Page 29 of Free Me

“For Linus. He had a lot to let out.”

“I can’t imagine how he’s feeling, but I’m glad you were there for him.”

“Me too, Dad.”

They pulled apart, and Miko accepted a hug from Omi, too. Their proud smiles meant the world to him. Tarius handed him a paper plate with a slice of pizza, and Miko moved to a chair so he could eat. His parents returned to their seats by Layne and Peyton, but tracked Miko with their eyes, curiosity oozing off them. They could have come with him and asked, but no. Miko put them out of their misery (and his with the curious stares) by quickly typing out a text.

I didn’t tell L about mating bond but think he felt something.

Miko couldn’t be sure what Linus felt, especially with Linus’s sense of smell temporarily out of whack. Scent was a huge part of alphas and omegas identifying their bondmates; it was a huge part of how Miko knew who Linus was to him. It was stillearly hours, though, and Miko wasn’t going to panic over minor sensory issues after a coma. Linus had a long recovery ahead of him.

Miko’s text seemed to placate his parents for now, until they could get somewhere more private. He kind of wanted to confide in Layne, who would completely understand Miko’s feelings. Watching your alpha bondmate struggling with a condition you couldn’t do anything to fix. Layne had gone through that with Peyton. But Layne had enough on his plate without Miko adding this particular problem to the weight of it. So he sat alone, while Layne and Peyton had all the support in the world in their corner.

Thankfully, no one bugged him about his visit with Linus, so Miko managed two slices of pizza and half a can of cola before Dr. Westin appeared and beckoned Liam and Isa into the corridor. Miko stood but couldn’t see anyone’s face or voice, even though the room was quiet. But Isa and Liam were both smiling when they returned after only a minute or two.

“Dr. Westin is comfortable moving Linus to an observation room for a day or two,” Isa announced, “while we consider the best rehab center for him.”

“So he won’t be in the hospital much longer?” Tarius asked. “That’s great news.”

“Correct. We’re going to meet with a discharge liaison tomorrow to discuss which rehabs have beds available and where we’re most comfortable taking Linus. Obviously, we want one close to home, but we also want it to be the best choice for his particular injury.”

“Is there anything else we can do for Linus tonight?”

“I don’t think so, not tonight. By the time he’s moved, visiting hours will be over. But I’m sure he will enjoy seeing all of your smiling, rested faces tomorrow.” Isa’s unsubtle way of tellingthem to go home and get some sleep, instead of ruining their posture on the hard waiting room chairs.

Miko hung back while Liam and Isa said goodnight to Kell, Jaysan and their other departing friends, as well as their elder sons. Dad and Omi hugged Peyton and Layne, but then his parents surprised Miko by not leaving, too. When the group had dwindled down to just their quintet, Liam said, “You didn’t tell Linus about the bond.”

“No, I didn’t,” Miko replied. “I know he felt something when I got closer and we touched. I think it helped him open up and really let go of his emotions. But he said he’s having trouble smelling things, so I don’t know what he scented about me. Obviously, neither of us said the words mate or bond, and I don’t want to influence him during his recovery. Did Dr. Westin mention the smell thing?”

“He did. It isn’t uncommon after a head trauma, so all we can do is wait and hope it comes back.”

“Right.” Everything in his life was a waiting game right now. But Miko couldn’t be upset about that. At least he had both his legs. “And I haven’t told anyone else about the bond besides my parents.”

“We haven’t either. Told others, I mean, because my own parents have been gone for decades. I want my son to know the joy of meeting his bondmate, but I recognize it isn’t my place to mention it to him first. All I want is for Linus to come out on the other side of this and be happy.”

“That’s all I want, too. I’ll do everything I can, everything he’ll allow me to do. If Linus gets his scent back and feels the bond and brings it up, I’ll be honest with him. But I still want to go at his pace and not rush new things at him. He’s got enough to reconcile with his leg and any other side effects from the concussion.”

“I agree,” Isa said. “We all want what’s best for Linus, and we won’t always agree on what that is. As his parents, we will have strong opinions, but as his bondmate, we also welcome hearing yours.”

Liam made an odd face, as if not quite agreeing with Isa speaking for him, but he didn’t contradict his mate.

“Please tell Linus he can call me whenever,” Miko said. “Night or day, it doesn’t matter.”

“We will,” Isa replied. “Please, go home and be with your family. The real work is just getting started.”

“Okay.”

Omi held Liam in a long, tight hug, and the pair whispered a bit, their already raspy voices impossible to discern, even if Miko was a fan of eavesdropping. Miko leaned against his sire, grateful for the supportive arm across his shoulders, keeping him standing when part of him wanted to collapse on the floor in a wrung-out heap. Somehow, Miko managed to get all the way home and into the living room before his knees gave out.

His parents supported him from both sides and guided him to the couch, where they sat as a trio. The house was dark, except for a small lamp near the front door, and no one moved to turn on anything else. They sat in the silence and near-dark for a long time, the only sounds their collective breathing and the tick of the decorative wall clock. Miko soaked in the uniqueness of their direct attention and support while it was temporarily focused on him.

“Today was obviously hard for you,” Dad said. “When your bondmate is hurting, it hurts you, as well.”

“I’ve never heard anyone cry like that before,” Miko replied, a little surprised by how hoarse he was. He hadn’t cried in a while but the emotions still strangled him. “Like his heart was being torn out of his chest and shredded to pieces right in front of me.”

“I can relate to that a little bit.”

“You can?” Miko raised his head and met his sire’s eyes. A depth of understanding simmered there that surprised him. Omi had never been seriously ill or injured a day in Miko’s life. He’d slipped at the bakery once when Miko was nine and sprained his wrist, but that was it. What on earth was Dad talking about? “How?”

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