Chapter Twenty–Three
The nurse had kind eyes and a soft smile. He always beamed at Tom each time he saw him, like Tom didn’t have anything to worry about and for some reason, it seemed to calm the omega’s nerves. The young man, whose name tag read ‘Justice’, which was kind of a weird ironical name considering the situation, picked up a remote and switched on the TV in the waiting room.
Tom wasn’t the only one there, there were a lot of other people, families, friends or just single people like him waiting as well. The occasional sniff or sob echoed in the silent room along with whispers and hums of comfort.
Tom was terrified. Just a couple hours ago, the Chief Medical Examiner himself had come into the waiting room and told everyone about what was happening with the alphas. Apparently, it was some sort of virus – they didn’t know how it was spread yet – but they did know that water was apparently the cure, and it was going to take a while for it to react.
Now all the people could do was wait. Tom refused to think about the questions some of the people had asked.
What if it doesn’t work?
What if you’re wrong?
Are they going to be comatose forever?
It will work and your loved ones are going to be perfectly fine, the Medical Examiner had replied, his voice strong with such conviction that Tom couldn’t help but believe him. In fact, he had no choice but to believe him because if he didn’t, the other option was to break down.
The TV cackled to life, distracting the people in the waiting room as they all diverted their attention to the flat screen on the wall, anything to keep them from thinking about their beloved alphas currently comatose in several rooms deep inside the hospital.
Justice flicked the channel until it landed on a news station and he turned around to smile at almost everyone in the room and Tom felt himself relax even more as the atmosphere became less tense.
“The Medical Examiners have finally released a statement concerning the viral collapse of alphas – not just in Sendorai, as news sources tell us, but all over Maviz. Apparently, the cure to the strange comatose phenomenon that has befallen these alphas, is simply lots and lots of water. I’ll hand over now to Olu Ilionu, reporting live from Serai. This is Abigail Tunt, reporting live from Sendoria’s Central Hospital. Over to you, Olu.”
Tom had his hands cupped around his belly while his heart raced a mile a minute. He hadn’t told anyone yet about his pregnancy because he wanted Chris to be the first to know – apart from everyone else that knew, like his crazy neighbour Dwaine. How the guy could tell was beyond him.
It felt like time was frozen since the Medical Examiner had come into this room and Tom was getting anxious. Was it supposed to take this long?
His phone vibrated and he immediately knew it was Tania, she’d been sending him texts every hour or two since she’d left the hospital after visiting early in the morning to make sure he was okay. Apparently, she’d gotten a lead on who was responsible for the virus and the Peace Force were going to get them. He prayed to the gods that she would be okay – because only a fucking lunatic would want to kill another were so heartlessly, gods knew what the culprit would try to do if they reprimanded them.
He brought his phone out and realized it was a voice message, meaning either Tania was too busy to type out a message or the message was too long to go in a text. He brought the phone up to his ear, his chest getting warm at the sound of his twin’s voice.
“Hey Tom Tom! I hope you’re okay, I know I keep saying that but I want you to be okay. I also hope you’ve gotten some lunch in you or I swear to the gods. Let me know if anything changes, okay? Chris might need to come in for questioning concerning his kidnapping, it might help with the case. I’m so sorry about that, I know you’d want him to rest after all this, but this is really important, please understand. We need to stop this virus from spreading. I love you and remember to get some lunch in you! Let me know if anything changes! Love you, love you, love you! I’ll call you later.”
The voice note ended with a short beep.
Tom inhaled and forced himself to get up from the uncomfortable waiting room seats, making his way to the hospital’s cafeteria, a small thing with two people behind the counter. He caught his reflection on the vending machine and nearly flinched. Goddess, he looked like a walking zombie.
He changed course and went to the bathroom to wash his face before making his way back to the cafeteria to order some soup and bread. He didn’t know if he could stomach anything heavier. Considering the fact that he’d barely kept any breakfast in him that morning because of the morning sickness, not to mention the stress of the entire situation, he didn’t know if he could eat at all.
He’d was just thankfully scraping the last few spoonfuls from the bowl of soup when the Medical Examiner was suddenly returning to the room.
“Tom Hanson?” he called and Tom nearly flew out of his seat, rushing to the Medical Examiner, his eyes wide. The doctor led him into the corridor for some privacy.
The tall black man smiled and said quietly, “I’ve got good news, Mr Hanson. Your alpha is no longer comatose! The water has purged his system of the – whoa, hey!”
