Chapter Eleven
It was chaotic outside. There was a blur of faces, people who all seemed to know each other. Kai felt like the odd one out. Except for the other omega they’d rescued, who seemed to have attached himself to Max, one of the alphas, like a shadow.
He was sitting in the back of one of the cars, the door open. He couldn’t sit still, fidgeting, glancing around, listening. All he wanted to know, was that Joe was okay. The beta had done what he did to protect Kai, and he was suffering for it. It wasn’t fair.
When he saw Axel appear through the trees, Joe in his arms, he was on his feet and running to them.
“Joe!” The beta didn’t stir, his eyes closed. “Is he okay?”
“He’s hurt,” Axel said. “But he’ll heal.”
The alpha kept walking, heading for one of the cars. Kai trailed after him, unsure. He wanted to stay with them, but he wasn’t sure he was welcome. After all, he was a virtual stranger to everyone but Joe.
Axel gently sat Joe into the car before turning back to him.
“You should ride with us. Why don’t you hop in the other side? If Joe wakes up, he’ll want to know you’re okay.”
Kai nodded, scrambling around to the other side, and getting in. He felt better just being near Joe and Axel. He’d heard so much about the alpha, he felt like he knew him.
Another alpha and omega climbed into the front seats and they drove off.
Between him and Axel, Joe slept.
“Joe’s told me lots about you,” Axel said out of the blue, his voice quiet. “I feel like I know you already.”
“He’s told me a lot about you, too. He tells good stories.”
Axel smiled. “Yeah, he does.”
“He told me you paint. That’s how I knew it was you, back in that room. I could smell paint.”
The alpha’s smile grew wider. “Yeah, I’ve always got paint on my hands. Luckily, Joe doesn’t seem to mind the smell.”
“It’s not a bad smell,” Kai was quick to say. “I kind of like it. I worked as a painter for a while, decorating walls. It was a nice job.” He missed working there.
“I’ll let you try my paints out if you like. It’s a little different to painting walls but you might find you like it just as much. There’s definitely more room for self-expression.”
“I’d like that.”
He turned his gaze to Joe, who seemed too still.
“He’ll be okay, won’t he?”
“Yeah.” Axel ran a hand down Joe’s arm. “He’s got some bad injuries but nothing that he can’t heal. It’ll be a rough few days, but we’ll be by his side the whole time, right?”
Kai nodded eagerly. “We promised we wouldn’t give up, that we’d be there for each other, whatever happened, and that we’d both do our best to escape and get help.”
“What happened, Kai?”
Kai found himself telling Axel everything they’d gone through. The car being run off the road, the van, the cell. The auction. Just the thought of it had him shuddering. And then Joe speaking up.
“He was so brave. If it wasn’t for him, they’d have sold us both off, and I don’t know where we’d be now.”
“That’s my mate,” Axel said with a soft smile. “I knew he’d be okay. I just had to find him, find you both.”
“Thank you,” Kai offered, unable to find better words to express how grateful he was. “I know you don’t know me, but I’m grateful you came to my rescue.”
Tears came to his eyes and he ducked his head to hide them.
“Hey.”
Axel’s soft voice called to him and he glanced up. “You’re one of us now, from the moment you met Joe. And a friend to one of us is a friend to all of us. You’re safe, Kai. You’re home.”
Joe knew he didn’t want to wake up, not with the way his head was aching. But familiar voices nearby pulled him from the depths of slumber, and he blinked his eyes open.
“Hey, there. You back with us?”
“Axel!” He winced at the sound of his own voice. “Ouch.”
“Yeah, it’s me. You’re safe, okay? You’re safe.”
Safe sounded good. But he was forgetting something. No, someone.
“Kai?” He tried to sit up.
“Easy, Joe. He’s right here beside you.”
There was an ache of pain in his ribs and he settled back against Axel with a groan.
“Joe?”
He turned his head to see Kai right next to him, watching him wide-eyed.
“Hey, Kai.” He smiled at the omega who gave him a small smile in return.
“Are you okay?”
“Better now. A little sore, though.”
“We gave you something for the pain, Joe. It’ll kick in soon.”
He turned toward the voice, spying Jensen in the driver’s seat.
“Oh. Hey, Jensen. Hi, Liam. Yeah, I think it’s kicked in. I’m feeling floaty.”
“You saved us,” Kai whispered, and Joe could see tears in his eyes.
“Huh?”
“What you did at the auction. They couldn’t sell us, and it meant there was enough time for Axel and the others to find us. You saved us.”
Joe laughed softly. “It’s nice to be the hero for once.”
He reached for Kai, taking the omega’s hand in his, then turned to Axel clasping the alpha’s hand tightly.
