Page 58

Chapter Thirty-Seven

Sorcha

U nderstandably, it took the boys longer than usual to get to bed. Sorcha itched to get to the hospital, but he didn’t want to worry the kids any more than necessary by appearing frantic to see their daddy, so he waited before heading out.

“Let Ronan know we lo—” Jax stopped short as he opened the garage door. “Let him know we’re thinking of him.”

Ronan had texted Teal’s room number. Sorcha put his head down and walked purposely past the registration and nurses’ station, as though daring them to stop him.

When he arrived, Ronan stood up. Sorcha restrained himself from doing what he really wanted to—throwing himself into the alpha’s arms—but there was a beta nurse in the room and he, Niall, and Jax had discussed needing to be discreet in public.

The nurse looked up at Sorcha’s entrance, eyeing the ‘one visitor per room’ sign near the doorway, but said nothing as the young omega man sat in the chair Ronan had vacated. Ronan’s hands rested on Sorcha’s shoulders as Sorcha leaned toward where Teal lay peacefully.

“I love you, Teal,” Sorcha said, wiping his wrist across the tears which fell silently down his cheeks.

“I hope you can hear me. We watched today. Me and Jax and Niall. You were brilliant. But you’re giving everyone quite the scare now.

You need to wake up so you can go back to being that firecracker who had everyone on the edge of their seats today with your words. ”

The nurse looked at both men sympathetically before quietly exiting the room.

Sorcha was grateful he didn’t ask for explanations as to Sorcha’s identity, grateful for the gift of his empathy.

He needed that today, needed to believe there were good people in the world on the day someone had tried to kill his partner.

“What did the doctors say?” he asked Ronan, grasping Teal’s lifeless hand in his own. “How’s our man?”

“Holding his own. Dr. Kinzinger said he’d be in and out, but so far, it’s only been out . If he doesn’t become more alert by tomorrow, they’re considering using medications to rouse him.”

“I hope it doesn’t come to that.”

“Me too.”

“Did the detective come by?”

“Yep. Two, in fact. You just missed them. I gave them the information I had on where Teal has gone these past weeks, but as you are aware, he never really left the house other than to go to High Court. The detectives are going to talk to Dayson and Teal’s driver, Barden. Those two may have more insight.”

“Do the police need to speak with me or Niall or Jax? The kids?”

“They probably will at some point, but it didn’t seem as urgent.”

“Well, that’s good. I don’t know if I could have taken any more stress.”

Sorcha grimaced at his careless words.

Hopefully, he hadn’t just given away his secret to Ronan. Now wasn’t the time for more news. But the alpha was too distracted with Teal to register that Sorcha might have said more than he’d meant to.

Ronan bent down behind the chair and rested his chin on top of Sorcha’s head.

“It’s good that you’re here, little one.

Are you okay to stay with Teal for a few hours?

I want to go home and grab a shower and maybe give the boys a hug, even if they’re sleeping.

I can be back to sit with him overnight. ”

Sorcha bent his neck back until his face was directly below Ronan’s and they shared an upside-down kiss. “It’d be good for you to grab a shower.” He wrinkled his nose playfully. “You clearly came to the hospital from the job site. And I wouldn’t mind having a little time alone with Teal.”

Ronan chuffed and straightened. “Alright. I’ll go home and come back sweet-smelling for you. And Teal.”

Sorcha inhaled the comforting peppery sage scent of his alpha. “You always smell sweet.” He brushed his fingers lightly over Teal’s jaw. “I’ll watch over him for all of us.”

After Ronan left, Sorcha maneuvered his chair directly next to the bed.

He checked to make sure he wasn’t disrupting any wires, then lowered the rail on it.

Finding the lever beneath his ankles, he adjusted his chair into a reclining position and grabbed Teal’s hand, weaving their fingers together.

It wasn’t quite the same as sharing a bed, especially since the chair was six inches below the mattress, but it was better than nothing.

Sorcha felt much calmer now that their hands were touching, and he could lay his cheek against Teal’s shoulder.

“Teal,” he murmured. “I know your body needs rest, but the world just isn’t the same without your voice in it. Even half a day in, we all notice. I can’t believe how much I’ve come to need you in such a short time. But I do. Need you. So much.”

