“I…fell down a hole?” he says, touching the collar around his neck.
“Yes, and you don’t seem to be seriously injured. You were unconscious, so I gave you a healing vial and put a brace on until we can get you checked out at a hospital. Try not to push yourself until then. How do you feel? Is there anywhere specific that hurts?” I say.
He looks at his hands like he’s checking that all his fingers are there and flexes his arms and legs.
“Everything hurts, but it just feels like bruising. How far was the fall?” Silas asks, looking past me into the dark.
“I’m not sure exactly, but close to a hundred feet,” I say.
He’s rubbing the back of his head and pauses when he hears that.
“A hundred? Really? And I’m all in one piece?” he says, looking down at himself again.
I shine my light at the mound of debris behind us. “That softened your fall. Being an alpha probably helped.”
He laughs. “Yeah, probably. I’m pretty hardheaded. I’m sorry about dragging you around, my alpha was confused and going wild about being in pain. I think that’s why I latched onto trying to ‘save you.’”
He squints at me but dismisses whatever else he was going to say.
He shouldn’t be able to tell I’m an omega with all my suppressants and descenters. Alphas are driven to protect others regardless, beta or omega.
“It’s okay, confusion is a common response. Let’s take it slow and get you out of here. I have a harness I’ll help you into, and my team will pull us out,” I say.
The radio is quiet now that I have the situation under control. Still, I repeat that we’re gearing up, and Orion says they’re ready when we are.
Silas is docile as I get the harness on him, and we wade back to the rope.
“Let me know if it’s too painful once they start lifting. I’ll keep us steady, but be aware that the shaft is narrow, so try to keep your limbs tucked in,” I say.
He agrees, and I tell them we’re ready.
There’s only a pinprick of light above to indicate a way out.
They slowly bring us up, and I watch Silas for any sign of pain. His face tightens briefly, but he doesn’t say anything.
“Is something hurting? Anything feel out of place?” I ask.
“I’m fine, just sore. I’ve broken my arm before, and don’t feel anything like that now. I can handle it,” he says.
The medicine I gave him has some pain-relieving properties, but not enough to completely take it away. That lets us know if we’re making any injuries worse.
The journey back up seems slower than my descent, but eventually we reach the surface.
The sun is blinding after being in the dark for so long, made worse by it reflecting off the snow.
Orion takes over once we’re out, checking Silas’s injuries while Henri gets his harness off.
“Are you alright?” Magnus asks as I unhook myself.
“I’m fine,” I say, smiling up at him.
One of the men breaks free from where Charm has them corralled and rushes over. It’s the one who was crying too much to talk earlier. Orion catches him before he launches into Silas, holding the man back from bowling him over.
“I’m okay, Zane,” Silas says, trying to comfort him.
“He needs to be checked out by a doctor still, but we’ve treated his minor injuries,” Orion assures him.
Zane nods through his happy sobs.