“And it wasn’t just the two of you that you saved,” Axel added. “There were three other shifters being held there. An omega and two betas. We were able to rescue them, too.”
Joe had wondered if there were other shifters being held prisoner and was glad that they’d been able to help them as well.
“Where are we going?”
“Back to River Den,” Axel replied. “You should try to close your eyes and get some rest.”
Joe did as he was told, feeling the two hands held tightly in his. He felt safe right then, knowing the two people he needed most at that moment were right there beside him.
River Den was exactly as Joe had described it, and Kai stared around in wonder. But not for long. Axel carried Joe to the clinic, and Kai trailed after him, feeling self-conscious under the gaze of so many strangers. He didn’t want to lose sight of Joe, the only person who was familiar.
“You’ll need to wait outside while Joe is being treated,” someone said to him as he watched Axel and Joe disappear through a door before it was closed firmly. Sighing, he stayed put, watching and waiting. His legs grew tired, and he sank to the floor. Joe would be okay, wouldn’t he? Axel seemed to think so.
He started to shiver, and he wasn’t sure if it was from the cold or the two days spent alone in a cell. Dropping his head into his hands, he closed his eyes and waited.
The sound of a door opening seemed distant, as did the footsteps, but then there was a warm hand on his back and a voice calling his name. “Kai?”
He was too tired and too cold to lift his head.
Arms wrapped around him and picked him up off the floor.
“Jensen? It’s Kai, he’s not doing so good.”
He was being carried and relished the feeling of being held and the warmth of the arms surrounding him.
“Set him down here,” another voice said. Jensen?
“He was sitting on the ground outside. I thought he was with the others,” Axel said.
“And they probably thought he was with us,” Jensen added.
There were warm hands on him. “He’s cold.”
“It’s likely the isolation. You said he was alone in the cell?”
“Yeah. He seemed okay yesterday, a little ropey, maybe.”
“He’s probably relapsing. Kai? Can you hear me?”
Blinking his eyes open, he tried to sit up.
“Whoa, not so fast. Just relax, okay?”
“Joe?”
“He’s right here. He’s okay, just sleeping. I’m Jensen, remember?”
“You’re the den’s doctor.”
“That’s right.” The other shifter smiled. “How are you feeling?”
“Cold. Tired. I was waiting outside, to see Joe.”
Axel spoke then. “I’m so sorry, Kai. You weren’t supposed to be left alone. Here.” The alpha wrapped a blanket around him.
“He needs—” Jensen started to say.
“I know what he needs,” Axel interrupted. “Can you sit up, Kai?”
He did, both Axel and Jensen’s hands supporting him. Axel sat down next to him.
“I know Joe was helping treat your symptoms. But right now, with his injuries, he can’t. But I can, if you’d be comfortable with that?”
“Are… are you sure?” Kai glanced over at the bed Joe lay on. What would the beta think of Axel helping him?
“I’m sure. And I know what Joe would say if he were awake. I’m going to put my arm around you, okay? And I want you to just focus on getting warm and getting some rest.”
True to his word, the alpha’s arm settled around him. At first, Kai stayed stiff against him, unable to relax. But gradually Axel’s body heat, his scent, lured him in. He settled against him with a sigh, his eyes on Joe.
Joe woke again, and before he’d even opened his eyes, he knew where he was, the smell of the clinic achingly familiar. He heard noise nearby and listened, realizing it was Axel and Kai talking. Soothed by the voices, he relaxed. Axel was talking about the Weir and Kai was asking questions.
Joe rolled toward them and opened his eyes, finding the two sitting side by side as they talked, Axel’s arm around Kai. He found he liked their closeness, liked the sense that the two of them were making a connection.
“Joe!” Kai exclaimed on seeing him. Axel looked up, his eyes brightening when they met Joe’s.
“How long was I out?” he asked, not making any attempt to sit up.
“Hours,” Kai said. “Axel carried you in here and you didn’t even wake up once.”
“You needed the rest,” Axel added. “It’s early evening. Almost time for dinner. Are you hungry?”
“A little. You’ve eaten, right?” he said to Kai. The omega nodded. “They brought me food to eat here.”
“He hasn’t left your side. And neither have I.”
Joe remembered Kai’s isolation sickness. “Have you been able to shift?”
“Not yet, but I think in a few more hours I’ll be able to.”
“Don’t worry,” Axel added. “I’ve been keeping him close. He was a little shaky when we got here, but he’s okay now.”
Joe was reassured by that, knowing Axel would take good care of the omega.
“I’m glad you’re okay, Kai. And it’s good to be home.”