Tom had suddenly lost control of his legs, his world tilting and vision darkening as he became lightheaded.
Spencer managed to catch him before he collapsed, immediately leading him over to one of the seats. “Hey, hey, breathe for me now, Mr Hanson –”
“It’s Tom,” he croaked back, inhaling shakily. Chris was alive. Chris was okay. Oh my god, Chris was okay. He suddenly sat up, clutching at his head when the world spun dangerously but he ignored it, “Can I see him? Please?”
“He’s really lethargic so I advise just a few minutes in his presence and then he’ll probably need to stay in the hospital overnight while he regains his strength and we make sure that no traces of the virus are left in his system.”
“That’s completely fine by me.”
The alpha smiled and led Tom to the room.
When Tom saw Chris propped up in his bed by a handful of pillows, he nearly collapsed again. Chris looked like he hadn’t slept in years, his eyes were sunken in and dark around the edges and his frame looked so small buried in the millions of pillows. He was breathing so slowly that Tom almost thought he wasn’t breathing at all and the omega cupped his hands over his mouth and tried to hold in the sobs before he was suddenly rushing into the room and crushing Chris in a tight hug.
“Tom,” Chris whispered, his voice hoarse. The alpha was shaking violently in his arms.
“Goddess,” Tom whispered into his neck, crying loudly, “Goddess, fuck, fuck!” he pulled back to suddenly smack Chris in the arm, his entire body quivering fiercely as the fear and apprehension of the past god knows how many hours built up furiously in his system, “You fucking stupid idiot! How could you do this to me? How could you just leave like that? Who the fuck do you think you are?”
Chris flinched, looking guilty and Tom sucked in a shaky breath, trying to hold back his tears.
“I’m sorry,” Tom sobbed, shaking, “Gods, I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I thought I lost you – I – gods, don’t you dare do this to me again, Chris or I swear I’ll fucking kill you myself!”
“I’m sorry,” Chris whispered back, the alpha’s eyes glistening.
When Tom finally joined their lips together in a harsh bruising kiss, it felt like the world was finally back on its axis.
*
Cherie Puttah’s car was in the driveway, meaning she was home.
Dallas signalled the officers with him, making sure they were silent as he approached the house. He had Bill, Cocoa, Emily and three other weres from the Peace Force with him. The last thing he wanted was the woman to spot them and run. He stared at her huge mansion in disgust – the woman was probably living off of the donations made to the Beta Omega Rights Foundation, using it for her own gains in the guise of ‘helping’ werekind achieve equality.
What a load of fucking bullshit. Dallas couldn’t stand alphas – but this woman, she was a fucking demon from hell.
He signalled for two of the officers to go around the back while Bill and the other guy waited in the front and Cocoa and Emily flanked him at the door.
He raised his hand and knocked.
After a minute or two, he was about to knock again when the door came open. Dallas had never really paid attention to the woman, and looking at her now, it was no wonder.
She looked as innocent as a child.
Cherie was a small woman with thick curls of auburn hair currently cascading down her shoulders in beautiful waves. She was dressed in a lovely cream summer dress with colourful flower prints, a short dark blue blazer giving the dress a sophisticated chic look instead of the childish air it gave off.
She smiled, unaware of the trouble in the air. “Officer,” she blinked in surprise, still not looking like she was aware that she was in trouble, “Can I help you?”
Dallas nodded at Emily and she immediately grabbed her.
“Excuse me?” she gasped in indignation as Emily snapped the handcuffs on her wrists.
“Cherie Puttah, you are currently under arrest for the creation and distribution of illegal drugs that have resulted in the deaths of several alphas across the globe. You have the right to remain silent, anything –”
“What the fuck is this?” she screamed, trying to yank out of Emily’s grasp and Dallas could finally see the crazy in her wild eyes, “Who the fuck gave you the right? Let go of me this instant you stupid brute!”
Dallas continued reciting while Cherie screamed and thrashed and tried to pry herself away from them. They were about to shove her into the car when she started laughing hysterically.
“It’s too late!” she yelled, chortling wildly, “It doesn’t matter what you do! There’s no cure and you will never know how the virus is spread! Every filthy alpha will be gone in about a year! Maviz will be flushed clean of their filth –”
Dallas kicked the door of the squad car closed, muffling the woman’s hysterical rambling.
Holy shit, she was fucking crazy. It was a good thing the woman seemed to not have watched the news that morning because, if Spencer Smith was sure – and wasn’t he always? – then there sure as hell was a cure.
