Alpha's Obedience, page 5
There was an edge to Palani's voice, and his eyes showed it as well. Why would Palani be upset about that? Then Sivney thought it through, and it clicked for him. Enar. His mate.
"Because he looks like an alpha," he said softly.
That flash of anger disappeared. "They don't know because they can’t see it in him. Not at first anyway."
What an amazing feeling it had to be to have a man like Palani in your corner. Sivney could sense it in the beta, his willingness to go to battle on Enar's behalf. It warmed his heart, this beta who accepted his mate so fully, regardless of his complicated identity.
"If I stay, I would love to work there. It's always been my dream to help other omegas, and I think that after my own pregnancy and giving birth, I would be even more qualified because I could speak from experience.”
Palani nodded with a big smile on his face. “I’m excited to hear that, but Enar said that until you've given birth, you’re not allowed back in the clinic. He has too many patients with contagious diseases, since hygiene levels have gone down considerably the last two weeks. He doesn't want you to catch anything that could harm your baby. Besides, he said you should rest." Sivney rolled his eyes, and Palani grinned. "Not big on taking rest, I gather?"
"Let's just say that resting isn't really my forte. One of the things I love about being a nurse is that you're always busy."
Palani leaned back again, looking thoughtful. "How would you feel about helping us take care of a wounded alpha here on the ranch?"
"Sure. As long as I don't have to lift him, that would be fine. What happened to him?"
It took a few seconds before Palani answered. "He was held captive for a while, and in their efforts to get information from him, his captors broke both his legs in several places. They healed again but not correctly, so he's in constant pain and he can't put much weight on them."
Sivney let that run through his head, creating a mental picture. How the man must have suffered. "You don't have an X-ray machine here," he said.
"No. We can do ultrasounds, obviously, but not X-rays. Enar says an orthopedic surgeon needs to look at it, but considering we're on the brink of a civil war, that's not gonna happen. All we can do is take care of him as best we can and hope for circumstances to improve."
"It would be my pleasure to help you take care of him. At least, for as long as I can." He patted his belly. "At some point, this baby is going to come out, and I'll be out of commission for a bit."
"Are you sure that's gonna make you rest?" Palani teased him. "I wouldn't be surprised if you plopped that kid out and went straight back to work."
Sivney grinned. "I wouldn't be surprised either."
“Well, let’s introduce you to Naran. I’m sure he’ll appreciate your help.”
6
Naran had been reading yet another book—there was little else to do for him but reading and watching TV, though the latter made him even more depressed—when a firm knock on the door made him look up. Maz again? Who else could it be? Few people had bothered to stop by, though in all fairness, he hadn't exactly encouraged the ones who did either.
"Come in!"
Not Maz, then. Palani. With an omega in tow. A pregnant omega, and a burst of anger surged up inside Naran that an omega had to see him like this.
"Palani," he greeted the beta. "To what do I owe the pleasure of your company?"
Naran didn't know Palani very well but enough to recognize the warning flash in his eyes. "Naran, I'd like you to meet Sivney. He'll be staying with us on the ranch for a while, and he's offered to take care of you. He's a nurse."
Before Naran could say anything, the omega stepped forward, extending his hand. "It's a pleasure to meet you."
Wow, he had certainly adjusted quickly to the social norms on the ranch because under normal circumstances, he would've had to wait for Naran to take the initiative. "Naran Watkins."
He omitted the obligatory phrase about being pleased to meet him because he'd be lying through his teeth. He wasn't happy to meet him at all, not in this state, and even less pleased to hear they'd assigned an omega to take care of him. To be this weak in front of another alpha was one thing, but no way would he would humiliate himself in front of an omega. He might not have much pride left but enough for that.
"Palani, could I have a word with you in private, please?" he said between clenched teeth.
Palani's eyes darkened. He shot another warning look in Naran's direction, but Naran ignored it.
"Is there a problem?" Palani asked, quietly challenging him.
"I don't need someone to take care of me." God, he sounded like a petulant child, even to his own ears.
"That's certainly not what I've heard, but maybe I'm wrong. So you're saying you can shower independently now? Make your own meals?"
"I thought I would be given the courtesy of doctor-patient confidentiality, but I guess I've been the topic of your pillow talk, huh?"
He regretted the words as soon as he'd spoken them, but by then it was too late. Palani took a step toward the bed, bent over, and jabbed a finger in Naran's face. "Don't you dare! Not after everything Enar and Maz have done for you, you ungrateful shit. You don't get to tear him down, you hear me? He would never, ever do that, and you damn well know it."
Oh, how he wanted to fight Palani, just to get rid of some of the anger brewing inside him. But he couldn't. First of all, his remark had been below the belt, and he was well aware of that. Palani was one hundred percent right. Enar and Maz would never do that, and it had been insulting of him to suggest that. Moreover, Palani didn't deserve his anger. He and everyone else on the ranch had done nothing but support him.
He blew out a breath, clenching his fists to keep his temper in check. "I know. That was uncalled for."
