POV Rosalie
When Sidney and I are finally released from the infirmary it feels like a breath of fresh air, plus I have trust issues with them now.
"Hey, where's Edward, Myra, and Al? And Molly and Drew?" I ask my friends as I sit on Miles.
"Drew stabbed Edward in the eye to try to get in Peter's good books, Molly conspired with him, Al was sent to a mental hospital in Erudite due having schizophrenia, and Myra followed Edward into going factionless. You were right about Edward." Four lists off.
"Damn. You miss three weeks and you miss all the drama." Sidney says, arm around Skyler.
"You already told us this didn't you?" I ask with narrowed eyes.
"More or less." Four says with a shrug.
"Who all presented?" Sidney asks.
"Will, Mia, Tris, and Marlene. Eric, Uriah, and I have claimed our mates and Christina has gone from bitching about Will and Tris being allowed into the Middle or Amity to teasing them about their mates or lack thereof." Four updates.
"I'm not very fond of that girl." I say.
"Same." Jeremy and Lucy say in unison.
Before we can say anything else a hoard of initiates come up to us. I surprise myself by whimpering at them and I hate myself for it.
"Stop!" Four orders and the six initiates that were coming to talk to us screech to a halt. "They're still healing, so turn around and leave them be."
Peter doesn't listen and sits next to his brother while Tris hesitates, but the others do as they're told.
Alpha. I whimper to Miles.
"We're gonna head out. We'll see you all later." Miles says, getting up and taking my hand.
We walk to our apartment hand-in-hand, and the second the door closes behind us I fall onto the ground and begin crying. Miles takes me in his arms and holds me close.
"It's okay, baby. Shut down. I've got it from here." He says and I do. I stop thinking. I let out all the pain and worry and anger and fear and I just sob. Eventually my sobs turn to whimpers and I lean against Miles. He picks me up and puts me on the couch.
"Where are you going?" I demand worriedly when he puts me down and stands up.
"I'm getting snacks. I'm not going anywhere." He promises me before kissing my forehead. I curl into a ball and stare at the floor.
Okay, so we have chocolate or popcorn. We have brownies too, but I guess that counts as chocolate. I made sure that the chocolate is the brand that doesn't upset your stomach. I still don't completely understand lactose intolerance all that much besides just avoid all milk products, which you ignore so you can have ice cream. Miles says, talking nonsense as he messes around in the kitchen. When he gets back he puts the plate of brownies with chocolate bars and the bowl of popcorn as well as the drinks he'd chosen on the coffee table before grabbing a blanket and wrapping it around us.
"I feel weak. I'm not a weak person, but I can't-I can't keep going. I'm tired." I say as I lean into him again.
"Leadership worked you into the ground and violated your trust, Rosie. It's understandable."
"I don't know what's going on with me or what to do. I haven't felt this helpless since you claimed me." I say and Miles holds me close to him.
"Just like back then, I do. I'll take care of you and you just recover." He says before kissing the top of my head.
We move so he's stretched out on the couch and I'm tucked against the back of the couch and his side with my head on his chest while he plays with my hair and rubs the arm I have that's wrapped around his middle. Slowly but surely I begin to fall asleep.
POV Third Person
Miles looks away from the movie he has playing with the sound low to see Four and Max walking in. They look at Rosalie in worry when they see how she's asleep, but still whimpering.
"You both have five seconds to get out before I lose it." Miles warns.
"What's wrong with her?" Max asks, ignoring the threat. Miles carefully puts Rosalie on the couch while he stands up and covers her up before stalking towards the other two men.
"Get. Out. You did this. You burnt her out. You gave her that damn serum to make sure you could keep her as a 'yes' man. You are the reason she broke down. If you're here to tell her she has to work tomorrow in anyway shape or form then you are sorely mistaken."
"I am the leader of this faction. If I want to utilize my soldiers-"
"You have other soldiers!" Miles snaps, pushing him back. He opens the door and roughly shoves Max out the door, slamming the door in his face. "I would drag you out too, but he'd sneak back in."
"Skyler told me Sidney was pretty close to this. I figured if an alpha was that way than an omega was screwed. I wanted to show Max that he'd gone too far. We stopped at the Hayes' first." Four says, watching as his brother gently maneuvers himself and his sleeping mate to fit on the couch comfortably as they had before. Rosalie unconsciously snuggles closer to Miles and holds him tightly.
"What did you think that would accomplish? He's still going to do whatever he wants." Miles says bitterly.
"Sidney is one of my best friends and Rosalie is my sister-in-law, I was trying to get them a break."
"He wanted them to help you and Eric tomorrow?" Miles guesses and Four nods his head. A growl starts in Miles' chest and Rosalie sighs contently, whimpers finally quieting. Four points to her and raises an eyebrow. "Her alpha is protecting her when she needs him most. Look, I love you, dude, but you've got to go. I have more important things to worry about."
"Sure." Four says, heading towards the door.