Cherie Puttah was going to rot in jail for the rest of her miserable life.
*
“The Peace Force has finally released a report concerning the comatose alphas and also of the case of the mysterious deaths of some alphas in the past few weeks concerning a similar virus. The cause of the alphas going comatose is apparently the new Alpha Booster drink that was just recently brought to stores. The Medical Team advise anyone from further purchasing these drinks and they will soon be boycotted and flushed from the market. Famous spokesperson for the Beta Omega Rights Foundation, Cherie Puttah, was also arrested early this afternoon. Sources say she has something to do with the production of the Alpha Booster and is now in custody. We also heard word that she has a team who helped to bring this killer drink to fruition but the Peace Force has withheld the identity of these people and has further declined to share more information to be released to the press just yet. This is Abigail Tunt, reporting live.”
*
Spencer was exhausted. He left the couple that were currently crying with relief after he’d told them that their son was okay to the nurses to deal with. Their son was the last alpha on the list in the hospital to be cured.
It was getting late.
Spencer had forced himself not to think about Brendon missing, the Peace Force hadn’t contacted him yet, he hadn’t heard a single word and the alpha was literally working on nothing but air. Lillian was worried. Hell, the entire hospital was worried because he’d been acting on autopilot.
They had Cherie in custody. Couldn’t they torture the information out of her? Surely she knew where the hell Brendon was? She was the one that fucking kidnapped him!
Spencer walked like a zombie and soon found himself in an empty room.
His eyes watered and he pressed a fist against his mouth.
What if the Peace Force hadn’t contacted him yet because Cherie had confessed that Brendon was dead?
He suddenly couldn’t breathe, heaving desperately. He let his wolf take control, shifting so that he could reach under his scrubs and slash his claws across his stomach, the pain making him flinch and finally suck in air, his body shaking. He clenched his eyes shut as he felt the pinpricks of his skin healing back together, the scent of his blood thick and sharp in the back of his throat.
“Spencer!”
Lillian’s voice sounded far away. In fact, it sounded like he was under water.
“Spencer!”
Her voice cleared a little and Spencer’s eyes grew wide and hopeful when he noticed the urgency in her tone. He immediately rushed out of the room he was in, colliding right into Lillian on the corridor. He managed to grab her arms to prevent her from falling and she glanced up at him, her eyes wide, “Spence –” she began but he already knew and he growled out harshly, “Where?”
And then he was running and it felt like the scene in a movie before he was bursting into the ICU room. There were nurses and doctors surrounding the bed and they tried to hold him back but he fucking roared, his eyes and his fangs flashing and they squeaked and pulled away, giving him some space.
“Brendon,” he whispered and it felt like he hadn’t seen him in years. The beta looked tired but other than that, he looked completely fine. His eyes were slightly open but it seemed like he couldn’t move. Spencer was about to start hyperventilating, grasping Brendon’s hands in his and trying to get his fingers moving, “Brendon. Brendon,” he gasped, unable to say anything else, his brain completely fried.
“He seems to have been injected with something, Mr Smith, we need to examine him, you have to give us some space.”
“I’ll examine him,” Spencer growled back, getting up from the bed, still clutching one of Brendon’s limp hands in his.
The doctor coughed and everyone shifted uncomfortably. “Forgive me for saying this Mr Smith, but you’re in no condition to do this. Please let us take care of him. We’ll do our best.”
Spencer clenched his hands into fists to prevent them from shaking because he knew they were right. He glanced down at Brendon and the beta was staring weakly up at him, his hand still limp in his fist. “Don’t you dare die on me,” Spencer finally whispered, his voice weak.
He saw Brendon’s eyes water and felt the beta’s finger twitch in his before he was forced out of the room.
The door shut gently in his face.
“Don’t you dare die on me,” he repeated softly, pressing his forehead against the closed door, feeling hollow.
*
Dallas was having another panic attack.
He doubled over in the corridor, pressing a fist against the wall while he tried to get his breath back.
You can do this. Trust yourself, Dallas. And most of all, trust Markus.
Tania’s words of encouragement from earlier echoed in his head. He’d thought he could do this. Fuck, he’d thought he could fucking do this but he couldn’t – he was weak – he was pathetic and he was a coward and he didn’t even deserve someone like Markus, Markus deserved better than snivelling trash like him –
*
Dallas is probably outside your door. He needs you. Be gentle with him xx
Markus stared at the text message from Tania and felt like his heart was about to jump out of his throat. He swallowed thickly and made his way to the front door, tentatively pulling it open. He was actually surprised to find Dallas curled up against the wall, sobbing quietly into his knees.
