Chapter Four
Liam woke warm, his pain barely a dull ache. Was he dead? Would he feel warm if he was? Would he feel an echo of pain? His eyes snapped open and he tried to take in his surroundings. He was lying on his side, facing a wall. A wall with pictures. Was that a skeleton? And a giraffe? What?
As soon as he tried to move, his body exploded with pain. He stilled with a groan, feeling his heart start to race. Not dead, so not dead. Wishing he was dead maybe but in actuality, very much alive. Had they caught him? Was he back there?
The door opened, and the thudding of his heart grew louder. He closed his eyes, pushed his face into the soft surface beneath him, and prayed for no more pain.
“Good, you’re awake. How are you feeling?”
The words were soft-spoken but confident, the voice unfamiliar. If not back there, then where was he? He caught the scent of lion and alpha a second later and couldn’t stop the whimper that escaped him.
“Are you in pain?” the voice asked, moving closer. “You shouldn’t be, we’ve been giving you pain relief, but I can increase the dose.” There was an expectant pause, the alpha waiting for a reply.
Liam didn’t give him one, trying to meld himself into the bed he lay on. Maybe they’d just forget about him, lock him up and leave him to die. Hadn’t Nevan said that was what he would do? Why were they nursing him back to health if not to tear him apart all over again?
His heart was galloping away in his chest, so fast he felt like a hummingbird. If only he could fly, he’d soar away from here, far away, where no lion could ever touch him again.
“Shh.” There was a hand on his shoulder and he whimpered again, afraid to move a muscle. A cold sensation hit his arm and then a wave of sleep washed over him.
“That’s it,” the voice said, soft as a whisper. “Just rest now.”
The next time he woke, there was a wolf in the room. The wolf didn’t seem to realize he was awake and pottered around, tidying things, checking things. Liam peeked his eyes open a few times to watch him, doing his best not to be caught.
“I can get you some food if you’re hungry,” the beta offered, and Liam tensed, flattening himself down on the bed in response. Caught.
“It’s okay,” the beta continued. “You’re safe here. I’m Joe. Our doctor, Doctor Jensen, is treating your wounds and we’ve cleaned you up. You’ll need to stay in bed for another week or two until your healing starts to kick in properly, and then we can show you around the place. Did you mean to come here? Were you trying to find a den?”
Liam kept quiet, knowing his tongue would only get him into trouble. What was a den? How was it different to a pack? Would they let him stay? Would they make him stay? Would he be a slave again, just another alpha’s toy? Something to be played with until they got bored.
“Hmm, Jensen said you weren’t a talker. No matter. I’ll bring you something to eat. You need to build up your strength, it’ll help you heal.”
The beta left the room and only then did Liam try to sit up, wincing as a ragged spike of pain ran through him. Nevan had sliced him open, over and over again, leaving him broken and bleeding. Liam vaguely remembered running, feeling blood coat his skin as surely as it coursed through his veins.
By the time Joe returned, Liam was lying down again, feigning sleep. He suspected the beta knew he was awake, but he didn’t call him on it this time, instead, setting the food down on a table next to the bed.
Liam didn’t touch the food, not even after Joe left. Who knew what that would cost him? Instead, he tried to get to his feet. He needed to escape, needed to get away, before things turned bad again.
Standing sent a burning pain from the soles of his feet to his head and he gasped, his knees going weak, his body sliding to the floor. He heard loud footsteps coming his way and curled up, hiding his head behind his hands, protecting it from the strangers’ anger.
The footsteps stopped right next to him, the alpha’s scent flowing around him.
“You shouldn’t be out of bed,” he said softly. “I’m going to lift you back up, okay?”
Liam tried to pretend he wasn’t there, tried to let his mind fly away to somewhere different, but the first touch of a hand had him flinching.
“Easy,” the voice said softly, soothingly. “Now, I won’t lie, it might hurt having me pick you up, but it’s better than you trying to stand, and you can’t lie on the floor.”
