Page 2 of The Packaged Deal
Her energy has flagged so much that I don’t even think she heard me. I quickly give her a sip of water, and then offer her pain pills or an injection. She takes the pills and swallows them with difficulty. As soon as she’s done, I help her lie back on the bed and tuck her in.
I stare at her longer than I should before I pack my equipment up and quietly leave the room.
“She’s going to be in a lot of pain. Tomorrow, when she’s mobile, I want her to go for x-rays on her ribs, left wrist, and her hand. I’ve left the medication there. Give it to her in four hours.” I pause and shake my head. “No, I'll be back first thing in the morning, and I'll take her myself. Just watch for signs of a concussion, the usual.”
“Thanks, Doc.”
Fran walks me to the entrance and unlocks the glass door that allows me out to the visitors section of the refuge. This place is like a fortress. She follows me and unlocks the front door, letting me out onto the street. The two doors are an extra set of protections that keep unwanted guests from getting to the women hiding here. It is unfortunate but a necessary evil.
“I'll bring Angel Montford with me tomorrow morning,” I advise Fran. I heft my bag and glance around the street. No one’s out here, the normally busy city intersection is just an empty road with street lights breaking into the shadows. Who would dump a half-broken omega here? Why would you just leave her like that?
“The Detective?” Fran says with a fierce frown.
“Yes. She said she knows their omega; Hazel. Perhaps she will feel more comfortable telling this horrific story to someone she has met before.”
Fran frowns and sucks her lips in, giving her a fierce and angry expression. She’s not a fan of alpha’s, you can pick up on it straight away. And with an omega coming, alphas will be in tow. “I'll have one of the guest visiting rooms kept free for you.”
I murmur my goodbyes and get in my silver SVU and drive through the city. What would take an hour will take less than half that time. There’s no one out here.
“Dial brother,” I tell my phone.
He picks up on the third ring with a muffled groan.
“I need you focused,” I say calmly and drum my fingers on the steering wheel.
“Hold on.” There’s a groan of a man that isn’t my brother, and the sound of sheets rustling. “All right, go.”
Simon is nothing if not professional. We have that in common, but he is a much friendlier version of me. He blends in with our society whilst I have always stood out. They call me cold.
They aren’t wrong.
“I have an omega who refuses to tell me her name. She says she knows Hazel and Onyx.”
“What’s she look like?” Simon asks immediately. His brain will be going a million miles an hour as he tries to figure it out. He has always been like that.
“She’s tiny, with short hair and violet eyes.”
Simon hums, and then snaps his fingers loudly near the phone. His husband curses. “Sounds like Jade.”
“Last name?”
“I don't know, I'd need to look through the files.” Simon swears. “Is she okay?”
“No.”
My brother hesitates. “Call Hazel, not Onyx.”
“Why?” I demand, ready to argue.
“Onyx and her mates are in their nest. And things could get hostile if you tried to interrupt.”
I wince. The familiar twinge of envy and yearning surfaces, but I'm adept at pushing it aside. “Okay. I'll drive over to Montford after I see Darion Raptore. They’ll all still be awake.”
“I'll call ahead and make sure Sven’s up.”
My heart pounds at the thought of the other alpha. Sven Mortenson. My crush is getting out of hand. Am I only going over there because I want to see him? Perhaps. Also, this is a perfect reason to go over there, I seldom get such good excuses.
I need to stage an intervention for myself. Clearly.