Henry wrapped his arm around my shoulders, pulling me into his side as much as the chairs would allow. “We’ve got you.” Liam’s hand rested on my thigh, giving it a comforting squeeze.
Dr. Ash didn’t keep us waiting. She entered the room wearing a floral patterned knee-length dress and a warm smile. Her eyes went straight to me.
“Nice to see you again, Westin.”
I nodded, my mouth too dry to speak.
She took a seat on the rolling stool and logged onto the computer. “Alright, I won’t keep you in suspense. We have your blood work and MRI results back, and I have a much better sense of what’s going on, although we’ll need one more test to get a definitive diagnosis.”
Relief ballooned in my chest—not only did she believe me, she had proof this wasn’t all in my head. But the relief was quickly followed by panic. Now, I would have to actually face whatever was wrong. I could already feel my legs itching to run away. Gray brushed my hair to the side and settled a firm hand on the back of my neck.
“There’s two things going on, really,” Dr. Ash started. “The first was revealed in your blood work. You might know that beta ovaries secrete two hormones—progesterone and estrogen. Omegas, however, have a third hormone called omestrogen. Occasionally, omegas can experience irregularities in their omestrogen levels. When the levels get very low for a sustained period of time, omegas develop something called Omega Wasting Disease.”
I wrinkled my nose and Dr. Ash smiled. “I know. It’s a horrible name. But essentially, all it means is that the omestrogen levels have gotten dangerously low and are now impacting other body functions. Omega Wasting Disease can cause omegas to feel disconnected from their instincts. They can experience a dulled sense of smell, irregular heats, lowered immune system, an increase in overall body pain, and, in severe cases, a loss of their omega scent.”
I swallowed hard and my heart started racing. I tried to think of a response, a question, something, but it was as if my mind was blank.
“What causes it?” Bear asked, squeezing my shoulder. I leaned into his touch, so thankful I wasn’t alone.
“It’s usually not a single cause. It can be triggered by things like extreme stress, being touch deprived, being malnourished, and by certain medications.”
I squeezed Liam and Henry’s hands so hard mine started hurting. “That’s what I have, then?” I choked out.
“Yes. Your omestrogen levels were some of the lowest I’ve seen. Now, part of that is likely genetic. Some omegas naturally have lower levels than others, and that can make you more susceptible to OWD if you’re put under a lot of stress, for example. It can also cause infertility. I’m guessing low omestrogen runs in your family and impacted your mom and aunt’s fertility.”
“That’s why I’m infertile?”
“I think so, although there might be other underlying causes besides OWD. We can’t know for sure without an ultrasound and other testing.”
My stomach clenched at the thought of having to undergo more testing. The sensation of fingers and instruments digging around inside me was suddenly overwhelming, and sweat prickled on my skin. Gray’s thumb made soothing movements down the side of my throat.
Liam made an agitated sound. “I’m a nurse. Why have I never heard of this?” His scent had grown slightly acidic with something that felt like shame.
Dr. Ash pursed her lips. “Many doctors fail to pay attention to omega biology, and even our research here in Sol is severely lagging in this area. My colleagues and I are trying to change that. I also believe the Designation Government suppressed omega-related medical research and treatment.”
I hated the idea of Liam blaming himself for any of this. “It’s not your fault,” I whispered. He squeezed my hand, but the tightness in his eyes didn’t go away.
“What’s the treatment?” Gray asked.
“You’re already doing it,” Dr. Ash said with a soft smile. “Westin, you said you’ve had times lately where your symptoms seemed to lessen. That’s likely because you’re getting consistent touch.” Her expression was almost amused as she looked at where all my guys were touching me in some way.
“So that’s the fix? We just need to touch her as much as possible, make sure she’s not stressed, and have her eat regularly? That seems easy,” Bear said.
“For Omega Wasting Disease, yes, that’s the best treatment. There have been some efforts to create synthetic omestrogen, but nothing safe has been formulated yet. We’ll re-test you in a month, and I’m confident your levels will continue to improve. If you’re interested in further fertility testing, I can refer you to a specialist.”
I immediately wanted to refuse her offer. I was petrified at the idea of more tests and didn’t want kids anyway. But then… what if my guys did? What if they had dreamed of children and this was just another thing I wouldn’t be able to give them?
“You said there were two issues,” Gray said, his voice low and intense.
“Yes,” Dr. Ash said, letting out a slow breath. “While OWD certainly made your symptoms worse, it’s not the primary cause. For that, we have to turn to your MRI, which shows that you have a small tumor at the base of your neck.”
Gray’s hand immediately released my neck. Silence blanketed the room like a heavy weight, and I sat frozen, my brain refusing to process what the doctor said. She pulled up the MRI on her computer screen for us to see, pointing to a small white oval on my neck.
“No,” Gray said fiercely. “You’ve made a mistake.”
“I know this is a lot to—” Dr. Ash started.
“Maybe we need a second opinion,” Bear growled.