Sorcha checked to make sure the door was latched. He wished Teal would give him a sign that he could hear him. But the other omega didn’t so much as twitch. It was only the rhythmic sound of his breathing that reminded Sorcha he was okay. At least for now.

“I found something today, Teal. In the very back of the lowest shelf in the bathroom. I don’t know why you had so many.

You’ll have to tell me that story someday, of why you had four of them.

Did you buy a bulk pack or something when you tried for Zayne?

” Sorcha chuckled softly. “The packaging said they had a ten-year shelf life, so I didn’t think you’d mind if I helped myself. ”

A buzzing noise sounded above them. Sorcha startled and looked up, relieved to find it was merely Teal’s IV dispensing medication into his line.

“I won’t miss seeing you hooked up to machines,” Sorcha mumbled. He glanced at the door again. There was a police officer stationed in the hallway, but he wouldn’t be able to hear their conversation through the closed door.

Sorcha gripped Teal’s hand tighter. “I helped myself because I’ve been having these feelings lately.

Little sensations in my body, or flares of scent, where I become hyperaware of my fragrance mixed with Ronan’s.

” He also thought he smelled Teal’s honey lavender, but that was likely wishful thinking, so he didn’t voice the thought out loud.

“I got the result right before you started your closing prose. And I know I probably should have told Ronan, but it didn’t seem right to add one more wrinkle to this day.

But I couldn’t resist taking the test, Teal.

I’m more than a week past my heat and they are usually accurate then.

And I know it would be traditional for me to tell the alpha father first, but ‘traditional’ isn’t really our style. ”

Sorcha angled his body to whisper directly into Teal’s ear.

“I wanted you to be the first to know I’m pregnant.

That I’m carrying our baby. Another beautiful child for all of us to love.

I need you to wake up so we can tell Ronan together, and Niall and Jax.

Our lives are about to get a whole lot more complicated.

But also more wonderful.” Sorcha put their entwined hands directly over his belly.

“I need you to wake up. Because I can’t do this without you. ”

***

Sorcha must have drifted off in the chair. The next thing he knew, Ronan was standing next to him in Teal’s room, shaking him awake. Sorcha looked around and registered that it was pitch black outside and the hospital sounds had quieted.

“What time is it?” he asked Ronan.

“After midnight. I ended up staying at the house longer than planned because Garin had a screaming nightmare, which of course woke his brothers up.”

Sorcha recalled the patient way Garin had spoken to Zayne earlier that night. “He’s such a fighter. But I guess fear comes to all of us in our sleep, no matter how much we try to push it down during the day.” That had certainly been the case in Sorcha’s life.

“True,” Ronan agreed. “Garin is a great kid, but he’s definitely got that alpha instinct to not get too emotional.”

Sorcha stretched and stood up, inviting Ronan to sit on the chair before settling on his lap. “That’s why he’s so lucky to have you for a papa. Kino too. You demonstrate a better way to be an alpha. It counterbalances all the crap they see elsewhere.”

Ronan looped his arms around Sorcha’s waist, kissing his jaw. “I hope so.”

“I’ve been sleeping better since moving in with you and Teal, and now Niall and Jax, than I had my whole life before that. Even with everything going on and how bananas it’s been,” Sorcha said.

“It’s not a mystery.” Ronan grabbed Sorcha’s chin between his thumb and index finger and gazed at him. “You’ve never lived in a house where you were truly loved by so many people. I hope you always sleep well in my arms.”

Sorcha snuggled against Ronan. “I know we talked about me going home once you came back, but it’s hard. Everything in me is screaming to stay next to Teal.”

“I understand. But there’s nothing to do here but sit and hope he wakes up.

You need your rest too, based on what I saw when I walked in.

It would also put my mind at ease knowing you’ll be there when our boys wake up.

Not that I don’t think Niall and Jax can handle things, but our sons need you too. ”

“Teal needs me.”

“Which is why you should come back to the hospital later this morning, after you and the boys get a decent breakfast.”

Ronan’s drive to safeguard Sorcha’s well-being had Sorcha’s chest bursting with affection. Sorcha smiled thinking that the alpha was already taking care of their baby, even without knowing it. He couldn’t imagine a better papa for their child.

Sorcha arrived home to find Niall and Jax waiting up for him. The betas inquired after Teal and were relieved to hear that his condition hadn’t worsened. Even if he wasn’t awake yet.