The fire in Palani's eyes transformed to an icy stare before he stepped back and turned toward the omega. "It seems I have misrepresented the situation, so if you don't want to do this, I would more than understand."
Naran had never felt this small in his life and certainly not in front of a beta and an omega. The most infuriating thing was that Palani was right. But this anger inside him bubbled and brewed, and he couldn't seem to get rid of it. He closed his eyes in anticipation of the omega’s reaction, which would most certainly be the polite version of “go fuck yourself.”
"I've seen worse," the omega said, much calmer than Naran had expected. "Patients often lash out in anger as a result of pain, frustration, medication, or a combination of the above. I'm used to it."
Naran opened his eyes again, expecting to see pity on the omega’s face. Instead, he saw detached kindness. It was the look of a professional, the same look he'd given countless clients when he’d had to deliver bad news.
"I have to admit I'm a little hesitant to subject you to this," Palani said, and Naran shrank in his bed. When had he become a this? "Maz had hinted Naran was belligerent, but I wasn't expecting this."
Was there anything worse than people talking about you as if you weren't in the room? Not that he didn't deserve it, but it made Naran feel so very, very small.
Sivney gave Naran another considering look, then nodded at Palani. "I'll be fine. No worries, I got this."
After a second or two, Palani turned around to face Naran again. "If I hear you so much as put a finger on him, I will break both of your legs again myself. Do you understand me?"
How low had he sunken that Palani thought him capable of any violence toward an omega? Was that how people saw him now? Was that who he had become? "I would never touch him," he said, and much to his dismay, his voice wasn't entirely steady. "And that's quite the insensitive threat, considering what I've been through."
Palani's face softened. "You're right. I crossed a line there, and I shouldn't have said that. I'm just… You worry me, Naran. I don't want to see Sivney get hurt."
What would it take, a pinky promise? Would they have to swear on blood or some shit before the beta believed he didn't mean the omega any harm? But before he could say anything else, Palani nodded at him and turned around.
"He's all yours," he said to Sivney, and then he stalked out of the room.
"I'm not quite the asshole he painted me to be," Naran said. He didn't want the omega to be scared of him. He still didn't want him there, but that was a different problem.
"I don't have an opinion of you yet," Sivney said. "I never go by first impressions.”
"Thank god for small favors," Naran mumbled.
"Since I haven't had any instructions yet from Enar or Maz and Palani only gave me the CliffsNotes version of your injuries, why don't you start by telling me a little about yourself?”
Naran had zero intention to do that, but when the omega pulled up a chair and sat down next to his bed, leaning back and rubbing his round belly, he found it impossible to say no.
"I was held prisoner for forty days because the mob boss I was working for discovered I was digging a little too deep into his affairs. He thought I was working for someone else, so his men put pressure on me to give names. And by put pressure on me, I mean that they took a crowbar to my legs and broke them in several places.”
He wasn't even sure if he'd been intentionally blunt to shock the omega, but if he had, it didn't work. All Sivney's face showed was professional compassion.
"It sounds like you've been through quite the ordeal. From what I understand, your legs didn't heal properly?"
Naran shook his head. "For obvious reasons, casts were not available, so they splinted them with bandages and some wooden sticks. I guess I should be grateful they even did that, but the bones didn't grow together properly. Maz says they would have to be re-broken surgically in order to heal correctly, probably with screws or something in them."
"And of course, that surgery is not available right now because of the state of emergency."
Naran sighed. "There's also the added complication that the mobster boss is dead, but his people could still be looking for me, since they know I got away. I'm pretty sure I wasn't supposed to leave that building alive, and his organization has a long memory.”
“It sounds like your current medical situation is unlikely to change anytime soon. That means we have to make the best of it and see what's possible considering your limitations."
Naran rolled his eyes. "You sound like a medical professional."
Sivney's smile was light. "I'm not sure if you meant that as an insult, but I consider that a compliment."
"Yeah, whatever."
Sivney cocked his head, studying Naran. "Why don't you want my help? Is it because you don't want help in general or is it because I'm an omega? You know, some sort of alpha pride thing."
Well, when he put it like that, it sounded ridiculous. "I don't like being this weak."
For the first time, Sivney's face lost that professional edge, and the compassion in his expression felt real. "I can understand that. No one likes to show their weaknesses. It makes you vulnerable."
"It makes me want to tear my hair out," Naran muttered.
"The reality is that you do need help, and I'm here to provide it."
"What if I don't want your help but prefer someone else’s?”
"Really? You're going to make this personal?"
"It's not personal. It's that you're…"
How could he explain this in a way that wasn't insulting? It wasn't just that Sivney was an omega. It was that he was a young omega, a cute one, a healthy one… Everything that Naran would never have. Once upon a time, he would've stood a chance with an omega like him. But now? He was forty-two years old, still single, with a broken body and zero hope for the future. Sivney reminded him of everything he could never have again, and that hurt even more than his legs.
“Never mind,” he said. “You’ll have to do.”
Sivney chuckled. “Well, if that isn’t an enthusiastic embrace of my personality and qualities…”
“It’s as good as it’s gonna get, so you’ll have to settle for it,” Naran snapped.
