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The nurse’s scent came closer, and Ember jerked in the bed. Something hit the floor.

“Jesus,” the woman said.

“You should leave,” Raina snapped. “She’s obviously feral.”

I was hoping not to go there, that the medicine would work.

A half hour later, the doctor entered the room. His footfalls were heavy, and he smelled sour. “I hear she’s not receptive to visitors.”

Ember hissed, her body locking up again. I pulled her against me, shielding her from the man. I knew he wanted to help but I also knew my omega was trying to claw his eyes out. My alpha instincts demanded I protect her.

“I want to take her back to her nest,” West said firmly. “She already hates hospitals. Being here isn’t going to help her.”

“That’s highly unusual,” the doctor said in a patronizing voice.

I growled.

The doctor kept talking. “We need to monitor her vitals, see if her hormones change.”

“She’s not going to get better here,” I said, reaching over my hissing omega to touch West’s arm. “Our omega is right. She needs her nest. She needs to feel safe and secure.”

“We need regular blood draws?—”

“My omega can do it. Julian Kahele.” Sunshine’s voice came from the corner. She sounded determined. “He’s a firefighter. We can take Ember back to her house where she’ll feel safe, and Julian can do the blood draws.”

The doctor grumbled, but after we had a workable solution to Ember’s medical needs, it was a done deal. We checked her out an hour later and brought her home.

Ember’s family followed us. I let them inside the house, and Alejandro took over showing Ember’s family around. It was early afternoon, but it felt like three years had passed since we got our omega back.

“Don’t worry about us,” Raina said. “Get her into the nest and keep us posted.”

We showed Ember the tunnel nest, and she crawled in right away. I curled up next to her, some of the tension finally leaving our bond.

I should have taken better care of her. I should have hired a bodyguard.

“Stop.” Rian nudged me with his foot. “You didn’t do anything wrong.”

“My omega is hurting,” I growled.

Some of Ember’s scent softened.

“She’ll get better,” West said firmly. Like it was a demand from the universe. “She needs her pack and her nest.”

We napped into the early evening. Alejandro went out for some food, and she whimpered when he left. We fed her chicken fingers and French fries. She ate when we held food up to her, but otherwise didn’t seem interested.

I prayed our omega would come back. I nuzzled the side of her neck. I loved her too much to let her go. If it took ten years for her personality to return, I would wait.

Chapter 59

Alejandro

Vague confusion and fear filtered through my bond with Ember. She liked being in the nest, but her force of personality was gone.

I curled against her, purring. West lay behind me, and we talked softly about nothing important. West’s phone lit up and he checked it.

“Julian’s here,” he said softly. “Let’s see if we can get some blood drawn.”

I remembered Ember’s hissing and clawing at the nurse. “Outside the nest?”