Page 28 of Verses and Blooms
“That is not what I expected you to say,” Ledger admitted. “Not after being back in that place.”
“Maybe if we had bites, you would’ve found me sooner,” I countered. “It was the first thing I thought of when I was inside, that I couldn’t feel you but wished I could. The small bond wedid form was barely a remnant, and I’m sure you guys felt the same way.”
“If everybody wants that, I’m in,” Ares amended. “I’m not about to take that choice from anyone, especially Ansel.”
Ledger grinned at the mention of the omega. “You’d be proud of our boy Ansel. The way he stepped up, fought through his own issues, and searched for you. He was the one who found the switch to the room they kept you in. He asked the right questions. He wasn’t out of his mind like the rest of us. He was going to do anything he could to get you. I knew he was strong, but this was incredible.”
A smile drifted over my face. He was right, that did help. I was proud to know that Ansel fought through the panic, the worry, and made sure to get me help.
At the end of the day, it wasn’t just me that survived Malik, but my pack and the entire facility. Not one of us was unscathed, and the Alliance was going to have its work cut out for them.
Especially because I had a feeling the Network wasn’t going to let us all go easily.
Oh sure, they’d give their public statements: apologies that meant nothing as they tried to shift blame anywhere but themselves. It would be a huge show of turning a new leaf. Bullshit PR attempts that lacked any real remorse.
The Network was useless.
They might help some people, and sure, there were probably a few doctors in the system who were worth something, but I had yet to meet them.
If I had to guess, the Alliance would help me get through this heat, let me have my men in this house, and the moment I was back to myself, the Omega Network representatives would drag us in for questioning. They’d pretend they were doing some kind of investigation, then sweep it all under the rug.
No accountability.
There never was for big corporations, and at the end of the day, the Omega Network was a big corporation now.
As much as I hated it, they weren’t here for anyone’s gain but their own. If they truly were out to protect omegas, why wasn’tIprotected? Or Ansel?
Why didn’t they find any of us in all the years we were broken in those facilities?
“Hey, where’s that head going?” Ares asked gently, his fingers running down my cheek to calm me and bring me back.
“I’m just nervous. There’s so much going on, and we’re about to face the heat. But it’s not like we have full freedom, Ares. You’re the only one.”
“Do you trust me?”
The question was said so calmly that it took me by surprise. I swallowed hard, but I didn’t have to think. I did trust him.
I nodded my head.
“Good. Because I’m going to get you guys out of here. Every one of you. You’ve more than proven your sanity, that you’ve moved past this. I’m fairly certain the bonds that form after this heat will only solidify that. You’re going to be free of here. We just have to jump through some hoops first. Can you be patient?”
“Is Malik coming back?” I countered.
He shook his head. “No. They’re hunting him down as we speak, and the moment they find him, I’ll make sure I’m the one who questions him.”
“Take Rydell,” Ledger snorted, “and the doctor won’t have legs to walk with.”
“That wouldn’t exactly prove our innocence,” I said with a sigh, though I hoped Malik got a healthy dose of karma one way or another.
“I have quite a few people to deliver karma to,” Ledger said under his breath. “What’s one more?”
“None of that. She’s right. They won’t let you out of here if they think you’re a threat. Keep your heads about you. Let’s get through the heat, and then we do everything we can to get you discharged. For now, I’m going to use every resource I have to bring in everything our omega could possibly need. They should be creating a base nest, and then the rest is up to us.”
“When is it going to kick in fully?” Ledger asked. “You seem more coherent now.”
“I’m not sure. I’ve never really had one. They injected me with those things, but I never fully went into heat, I think the flares were thanks to the adrenaline. So far, I’ve not had a full heat. That’s half the reason they tossed me aside after so many years and the reason for all these bite marks.”
“It’s probably just going to be stunted. Your body is adjusting to it now that you have a pack. This one could be short, it could be long, it could be intense. Either way, we’ll be there for every step of the way if you truly want it.”
