Page 61 of Verses and Blooms
“You let Malik do all of this. You allowed him to feel comfortable enough to take me. Not just me, but so many others.”
He sighed heavily, scrubbing a hand over his face. “I know,” was all he could offer.
What else could he honestly say?
“Where are we staying? Is our wing still available?” I asked, ignoring his useless apologies. I’d once respected him and thought he cared. Then I watched him sit by a little too long. I didn’t want to sit here and talk about it. My feelings were clear.
“We’ve convinced the Omega Network that separating your pack would be detrimental to your healing journey,” he said. “But that also means we weren’t able to choose your therapist. I did what I could, and the woman I’m working with is great so I trust her choice is solid. Your new therapist, Alice, is moving in today as well. She’s taking on overseeing the cases Ares took over when he arrived. We’re doing our best to make this right.”
I’d heard it too many times before. Never letting us fall into the hands of people like Malik or Seamus would’ve beenwhat’s right.
He let the vulnerable get locked away like this and spent years “observing” until it became a literal hellscape on earth. Working undercover was hard, and it changed you, and I think he let it go just a bit too far.
Then again, what did I know? I was just another delusional omega broken by failed bonds. The same bonds alphas like Malik and the people he worked with every day forced upon us.
“To answer your earlier question,” Cross said, “your wing has been undergoing a bit of renovation and should be nearly ready.”
I blinked at him, unsure how to feel about that. The chief, thankfully, took over, seeing how uncomfortable I was.
“Now that the Alliance is taking over, we’re required to provide each omega with a nest. We’re having to double up somerooms to accommodate, but we’re doing our best to make sure it’s been done properly.”
“Thank you, Chief,” I said, giving him a small smile. I couldn’t exactly call him David now since we were among more Alliance agents. In fact, everywhere I turned, the Alliance was visible: guards at every door, walking the hallways, standing outside the doors.
Funny enough, even with their weapons and authority, they weren’t as intimidating as half the staff.
“So, what about the nursing staff, doctors, and medication?” I questioned.
Ares was the one to answer. “All week we’ve been transferring out the nursing staff and bringing in new ones. Some of the old were… let’s just say irredeemable. They were stripped of their licensing the moment we got in contact with the board. Fired, of course. Blacklisted. The few we could improve were transferred to other sites, ones a little less sensitive. We need fresh blood here, so we’re bringing in brand new faces. We’ve got the necessary staff and are adding in the extra support as we can.”
I let the subject drop as we walked back to our wing, ready to see the changes. A nurse was waiting behind the new nurse’s station just inside the door. It was just a desk and chair with a computer and some of her own personal touches like fresh flowers and pictures. It seemed so normal.
“Larissa,” Ares said, surprised. “I didn’t even know you were a nurse.”
“In a past life,” she admitted, rolling her eyes. “I didn’t enjoy being stuck in a hospital all the time, and home-care just didn’t pay enough. So, I chose to try something new. You know I can never stick to one thing for very long.” She let out a soft, self-deprecating laugh.
I liked her instantly, which was honestly a relief. She didn’t look that much older than us, and I guess that was part of the experience at Arc. We all came from different walks of life, different ages, different experiences… the same fucked-up bonds.
“Well, it seems like I’ve missed out on quite a bit, doesn’t it?” she asked, giving me a grin.
“I guess you’ve already heard that I found my pack,” Ares laughed.
“And two omegas, no less,” she teased.
I’m not sure what prompted me to say it. It’s not like Ansel wanted me to announce it, most likely. But I needed to know that this new nurse was going to respect us and our dynamic.
“One. The pack has two,” I clarified, voice holding a possessive edge that had Ansel’s bond flaring with satisfaction. “He’s mine.”
“Oh, interesting,” she said with a grin. Her gaze shifted to Ansel, who had moved to my side. His fingers twined with mine, hesitant to speak at first. Hopefully, the reassurance through our bond reminded him he couldn’t say the wrong thing here. Whatever he wanted to disclose was up to him and him alone.
He took a breath, then shook his head. “No alphas for me.”
“I get it,” she snorted and gave him a wink. “I swore off of them years ago. More trouble than they’re worth.”
I was sure that would ruffle feathers in a different group, but my alphas just chuckled. They knew what we’d endured. Especially after the meeting with the chief.
“Honestly, you guys are a good-looking bunch, and I’m really excited to get to know you,” Larissa said warmly. “Like Ares said, my name is Larissa. I’m a registered nurse. I kept up with my license and took a few extra classes this past weekend. It was crammed in, but I wanted to be sure I could actually help youguys. From the reports, you’ve been through enough bullshit, and I refuse to add to it.”
She had no idea how much I appreciated that. She was right. We’d been through so much in our short lives, I wasn’t sure my heart could take another disappointment.
