Page 17 of Rescue Me

“Ethan.” Zana’s voice is steady, but there’s a warning in it. She sets her phone on the table and looks at me, her dark eyes locking onto mine. “Sit down.”

“But—”

“Sit.”

Her Alpha bark rolls through me, my desire to act out and obey warring with themselves. After a few moments of indecision, I drop back into the chair, my fists clenching in my lap. “Why are we waiting?” I demand. “He’s hurt. He looked like he was running from something. Someone. I need to—”

“You—we—need to tread carefully,” she interrupts me again. “If Reid is a pack Beta, he’s contracted by law. That means his pack owns him, Ethan. Legally. Do you understand what that means?”

I stare at her, my chest tightening. “That’s why he left so fast,” I say, the realization hitting me like a punch in the gut. “When I tried to talk to him—he ran because he’s not allowed to... to be with me.” That’s the absolute worst-case scenario and I hate it. I might not be a lawyer like my Alpha but even I know that nullifying a pack Beta’s contract is nearly impossible these days.

“It’s likely.” Zana sighs, her shoulders falling as a bit of sadness runs through her expression. “And if that’s the case, barging into his life without understanding his situation will only make things worse. For him and for you.”

I swallow hard, the weight of her words settling over me. “So what do we do?”

“I’ll contact his pack,” she says. “Set up a meeting and go from there. But I need you to be patient, Ethan. This isn’t going to be simple and there are no guarantees.”

I knew as much but I need to know that he’s okay, even more so now. I want to believe that his pack—that the Wilhelms aren’t hurting him but I know better. “Okay,” I mumble. “But wehaveto find him.”

My mind won’t stop replaying the bruises on Reid’s face—the dark shadow blooming around his eye, the way his jaw clenched even in sleep. Someone did that to him. Someone who was supposed to protect him.

His pack.

The thought makes my stomach churn, rage bubbling beneath my skin like molten lava. I know what mental pain feels like. My father made sure of that, with his strict rules and constant sermons about what an Omegashouldbe. About whatIshould be. But physical pain? Not like that. Not like what I saw on Reid’s face.

My father’s words cut deep, yes, but they didn’t leave marks on my body. They didn’t make me flinch at every shadow, at every touch. The idea that someone hurt Reid like that, someone who claimed to care for him, makes me want to scream, to break something, to—

“Ethan,” Zana murmurs, pulling me out of my spiral. She sets the last pastry in front of me, a small smile playing on her lips. “Eat.”

I hate that a combination of sugar and sweet words from my Alpha make it so easy to relax. I want to hold onto this anger, let it simmer, and lash out when we find the Wilhelms. However, as soon as the sugar hits my tongue, a little moan slips out, Zana tugging me into her lap. “Come here, baby,” she purrs as I crawl into her hold, her arms wrapping around me in a protective cocoon.

I grumble around another bite of pastry, refusing to meet her eyes. “He’s hurt,” I mumble, my voice muffled. “And it’s their fault. Hispack’sfault. How am I supposed to just... wait?” Especially with a pack like the Wilhelms. They're influential and rich bastards who apparently treat their Betas horribly.

Her hand moves to my back, stroking slowly, her touch as steady as her scent. “You’re not supposed to just wait,” she says. “You’re supposed to trust me. Trust us. We’ll find a way to help him, but running off and confronting his pack alone isn’t going to do him any favors.”

I know she’s right. I know that barging into the Wilhelms’ house, demanding answers, would only make things worse. For me. For Reid. But the thought of him being stuck there, with them, makes my chest ache in a way I can’t ignore.

I chew furiously, focusing on the pastry to keep myself from saying something reckless.

“You feel better knowing who he is, though, don’t you?”

I nod reluctantly. “Yeah,” I admit, swallowing the last bite of pastry. “I do. It’s a start, at least.”

I know we need to wait. Zana’s right. Of course, she’s right. Reid doesn’t need me charging in like some kind of savior, making his life more complicated than it already is. He needs... what? Comfort? Stability? A way out?

I don’t know and that uncertainty eats at me.

“Fine,” I grumble, curling tighter against her chest. “I won’t do anything stupid. Yet.”

She huffs a soft laugh, her lips pressing against the side of my neck just over her bite. “Good. That’s all I ask.”

We sit there for a while, the silence stretching out between us. Zana sips her coffee, her other arm still wrapped around me, while I finish the pastry in small, deliberate bites. The anger hasn’t gone away—it’s still there, smoldering like embers—but it’s quieter now, tempered by the feel of her holding me close.

For now, that’s enough.

Chapter twelve

REID

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