Page 53 of Met Your Mate

Chapter Forty-Four

LUCAS

“Should we be worried about Beckett?"

Ronan sighs and hangs his head. "I don't know, Case."

"But it's weird, right? Why would he react to Freya like that when he's already a bonded alpha?" Casey argues, pacing the large hospital room.

Elliott just cocks his head while watching his beta freak out. He does nothing to soothe the guy and I'm about to explode if Casey doesn't chill the fuck out.

At least Ronan tries to reason with him. "We'll just have to see. It's up to our mate if she wants to meet him. We all saw her reaction to him. For whatever reason, I think we're going to have to put up with him since Freya and Kate seem close."

Casey grumbles under his breath, but I do my best to tune him out. The clock ticks away in the background with all the other hospital sounds, setting me further on edge.

We've been checked over, declared dehydrated and malnourished. Which is obvious because we were given the shittiest portions of stale food only once a day.

Ronan was told he has a mild concussion, probably from the last beating he took, but I can guarantee he won't rest like the doctors ordered.

It's been far too long since my omega was taken to get a more thorough exam. I mean, Christ, Remy's mom has had time to stop by with changes of clothes and stuff for all of us. That's too much time without a word on Freya.

Now we're just supposed to sit here in our comfortable sweatpants, T-shirts, and new tennis shoes while our girl is fuck knows where in this building.

I know she's not far because our bond has unlocked and strengthened since she broke through to me, but not in this room is too far.

Not to mention, I don't know if I should be pulling on our tether right now. Would I make her symptoms worse? Am I too chaotic to be what she needs right now?

Nobody has told me to calm down, but it literally feels like static zipping through my veins, making my knee bounce and my eye twitch while we wait for news from the doctor.

The doctor.

Ugh, maybe it's also being in a place similar to the one they kept Freya during her heat that is setting my senses off like a fucking alarm.

"I don't understand how Kate hasn't flipped out over his reaction to being separated from our mate," Casey rants.

"Casey!" I snap and Elliott stiffens. "The only thing we should be worried about right now is Freya being okay. Where the fuck is she?! Or the doctor?!"

Now I'm the one pacing and having a meltdown but it's hard to stop when there's a constant presence in my body demanding I hunt my girl down and make sure she's okay.

"Seriously, what could be wrong? Did she hit her head too hard? Oh fuck.” My eyes widen. “Maybe she has bleeding in her brain and that's what the blood coming out of her ear was? Does it work like that, though?"

On my next pivot to the other end of the white room, I slam into a rock-hard chest. Next thing I know, Elliott's arms are tugging me close in a solid hug that immediately settles some of my restlessness.

"Breathe, man," he rumbles.

Wrapping my pale arms around him, I sink into his brotherly embrace.

"Don't let your instincts control you. Remember, you own this body. Your alpha nature is meant to heighten your abilities. If you let your baser urges command you, you'll lose your grasp on what makes you, you," Elliott says, mildly baffling me with the wisdom he just threw at me.

"Breathe and allow yourself to coexist with the need to see your mate, while also understanding she's getting the care she needs we can't provide," he adds.

I slump at that final statement.

Elliott's right. I can't do anything right now besides making sure I'm ready to take care of her when she gets back.

Giving the big alpha one last squeeze of appreciation, I step back and find Casey sitting cross-legged on an unoccupied bed with a soft smile on his face.

"I'm sorry for snapping at you," I apologize.