When Sorcha announced his intention to turn in, the betas seemed reluctant to go to their side of the duplex.

“I know it’s strange.” Niall sounded genuinely apologetic. “Because we’re just on the other side of the wall. But we’re worried about you being alone over here, with Ronan and Teal gone.”

Sorcha walked over and gave Niall a kiss that was too quick to be called lingering but too long to be considered a peck. Niall looked startled, but he smiled at the omega’s brashness. His smile deepened when Sorcha gave the same type of kiss to Jax.

“I love that you care, but I’m fine,” Sorcha told them. “I promise to call, or heck, I’ll bang on the wall if I need you.”

Sorcha intentionally mentioned the wall because he knew Niall and Jax would immediately think of the voyeuristic sex fest they’d shared that weekend.

For whatever reason, Niall and Jax seemed more hesitant about the deepening relationship between the five of them than Ronan and the omegas were, although Niall gave hints he understood things were shifting.

The cautious beta just wasn’t ready to admit how deep the change was. Jax was simply stubborn.

When Sorcha eventually told them he was pregnant, he wanted it to be with the understanding that Niall and Jax would be an important part of the baby’s life, assuming that was something they wanted. And based on the way they stalled going out the front door, Sorcha guessed they did.

What that would look like didn’t matter. They’d continue making it up as they went along, doing what felt right to all of them. With no shame. And no regrets.

But first the betas had to surrender to it.

Sorcha gambled that sending them to their unit would drive home the point of how much they did not like that wall between them, literally or proverbially. Sorcha wanted it gone too. But tearing it down would require all of them.

***

In the morning, Niall stayed behind with the kids while Jax brought Sorcha to the hospital.

They arrived to find Ronan having a conversation with a doctor near Teal’s bedside. From their grave expressions, Sorcha could tell something was very wrong.

As could the beta next to him.

“What’s going on?” Jax questioned Ronan.

Sorcha’s eyes darted around the room. It appeared the same as when he’d left last night. Teal wasn’t awake, but he didn’t look any worse.

Ronan puffed out a breath. Sorcha wanted to touch him, but knew they still needed to be careful. He had no idea what the doctor suspected about him and Jax.

“Thank you, Dr. Kinzinger,” Ronan said. “I’ll let Teal’s family members know.”

The doctor eyed Sorcha and Jax, but kept a neutral expression.

“There really shouldn’t be more than one of you in here at a time, but honestly, we’re having enough trouble with all the well-wishers and media outside.

It’s probably easier if you’re in here because Ronan would be recognized in the waiting room. ”

Sorcha recalled the crowd he and Jax had passed at the hospital entrance. Several hundred folks had gathered outside the building with signs wishing Teal a speedy recovery.

“Teal spent weeks getting called all sorts of names by the pro-alpha idiots outside the courthouse. Now a bunch of people are here because they admire him so much and he doesn’t get to enjoy it,” Jax grumbled.

“The irony is not lost on any of us,” the doctor said, eyeing Jax approvingly.

The doctor left a moment later and Sorcha turned to Ronan. “What’s going on?”

“He just…won’t wake up.” Ronan ran a nervous hand across his scalp. “They were expecting him to rouse by now, but since he hasn’t, they gave him something that should have done the job. But it’s not working.”

“Do they know why?”

“No. It’s possible the lingering poison is having a counteractive effect, but there’s no way to be sure. The good news is that the poison seems to be clearing out of his system. They ran more tests this morning and the levels in his blood and skin are down.”

“So he’s getting better?” Sorcha asked anxiously.

“Yes, little one, but he needs to wake up for us to know the extent of the damage. The longer he stays like this, the greater the chance his body is telling us that the damage is significant.”

“What’s next?” Jax asked.

“More of the same. And by that, I mean more waiting,” Ronan said tiredly.

“Well, at least he’s not getting worse,” Sorcha stated hopefully. “And this may sound silly, but I feel like if he were really hurting, I’d know. Like in my heart.”

“It’s not silly.” Ronan made sure the door was shut. “I feel the same way.”

Ronan tugged Sorcha tightly against his torso with one arm. With his other, he reached out to Jax, taking the beta’s hand in his own.

They stood that way for several minutes, drawing on each other’s strength as the machines hooked up to Teal hummed and beeped.

But Teal still didn’t wake up.