest slow and he squeezed his eyes shut. The doctor’s voice was soft and reassuring when she spoke.
“I’m sorry, Ethan. I didn’t mean you. We believe Dr. Stephens had found his scent-matched Omega, who he had previously courted, and that they’d begun to scent-bond. When that Omega left him and his pack, it began his spiral into a feral state, culminating with his attack on you.”
Pulling Ethan into my side more fully, I pressed my lips to his temple. His eyes were still closed, but he sank into me and nodded.
“When he was told you would be willing to speak to him, he made some demands that furthered my belief that the hormone blockers we have had him on since he came to us have brought him out of that state.”
“What fucking demands?”
My brows were pulled down as far as they’d go as I glared at the doctor, but she merely held up her hands.
“He insisted that he be restrained by handcuffs that were anchored somewhere Ethan could see. Also that the meeting take place somewhere open with windows and guards visible. Finally, he insisted on using medical grade de-scenting products so that his scent wouldn’t risk triggering Ethan.”
Either this Alpha was playing a long game to get these people to trust him so he could go after my Omega again, or he really had been feral before. Didn’t really matter though. If he tried anything, I’d put him down before he could lay a hand on Ethan.
“Let’s just get this over with.”
The doctor looked at me with obvious concern, but I could tell that, no matter how mixed-up Ethan’s emotions were, he was determined to see this through. Instead of arguing, I just threaded my fingers through his and stood when he did. She nodded, then turned to leave her office with us trailing behind.
I tugged gently on Ethan’s hand before leaning down to his ear and speaking low enough for only him to hear.
“I love you, Biscuit. You are ours but you belong to yourself first. Nothing will touch you while I’m here.”
He squeezed my hand and his shoulders drew away from his ears a little more, relaying more tension leaving his body. He kept his face forward as we moved toward what was probably some kind of recreation space. Approaching the door, I saw it was empty except for the lone man anchored to a table by cuffs and two guards in the corner of the room.
Ethan sucked in a breath so quickly that anyone not standing by him wouldn’t have heard, but his scent soured, broadcasting his fear to the Alphas in the space even as he maintained his determined posture. I saw the slight flair of Clint Stephen’s nostrils, registering that change in Ethan’s scent, before he hung his head.
“I’ll leave you to it.”
“Tell the guards to leave.”
“Mr. Owens, I am not sure that’s wise.”
I turned to her, struggling not to bear my teeth.
“You think I can’t protect my Omega from a man in chains?”
“I do not doubt that at all. However, I cannot allow my patient to be harmed, no matter what pack law might allow.”