“Dallas,” Markus gasped, his voice broken. He rushed forward and cradled the omega in his arms, cupping Dallas’s face and trying to look into his eyes, “Dallas, sweetheart, look at me, tell me you’re okay.”
Dallas looked up at Markus, at the pure love and concern in his gaze and he just burst out sobbing, the emotions warring violently within him. “I can’t,” he whispered, “I can’t.”
Markus didn’t know what he meant – hell, he didn’t want to know what he meant but right now, Tania was right, Dallas needed him and he sure as hell wasn’t going to just leave him or send him on his way when he was distressed and upset like this.
“Come on,” Markus whispered, “Let’s get you inside, okay? I promise not to do anything you’re not comfortable with. You can – you can leave when you feel alright, is that okay?”
Dallas swallowed hard and nodded.
Markus helped him up and they both entered his apartment. The alpha immediately had Dallas curled up on the couch and brought several pillows and blankets until the omega was barely visible, buried in a little mountain of pillows.
“What would you like?” Markus asked, wanting to run his fingers through Dallas’s hair but he was unsure of where they stood, “Tea? Some soup maybe?”
Dallas blinked sleepily up at him, looking utterly content in his nest of pillows and blankets. “Anything you want to give me, Sir.”
Markus felt his stomach drop at the title, his hands suddenly trembling, lips parted with surprise that he quickly tried to cover up by coughing. “Oh. Uhm, o-okay. Some soup then.”
Markus practically fled to the kitchen, opening cupboards and bringing out a can of chicken soup before searching for the can opener.
Dallas watched the alpha bustling around the kitchen like a mother hen and felt his chest swell with warmth. He couldn’t help but bury his nose in the pillows, inhaling Markus’s scent deeply. The scent of the alpha wafting around him made him feel like he was in a protective cocoon. When Markus came back, he didn’t even let Dallas move, instantly spoon feeding him. By the time the bowl was empty, Dallas had sunken deep into subspace, his eyes glassy and unfocused. He felt fingers run gently through his hair, smoothing it from his forehead and he moaned softly, stretching like a cat and actually purring in the back of his throat.
He felt Markus leave and was about to panic but relaxed when he could hear the alpha clearing up in the kitchen. When Markus returned back to the sitting room, Dallas was coming out of it.
The alpha tentatively sat on the edge of the couch, looking extremely nervous, his fingers twitching in his lap.
“Uh, do you want to watch something? I don’t know, I –”
Dallas’s heart was so full it felt like it was about to burst. “I’m cold, Sir.”
“Oh,” Markus said, glancing at the pillows and blankets, his expression crumpling a little, “Of course they’re not enough,” he scolded himself silently, “I’ll just go get some more blankets –”
“I need you.”
Markus froze, staring at Dallas. The omega wasn’t looking at his face and Markus could practically feel the vulnerability pouring off of him in waves. He didn’t hesitate, immediately making a space for himself under the pillows and blankets before curling up against Dallas, pulling the omega into his arms.
They were silent for a long time, before Dallas finally whispered, “I’m fucked up.”
The first step to personal healing is admitting that you have a problem.
Markus gently cupped his face so that they were staring into each other’s eyes.
Dallas’s lower lip wobbled at the intensity in the alpha’s gaze. He felt like a moth trapped inside a lamp. “I’m fucked up and I’m not worth your time.”
“Dallas,” Markus began softly but Dallas shook his head silently.
“I – I have issues,” he continued swallowing thickly, “I don’t know if – I can’t promise that I’ll get better. I can’t promise that I’ll be with you or that I’ll actually want you tomorrow. I’m not ready, Markus, I don’t know if I’ll ever be ready,” he whispered brokenly, his eyes watering but he forced the tears back. He couldn’t help but let the tears fall when the alpha was suddenly kissing him so gently, so sweetly it made his chest ache.
Markus pulled away, making sure emerald eyes were locked on cognac brown.
“I’m yours, Dallas,” he whispered, voice strong with conviction, “I’m yours for as long as you’ll have me. And I promise that we’ll get through this because I refuse to let you go through this on your own. You have me. All of me.”
Dallas felt himself fall, helplessly and deeply, knowing he was so far gone for this alpha and there was no turning back.