Liam thought he might have preferred the floor. There was nowhere to fall when you’d already hit rock bottom.
“On three, okay? One, two, three—” Strong hands lifted him up onto the bed, settling him down on his side again. They let him go and then a blanket was settled across him. Liam just lay there, gasping through the pain.
“My name is Jensen,” the voice said. “I’m a doctor, and a lion, and an alpha. Though I’m guessing you’ve figured some of that out for yourself.”
Liam shuddered at the word alpha and hid his face against the bed again. The alpha in question sighed. “Get some rest. When you’re feeling up to it, have something to eat. I’ll be back to check on you later.”
Jensen left Joe to keep an eye on their patient, getting out of the clinic for some air. He walked a wide circle around the village, trying to gather his thoughts. So far, he hadn’t learned much about the omega, except that he was scared and hurting. From what Joe had said, his reaction to the beta almost identical to his reaction to Jensen. He found he felt reassured that the omega’s fear wasn’t solely for him. But he did have to wonder if another omega might elicit a better response. Knowing Cade was battling five toddlers grumpy with the heat, he went to find Ollie instead.
“Hey,” the omega greeted him. “I was just coming to see you. I hear there’s an omega.”
“Yeah, that’s why I’m here.”
“Sure, why don’t we go and see him together. I should know pretty quickly if there’s something—”
Jensen held up a hand, stopping him. “That’s not why I need you. He’s scared, not talking, or making eye contact, and he’s not eating. Joe hasn’t had any luck with him either. I thought maybe another omega might seem less threatening.”
Ollie nodded slowly, eyes wide. “I can’t imagine anyone seeing Joe as a threat. But sure, why don’t I come and say hi. Maybe it’ll help.”
The omega chattered cheerfully to him while they walked back to the clinic. When they got to the door, Jensen stayed outside and let Ollie go in alone. Joe was nearby in the kitchen.
Jensen leaned against the wall and listened as Ollie softly introduced himself to the omega, getting silence in reply.
The third person to arrive was another omega. Liam kept his head down, listening to the soft voice that spoke to him. They had other omega here, like in the pack. Cautiously, he lifted his head.
“Hi, there,” the omega said. Liam got a glimpse of blond hair and blue eyes before he ducked his head.
“Wow, you’re shy. That’s okay. I’m not.”
Liam glanced up again. “Are… are you a slave, too?”
The omega’s eyebrows rose. “Sl… slave? I don’t understand.”
“Do you belong to the alpha? Jensen?”
The omega opened his mouth, but nothing came out. He sat down heavily on the chair beside Liam’s bed. “No, sweetie, I don’t belong to anyone. Do… do you belong to someone?”
Liam shuddered and ducked his head again, trying not to think about Nevan and what the alpha would do when he caught up with him.
“What’s your name, sweetie? I’m Ollie.”
The omega had said that already, hadn’t he?
“Liam,” he whispered.
“Liam, huh? Suits you. Are you hungry? Joe made you this sandwich. And he makes really good sandwiches.” He leaned over and inhaled deeply. “Chicken mayo and salad. Yum.”
Liam eyed the sandwich and then Ollie suspiciously. Why were they pushing so hard for him to eat? Ollie caught the expression on his face, his eyebrows climbing almost into his hairline.
“We could share it if you like?” the other omega said, breaking a small chunk off and eating it. “Tasty. Now you have some.”
Liam shook his head.
“Why not?” Ollie asked. “Don’t you like chicken?”
Liam did, and his stomach growled to prove it. But he couldn’t eat. He didn’t know what that would cost him. He shook his head again, harder.
The omega set the plate back down. “You know, I think I’m just freaking you out. But you do need to eat, otherwise, you won’t get better.” He stood slowly. “You’re safe here, Liam. Once you’re better, I’ll show you around. There’s so much to see.”
Liam hid his face against the bed again. Nowhere was safe, not for an omega like him.