A cold voice fills the small space, a stocky, gray-haired alpha shifting past the guards to stand at the front with a frown on his face. This must be Stone.
“I do. You’ll be taking one of my guards with you also.”
Ace and I swap wary glances. Ezra smiles.
“Unfortunately, there’s no room,” he says smoothly. “Only two permitted in the back and two spaces available in front. By all means, though, they can follow behind us.”
The other alpha frowns, but nods as he takes a step back. Our credentials checked out. Bastien made sure of that. But we need to go now, before the real medical team turns up and our whole plan goes to shit.
“I’ll meet you there.”
He doesn’t look back as he strides back into the hospital, his guards trailing behind him.
Ace jumps up behind the trolley and pulls the doors shut.
“Go.Now, Dev,” he calls. “We need to get clear before they come back.”
Devlin pulls out of the alley, shadows of traffic passing by the tinted windows as he picks up speed. Ezra leans over Ava, checking her pulse.
Max bursts out from his hiding place in the corner. I hold out a hand to him, blocking him from seeing Ava, and his nostrils glare as he growls at me.
“Steady, brother,” I say in a low voice. “You’re not gonna lose it in here.”
He pushes my arm out of the way. “Let me through, Luc.”
I move to the side, awkward in the little space we have. A twinge of…something, moves through me when he blocks my view.
He stops and stares. A ripple runs through his back and he lets loose a feral growl.
“Fuckingmonsters.”
Ezra looks up at him. “Take it easy, son,” he warns gently. “She can hear you.”
It’s enough to pull Max forward. He moves to the omega’s side, his eyes running over her face and to the leather across her face.
They fucking muzzled her. Like ananimal.
A small, low whimper comes from under the restraint as Max leans into her. The pitiful sound of it damn near rips my heart in two. The other alphas look the same way, moving to the back of the ambulance to give Max space to kneel beside her.
“Ava,” he whispers brokenly. “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.” He leans over, trying to unbuckle the metal keeping that thing over her face. I wordlessly move to help him and her eyes move to me, a high-pitched noise making me freeze.
Max holds up his hand to stop me, giving me a pleading look.
“Shhhhh,” he murmurs, stroking his hand over her hair. “This is Lucien. He’s a member of my pack. Nobody here is going to hurt you, sweetheart.”
Her restraints clink against the metal rails as her body shakes.
This omega is petrified of us. With good fucking reason.
I press myself back alongside Ezra and Ace, and we watch silently as Max painstakingly works through the buckles keeping the muzzle in place. As they come away, he keeps talking to her, trying to soothe her.
The shakes continue.
He pulls the muzzle away from her face and drops it to the floor in disgust. Her sobs are louder now.
“You left me,” her small voice breaks.
“I’m sorry,” Max keeps his voice low, but the sound carries. “I’m so sorry, sweetheart. I had to, so we could get you out of there. Walking away from you was the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do.”
