Samantha breezes into the room in response to the buzzer. “Good afternoon, Red. It’s great to see some color in your cheeks again. Let’s take a little look at you.”
I watch her from the corner of my eye as she checks a monitor, and then Rickon distracts me while she gets the needle out of my arm. I hiss at the sting and the nurse fits a cotton ball and a sticky bandage over the spot. “All done, but we need to get the blood pumping in your legs before you start moving around. Want to help again, Rickon?”
They seem to be on good terms as Rickon peels compression stockings off my legs and then massages all the way to my toes. While they work, I gather up my courage.
“Sorry, Samantha,” I mutter, just loud enough to be heard.
“Oh, bless you, Red. Thank you, but Rickon showed me your note. Makes me happy to hear you expressing yourself.” She opens her arms for a hug. “Hug and make up?”
I scowl at her but offer one arm, patting her gingerly on the back as I say, “No need to get soppy.”
Samantha laughs and pulls away. “Pretty sure it’s in my DNA. Now, ready to try standing?”
She and Rickon support me, but my body’s working fine. I shower off the sweat, and the last traces of heat fever dissipate as we eat lunch in the cafeteria. Since I’ve come all the way here, I track down O-9. She’s delighted to hear my story and tells me the sweetheart pair O-18 and O-20 have already left the facility. Those two deserve all the joy in the world, but I think they’ll do fine since they didn’t have as many hoops to jump through as I did.
I wish I could relax more as we share girl time, but the longing for Zack deadens most of my joy.
I’d feel guilty for not keeping in touch with the other omegas better, if it weren’t for the emotional numbness holding me hostage. Taking care of myself and my pack is more than I can handle—but once I get Zack back, I’ll do more. O-9 might even like to come out on set with us for a day.
That’s assuming we get Zack back at all. Dread clamps around my heart at the grim thought.
After we load my overnight bag and Ozzie’s cage into Rickon’s car, I pop my hands on my hips to study the nest-shaped building. “Well, thanks, Omega Center,” I declare to the parking lot. “Hope to never see you again.”
Rickon snorts. “If it means getting through your heat safely, how about we visit here as many times as you need?”
I shoot him a glare. Just because the sky didn’t fall in doesn’t mean I like it here. Would be better if I could do my heats at home with my pack, like a normal omega. Butnormaldoesn’t belong in the same sentence as me.
He shrugs. “I’ll take that as a no, then. Here, I hung on to this for you. Just finished charging it.” He hands my phone over and then turns to load Ozzie’s cage in the back seat of the car.
I hit the on button as I circle the car to jump in on the passenger side. A message notification flashes up, and a quiver runs through my belly. “Rickon,” I call, thumbing the app open.It’s from the same unlisted number as the message I got the day of the court sentencing.
Things not going your way, Lev baby?
I suggest you get that fancy lawyer of yours to reverse the charges against me real fast.
That is, if you want your alpha mutt to survive prison. I can get to him anytime I please.
Chop chop. Time is ticking.
I scream and hurl the phone onto the pavement. Black despair clogs my throat, stealing my air. Every time I take a step forward, the demons of my past laugh in my face and claw me back into the abyss. How many times can I endure this pendulum swing between hope and despair before my rope snaps?
Falling to my knees, I grab the phone and strike it onto the ground over and over, as if that could destroy Ray and his evil message. As if the cracking glass could obliterate the hatred and agony.
“Red, Red!” Rickon gathers me into his arms and peels the broken phone from my grip. “What did he say?”
I thump my fists into his chest, not caring who I hurt. “He’s going to kill him. He’s going to kill Zack.” I clutch my head in both hands and yank out of his hold, lurching unsteadily toward the car. “We have to go see Zack,” I yell hoarsely, my throat scratched and aching. “I need to see him.”
Not just see him; I can’t let him stay there a moment longer.
I scream my words at the sky, spittle foaming around my lips. “I’ll steal a tank and drive it through the gates; Zack will do the rest! He can’t stay there. I have to break him out again!”
If it’s not too late.
I jump up but Rickon catches my wrist and tugs me back. “You can’t, sweetheart! I’m sorry, but I can’t lose you too. Put your faith in Calli. He’ll find a way to protect Zack.”
I can’t do anything? Nothing at all for the alpha I love?
Rickon catches me from behind, and I slump, choking on the tears that won’t fall.
