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6

EMMETT

" F uck!" I curse, running after Paul. His misplaced anger is the last thing Vincent needs right now.

Samuel beats me to the room just as Paul's accusing roar hits Vince like a physical blow. "WHERE THE FUCK WERE YOU?!"

My spine straightens, and my jaw tingles with the urge to protect the recovering alpha. Then Oliver's bond shrivels with fear at the display of aggression.

I rush around Amaya's fuming father and snatch my beta around the waist, dragging him away from Vincent's side. I don't know Paul well at all, but I know a father’s love for a child can transcend all rationality.

"You left her there! ALL ALONE!" Paul shouts, his fists clenched tight at his side.

I may be tucking my beta behind me, but so help me god if this man raises a hand against my scent matched pack member, I'll rip his wrist clean out of its fucking socket. The calm one I may be, but nothing is fucking normal anymore. Amaya's gone. We have an alpha struggling to stay sane in a hospital bed and a feral father blaming Vincent instead of everyone else.

Tension has been high since Vincent crashed three nights ago, and my nerves are worn to dust. So no, nobody will raise a hand to any of us if I have anything to do with it.

"No, no, no, no. I'm sorry. I'm so, so fucking sorry," Vincent cries, his head shaking like he's trying to dislodge something. I thought he was pale before, but now, in the face of our mate's dad, Vince looks like a shell of himself.

"Vincent—" Oliver gasps, trying to shoot around me. Even though I can feel the ache of my mate wanting to soothe the man we've all come to care about through our bond, I grab his arm and stop him.

"You're sorry ?!" Paul snaps, shifting to take a step. Before he can move an inch, Samuel's there, forcing him into a headlock.

My soul cracks as I watch Vincent fold himself in half and pull on the hospital gown around his heart. "I didn't know. I didn't mean to. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. So, so, so sorry!"

Oliver struggles against me just as Paul does against Sam, but I’m unable to let him go. There's a feral fucking alpha in the room hellbent on shattering the one person who has been nothing but amazing for the omega we’ve all failed.

"She's gone, Vincent!"

Sam snarls and yanks Paul back even harder. "STOP!"

"You're right, Paul!" Vincent's voice rises with tears streaming down his bruised cheeks. "You're right. It's all my fault!"

"No, it's not!" Oliver yells and yanks hard enough to break my hold on him just as Paul says the one thing he will never be able to take back.

"She's gone because of you!"

"You're out of line!" Samuel growls and throws Paul to the ground. My mouth gapes as my best friend lands a brutal punch to the older man’s ribs.

"All my fault. I'm so, so sorry," Vincent wails with a hoarse whisper. He’s shaking as Oliver finally reaches the bed and scrambles up to kneel beside him.

"No, Vincent," my beta coos while wiping the alpha’s tears. He shifts and I can no longer see either of their faces.

Samuel continues to threaten Paul in a deadly voice all while I just stand here fucking motionless by the wall. I have never seen someone completely shatter before my eyes, but I think I just watched Paul break the greatest man I have ever met.

I've had the privilege of watching Amaya be happy with this alpha. Vincent has not only taken care of Amaya for months now, but he's cherished her, loved her, and made our omega feel special when she felt alone.

And all I do is stand here watching him being torn down into nothing but a bleeding heart drowning in an ocean of guilt.

I'm snapped out of my horrified stupor when Sam reaches down and grabs Paul by his throat. Just as he lifts the asshole, a red-faced doctor comes rushing in, only for Samuel to throw Paul out on his ass and slam the door.

"What happened?!" Vincent's doctor asks, wide-eyed and out of breath. We must have given the poor guy a scare. He looks too young to be winded from rushing in here, so maybe it's the mixture of our own stricken scents that's freaking the beta doctor out.

In the wake of his question, we're all breathing heavily when Vincent croaks, "All my fault," one last time before passing out.

No, it's our fault.