Page 73 of Omega Rock

Mia’s there at my side. “Would it help if we held your sides? Or something?” She’s doing a good job now of appearing strong, but there’s no mistaking the fear in her eyes. The same I feel with my whole heart.

I nod to her. “You could. Just to help me stand and spot me down the stairs.” I look to Noah. “Can you grab my backpack and some clothes?”

“Sure thing, man,” he says before disappearing to do that.

Mia and Aiden brace me as I stand upright. No one judges the curses flying out of my mouth as I battle again with the lightning bolt of pain that sets my veins on fire.

Slowly, and with so much agony, I get down the stairs of the tour bus—who the fuck designed buses to have such large steps?—and onto a stretcher. Noah’s talking to the EMTs while they gather information and get my vitals. Mia doesn’t leave my side, still purring in a vibration that soothes me some more.

“Vasculitis,” Noah tells them. “He’s had nerve flares for weeks now but said he was okay.”

Aiden pulls my backpack from Noah’s shoulder and hands it to them. “He’s had steroids all along.”

One of the EMTs comes to me and with a look of care that sets me at ease says, “We’ll take you to the closest hospital and get tests run for you.”

“It’s GPA,” I say despite the shake in my voice. “Wegener’s. Not much you can do, but this feels like it’s back versus a flare.”

Mia touches a light hand to my leg. “They’ll take care of you. We all will.” Then she looks to the EMT. “Can I ride with you?”

The EMT nods. “As long as it’s okay with him. Are you family?”

I meet Mia’s gaze. “Yeah. She is.”

Noah pats my leg too. “We’ll meet you there and call Wes on the way.”

Wes. Oh, fuck.“He’s gonna kill us.”

Aiden pins me in place with a hard look. “No he won’t. Not for this. Just go and get help, Leo.”

And I do. But it’s a long as hell and unfortunately bumpy ride to the hospital.

I’m grateful to have Mia at my side the entire way.

ChapterTwenty-Four

MIA

I ridewith Leo to the hospital, but once we’re set up in one of the Emergency Room suites, they take him away for blood tests and imaging scans. Leo has this handy little guide that tells the nurses and doctors exactly what he needs because apparently this disease is rare.

I learn this and so much while we wait for the results of all his tests. Aiden and Noah are there when Leo returns, and now it’s just a matter of waiting.

I also learn something I hadn’t much considered before. I knew I was falling for all of my alphas. But as Leo was taken away for tests and imaging, and while I waited for Noah and Aiden to get there, all I could think was:

One of the loves of my life might be dying.

It hit me then, only duringthis, that I love them.

God, I love them all. But can we survive as a pack after this horrific weekend?

I’ve pulled up a chair as close to his hospital bed as is comfortable for him. Leo hasn’t said much but I understand why. So all I can do is comfort and reassure him.

Aiden and Noah do much the same as well as field calls and messages from Wes. He’s supposed to get here to see us, but something is holding him up, although I’m not sure what it is at this point.

Finally, Leo seems to perk up enough to talk. He even reaches for my hand and squeezes it. “Thank you. All of you. This… isn’t easy. Honestly, I’m kind of terrified.”

I lean down and gently place a kiss on his hand. “Anything, Leo. Always.”

“We’re with you, man,” Noah adds.

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