Page 30 of Rescue Me

Reid looks fragile lying there, his hand limp in mine, his breathing shallow. The pale bandages wrapped around his ribs and wrists stand out against his bruised skin. Every mark on him feels like a personal insult, like a challenge, daring me to not care. As if that’s possible. I squeeze his hand gently, trying to ignore how cold it feels in mine.

I don’t even know how he’s stayed upright in that house for this long. The Wilhelms had him twisted, body and soul. A contract shouldn’t leave someone looking like this. I glance at his face—his jawline too sharp from weight loss, his cheeks hollowed out—and it’s all I can do not to snarl.

Chapter nineteen

ETHAN

I’m bouncing from room to room, the ache in my chest that’s been tearing me apart for days finally loosening, but it’s not gone. Not yet. My heart is pounding, not from the familiar pull of sadness or longing, but from pure, electric anticipation. Zana called. She found him. She foundReid.My Beta.

My beautiful Beta.

I can’t sit still. I can’t even breathe properly. My hands keep reaching for things—pillows, blankets, anything that might make the nest more comfortable. It’s not just my nest anymore. It’s his too. Well, it will be. Hopefully.

The thought sends a little jolt of nervous excitement through me as I toss another blanket into the living room. The couch is practically drowning in soft fabrics and plush pillows. “Comfortable,” I mumble to myself, adjusting one of the cushions. “It has to be comfortable.”

Zana told me to keep it together.Be strong, Ethan. He’s been through hell, and he’s not going to be ready for a bright, bouncy Omega in his face right away.But I can’t help it. This is who I am. I’m sunshine, damn it, and Reid deserves every single ray of it.

I flit back to my main nest, tweaking a corner of the blanket I laid out for him earlier. It’s warm, inviting, and perfectly arranged—no lumps, no weird gaps. The pillows are stacked just right, and I even added a few of my favorite stuffed animals for good measure. I hope he likes it.

No, scratch that. He’s going to love it.

I check my phone again. No new messages from Zana. I huff out a breath and shove it back into my pocket, pacing near the front door. “Okay, Ethan. Breathe,” I tell myself, dragging my hands through my curls. “You can do this. Just... don’t scare him off.”

But how can I not be excited? How can I not be buzzing out of my skin, knowing that he’s finally coming home? The ache in my chest that’s had me on edge for days feels softer now, like a wound that’s starting to close. He’s not even here yet, but I can already feel the difference.

I make another lap around the house, smoothing out nonexistent wrinkles in the blankets, fluffing pillows, and lighting one of Zana’s favorite candles. She always says it smells like “calm” and “focus,” which sounds exactly like what we all need right now.

And then I hear it. Tires crunching in the driveway. My heart lurches, skipping a beat, and I’m at the door before I even realize I’ve moved. My hand hovers over the doorknob and for a second, I freeze. What if he doesn’t like it here? What if he doesn’t like me? What if—

The car engine cuts off and I yank the door open without another thought. Zana steps out first, her face unreadable, but I barely have time to process it before my eyes land on the figure in her arms. Reid.

My breath catches in my throat. He’s too pale, his body hanging limply in Zana’s hold like he’s barely holding on. Bandages peek out from under his shirt, a fading bruise on his cheek that makes my chest tighten with rage and sadness all at once.

“Reid,” I whisper, my voice trembling. I want to run to him, to take him from Zana and hold him, but my feet feel like they’re rooted to the ground.

Zana’s eyes meet mine and her expression softens. “He’s alive, baby,” she says quietly. “But he’s injured. We need to be careful.”

I nod, my hands clenched into fists at my sides. “Is he—” My voice cracks and I swallow hard, trying again. “Is he going to be okay?”

She doesn’t answer right away. Instead, she shifts Reid in her arms, cradling him like he’s something precious, something worth protecting at all costs. “He will be. We’re going to make sure of it.”

That’s enough to unstick my feet. I step forward, my hands reaching out instinctively. “Can I—” I stop myself, unsure if I should even ask. Zana shakes her head, a soft laugh tumbling from her lips.

“Baby, he’s too big for you. Let’s get him inside and you can curl up next to him, okay?” Zana clutches him a little tighter against her chest, a faint, shuddering breath coming from our Beta.

He’s here. He’s alive.

Tears sting my eyes and I blink them away, pressing a gentle kiss to his temple. “Hi,” I whisper, my voice breaking. “I’m Ethan. I’m... I’m your Omega.”

He doesn’t respond, but I think I see his fingers twitch, just a little. It’s enough. It has to be.

“He needs rest, Ethan.”

I nod, stepping back into the house with Zana right behind me. The scent of the candle I lit earlier fills the air and I hope it’s as calming as it’s supposed to be. I hope it feels like home. For him. For all of us.

Zana walks past me into the house, her arms cradling Reid like he’s made of glass, and for a second, I forget how to breathe. He looks even worse up close—paler than I thought possible, his lips cracked, his skin waxy and dull. The bandages wrapped around him look too tight, too harsh against his bruised and battered body. My stomach churns, but I force myself to snap out of it.

I can’t let them see me fall apart.

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