"Tobias!" Miles calls, stopping his brother and he pauses. "Thanks for trying."
"Yeah." Four says and then leaves the couple to their quiet lonesome.
"My beautiful, hurt omega. You just heal, Rosie. I've got you." Miles tells her sleeping form and then returns his attention to the TV, arm still tightly around Rosalie.
POV Rosalie
When I wake up my eyes are sore and my throat is scratchy, but I haven't felt this well rested and clear headed in God knows how long. I look at Miles' sleeping form and start to gently trace his features. I smile when a purring sound starts in his chest.
"Morning." I whisper when he cracks open one eye.
"Morning. How're you feeling?"
"Better. I needed that yesterday. Thank you for taking care of me."
"Thank you for letting me." Miles says before kissing me.
"I missed you." I say, lying back down.
"You have no idea how much I missed you, Rosie." He says rubbing his face into my hair. "We need to change our code."
"Why?" I ask hesitantly.
"Four brought Max around while you were sleeping, trying to show him the shit show that you and Sidney are, and let himself in." Miles says. I groan and burry my face in his chest. "Of course Max being Max, it didn't work."
"Great. What do I have to do this time?"
"No idea. I threw him out of the apartment before he could say anything besides say that he doesn't regret how he'd been treating you and Sidney." Miles says. I sit up on my elbow and look down at him.
"You threw the head leader of our faction out of our apartment?"
"Yep. The sound of it must have gotten in here somehow because it calmed you right down." Miles says, stroking my forehead.
"Don't tell me I was still whimpering my sleep."
"Okay. I won't tell you that." Miles says.
"Great."
"If it makes you feel better, Four says Sidney's the same way." Miles says. I open and close my mouth a few times.
"I'm torn between not feeling better because of why we're like this and better because I managed to last the same amount of time as an alpha." I say and he laughs.
"That's my girl." Miles says, smiling at me. "How are you feeling?"
"Like I need that week I got jipped out of." I say, lying back down and getting comfortable.
"I like the sound of that." Miles says, playing with my hair.
"It's your week off?"
"Yep. Howdy had to physically drag me out of your hospital room every day while you were in there." Miles confirms.
"We need to get food though...but I don't want to see people."
"And that is what mothers are for."
"I said I don't want to see people."
"And we won't. It'll just be mom, plus she was worried about you. Do you trust me?"
"Of course!" I say, feeling insulted that he'd even have to ask that.
"I'll take care of you, Rosie. You stay shut down, okay?" Miles says. I sigh and close my eyes. He kisses my forehead moves around. I open my eyes to see him getting his phone out. I use the advanced hearing my omega gender gives me to eavesdrop.
"You are in so much trouble." Ronnie greets.
"I was in protective alpha mode. I have no regrets about kicking Max out of my apartment."
"I figured." Ronnie says with a sigh. "How is Rosalie?"
"Healing. She needs time to just mentally shut down. She didn't get that in the hospital because Max had her planning and doing paperwork on the initiates and had her on fucking suggestive serum."
"He's been in idiot mode this year! I swear to God if Rosalie hadn't recovered and it was Max's fault...you said she's okay?" Ronnie vents.
"Yes, just tired. I was actually wondering if you could do something for me though."
"What?" Ronnie asks hesitantly and tiredly. Lord knows what this boy has asked her for in the past.
"Breakfast. Rosalie doesn't want to see people but also isn't ready to let me go." Miles says and Ronnie starts to laugh.
"I'll get you two breakfast." She says and then hangs up.
"You were eavesdropping weren't you?" Miles asks.
"I don't know what you're talking about." I joke and he chuckles. I end up dozing off while waiting for Veronica, happily and safely in my mate's arms for the first time in weeks.
POV Third Person
Miles looks away from where he's scrolling on his phone when the sound of his door unlocking sounds. Veronica walks in with bags in her hands, quietly shutting the door behind her.
"Thanks, mom." Miles whispers as she puts them on the kitchen counter.
"She looks exhausted." Veronica says, gently moving some of her daughter-in-law's hair from her face.
"It was terrifying, the way she broke down last night. I have never felt so helpless in my life."
"What'd you do?" Veronica asks, sitting on the coffee table in front of them.
"I told her to just shut down and that I'd take care of everything. I don't know if it was the right thing to say or not because then she started crying more."
"It was the right thing to say. She obviously needed it and she felt safe enough around you to let go." Veronica assures her son and he nods. "Both of you enjoy your week off. We'll talk about what Max is planning for Rosalie then. For now, focus on each other."
"Okay. Why is Max so focused on Sidney and Rosalie?"
"He wanted Rosalie in leadership, but she wanted something more active. As for Sidney, they're like a house on fire. He sees what she misses and vice versa. He's like her work husband." Veronica says and Miles' eyes narrow. "It's a platonic relationship, but they lean against each other. Platonic, Miles. You know Sidney is mated to Skyler."
"Right." Miles says, calming down.