Page 1 of Love in Excess (Beta Accepted #9)

LINCOLN

The radio crackles on the table, a frown taking over my face as I’m two seconds from devouring the best BLT sandwich I’ve had in my entire life. “Seriously?” I mutter, hoping and praying that the incident is on the other side of the city so I can finish this thick-cut bacon in peace.

No such luck.

My heart kicks up a gear, the familiar rush of adrenaline flooding my veins.

I shove another bite of my sandwich into my mouth, but it’s too late to grab the last half from the table.

At least I’ve got a few extra strips in my pocket for my pup at home.

She’d kill me if I came home smelling like pork and she didn’t get at least a treat.

Teddy, my partner, is already hauling himself into the driver’s seat, his broad Alpha frame swallowing up any extra space in the front. I curse under my breath, mourning that sandwich, and swing into the passenger side.

“Star Medical’s finest, ready to roll. Ready for action, Doc?” Teddy muses, flashing me a grin that’s all teeth and bravado.

I roll my eyes and buckle in as he hits the sirens before pulling off onto the main road.

Nearly a year ago, I was stuck working in the ER, trying to find out where I belonged and how I fit into a world that seemed not to want me.

And now, I’m speeding through the streets of this college town, saving who I can and transporting those I can’t to Star Hospital.

It’s not exciting, but it’s fulfilling in a way that the shifts in the ER weren’t. And maybe it’s wrong, but the adrenaline that comes with speeding toward a call, the feeling that I’m actually doing something, makes it that much better.

It also keeps me from falling into my head. No time to stew over the past, the betrayals, the packs that spit me out like I was nothing. Just me & Teddy, and the next life to save.

The Alpha weaves through traffic, cursing under his breath as a little car takes forever to get out of the way and then another runs a red light. I’m more focused on the call, though.

Omegas get the worst of it in this city—targeted, vulnerable, caught in a world that chews up anyone who doesn’t fit the Alpha mold.

I’ve seen it too many times: wide eyes, trembling hands, scents soured by fear when an Alpha tries to take what isn’t theirs.

Except for the one late-designation Alpha case I’ve been a part of, it’s always been the Omegas that need our help.

And it’s been getting worse.

The calls more frequently tell of abuse or loss of control rather than the old granny who’s fallen and can’t get up. I miss those calls.

The ambulance screeches to a stop at 5th and Marrow, a grimy corner where a pawn shop’s flickering sign is casting shadows on the pavement.

There’s a small crowd formed around the small alley between the two stores, chattering and phones capturing the moment.

I don’t even see the reason for the 911 call until I’m out of the truck and wading through the onlookers.

Fucking assholes.

That’s when I see her.

An Omega curled up against the edge of the store, her knees drawn up to her chest, and arms wrapped around them like a shield.

Blood streaks across her cheek, several welts along her arms and neck.

Her brown eyes are wide with a mixture of shock and disappointment, not fear, which is what I would have assumed.

Stepping closer, I get a whiff of her rose scent, charred at the edges, like a flower caught too close to a flame, but it’s everything I need.

Desire rumbles through my chest, threatening to settle in my pants, my instincts telling me to wrap her up in my arms and soothe her emotions.

Stay professional, Linc. Holy fuck, she smells like a garden.

I clear my throat and push forward when a groan from my left steals my attention. A few feet away, a guy’s sprawled on the ground, clearly passed out, his mouth parted and blood drooling onto the concrete. He’s a Beta, I think, not that it matters.

Teddy’s already heading for the little Omega when her gaze snaps to him, her head shaking side to side. “No, no, no, not you,” she mumbles, panic claiming her movements as she presses herself back against the wall. Her scent spikes as those big brown eyes dart to the street and then back to Teddy.

I step forward and squeeze Teddy’s shoulder. “Hey, I got this. Go check on the other guy.” Teddy hesitates for a second before backing away, and I crouch down in front of the woman, noticing her beauty beneath the shock.

The fading oranges and reds in the sky provide a perfect hue against her dark skin, long brown twists falling to the side as she twists her head to look at me.

I wait for her to truly register me in front of her before dropping to my knees and setting my bag beside me.

“Hey, sweetheart, what’s your name?” I ask, keeping my tone gentle.

It’s the same voice I use on Jasmine, my German shepherd, after a storm when she’s hiding beneath pillows.

The woman blinks a few times, relaxing her arms around her knees as a small smile forms on her lips.

“Celeste,” she whispers, like she’s testing the word.

That rose scent curls around me again, and I have to clench my jaw to keep from leaning closer.

It’s not just sweet—it’s intoxicating, even with that charred edge.

I’m trained to handle Omega pheromones, but this one’s going to get me in trouble.

“I’m Lincoln,” I say, meeting her gaze. “I work over at Star Medical, near the university. You’re gonna be okay, Celeste.

