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AMAYA

I think one of the worst things about being in the hospital is the way everyone watches me. It's constant. At least one set of eyes is on me at all times.

Right now, I have six men staring at me, waiting for an answer to Remy's question. Would I like to give a verbal or written statement? The intense burn of my mates' gazes makes my response easy.

"Written, please," I whisper. I watch the blood in my hands shift and pale as I wring them together in my lap.

The silence that follows makes my chest feel heavy. God, it's like I don't know how to be anymore. Everything that happens around me makes my heart pound and my breath stutter.

There's one man not here, and it's the one I wish would protect me from the staring—Dad. I wonder if he would know I need everyone to leave me alone. Not that I want my mates to leave, but can't they watch a movie or take a nap or something? Literally anything to get them to stop watching me like I might break.

"Alright. Vincent, I'll email you," Remy murmurs a few more things, then the door closes behind him and his dad. I breathe a little easier without the extra alphas in my room.

Oliver shifts beside me, but I don't pay him any mind. My omega has been taking all my focus for the past few days. While my body has been recovering, I've been a shell of myself on the inside.

The only time I truly feel something is when one of my mates is holding me or close enough to touch. But beyond that, fear and pain run my thoughts.

My soul is a jumbled mess of confusion. My omega's behavior paints a vivid picture in my head. One I can't look away from.

Long dark hair whips around in the storm of gold, brown, and blue. She's not looking at me but over my shoulder where the chaos of our bonds collide. Even Emmett's subtle link is a writhing mass of heartache.

With her arms wrapped around her waist, tears stream down her cheeks. I almost ask her what's wrong just so I can force a reaction from her instead of this hopelessness stealing the shine from her golden eyes. But I already know what's wrong. Emmett is suffocating in guilt, Vincent is still feral, and there's nothing my omega and I can do to help them like an omega should.

Instead I crumble and the gold swirling around us loses its sparkle only to be drowned out by the struggles of my mates.

Vincent and Emmett explained their situation, and I'm honestly really glad they started their bonding. I bet having an additional something to ground themselves has been really beneficial for all the craziness I've put them through.

I wonder if Samuel and Oliver were bonded to us too, if a torrent of green would rip through. Would their trauma be our downfall, or would they save us?

Vincent calls me his golden girl, but pretty soon, the gold in my eyes will turn to a murky numbness. I don't know how to get myself out of the water that I feel is still pummeling me while I scream into the ground.

I feel like I'm nothing but welts and water. The ocean still drowns me; instead of salt water, it's everything that has ever happened to me.

"Darling?"

I jump a little; the voice shocking me out of my stupor. Blinking a few times to erase the image of my broken omega, I look up to see my dad kneeling beside me and Oliver is nowhere to be found.

As much as I wanted to see my dad, I didn't want Oliver to leave me.

My stomach drops, and my heart beats faster. Shuffling to the edge of the bed, I ignore the fire zipping up my leg and clench my eyes shut. "Where's Oli? Where did he go?!"

"Shh, Amaya. Breathe. He's outside talking to his parents."

Cursing from the other side of the room draws my attention to Samuel, who has his head dropped back, and his sigh puffs up to the ceiling.

I frown, my belly twisting and my throat protesting my next words. "His parents?"

"Paul," Vincent's voice rumbles. "We were waiting to tell her that."

My dad stands, confusion written all over his face. "Why?"

Oh fuck... Sam and Oli's parents are here?! I haven't seen them in so long. Why are they here? Are they here to yell at me for disappearing all those years ago? If their mom told me to go to hell, I would in a heartbeat. Do they hate me?

"Nobody hates you, Petal!" Samuel snaps, coming to my side and tugging on a lock of my hair. "Momma loves you and has been begging to see you. All she's talked about the past few weeks is you."

"Weeks?" But that would mean...

"Yeah. They showed up at your house a few weeks ago while we were trying to figure out where you were. We ignored them for too long, so they tracked us down. Dad was pissed."

"Still is," Vincent adds with a grim tone. He catches my curious look and gives me a small smile. "Sam and Oli have a lot of making up to do, love."

"They know?" I whisper. Bile rises at their nods. "No... why?! Why would you tell them?!"

Sam grabs my hand that’s yanking on the skin of the other, and places a kiss on my palm. "Because they love you, Maya. They never once gave up hope that you would come back to us. They've been so scared for so long. We couldn't keep this from them. It's my mom , Petal... Please understand."

Surprise chokes me for a moment at seeing Samuel Jenkins pop a tear, but I swallow it down and nuzzle his hand, scent marking him. "Okay," I whisper. "I understand."

A breath of relief bursts from his lips, then he's dipping low and runs his scruffy cheek against mine in a blatant move of affection. "Thank you, Omega."

I preen, a big smile stretching my cheeks and tugging on the cuts around my lips. My omega finally looks at me, and that familiar sparkle we used to have brightens a little with our alpha's attention.

Dad crosses his arms and narrows his eyes at my two alphas. "So why didn't you want Amaya to know your parents are here? From what I can see, she handled that pretty well."

They both stiffen, but I break it up before they can get into it. "Where's Emmett?" I know they're just trying to protect my emotions, and I will admit that was a bomb to drop on me. A bloom of white and purple draws my gaze. "And where did you get the flowers, dad?"

"Um." Sam hesitates and glances at Vincent for guidance. Vincent shifts on his feet, anxiety sizzling through our bond.

"She's not going to fucking break," my dad snaps and turns to me. "His dads just got here, too."

I swear my eyes bug out of my head. "John and Rich are here?! Oh, are those from John?" My eyes blur with tears, remembering the flower garden I used to spend so much time in at Emmett's house. John has a perpetual green thumb.

"Yeah." Sam squeezes my hand and rubs the back of his neck with his free one. "They would have been here sooner, but their cruise just ended yesterday."

"Fuck," I grumble, even as my omega does a little happy dance. "I don't know..."

"Later." Vincent's voice holds no room for argument.

Grateful for the continued space, I nod. I don't think I'm ready to see everyone. There's too much of a difference between the girl they used to know and the woman I am now. I would just like the opportunity to figure out the differences first, though. I'm happy for the support, but seeing the parents is going to have to wait. First, I have a final check-up and a discharge conversation to have in an hour.

I just want it all to be okay again.