Page 60 of The Omega Exchange: Omnibus (The Exchange)

Chapter Ten

Rafe

"Nice to see you're alive," I say to Wolfe early the next morning. "I was a little afraid Vik finally snapped and murdered you to silence all the fucking."

"Nope," Wolfe says, grabbing a cup and filling it to the brim with coffee. "I'm still kicking."

"I had my fair share of murderous thoughts," I grumble, swiping a hand over my face. "Maybe I poisoned the coffee to get back at you for fucking Anastasia until four in the goddamn morning."

Wolfe frowns at his cup. "Did you?"

"I guess we'll see," I snap. "How are you even awake right now?"

"I've got a tour I can't get out of at eight. I need you to stick around the suite today and buffer Ana and Vik," Wolfe says, shoving long hair back from his forehead.

"I already called out for her for the next bit," I tell him, taking a bite of my cereal.

"Yeah, I know. I tried to call out. Connor wasn't happy. He told me I had to take the group this morning because it's such short notice, but then I'm off for the next ten days." Wolfe sighs. "I almost quit. It's un-fucking real how hard it was to pry myself out of bed with her."

"I'll keep an eye on her and Viktor," I assure him.

"Where is he?"

"Fuck if I know," I say, shrugging. "I'm pretty sure he spent the night at the gym, or he left early this morning before I got up."

"Gotcha," Wolfe says, shaking his head. "I'm shocked he managed to keep from biting her. She's not even in full-blown heat. I can't count the times I almost sank my teeth into her last night and this morning."

"Shit," I whisper. "Yeah, I think he might really kill you if you bond her before he does. Is she still asleep?"

Wolfe shakes his head. "She's restless. Her heat is coming on quick as fuck. We showered, and I tucked her back into bed. But just so you know, she didn't make it more than an hour last night without perfuming."

"It's a consequence of the suppressants," I remind him. My mind flies back to last month. She really shouldn't be having a heat so soon, but with how she cut them out so abruptly?

I'm not shocked.

Wolfe and I watch Anastasia intently. She fell asleep on the couch a while ago. Vik needed to talk to our boss. When he found out she was still asleep he decided to buy her courting gifts.

He asked us to keep an eye on her, but she's been restless for the last half-hour. She's no longer sleeping deeply, it's more of a fitful sleep.

"You're okay," Wolfe says, running a hand over Ana's hair. His voice is low and soothing, but Anastasia is completely panicking when she blinks awake.

"I think I'm going to vomit," she groans. Her head lolls to the side as she tries to sit up.

"Okay, I'm picking you up," Wolfe says. He looks at me and says, "Maybe grab a mixing bowl?"

"Got it," I agree.

Wolfe picks her up and carries her down the hallway. They pass the nest and continue to Vik's room.

"Where's Vik?" Ana whimpers. "Ohmigod, I sound like a total loser."

She slurs her words, sounding completely out of it.

"He had to talk to the boss about getting time off. He checked in but you were asleep, so he headed out to buy courting gifts for you," I say, following them into the attached bathroom.

It's clean like always. Vik is a bit of a neat freak.

I head over, starting the water in the massive tub. Fuck, I was really hoping this wouldn't happen.

Wolfe sets Ana down on the toilet and hands her the bowl I brought in.

"Just leave me here to die," she groans. Her head falls to the side, resting against the bathroom cabinet. She buries her face in the bowl and gags.

I look at Wolfe, nodding to the door. I know he's got a particularly weak stomach when it comes to the sound of people getting sick.

He frowns, shaking his head.

I guess I'll have two people to clean up after.

I get it, though.

I don't want to leave her either.

"Is this a side effect of the wave of heat?" Wolfe asks, still frowning down at Ana.

"You stopped the suppressants mid-cycle, right?" I ask, like I don't already know the answer.

Ana nods.

I shove my glasses up and move to her side. I rub my hand over her back, trying to comfort her.

"What are you doing?" she groans, slapping my hand away. "I'm gross right now. Don't be nice to me."

That makes my heart throb. Life isn't perfect. It's messy and ugly sometimes, other times it's disgusting, but I'd like to see someone try to keep my dad away from my mom if she's sick and needs him.

It literally wouldn't fucking happen.

I hate that Anastasia doesn't realize she has value all the time. Beautifully done up or falling apart at the seams, I want to be there to take care of her through all of it.

I glance away, swallowing thickly. I know I get attached to people quickly. I'm probably crossing a line with my feelings for her, but I can't help myself. She desperately needs people to love and care for her.

I know I could do an excellent job of looking after her, if she'd let me.