Can you tell me what happened?” I keep my hands visible, reaching for my bag to pull out gauze and antiseptic.

The crowd’s murmurs hum in the background, but I tune them out, focusing only on her.

Her gaze darts over to the man Teddy is checking out, her expression darkening.

“We were… on a date, I guess?” Her voice wavers, like she’s not sure of that.

“I don’t know. He got rough, tried to grab me.

I pulled away, fell, and hit my face on the curb.

” She touches the cut on her cheek, wincing. “He didn’t do this. I did.”

I fight to keep my expression neutral because the welts on her arm don’t match her story.

He didn’t just get a little rough and try to grab her.

The nearly visible handprint staring back at me isn’t something I noticed before but that Beta’s intent was more than just grabbing.

I clear my throat and assess the cut before starting to clean it.

She sags with relief the moment my fingers graze her cheek, one of her hands settling on my chest for purchase.

The small, broken sound that falls from her lips guts me.

“You’re doing so well, Celeste. You got away, and I’m proud of you for that. Now, we just got to get you all cleaned up.” I pause, letting her process my words. “I just want to make sure it’s not worse than it looks. Then the police will want a statement when they get here, okay?”

She nods as I finish dressing the cut and then put my hand out to help her stand.

Celeste’s movements are a little shaky, my brows arching in surprise as I realize she’s only a few inches shorter than my six feet.

Her smile turns into something queasy before she lurches forward and vomits on the pavement, a sharp, pained sound leaving her seconds later.

I gently pull her back into my chest to steady her.

“We’re going to get you checked out, alright?

How hard did you hit your head?” She mumbles something incoherent before sagging against me.

Fuck, I don’t like that. I gather up in my arms and head for the ambulance, nodding to Teddy that we need to wrap this up.

Seeing the Beta on the ground sitting up, we’ll be able to leave as soon as the police are here.

The Omega groans as she buries her face into my chest. “Fuck, Hunter’s gonna be so mad,” she mutters, her voice thick with frustration and something like guilt. That rose scent clings to me, a hint of something else lingering beneath it. A faint tinge of teakwood that tells me she has someone else.

A mate.

Ignoring everything about that but making sure she’s okay, I throw open the back doors and climb into the rig before setting her gently on the stretcher.

“Who’s Hunter?” I ask, keeping my tone neutral as I hook her up to a monitor and check her vitals.

Her pulse is a little fast, but other than the vomiting, there are no other visual signs.

“My Alpha,” she says, wincing as she shifts. “I told him I’d be fine, and now… this. Shit, I don’t feel so good.” She presses a hand to her head, and I catch a flicker of defiance in her eyes, like she’s mad at herself for being vulnerable.

An Alpha. Of course, this beautiful Omega has an Alpha. The thought lands like a stone in my gut, and I hate that I know why it stings. She can’t be mine. Not that I would let her be. Every time I let someone in, they always leave.

So, now it’s just me and Jasmine against the world.

“Deep breaths, Celeste,” I say, watching as she settles back against the cot, her pupils half-lidded.

The pliant smile on her lips begs something more than just contentment, almost like she’s waiting for my next command.

However, I don’t have one. I just want her to relax.

“Can you tell me why he’s laid out on the floor? ”

That smile widens, her pupils dilating a little as if she’s coming back to reality.

“Because after I hit the pavement, I got up and punched him in the neck.” Her lips curl further into a deviant grin before she winces, her fingers moving up to massage her temple again.

“Someone else knocked him out, though. I didn’t see who.

I should have known he was a walking red flag. He took me out for oysters.”

I chuckle. “Celeste, oysters are pretty expensive. Why is that a red flag?”

“Because I don’t like oysters. I told him that before, you know?” Her eyes meet mine, searching for something.

“But you still went?”

“Because he’s perfect on paper,” she muses. “And I don’t hate oysters, but I think that’s why I threw up.” She winces again, and while the oysters might not have been sitting well with her, there’s definitely something wrong with her head.

“Okay, hotshot,” I throw at her. “We’re going to take you for a few scans.” I pause as Teddy comes up to the rig. “You got everything squared away?”

Teddy nods. “Yeah, police just showed up, and the Beta refused medical attention. We going to Star?”

“Yeah, need to do a few scans to make sure nothing’s wrong but apparently Celeste here is a badass because she clocked that Beta.”

Teddy sighs, closing up the back doors but not before saying, “Good. He’s an asshole.”

Silence filters into the space as I check on Celeste’s vitals again, the whimper that steals my attention breaking my heart. “You want me to call someone? Hunter, maybe?”

“No, I’ll do it.” Her voice is much smaller than it was before and it takes everything in me not to drag her into my arms and hold her until she relaxes.