Page 105 of Knot All That Glitters: Part 2

“I’ll show you to her room, if you’d like?” The doctor offers and Moira gives him a grateful look.

“That would be wonderful, thank you.” She turns to me, a worried expression taking over her gratitude. “You’ll be okay?”

I nod, even though it’s taking everything in me to not burst through those doors and hunt for my best friend. I need to know she’s actually okay, need to see it with my eyes. But the doctor made it seem pretty clear that only family—her mother and her sister—would be welcome.

“I’ll be fine,” I say as Hale slips an arm around my waist, pulling me into him, wedging me between him and Creed.

Moira follows the move, then looks at my prime alpha. “Maybe you should go home and get some rest? I’m sure Florence will be up for a visit in the morning.”

I open my mouth to say no, I’ll wait. But she cuts me off with a sharp look. Not angry or reproachful, but one of maternal worry. “You’ve had a trying day, Haven. I don’t know for sure what happened, but anyone looking at you can see that. Let your pack take you home, get some rest and come back first thing in the morning. There’s nothing else for you to do here.”

Creed bends and presses a kiss to my temple. “We know she’s okay now, baby girl. Let us take you home and take care of you.”

Tears fill my eyes. They’re right. All of them are right. I’ve had a big day. I won’t say it out loud, but I killed my father. I killed my father. My tormentor, the villain of all our stories, snuffed out with the single squeeze of a trigger.

I’ve been so worried about Ren that I haven’t given myself time to think about it, to process it.

I don’t want to. I don’t want to come to terms with the fact that I’m a killer, a murderer.

“I-I-Okay,” I choke out, suddenly overwhelmed and needing nothing more than my nest and my alphas wrapped around me.

“You’ll call if there’s a change?” Tic asks Moira, who is quick to nod.

“Of course.”

“There really shouldn’t be, though,” the doctor promises. “She’s a fighter. The hard part is over. Now she just needs to heal.”

I swallow down the words I want to say. That the hard part is not fucking over. The hard part is still very much ahead of us, where Ren realizes she won’t be able to dance again, will never realize her dream of being one of the few omega principal dancers.

There will be moments where she flounders and doesn’t know who she is anymore. This is all she’s wanted for so long.

Moira gives me a look like she knows what I’m thinking and agrees. Ignoring the way Hale tries to keep me against him, Ren’s mother pulls me into her arms, swaying gently. Her soothing beta scent does wonders for my bruised heart. “We’ll be there for her. We’ll help her, every step of the way.”

Ginny’s thin arms wind around my waist and squeeze. “He’s right that she’s a fighter. We’ll just have to remind her of it.”

That is… very astute for a twelve-year-old.

“We will,” I agree with both of them.

Moira pulls back and cups my cheek again. “Get some rest, sweet girl.”

I nod and press into her palm briefly.

The doctor clears his throat, and we move apart, Moira and Ginny following him, and my pack tucking me between all of their big bodies and ushering me out the door.

I almost don’t return.

After everything, I almost stay tucked up in my nest, rather than go to the hospital. Even though I’m awake only a few hours after we climbed in my bed, laying there with Hale on one side and Creed on the other, staring up at the ceiling. For hours, until it’s an appropriate time to be awake and all of my alphas start to stir.

Creed takes one look at my wide awake state and sighs, pressing a kiss to my temple, my forehead, my lips and then rolls over to climb out of bed. “Come on, baby girl.”

I frown and nuzzle deeper into Hale’s embrace. Hale hums and squeezes me tighter. “What’s the problem, mouse?”

“Who says there’s a problem?”

“You’ve been awake for hours, angel. Now you don’t want to leave the bed?”

“Do you not want to go to the hospital?” Jude asks blearily. “Why don’t you want to go to the hospital?”

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