Page 10 of Knot A Chance

“Is there any other family who’ll be coming by regularly?” Julia asked. “We have limited visiting hours for family since this is the ICU. You’re the only one who will be granted full-time visitation. We know better than to separate a sick omega from his alpha.” She gave me a knowing smile.

I bet some hospitals learned that lesson the hard way. Another reason for them to take me at my word, given I’d probably rip this unit to shreds if they told me to leave.

“Um, yeah,” I said. She held a pen and clipboard out for me.

“You can write their names down here. We typically check ID.”

“And you only let in the names listed on this sheet?” I asked, wondering if this would be a way to keep out Ryder.

She nodded. “That’s protocol.”

“Then how did I get in yesterday?” I asked.

She smiled. “I’m told the sheriff escorted you in. We don’t really challenge Sheriff James. He’d never bring someone to a patient if they weren’t legitimately family.”

Then how the hell did Ryder get in yesterday?

I wasn’t about to draw attention to the fact that another man might walk through those doors and claim to be Felix’s alpha, so I shut up and scribbled the names of my sisters, Wyatt, and Felix’s sister, Clara. She was on bedrest, pregnant with twins, but I wanted her to have the option of coming if she was up to it. I hesitated, wondering if I should write down his mother’s name.

Fuck it, if she wants to see him, she can go through me. She’s not going to show up anyway.

I handed the clipboard back to Julia.

“Has anyone contacted his sister?” I asked.

“I can find out,” Julia said. “Can I get you anything? Water? Breakfast? Coffee?”

I shook my head and ran my hand through my hair. “What time is it?”

“It’s eight in the morning. Based on what I’ve seen with most alphas who end up here with a sick omega, I want to warn you that failing to take care of yourself won’t help your omega.”

I shallowed thickly and nodded.

Probably a valid point.

“Coffee and eggs would be great,” I said.

She squeezed my shoulder and turned to leave.

“Wait. Can you tell me anything? Anything about his condition at all?” I pleaded.

“The doctor will be in to do her rounds within the hour. She’ll explain everything.” Julia looked at me with pity, and I wasn’t sure what prompted her to share more, but she rounded the bed on Felix’s other side and lifted his left arm, showing me the fresh track mark in the crook of his elbow. “He took a typically lethal dose of heroin and he’s lucky to be alive, but there is hope that he will make a full recovery.”

My relief at her words was quickly overcome by my growing suspicion.

I narrowed my eyes at the red circle where the heroin was injected. It looked completely out of place on his smooth, pale skin, and the reason hit me immediately. “That’s his left arm,” I said.

“Yes.” She set his arm down gently. “Most users shoot up in the left arm.”

“Because most users are right-handed.” I stood up and ripped off Felix’s blankets to uncover his right arm, the one that held all his scars. “He’s left-handed. He’s never shot up in his left arm in his life.”

I lifted his arm for her to see, pointing to each of his scars. The ones I’d traced with my fingers and covered in kisses, constantly reminding him that I’d be there for him no matter what. Through hard days, good days, relapses, anything.

I’d made sure he knew that I would stay by his side and he never needed to worry about disappointing me. I would love him through anything.

She narrowed her eyes and lifted his left arm again, looking closer. “There are no scars on this arm,” she said curiously.

“Because—like I’ve been fucking saying—he didn’t do this to himself,” I said. I yanked my phone out of my jeans pocket and fired off a text.