“Your spot is waiting for you as soon as you’re ready to come back. They want to keep you overnight but think you can go home tomorrow. You can stay at our house,” he says.
“I’ll think about it,” I mumble.
Though I know it’s a lie.
I want to be with my pack, and if I didn’t feel so exhausted, I’d be trying to get hold of them right now.
“Sloane’s okay?” I confirm again, wishing we were bonded and I could feel her.
“She’s okay, honey. Do you need anything?”
“Sloane,” I whisper, but pure exhaustion takes over, and I pass out.
A warm hand is rubbing my knuckles when I wake up, and I know exactly who it is before I open my eyes. Sloane sobs and places her head on my chest as she holds me close. I brush back her hair.
“Shh. It’s okay, I’m here.”
“You’re okay,” she says, more like she’s consoling herself.
“Moderate hypothermia. I’ll be okay.”
Ethan runs a hand through my hair and rubs Sloane’s back. I grab his wrist and kiss his hand.
“Thank you for getting her out when you did. I know it wasn’t easy.”
Ethan nods, but it’s clear he’s trying to hold it together.
“We’re a pack, we take care of each other,” Ethan says.
I don’t know why. Maybe it’s the confusion, all the adrenaline wearing off, or the fact that I almost lost everything before I truly had it.
Tears roll down my face.
Sloane doesn’t say anything. She just wipes my tears with her thumbs and presses her cheek to mine.
“We’re okay. We’re okay. We’re okay,” she chants.
“How's Bram?”
“I think he’s leaving the ICU tomorrow, so we can see him,” Ethan says.
Sloane pulls back, and I cradle her face.
“You’re okay? You both are okay?” I ask, needing confirmation.
The two share a look, and I wonder what that’s about, but Sloane just nods. “Mild hypothermia. They just wanted to keep me longer because I’m an Omega.”
“That makes sense,” I reply, and Sloane nods with relief.
There’s a knock on the door. Before my mother comes into the room, she immediately embraces my Omega in a huge hug. They both seem effortlessly comfortable with one another, and I’m grateful.
“I’m so happy you’re all okay. Scared the shit out of me,” my mom says, and Sloane nods into her shoulder. “How are your parents holding up?”
“They’re okay. They visited in the hospital.” Sloane glances over at me and winces. “They want me to move back home.”
“What did you tell them?”
“No. I live with my pack now.”
