The words are delivered matter-of-factly, but his jaw clenches. For a moment, I wonder if there’s any genuine concern there, but his next words prove my suspicions right.
“I need you to make sure she survives long enough for the children to be born.”
I gape at him.
“I appreciate that this may sound cold, but a lot of time and money has been invested in this process. We have come too far to lose everything now and those children are hugely valuable.”
What a fucking asshole.
My aggression rises and I push it back down. If I react badly to this, I’ll be out of this room in a heartbeat. I have to stay calm.
I raise one eyebrow at him. “What if I’m able to save her?”
He pauses, calculation flickering in his eyes. “That would be appreciated, but the children are to be your main priority.”
I sit back in my chair, choosing to continue reading through the notes rather than engage further. The room is silent for a few minutes while I digest everything the omega’s been put through and her current condition.
She’s five months pregnant with twins. Since the birth rates dropped, most omegas have only been known to carry a single child. To carry two is almost a miracle. That she’s still holding on despite everything her body has been through… she’s strong. Amazingly so.
But maybe not strong enough.
The alpha clears his throat and I look up.
“As I’m sure you’ll understand, this case requires a certain level of discretion. You’ll be asked to sign a non-disclosure agreement before leaving, and I’ll also need a copy of your ID and medical license.”
Shit. Bastien had better be able to wipe this shit.
Nodding, I stand up. “That’s fine. I’d like to take another look at the patient.”
He holds out an arm, stopping me from exiting the room. “Remember, Dr. Morgan – the children are the patients.Notthe omega.”
“Noted.” My response is short and clipped.
Heading back into the room, I sidestep the guards to find the nurse hovering, hooking up a bag of fluids to the omega’s tiny arm.
She’s so fucking frail. I don’t know if I can save her, but I’m damned well going to try.
Guilt fills me as I think of Leah.
One week, I think. I’ll give it one week to try and save her – to try my damned best to save all three of them.
If my pack doesn’t kill me first, that is.
ChapterThree
Lucien
“You’re doing fuckingwhat?” I explode.
Max’s deep voice rumbles out of the speaker, his guilty tone telling me we’re in the shit – again.
“She’s in bad shape, Luc. I don’t even know if she’s going to live, but I have to try and help. I can’t just walk away from this. You understand that, right?”
Next to me, my brother Bastien pushes back his dark hair to massage his fingers against his temples. Nikolai sits motionless opposite me, his face tight with tension and his blue eyes fixed to the screen of the phone on the table in front of us.
“Max,” I grit, trying not to snap. “I know you’re doing the right thing, but I’m worried about the timings here. We’re not far off being out of Leah’s insulin, and we need pretty much all the basics stocked up. We’ll need to do a full stock run and I don’t want us to split up any more than we already have. How long do you need?”
I’m not the kind of pack leader that demands full obedience from my pack. But goddamned if Max isn’t pushing me to the very edge of my fucking sanity.
