Page 31 of Rescue Me

“Let me help,” I say, my voice a little too eager and I rush ahead to clear the path to the living room. My hands are shaking as I fluff the pillows on the couch, making a spot for Reid to rest, even though it’s already perfect.

Zana sets him down carefully, easing him back against the cushions. She doesn’t let go right away, her hands lingering like she’s afraid he’ll fall apart. I don’t blame her. I feel the same way.

“Here,” I say, grabbing my favorite blanket from the back of the couch. I drop to my knees beside him, my heart racing. He’s right here, inches away, but he feels so far out of reach. I don’t know what to do, how to make this better. All I want is to hold him, to take away every ounce of pain etched into his face, but I’m terrified of making it worse. “Hi,” I whisper. My hand hovers over his, trembling as I reach for him. “I’m Ethan. Remember me? From the diner?”

Reid flinches before I can touch him, his whole body jerking like I’d struck him instead of trying to comfort him. The movement sends a wave of tension through the room and my stomach drops.

“Reid,” I say quickly, pulling my hand back like it’s on fire. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to—”

“I can’t,” he croaks out, his voice raw and broken. His hazel eyes flicker open, meeting mine for just a second before darting away. “I can’t go back smelling like another Omega.”

His words hit me like a slap to the face. My breath catches and I sit back on my heels, staring at him in disbelief. “You’re not going back. Reid, you’re not going back there. I won’t let you.”

He lets out a bitter laugh, the sound sharp and hollow, like he doesn’t believe me. Like he doesn’t believeanyone.“That’s not how this works,” he mutters, his voice laced with exhaustion and something darker—resignation. “They own me. I don’t get to leave.”

“They don’t own you,” I snap, my hands curling into fists at my sides. “You’re not a piece of property, Reid. You’re a person. You’re—” I stop myself before I saymine.“You’re safe here. With us.” He’s not ready to hear that he’s mine or that I’m his. Zana said to ease him into that but I find it almost impossible when Reid says that there’s nothing I can do to keep him here.

He shakes his head, his eyes squeezed shut like he’s trying to block out my words. “You don’t understand,” he whispers. “They’ll find me. They’ll take me back. They always do.” He lets out a soft, pained whine, his body curling in on itself beneath the blanket. The sound cuts straight through me and my anger melts into something softer, something raw and desperate. I reach for him again, slower this time, my hand hovering near his shoulder.

“Reid,please.”

He doesn’t answer this time but he allows me to touch him, a sudden relief washing over me. The ache is gone, my mate now beside me even if it’s been replaced by anger. Zana feels the same way through the bond, rage billowing beneath the surface but she hides it well. As much as I want to crawl up onto the couch beside him, I hold back.

I don’t want to terrify him.

I just want him to know that he’s mine.

A few moments later, his snores hit the air, the tension in Reid’s body dissipating. For the first time in days, I feel like I can breathe.

Chapter twenty

REID

I drift in and out of sleep all day, the world around me slipping into a haze of heat, sweat, and pain. Every time I wake, it’s to a new discomfort—my body aching, my skin clammy, my throat parched. The meds help, but they don’t take it all away. They just dull the edges, turn the sharp, stabbing pain into a slow, relentless throb that reminds me I’m alive—barely.

The couch has become my whole world. I don’t remember how I got here, only that Zana and Ethan have been hovering over me like I’m some fragile, injured animal they’ve taken in. Zana keeps changing out the cold compresses on my forehead, her movements steady, methodical, like she’s trying to will me into feeling better through sheer determination. Ethan is... well, Ethan. Bubbly, chatty, over the top. His energy fills the room and it’s like the guy doesn’t know how to sit still.

I find myself enjoying it rather than being irritated like I would have if this was Hailey. Relaxing around these two has become easier and as much as I don’t want to believe it, they’re both my mates. Between the overwhelming scents and the protective auras coming from them, I know they’re mine. Fate must hate me, though, dealing me a pack I can’t touch—not without legal repercussions.

“Are you sure he doesn’t want soup?” Ethan asks for the third time, his voice pitching higher like he’s asking the world’s most important question.

“Ethan,” Zana laughs as she wrings out another cloth. “He’s barely keeping down water. Let’s start with that.”

“But soup has—”

“If you say ‘healing properties,’ I swear I’ll shove it where the sun doesn’t shine,” I croak, my voice scratchy and weak, but I manage a glare in his direction.

Ethan gasps dramatically, clutching a hand to his chest like I’ve just mortally wounded him. “Rude.” He sticks out his tongue, grinning when a smile spreads across my face. “I’m just trying to help.”

“Help quieter,” I mutter, closing my eyes as the cool compress replaces the old one on my forehead. The relief is immediate and I let out a low sigh.

Zana chuckles softly, her fingers brushing against my temple as she adjusts the cloth. “He’s irritable,” she says, more to herself than anyone else. “That’s a good sign.”

“I’m always irritable,” I grumble, but it lacks any real heat. “It’s a personality trait at this point.”

Ethan plops down on the armrest of the couch, his knee bouncing with nervous energy. “Well, at least you’re consistent,” he chuckles.

I crack one eye open, glaring at him. “Do you ever turn it off?”

---