Page 32 of The Omega Switch: Part 2

“What else does she need?” He asked.

“Just the food for now. I’ll let you know if that changes.” He handed me the bags and glanced over my shoulder.

“I brought soup, bread, fruit, and three kinds of electrolyte drinks because I didn’t know what she liked.” He stated.

I stifled a laugh at his over-the-top gesture. He still tried to look past me toward the back of the boutique, though he couldn’t see her from where he stood.

“Are you sure she’ll be okay?” He asked. I nodded.

“Trust me, it’s nothing urgent. She needs rest, not overbearing alphas.” I said. He finally sighed in acceptance.

“Call me if anything changes. And give me updates. Every hour.” He said.

“I will.”

Ronan turned to leave, and I could feel his worry through the bond. When I returned to Ivy, she was half-awake. I warmed a small bowl of broth, then sat beside her and made sure she was comfortable while lifting a spoon to her lips. She could only stay awake for a minute at a time, so iit took several hours to get her to eat half a bowl of soup.

“Just a few bites.” I’d say, encouraging her to eat as much as I could before she fell asleep again.

The pack had been stressed out from the moment I called them. Ronan remained outside, sleeping in his SUV and texting for updates more often than necessary. Hunter sent message after message asking for updates while trapped in a meeting with the legal team. I gave them enough information to know she was stable, but nothing more than Ivy would have wanted shared. She slept fitfully through most of the evening, alternating between chills and feverish heat. Once, she woke convinced the boutique was open and tried to stand before I caught her.

“The customers,” she mumbled.

“There are no customers,” I said, trying to soothe her.

“I need to go downstairs.” She argued.

“You are downstairs,” I responded, and guided her back to the couch. I helped her settle against the cushions again, but when I stood to retrieve a fresh cloth from the sink, her fingers caught the edge of my sleeve.

“Don’t go.”

The words were so quiet I almost thought I had imagined them. I looked down. Her eyes remained closed. So I sat back down.

“I’m not going anywhere,” I said, and I wished I meant forever. Because I would stay forever if she asked. She relaxed instantly, and I knew that making sure she felt safe in a vulnerable state would help her heal faster. Omegas generally healed quicker with a pack, but I suppose I’d have to do for now.

Later that evening, when I sat on the couch to check her temperature again, she shifted toward me in her sleep. Her head rested against my thigh first, then she curled closer until her cheek pressed against my side, her hand reaching out to loosely grip my shirt.

I stopped breathing, my body completely still. Ivy, my beautiful, sweet Ivy, had gravitated toward me subconsciously. Every instinct told me to hold her.

Instead, I remained still, afraid that even the smallest movement might wake her and make her feel trapped. But every single second of it was heaven for me. After several minutes, her breathing deepened. Only then did I carefully rest one hand on the blanket near her shoulder, not quite touching her. Nothing had ever felt better, because somewhere deep inside, part of her had decided I was safe enough to rest against.

Hours later, I finally laid my head back and slept. I’d wake up every few hours to check on her, but she was deep asleep, on a much-needed break from her life. When I finally got up, I looked around her office. There were papers with accounting notes, cardboard boxes with products all around, and a to-do list. I took a look at it - apparently Ivy was managing literally everything on her own. No wonder she’d burned out.

I was sweeping the floor in the morning when I heard a knock on the door. “Hello? Ivy?” A small voice called from the other side. I walked over and opened it to find a small, dark-haired woman on the other side, her blue eyes wide when she saw me. “Who are you?” She asked, in a brave but somewhat suspicious tone as her eyes narrowed.

“I'm a friend of Ivy’s. The store’s closed today.” I said, and the young woman pulled her turtleneck up higher.

“Where is she? This isn’t like her.” The woman said, peering inside past me. I opened the door wider.

“She’s sleeping, and she’s ill. I’m Elias, and I’m a doctor.” I said, trying my best to put the beta at ease. Her eyes flickered with recognition.

“Oh, you’re…” She said, her voice trailing off.

“Yeah, I imagine Ivy may have mentioned me,” I said, not wanting to know exactly what was said about me. I was sure it wasn’t great. The woman eyed me up and down.

“I’m Evangeline. And I need to check on Ivy.” She said stubbornly. I nodded.

“Sure. She’s asleep in the office. But please try not to wake her. She’s exhausted.” I said, and Evangeline brushed past me to check on her. Truthfully, I was glad that Ivy had such loyal friends. It didn’t seem that she had anyone on her side when she was living back at her family’s home.