Page 25

Chapter 25

Freya

The hospital room swims into focus as I blink away the fog of medication. My throat feels raw, my limbs heavy, but my mind is clearer than it’s been in days. Sunlight filters through half-drawn blinds, casting patterns across the sterile white sheets.

“Hey there.” Thorne’s voice, gentle in a way I’ve never heard before, draws my attention. He sits beside my bed, dark circles under his eyes suggesting he hasn’t left in days.

My baby—our baby—sleeps peacefully in a small hospital crib next to him.

Something’s different.

I look around the room. Zane is sleeping. He is sitting on a chair on the opposite side of my bed, his head resting on the mattress.

“Where’s Miller?” I whisper, not wanting to wake Zane as I turn back to Thorne.

The way he looks at me, his shoulders dropped and with the absence of that cold distant look I’ve grown accustomed to.

“He had to take a call. He’ll be back soon.”

“Okay.”

His scent wraps around me. It’s strangely comforting and there are no blockers hiding the alpha pheromones or his unique scent that make him mine.

But I don’t have the strength to whine.

“How long was I out?” My voice cracks, my throat feels so sore it feels like I’ve swallowed a knife with a serrated edge.

“Four days.”

I try to sit up, wincing at the stiffness in my muscles. Thorne stands, adjusting the pillows behind my back, his touch lingering longer than necessary.

Confusion muddles my thoughts—why is he being so kind? So attentive?

“Your fathers came, James the second day and Damien the third, and Harlow and her pack have been a few times, each time they took Stone to their home for a few hours to give him fresh air.” Thorne laughs. “I think her pack is broody.”

I smile. “They are. They love her.” I swallow the saliva suddenly in my throat.

Thorne looks down at the floor.

“Did my mother visit?”

“Apparently, she is visiting with your sister later today. Your father told us about you experiencing omega drops before,” he says.

Ah. An omega drop. The last thing I remember is collapsing in my bedroom, the world spinning away into darkness. A feeling I have felt before.

“Stone—”

“Is perfect,” he assures me, reaching over to stroke our child’s cheek. “They’ve checked him thoroughly. He’s strong, just like his mother.”

His mother. Not ‘you.’

Something significant has shifted, but I can’t place what or why. Did I say something while collapsing? Did the doctors tell him something I don’t remember?

“I have something to tell you. I was coming to tell you when I must have collapsed…” I pause as my hand reaches for Zane’s head. I brush my fingers through the strands. “Stone is your baby, and I’m sorry for what I did. I was going to lie to you and say it was an accident, but I planned it. I dyed my hair blonde because I know you like blondes and wore a heat blocker.”

He doesn’t say anything, so I continue. “I never expected it to be so easy. But you grabbed me the moment I came out of the bathroom, and we went to the room I booked.”

“And you disappeared from me while I slept,” he says.

He knows. How long has he known?

I chuckle. “I had this crazy idea that you finally liked me. And that you finally realized I was your scent match, but when you cuddled me, you called me ‘Maya’ and—” I suck back a sob, remembering how hard that was to hear. “I went home and spent the rest of my heat in my apartment in pain.”

“I am so sorry.” His hand finds mine, fingers intertwining with a familiarity we’ve never shared. Our eyes meet. “Let me make it up to you.”

I shake my head. “I’m not telling you this because of me. I’m telling you this because Stone needs you in his life. He needs your pack.”

“Freya—” His voice turns into a growl.

“No.” I shake my head, pulling my hand from his. “You don’t have to pretend. I know what I am—what I did was wrong.”

“You’re not listening.” Thorne leans forward, his face inches from mine. His scent surrounds me, making my omega want to curl into him. “I’ve been such a fool. The way you smell, the way you care for Stone, how you make our house feel like home—”

“Stop.” Tears blur my vision. “Please don’t say things you don’t mean. You ignored me for years. I’m not your type. I know what your type is—”

He cups my face, thumb brushing away a tear. “Freya, look at me. Really look at me.”

I can’t. If I do, I’ll break. “You don’t have to do this. I just want Stone to know his father.”

“Our son needs his mother, too. His whole pack.” His voice drops lower. “We need you. I need you.”

Zane stirs beside me, lifting his head. His sleepy eyes find mine. “You’re awake.”

“She’s trying to leave us,” Thorne tells him.

“Like hell she is.” Zane’s hand tightens around mine. “You’re ours now. All three of us want you.”

I laugh, but it comes out more like a sob. “You don’t understand. I’m not—I’m just a poor excuse for an omega. I tricked an alpha into getting me pregnant. I’m not a good omega for any pack.”

“You are perfect and I’m glad that you never gave up on me, Freya.”

“But I did. Don’t you get it? That’s why I have Stone.”

“I know that now. But you’re everything,” Thorne growls. “Everything we’ve been missing. Why can’t you see that?”

But I can’t let myself believe it. Can’t let myself hope. Because hope leads to heartbreak, and I’ve had enough of that to last a lifetime.

Miller bursts through the door, his usual composed demeanor cracking as his eyes land on me. “You’re awake. Thank god, you scared the hell out of me, Freya.”

My heart skips at the raw emotion in his voice. “I did?”

“All of us.” He crosses to my bedside in three long strides. “We’ve been waiting to take you home and be the alphas who you deserve.”

Tears sting my eyes, blurring my vision. My chest tightens with a little hope and a lot of disbelief. “Why the change?”

“I haven’t changed.” Zane squeezes my hand. “Nor Miller. Just him.” He nods at his brother across from him.

I squeeze back. “I know. But you’re still pack mates.”

“We’re all pack. Including you and Stone.” Thorne’s voice drops low.

“You drove me insane,” I tell him.

