Page 22 of Collateral Omega

Xaine closed his eyes and sank into the mattress. He must have fallen asleep because when he looked up, Dr Micha was standing next to the bed.

“Let’s get you medicated,” the doctor said. He leaned close and quickly administered the drug. “We’ll monitor you for a few hours. If there are no bad reactions, you can go home.”

“What happens if I have a bad reaction?” he asked, hoping nothing happened.

“It means we must keep you here while the drug works on your system. Some alphas found it painful, while others didn’t. I hope you are the latter. Aggressive alphas don’t make the best patients. I would rather not deal with you guys if I don’t have to.”

“Deltta Kohle was a handful, wasn’t he?” Xaine asked.

“No comment,” Dr Micha said, a tiny smile on his lips. “Get some rest. We’ll know after a few hours how the drug affects you.”

“Okay,” Xaine said.

A few hours later, he was still fine. The drugs didn’t have an adverse effect on him. Excited, Xaine got dressed and made his way out of the health centre to the parking dome, a note for his next appointment tucked away safely in his pocket. He only had to get medicated once a month, which was perfect.

Preat saw him coming and got out of the pod to open the door for him.

“Take me home,” Xaine said, feeling happy for the first time in his life. He was finally going to be a normal alpha. They drifted out of the parking dome onto the airway. The traffic was a bit thick around the health centre but thinned as they headed towards the affluent part of the capital where the rich lived. The pod suddenly made a sharp glide to the left, causing Xaine to almost slide off his seat.

“Sorry,” Preat said. “There was a stationary pod on the airway. I didn’t see it until it was too late.”

Xaine looked behind them and saw the stationary pod.

“I’ll report it,” Preat said, reaching for his connector. Xaine was about to nod his consent but stopped when his head suddenly felt like a heavy boulder on his shoulders. He blinked rapidly, feeling dizzy.

What the hell?

Xaine gripped his head and willed the dizziness away. The food he’d eaten that afternoon in the health centre climbed up his oesophagus, threatening to discharge.

Oh fuck. Was the drug finally kicking in? Xaine clenched his jaw and took deep breaths through his nose.

“Go slow, please,” he said.

“Yes, master.”

As soon as the pod slowed down, Xaine felt better but the nausea lingered. And his body ached like a painful pimple ready to explode. They arrived at the house a few minutes later. Preat got out of the pod and opened the door for him as he usually did. Xaine didn’t get out. He gripped the seat, his muscles spasming so hard he could barely move.

“Master?” Preat said, concerned.

“Give me a minute,” Xaine said, but it felt like he might need more than that. Maybe an hour or two because his body refused to listen to him. Nothing seemed to be working.

“Here,” Preat said, climbing into the pod. He wrapped his arms around him and helped him out of the pod into the house. Xaine vied for the sitting area, but Preat walked him to his room where he gently lay him down.

“Thank you,” Xaine said, grateful. When he heard Preat leave, Xaine wrapped his arms around one of his pillows for comfort.

Sweat dotted his skin, making him feel hot and cold at the same time. It was excruciating. It felt like a small death.

The door to his room opened again. Xaine silently groaned when Klane’s scent hit him. The beta just had to come back when the drugs were kicking his ass. Klane was already against Xaine getting medicated. He didn’t need to see him like this.

Fuck, Xaine closed his eyes.

“What’s wrong?” the beta asked. “Is it the medication?”

“Yeah.”

“Should I connect with Dr Micha?”

“Yes,” Xaine said, hoping he didn’t sound as pathetic as he felt. He should have turned around on the airway and returned to the health centre. But he’d thought it was nothing serious. But now he could barely think.

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