“I’m going to put some antibacterial cream on the marks of his back, then we’ll need to get him to lay down. It’ll be easier to draw a blood sample that way.”
“Uh…will he remember what happened when he comes out of…wherever he went?” Would he remember the entire day? None of it? Would it be like waking up from a nightmare?
“I can’t say, Evander. Each Omega has different responses when the pill wears off. Some remember it all. Some don’t. Some can recall bits and pieces.”
Kasey jerked forward, nearly falling into me, as Moore began to put cream on his back. A small cry left his parted lips before the noise clamped down.
“It’s okay, sweetheart.”
I watched Moore work in silence, the doctor’s hands steady as he cleaned the welts along Kasey’s back. The antiseptic smell hung faintly in the air, sharp enough to sting my throat.Kasey didn’t move again, eyes unseeing at my lap, or maybe it was the floor.
Moore didn’t comment on the posture; he didn’t need to. The tension in his jaw was enough.
“He’s going to need support for a while,” he said quietly, still focused on the marks. “You’re already doing will with grounding him, but I’m leaving you a few things to help ease the worse of the symptoms.”
I nodded, though his attention was on the Omega. The boy’s breathing was shallow, too controlled, like he was afraid to take up space even with air.
Moore stood, his tone clinical but not unkind. “Most Omegas who come out of Lockswell stabilized better when they have something to take right away.” He added a second small bottle to the counter. “And some antinausea medication. He’ll need that first thing in the morning. If not tonight.”
I exhaled slowly. “He shouldn’t have needed any of this.”
If I hadn’t been a failure that day he went missing. If I hadn’t taken my eyes off him to hang out with the other cousins and friends that had gone camping. If I hadn’t been thirteen. If I hadn’t-
“No,” Moore agreed, voice low. “He shouldn’t have. But Omegas that come from that place are torn apart and broken into pieces. How that place is still running like that after years of abuse being documented is beyond my cope of control. Lockswell should be stripped of his power, but money talks in our world.”
Sadly, that’s what it all came down to. Blood and money. If you weren’t an Alpha, then your opinion on anything didn’t matter. And if you were an Alpha with money, then you pretty much got to set the rules of how we lived. And no one was able to break those laws that were set centuries ago.
“Not your first Omega from there you’ve had to attend to?” I couldn’t help but ask.
“And this won’t be the last.” His dirty colored eyes met mine. “Adrian, my Omega, came from there. As did his friend. And a few others over the years. Nothing surprises me when it comes to Lockswells Omegas these days. But not all Omegas go to safe Alpha’s, either. So, I’ve seen the light leave one too many, too.”
Moore took a deep breath, squaring his shoulders. I knew how society was run as much as he did. Heck, I took pictures of the Omegas who got posted foradoptionorrent, and I hated each moment of it all.
“He’ll come back to the living when he’s ready, but for now, let's get him to bed where I can get a good blood sample.”
“Stand, sweetheart,” I said, holding out a hand, palm up, for the Omega to take.
Most likely ingrained instinct, Kasey lightly placed his hand in mine as he found his footing. He swayed for a moment before catching his balance again.
“He’ll need time to learn he can be something that isn’t trained.”
I hated it. “I know.” I wanted that little boy to come back. I wanted to see his bright smile.
And I would. I would get that smile. I’d do everything in my power to earn that, even if it ended up being the only thing I ever got from saving him from life in hell.
Step by step, I led Kasey from the kitchen to his bedroom. And just like hours before, he easily followed me. I could have led him into a fire, and he’d have gone.
“Lay on the bed, Hun.” Moore spoke as he reopened his medical bag.
Before I could stop Kasey, he stripped his pants off, letting them fall in a pile on the floor. He pulled himself up onto the mattress, knees spread and body leaning more on his arms.
Moore cleared his throat, looking anywhere than at the Omega who was presenting himself to be used.
“Lay flat, sweetheart.” I moved the blanket out of the way, helping Kasey lay on his stomach. “There you go. Just like that. We aren’t going to hurt you. The doctor needs to draw some blood, then you’ll rest.”
Kasey’s mouth moved, as if he wanted to say something, but no sound came out. Only a small shift of his hips as he rubbed himself on the bed before settling.
“Good boy, sweetheart. So good for me.” My hand found its way to his hair, combing some of the pieces back off his face. Of course it didn’t do any good, as the pieces fall back across his eyes.