He swallows. “I’m sorry, just give me a chance. Just stay with this pack. Even if it takes years for you to trust me, it’s fine. I promise I can wait.”

I turn to look at him then, really look at him. “You’ll wait?”

“As long as it takes.” The sincerity in his eyes makes my omega whine with need. For the first time, I believe him.

“This is lovely, but we have a problem.” Miller clears his throat, and something in his expression makes my stomach drop as he runs a hand through his hair. “The hospital took a call from the DRA asking about you, Freya. The hospital told them Zane Stone was the father of Stone, but when they checked the records further, the named pack was different.” My blood runs cold as he continues. “Now the DRA are on their way here to take the baby.”

Terror grips me. My arms instinctively reach for Stone, but he’s too far away. I try to get up, but my body won’t cooperate.

“No fucking way,” Thorne growls, his alpha presence filling the room. “Freya and the baby are ours.”

“Ours?” The word comes out as a whisper. My heart pounds so hard I can barely hear my voice.

Before I can ask any more questions, the door to my room swings open without warning. Three figures step inside—a tall woman in a charcoal suit flanked by two broad-shouldered men in matching dark uniforms. The official emblem of the DRA gleams on their lapels, and my heart stutters in my chest.

The woman’s eyes, cold and assessing, sweep the room before settling on me. “Freya Rose?”

Thorne stiffens beside me, his posture instantly changing from concerned mate to defensive alpha. “Who’s asking?”

The woman ignores him, stepping closer to my bed. “I’m Director Madson with the DRA. We’re here regarding a reported violation of statute one zero two, no unauthorized breeding outside registered or settled pack bonds.”

My arms move instinctively toward my baby, but I’m still tethered by IV lines. Panic claws up my throat.

“I don’t understand,” I say, though the sinking feeling in my stomach tells me I do.

“It’s quite simple, Ms. Rose. Our records indicate you conceived and birthed a child without proper registration or consent processes.” She produces a tablet, tapping the screen. “That constitutes an omega rights violation because, importantly, it’s a crime to do so without an alpha’s approval.”

Thorne moves between us, his body a barrier. “I’m her alpha. Whatever you think happened—”

“You’re not registered as her mate, Mr.—” Director Madson cuts him off without looking up from her tablet. “In fact, our records show there is no formal pack. However, Ms. Rose claimed to belong to a fictitious pack during her pregnancy. Which makes this child”—she nods toward the crib—"a child of the state until we determine who the father is."

“I’m the fucking father,” Thorne hisses.

A uniformed man steps toward my baby, and something primal erupts inside me. I rip the IV from my arm, lunging across the bed to reach my child first. Pain shoots through my still-healing body, but I ignore it, gathering my baby against my chest.

“Don’t touch him!” The words tear from my throat, raw and fierce.

Thorne stands in front of me, his arms outstretched so nobody can get to me or our baby.

The room explodes into motion. Thorne’s growl reverberates off the walls as he physically blocks the officer’s path.

“She’s my mate,” Thorne declares, his voice dropping to that alpha register that makes the air itself vibrate. “That child is mine and touch either of them, and pack law supersedes whatever bureaucratic bullshit you’re peddling.”

I clutch my baby tighter as he whimpers against me, sensing the tension filling the room. My heart pounds against my ribs as I watch my alphas squaring off against government officials.

“Statute one zero two clearly states—” Director Madson begins.

“Fuck your statute.” Thorne’s eyes never leave the officer still eyeing my child. “She’s mine. He’s mine. Our pack claims them both under ancient pack rites.”

The second officer reaches inside his jacket, and Zane moves with shocking speed, catching his wrist. “I wouldn’t.”

The bassinet crashes to the floor as bodies lunge and collide. My baby wails against my chest, and I curl around him protectively, my back pressed against the wall. Monitors scream warnings as they’re yanked from walls. Someone shouts for security.

“Stop!” I clutch Stone tighter to my chest as Miller’s authoritative voice cuts through the tension.

“Under Section forty-five of the Omega Protection Act, you cannot remove a child without concrete evidence of violation. Furthermore, DNA testing would prove paternity, and Ms. Rose has claimed consistently that Thorne Stone is the father.”

Director Madson’s lips twist. “We have evidence.” She slides a document across my bed. “This is your signature from the wellness center check-in.”

I lean forward, careful not to jostle Stone, and examine the paper. The signature loops and curves in an unfamiliar pattern. “That’s not my handwriting.”

“Ms. Rose, lying to the DRA—”

“She’s telling the truth.” Miller’s voice carries a certainty that makes everyone turn. “I can prove it.”

The Director raises an eyebrow. “How?”

“Because I was the attending physician when Stone was one week old. At birth, standard protocol includes blood typing and genetic markers.” Miller pulls out his phone, tapping rapidly. It takes a while for the data to come back. Miller turns to the screen to Director Madson. “And it shows Freya’s signature. It also shows the baby’s blood type and genetic markers align perfectly with both Freya Rose and Thorne Stone.”

My heart skips. I hadn’t known Miller had done that. Did he suspect something?

“Furthermore,” he continues, “those results were automatically uploaded to the hospital database. They’re time-stamped and cannot be altered.” He turns his phone to show the Director. “As you can see, these tests were done weeks before any investigation began.”

The Director’s face pales as she studies the screen. Her perfectly maintained composure cracks just slightly.

“So,” Miller says, his voice carrying an edge I’ve never heard before. “Either someone forged Ms. Rose’s signature at the wellness center, or there’s been a serious breach in your verification processes. Which would you like to investigate first?”

Tears roll down my cheeks as I smile at Miller. Zane wraps an arm around my shoulders, and Thorne turns and cups my face in his big hands and for one electric moment we just stare.

“You’re ours to protect,” he says.

And for the first time, I believe him.