Page 14 of Frenzy
Courtland was still talking to the hot as fuck Beta, Radic, when I overheard the Omega about to spill all our secrets. I slipped into the examination room and touched his shoulder. “That’s a story for another day, Omega,” I said softly.
He was so fucking wounded, this Omega, and I didn’t know what to triage first. His heart? His confidence? Driving up here, he’d been like a newborn or something. He’d never seen a cellphone before, never driven a car. Never had a gas station hot dog. His entire life had been pain and suffering behind bombproof glass, and I hated it.
“Sorry Dominic.” His face fell, and the pretty Beta female, Bonnie, gave me a stern look. Mmm, I wondered if I could get her to spank me?
I stroked Pryce’s back, easing him into the touch. That was the other thing; he’d been so touch-starved that for Pack animals like the Manix, he may as well have been beaten. He didn’t flinch away anymore, and I took that as a tiny victory. “Don’t be sorry, Pryce. We just don’t want to lay it all out so soon, do we?” I didn’t really care if he told Bonnie. I wanted her in my bed sooner or later. Besides, with a secret like this, everyone would find out eventually.
What was it about this town? Every person I’d spoken to, with the exception of the Alpha General and the grizzled old doctor, had made me hard as a rock and made my wolf pant with need.
I looked over at the older Manix, my usual cocky smirk on my face. But when I took in the cubs, my smile fell. “What's the treatment?”
The doctor sighed. “I suggest having your Alpha spend as much time with them as he can, in both his shifted and unshifted form. Being surrounded by a Pack, or at least several Manix, should soothe that part of their nature. Being around other two-natured shifters such as yourself might help also. Are there many shifters in your group?”
I eyed him carefully. Was he fishing for intel or actually wanting to treat the babies? I took a punt that we could trust him. “Yes, most of us are. None are Alpha though.”
He waved a hand, picking up what looked like an address book. “Doesn’t matter. Spend as much time as you can with them in your shifted forms. I suggest your Alpha and the Omega be their primary carers. Actually…” He looked at Bonnie. “It would help if you were there too, Bonnie, because you can monitor their condition. If they struggle to feed, we will need to put in a gavage tube.” He paused, looking at me and Pryce. “That’s a feeding tube. Just until they are strong enough to feed on their own.”
“Doc, I can’t…” she began, then looked down at the babies. “What about the Sanctum?”
He raised a graying eyebrow. “Darius will look after them for the time being, and you know it. But don’t do it if you feel uncomfortable, girl. I am not going to force you into anything.” There was a hint of history there, and I desperately wanted to ask what. But I kept my mouth shut; there’d be enough time to delve into her history later.
She straightened her shoulders and set her jaw. “No, it’s fine. Darius can look after the Sanctum. These little ones need me for now.” She looked over at me and Pryce. “But Radic comes with me.”
I grinned at her. “Sounds delightful.”
Three hours since we first set foot into Maxton, we were on our way to what would be our temporary home. The Doc had given us—well, Bonnie—a box full of medical equipment and relayed a whole bunch of medical advice to her. She seemed to understand it all, so I was glad she was coming with us because it meant nothing to me. May as well have been a different language.
When we’d come out of the examination room, only Courtland had remained. He’d sent the crew and all the kids with Radic to our new digs. He looked between me and Pryce, but I noticed his eyes linger quickly on Bonnie. Oh, our enigmatic Alpha liked the pretty Beta too, hmm?
“Is everything okay?”
I shrugged, and Pryce sighed softly. “As well as we can hope.”
The Doc nodded sagely. “I am going to call an old medical acquaintance, see if he has a better course of action. I was calling him to see if he could take a look at your sister’s tests anyway, and maybe help us with our female Omega problem.”
I frowned. “What, you’re going to genetically engineer them?”
He gave me a look that no one in our former life would have dared give me. It was theare you a fucking idiot?look. I kind of found it refreshing. “Do I look like Doctor Frankenstein to you, son? I’m going to study how her genetics differ from those of someone who is generationally from this area. It’s science, not science fiction.”
Well, consider me schooled. Even Courtland looked amused. The Doc cast one more look between Bonnie and the Alpha, like Courtland’s presence made the good doctor less sure about sending this sweet little Beta off into a den of wolves. But she made his decision for him, climbing into the driver’s seat of the mom van she drove. She’d managed to strap both babies into car seats while I’d been chatting to the Doc. Hell, I think she’d even strapped in Pryce.
“Bring them back in a week. Bonnie will keep a weight chart and if they haven’t grown any, we will consider other options,” Doc told me softly, then dropped his voice lower. “Hurt a hair on her head, I will kill you in your sleep and make it look like natural causes.”
Now it was my turn to laugh. “I promise, we’ll make sure she's well looked after during her stay.”
The Doc turned on his heel, muttering under his breath, and I climbed into the back of the van. Courtland slid into the front, and I was surprised he didn’t protest her driving. Court was a control freak, but apparently we really were on our best behaviour.
After a moment or two of silence, he finally said, “Tell us about yourself. What is the Sanctum?”
Bonnie was silent for a moment longer, like she was concentrating on driving, and then she sighed. “It’s a home for the illegitimate, half-breed Manix children whose fathers wanted to knock up humans and not take any responsibility for their young.” It was a snarl, and I felt my own lip curling. As the product of such a union, I felt that to my core.
Courtland tilted his head. “Your Alpha General doesn’t make them take responsibility?”
She snorted but didn’t answer. I guess that was answer enough.
But Courtland wasn’t done. “Do you have a Pack? Maybe a mate?”
I knew she didn’t; so did Courtland, because she didn’t scent like she was mated. Sure, she smelled strongly of Radic, and earlier she’d scented of an Alpha, but I didn’t think she was mated.
