Page 163 of Pack Rivals: Part Two
“I love you, Axel,” I say.
I’ve never said those words to him before, although I’ve always felt them, deep in my heart.
“I love you so fucking much.”
His eyelids flutter and slowly open. His pupils swoop in and out of focus and I can see pain drawn out across his face. His brow creases and he squeezes my hand.
I know what it means. I know what he’s telling me.
He loves me too.
* * *
It only takesa few hours for the doctors to decide that Axel’s stable enough to transfer to the ward. He’s still sleeping so I kiss the motherfucker on his forehead and head off in search of my pack.
When I check, I have about five thousand missed calls and text messages on my phone. I feel bad. I also hope the emotions I’ve been projecting through our bond is enough to reassure them.
I find the elevator and follow the signs through hallways until I find room 3b on the third floor. It’s not in the omega clinic. I hear that’s been temporarily closed down.
When I open the door, Bea’s sitting up in a hospital bed, looking as beautiful as ever, even dressed in the hideous hospital gown which looks like it might have been fashioned out of paper towels. The others are gathered around her on chairs. All except Nate, who’s balanced on the window sill.
“Angel!” Bea says, scrabbling to jump down from the bed. Three pairs of arms hold her down.
“Resting, remember?” Silver tells her sternly.
“I was only going to give him a hug,” she pouts.
“He can come to you.”
And I do, only realizing I’m still covered in blood and sand and seawater when I’ve wrapped my arms around her lithe body and held her so tightly I can feel her heart beating against my chest.
“Omega,” I murmur.
I can’t believe I came so close to losing her. To losing him. To losing them both.
“How is he?” she whispers to me, her body shaking slightly in my arms.
“He’s doing just fine, sweetheart. That old bastard’s made of stern stuff and he is going to be okay.” I release her, kissing her cheeks, her nose and her lips. “Well, actually, maybe even more goddamn grumpy than usual.”
Hardy groans until Nate swings his leg and kicks the back of his chair.
“Hey, man, Axel’s grumpiness is his most endearing feature.”
Bea strokes her fingers over my cheek. There’s blood and sand under her nails and I think I love her all the more for it. “It’s not, Nate,” she says to him while looking at me. “Axel’s most endearing feature is his love for this pack.” I nod, blinking away the Goddamn water that swims in my eyes,
“He took that bullet for me,” I whisper.
“Of course, he did,” she says, resting her forehead against mine.
I close my eyes and breathe in her scent. Like the thickest, stickiest caramel on Earth.
“I’m so glad you’re okay, Bea,” I tell her, “okay and …” I flick my eyes open, only just registering the change in her scent, “no longer in heat.”
“Yes, no longer in heat.”
“The doctor thinks the shock of what just happened has kicked her heat into the long grass,” Connor says.
I heave a sigh of relief. Don’t get me wrong, having our omega in heat is all I’ve been wishing for since I met this woman, but right now, with both Mom and Axel in hospital, this is a blessed relief.
