Page 8 of The Packaged Deal
Sven.
He’s blocking the others from getting to me, almost like he’s protecting me.
“No, Angel, she’s not ready,” Sven growls.
“She needs to talk to someone.”
“Not today,” he says coldly. “She’s had enough.”
“All right, we’re going to go. Perhaps we’re a bit too much,” Hazel says in her melodic voice.
I duck my head, avoiding Hazel’s searching gaze. I can’t explain, I can’t talk, it’s easier not to right now. With a sob, I lean forward, pressing my face into the vast chest of the alpha in front of me.
I trust him. He won’t hurt me. My doctor.
I hear footsteps retreat, and then the doctor lifts me higher into his arms and turns.
“Let's go get your x-rays and get you back to bed,” he murmurs.
Sven comes close, standing on the other side of me. The two men exchange a silent conversation that I am not privy to.
Finally, Sven looks down at me. “I won’t let anything happen to you, Jade. I promise. It’s my job to protect people.”
He reaches out and takes my hand, unfurling my clenched fingers. He smooths his thumb over my knuckles, and then squeezes.
“You can trust Kandi and myself.”
He doesn’t include the doctor, and he doesn’t dispute his words. I pull my hand free and turn my face into my doctor’s shirt.
“Adrian?”
“Mmm?” he asks.
“Is that your name? You told me last night? Adrian?” I know full well that it is, I just want him to speak to me.
“Yes. Sven calls me Addy, but I'm Adrian.”
“It suits you,” I murmur.
I get caught staring into his eyes; he doesn’t look away from me.
“Addy.” Sven waits until Adrian turns us towards him. “You need to go. Kandi will drive.”
“Sven, no!” Kandi protests, but he silences her with a look.
“I'm heading back alone. You’re to stay with her whenever she’s outside of the Omega Refuge.”
“Sven-”
I finally look at the woman. She’s tall with long hair that’s dark brown. Her brown eyes flash as she moves fluidly after the alpha, gripping his arm with a familiarity that makes my heart rise to my throat.
I stare at them, stricken, as he leans down, whispering to her. She shakes her head three times, but he just smiles and strokes his thumb over her bottom lip. This beta, I can smell her scent and her designation everywhere, turns her head to the side, but he ducks down and smacks a kiss to the corner of her lips.
She turns with him, watching him leave.
I’ve got hold of my doctor again, and I think briefly that it’s not just my pain that I can smell. But when I look up at him, his face is expressionless.
He is careful when he carries me out to the car. Kandi holds the door. She smells like citrus. I kind of like it, even if I'm so jealous I could burn up and die.