Page 108 of The Gift
We make a couple of stops on the way to the hospital. Each one is necessary and each turn therapeutic. By the time we arrive to see our pack, Koda’s pulled my dislocated fingers back into alignment, Pack Bullard are in charge of the interrogation of Thomas because we made such a bloody mess of it, and we’re showered.
Koda and I made the decision to ask that the leaders from our inner circle of friends in the Alliance come to meet with him and me during the course of the next day, because somehow news of Bailey Henderson getting shot has also leaked out to the press. While I want her to do this her way, that changed when some fuck stick thought his needs came before hers. Our girl is about to learn how far we will go to protect her.
Straightening my tie, and yeah look at me pussy whipped wearing her favourite muted pale pink anyway I can, Koda joins me at the back of our car where we load up with numerous gift bags and an oversized floral arrangement that we need one of the security guys to help us with. The three of us walk through the staff entry, where the rest of the security team are waiting. Bailey was right about me hiding my strength from the world. But much like Koda’s motivations for unveiling himself, who we were yesterday matters little. The world is about to discover how fucking arrogant, and pissy we can be.
Another team of Alliance paid guards meet us at a staff entry, holding back swarms of photographers. Judging by the broken camera equipment at the feet of the crowd they won’t be doing their job and taking photos today. We walk away from their shouted questions, the swish of the electric doors after us sweeps a lot of the noise away, and inside is just as busy as outside was. The difference is the people in here pay Koda and me no credence, focusing on what they need to do—which is fucking save and help people.
We follow the arrows and directions on the walls, taking the lift up to the ward Reno said they were on, we’re that close that I swear I can smell her. I can also scent the trouble brewing around the last corner, but it doesn’t make me slow my step. I do pause to hand over the pink floppy eared rabbit to the security guard. He barely holds back the knowing smile on his face. He’s pack mated, so he knows what the deal is, which is why he waits behind me, holding Bailey’s gifts and not in front of me ready to fight.
Francine, dressed in her hospital embossed uniform and all her acerbic glory, stands in front of the ward entrance; it’s another secure entry to a guarded floor set up for omega patients. With her, shuffling anxiously, are a handful of her supporters who look like they’d prefer to be anywhere than here. By the malicious look on her face, I guess she’s about to make a loud song and dance about refusing to treat Ashton or Bailey. Perhaps because she is a board member here, she does have that sway over who they treat, but like I said, I have no fucking patience today, especially for her or her pack.
She takes a step forward endless threats already falling from her ugly thin lips. Fucking hell, she even reeks like the bullshit she delivers in her monotonous voice. I take a step too, mine includes a little more actual intention than hers, and I leave her screaming and stinking like I purposely dropped two bullets through the top of her shoulder, because I did.
Before we walk away, I stoop down to snatch the access lanyard right out of Francine’s hand before using her access card to gain entry to where Bailey is. Which is pretty ironic, making both Koda and me laugh. And that’s where our security guard and current gift carrier leaves us, taking up position at the door.
Clearly guns don’t belong in hospitals, but I did put a call into the Chief Medical Officer to advise him that Koda and I were armed because of the recent hit on Bailey, and he approved our request. Not only did Koda and I get a temporary permit to carry, but all the members of the board were made aware of it. It’s not my issue if Francine elects not to do her job and read her emails. I’d put money on her PA calling and letting her know too.
But she’s a problem for another day. My focus returns to my pack and where we are going.
The noise and smells in the omega ward are different than in other parts of the hospital, but even with the air filters in place, I can smell her properly this time. Koda takes us over to the nursing station, signing us in and asking if they have any hand sanitiser for me because apparently gunpowder is not romantic. Reno walks out from behind the desk, his hair wet from his recent shower.
“Come on, she’s in recovery. Ashton is with her and as soon as she wakes up, we’ll move her into a better suite.”
“How did surgery go?” Koda asks.
“She’ll have a small scar, there’s not much we could do about that, but we owe Noah a favour.”
We’re lucky to call Noah Teo a friend. And not because he’s one of the best plastic surgeons in the country. He’s been a vocal advocate of unmated omega rights since his sister became one of the first victims of the Regalo Project. Much like us, Noah was caught up. Unlike us, he was fucked twice over; first as an alpha who paid for an omega but worse when his abducted sister died before they could even reunite.
“Ashton?” I ask Reno.
“A scratch that got a handful of stitches that I did in the chair. The bullet hit him on the way out. Bailey is going to need rehab, but she was lucky it was an in and out, didn’t hit any major muscle groups. She’ll heal fine.”
“Yeah, well, Francine wasn’t so lucky. I blew her shoulder out.”
Reno handles the news of my temper tantrum without missing a beat. Although before he says a word, he walks back behind the nurses’ desk and makes a quick call, watching me the whole time.
“Sorry about that, I had to return a call to the Registrar. Anyway, she informed me the hospital has initiated a forty-eight hour stay on all non-life-threatening surgery because of a necessary and unavoidable deep clean. Guess, Francine will have to wait until after that’s been done. An injury like that would have to be painful too,” Reno talks as he leads us to an isolated area of the ward.
See, Reno is as vicious as I am, he’s simply better at pretending. He also has lots of connections and friends in the hospital.
Using a keypad on the door, he pushes it open to reveal Ashton barring the entrance. He relaxes as soon as he sees us and goes back to where he’s been lying. She’s in the middle of a large bed, way too still and pale for my liking, her mahogany hair so messy she’d be mortified.
Ashton cuddles up next to her, wrapping his legs around hers, but he purposely stays away from the numerous IV lines, cords and equipment currently keeping our girl in the best place for healing: sleep. But Ash is letting her know, with his touch and scent, that she’s not alone anymore.
“How long until she wakes?” Koda says, dragging over a table to the end of her bed, to put the flowers on it along with her Burberry. He then takes the fluffy rabbit out of my hands, passing it over to Ashton so he can tuck it next to her.
Reno starts digging through one of the other gift bags and pulls out a large fluffy white and pink blanket, in muted colours of course, that he puts over the standard hospital issue set, settling it around her.
While I’m frozen, stuck like a statue staring at my long-haired sleeping beauty. “Where’s her necklace?”
“In my pocket. She had surgery, Henley. I had to take it off. I also had to remove her underwear and I covered your bite before the other doctors arrived. One of the nurses helped me change her into scrubs. I’ve got her under an alias until she can make her own decision, but she’s got a face that everyone knows. I want to say that everyone who assisted I would consider honourable, but we’ve all seen what greed and opportunity does to some.”
Koda hums a response before he climbs out of his suit jacket, leaving his shoulder holster and guns on. He moves one of the large recliners up as close as he can to her, and once in position, he wraps his hands around one of hers, then he drops his head on the mattress next to it. I’d put money on him having his lips on her, so she knows he’s with her too.
Reno fusses with checking her stats, and I’m still glued to the spot.
“She’ll be groggy and mostly in and out of it for about four hours. I’ve pumped her full of antibiotics and painkillers. The anaesthetic is what you can probably scent the strongest, but she is and will be fine. Get some rest. I’m going to order some medication and equipment to get delivered home and speak to the resident physio to get her recovery sorted out. All going well, I hope to be in a position to move her home in twenty-four to forty-eight hours. Page me if she wakes up, but you all know what to do anyway. You need anything to eat or drink?”