"I texted Vik again," Wolfe says, tossing his phone down on the counter. "We should take her to the clinic."

I shake my head, continuing to rub Ana's back.

"No. It's a side effect of ending the suppressants so abruptly. The end of a packet has less medication in each dose. She stopped in the middle. It took her system a few days to catch up to the fact it's no longer getting the medication, but now it's compensating," I say as calmly as possible.

Anastasia looks like she feels awful, and Wolfe's anxiety isn't going to help her system calm down. I want to snap at him to get out, but that wouldn't help anything.

"Vik mentioned it earlier. He asked me to touch base with Lydia on exactly what to expect," I say, then wince.

Oh, shit.

"You knew this was coming?" Wolfe growls, advancing on me.

"I knew it was a possibility," I reply, shooting him a look that says chill the fuck out. "There was a fifty-fifty chance. Lydia, that's our nurse practitioner," I tell Anastasia. "She said to wait and see what happens. I know what to look out for. If we need her, she's only ten minutes away."

"How do we help?" Wolfe asks. "She looks like she's detoxing."

"Her system is detoxing, in a way," I reluctantly agree, still rubbing Ana's shoulder. "Suppressants are awful on an omega's health. They have a place in certain situations, but for most… I'm sorry. It's not actually my place to have an opinion."

"Fuck that," Wolfe growls. "She's shaking and burning up at the same time. If this is what they cause—"

With that Ana hisses, "Oh God, get out."

She barely manages to stand and turn around, lifting the toilet seat before she gets violently ill.

"You're okay," I murmur, rubbing her back and trying to keep her hair from falling in the way. "I've got you. Being sick is a part of life."

"Please leave," she begs.

"I'll get her a bottle of water," Wolfe says, heading for the door.

I knew it was coming. He's never been able to be around someone who is puking.

"I just bought a new toothbrush. Grab it. It's on my bathroom counter," I call after him.

Ana flushes the toilet and staggers over to the sink. She rinses her mouth and tries to hold on to the counter, but she's shaking so hard she can barely stay upright.

"It's okay," I murmur. Sliding up behind her, I help hold her up. "I'm right here. You're going to feel better soon."

I pray my words are true. Lydia said it could last anywhere from a few hours to a few days. The heat might start and she might still be sick.

Someone needs to pay for this. I don't know all the particulars, but I'm going to find out and I'm going to… I don't even know.

I want to destroy her father.

"It's not great to brush your teeth after vomiting," Wolfe says, coming back into the room. Despite his words, he still unpackages the toothbrush.

Ana wobbles. I do my best to help support her weight. She's literally burning my hands where our skin touches.

"It's already got toothpaste on it," Wolfe says.

She opens her mouth and he shoves the toothbrush in. She quickly brushes and rinses.

"We need to get you into the tub," I say. "Lydia said it would help with the body aches."

"Okay," Wolfe says, like he's pumping himself up for something. "So I'll strip down and climb in and you hand her to me?"

"Okay," I agree, but then I realize it's not my place to consent for her. "Is that okay with you?"

"I need to lie down, not take a bath," she grumbles, swatting my hand away.

"Please?" I beg. "I wouldn't push, but Lydia said it's the first thing to try. That's why I started the water when we came in."

"Fine," she groans.

I help her out of her dress.

"What happened here?" I ask, running a finger over the jagged scar on her shoulder.

"My mom and I were attacked. She didn't make it," she mumbles, reaching for her panties. She's not wearing a bra and the tiny thong doesn't hide much, but it's something. "Should I take these off? Did Viktor put these back on me when I was asleep? I'm so confused."

"Leave those on," Wolfe says, clearing his throat. "And I'm not sure, but yeah, it's likely he did."

I guide her over to the tub and cradle her in my arms. I slowly ease her legs into the water and set her between Wolfe's spread legs.

"Hey, sweetness. You're going to be just fine. We're going to take good care of you." Wolfe runs his hands down her arms. He gently cups the steaming-hot water, pouring it over her shoulders and massaging his way down to her hands.

"Thank you," she whimpers. "I'm so sorry for everything. Least of all puking in front of you and most of all for coming here with ulterior motives."

Her eyes are closed as she rests back against Wolfe's chest.

"She's out," I whisper a few minutes later.

My mind races. I read the police reports about her mother's attack. Anastasia wasn't listed in any of it. No hospital reports, no victim's statement; legally speaking, she wasn't there that day.

My jaw clenches tighter than my fists. There's something very fishy going on.

It tickles the obsessive part of my brain.

I can't let it go now.