Page 144 of The Heat of Us

“Even if it was partially induced?” Aleks asked, horrified.

“The drugs are still in her system. We will monitor her and reassess once her levels drop, which it should in the next 24 hours. This is…an unprecedented situation, you understand,” Dr. Marshall said with as much kindness as possible.

“So now we just wait,” I said flatly.

I recognised their twin looks of sympathy and resented it immensely.

“Why can’t we treat her in the meantime? Nest with her, make her feel safe. Isn’t that the usual course of action with feral omegas?” I pushed.

“Bonded omegas, yes. When they have been separated from their mates. Usually that’s what triggers most feral cases. A combination of nesting and their alphas reaching them through the bond has the highest chance of success,” Dr. Baird replied smoothly. “You are not bonded.”

“We are her pack.”

“Then we can finish inducing her heat so the bond will take.”

All three of us exploded.

“Fuck no.”

“Did you not listen when we told you why she’s here in the first place?”

“You expect us to bond her and tend to a chemical heat she didn’t consent to?” It took everything to keep my alpha bark from taking over. “We are never fucking doing that.”

“Don, that’s out of line.” Even Dr. Marshall was disturbed by his suggestion.

Dr. Baird bulldozed on and I imagined wrapping his mouth up with duct tape. “If she still isn’t herself after 24 hours, we can look at administering some antipsychotic drugs to give her periods of lucidity to try and coax her back in addition to nesting. That’s the treatment plan for unbonded omegas.”

It suddenly felt wrong having her here. I’d made the decision in a split second and it made sense at the time. But Hazel should’ve been home with us, not in a strange room with strange smells. Strange people who did not understand her and did not understand us.

“I assume you will not discharge her and let us leave with her?” I asked coolly.

Dr. Marshall shook her head. “Unfortunately no. She could hurt others in this state.”

I made a fist and held it low, trying to discreetly squeeze out some of the mounting belligerence. It would serve no one, least of all Hazel, if I lost it now. “Can you please give us a moment alone?”

“Of course.” Dr. Marshall inclined her head. “Hazel will wake up in about an hour. She will likely be upset. Confused by her surroundings. I suggest one of you remain with her at all times. Use the call button if she gets out of hand.”

I had a vision of Hazel being strapped down because she was too out of hand and was surprised I did not breathe fire and immolate the entire hospital wing.

Remy and Aleks looked defeated, shell-shocked.

On the contrary, I felt alive with purpose.

“Aleks, I need you to go back to the apartment and get her nesting materials. Not all of them. Make sure she has some left for when we go home. Then gather what clothes you can find with our scents. Go through the laundry basket, whatever shit we’ve left on the floor. Bag it up in garbage bags and seal it tight before bringing it here.” I snapped my fingers. “Oh and a few of her plants too. Arbok, Fluffy and Dennis I think. They should survive the trip.”

Aleks stared at me dumbfoundedly. I turned to Remy. “Remy, I need you to go to Haven + Nest. Get blackout blinds. Dim portable lights. Battery powered would be best, like those little fake candles. If anything else catches your eye that you think she might like, buy it. Especially if it’s green.”

“What…what are you going to do?” Remy asked me slowly.

“Stay with her until she wakes up.” I frowned. “No, I need to talk to Isaac first. Aleks, wait here until I get back. It won’t take long.”

I strode out of Hazel’s suite and found Isaac in the waiting room with my sniffling, red-nosed sister in his lap. Julian was with them as well, holding Juno’s hand in both of his.

Juno straightened as soon as she saw me, wiping her eyes quickly. “Ben, what did they say?”

I didn’t want to give them false hope. “It’s not good. Doesn’t seem as simple as waiting out the drugs in her system,” I said heavily before my lip curled in disgust. “They wanted to induce a heat so we could bond her and use the bond to try and coax her back out.”

Juno opened her mouth to protest and I cut in before she could say anything. “We won’t be doing that, obviously. We’re going to try and bring her back ourselves.”

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