“Fine by me. First order of business: you need a shower.”
Hell no. He was not undressing in front of Sivney. Abso-fucking-lutely not. Did Sivney really think that Naran would… No. Wasn’t gonna happen.
“Why do I need a shower?” Yup, the petulant child voice was back. When had he become that person?
Sivney came out of the relaxed position he’d been sitting in so far and leaned forward, meeting Naran’s eyes dead on. “Because you smell. Rather strongly.”
Naran’s cheeks heated, something that rarely happened to him. “I don’t care. It’s not gonna bother anyone because no one else is here.”
“I’m here,” Sivney said, and that friendly tone had a core of titanium. “And it sure as hell bothers me.”
Naran had to respect the omega’s insistence, but that still didn’t mean he was gonna give in. “Still not gonna happen.”
“Why? Because you don’t want me to see you naked? You think I’ve never seen a naked alpha before? I’m five weeks away from delivering a baby, so I’m pretty sure I know how everything works. Besides, I’ve seen plenty of patients during my internships.”
When he said it like that, it made Naran’s objections sound rather ridiculous. But how could he show his weakened body to an omega? He barely looked like an alpha anymore, for fuck’s sake. Displaying his body to an omega when he’d been in his prime had been a source of joy, but now? This was humiliating to say the least.
“I’m…” He stopped talking again, unable to find the words to express the storm of emotions inside him.
“Look, I understand you’re embarrassed, okay? Imagine being pregnant and having to bare it all for multiple alpha doctors while giving birth. Just saying, it’s not like us omegas don’t understand. We know all about humiliating and embarrassing. But you’re gonna have to get over yourself because you need a shower, and you need one bad. I’m not leaving until you’ve showered, so let’s do this.”
He was a bossy one, wasn’t he? One look at his face told Naran the omega meant every word and that he had no intention of backing down. “Whatever,” he growled. “If you wanna perv on some crippled alpha, be my guest.”
“Yes,” Sivney said dryly. “That’s exactly what I’m in the mood for five weeks before my due date: getting all hot and bothered. Seriously.”
Despite himself, Naran laughed for the first time in months. Maybe having Sivney around wouldn’t be so bad after all.
7
Lev had been quietly stewing for three days, ever since he'd found out that Sivney had been asked to take care of Watkins. Lev didn’t understand the rationale behind this request. Even if he appreciated they had a moral obligation to provide the necessary care for Watkins—they couldn't very well let the man die—that didn't mean they had to task an innocent, vulnerable omega with this. What the hell had Palani been thinking?
He'd debated asking the beta about it, but after mulling it over for hours during his perimeter walks, he'd decided questioning the second-in-command of the pack was not a smart strategy to build trust. No, if he wanted to prove his worth, challenging Palani in his decisions was not the way to go.
His next plan had been to approach Enar because certainly a doctor would understand the dangers of a man like Watkins. Plus, Sivney was pregnant, for fuck's sake. That made him extra vulnerable. But he'd nixed that plan too after realizing it would still get back to Palani, considering Enar was his mate.
Then there was the option of approaching Watkins. And despite the fact that his stomach had all but heaved at the thought, he had considered it. Maybe a firm talking to would help the man see that he himself should refuse Sivney's care. Lev had even practiced what he would say, improving on the words until they sounded strong enough. He’d come up with a good speech, a powerful one.
The only reason he hadn't gone through with it was that he doubted his ability to actually get the words out once he was facing Watkins. The man had the uncanny ability to transform him into some stumbling, awkward teenager. Granted, he wasn't the only one, since Lev tended to ramble when he was nervous anyway, but it was three times as bad with Watkins.
God, he'd wanted to impress him so badly when they'd first met, and nothing normal had come out of his mouth. He'd been amazed Watkins hadn't walked away, though in hindsight that made perfect sense. It had been a job, after all, not romance or even attraction.
His final solution was one that didn't sit well with him either, but it was the best he could think of. It would require him to embarrass himself by confessing to Sivney how stupid and naïve he had been, but if that was what was necessary to protect the omega, he would do it.
He'd noticed that Sivney liked to take a little stroll after lunch, and so he waited for him to show up. Right when he'd expected him, Sivney walked around the corner. To be fair, it was more like waddling, as his extended belly made him move like a little penguin or a duck. Lev thought it was adorable.
"Hey, Sivney," he said. "Mind if I join you for your walk?"
The omega gave him a sweet smile. "Not at all. Aren't you working?"
"Nah. I'm on the night shift, so I don't start till eleven tonight."
Sivney seemed to shudder. "You rather than me. I had a hard time during my internships getting used to the night shift. It threw my whole system out of whack for days."
Lev shrugged. "I've been doing it for a while now. You get used to it, I guess. I've learned to sleep whenever I need to."
He didn’t mention he woke up almost every night with nightmares. No one needed to know that.
"Maybe it's different for alphas," Sivney said, looking pensive when Lev shot a quick glance sideways. "After all, omegas are on a different biological schedule anyway, what with the heats and all."
Lev's cheeks flushed. He wasn't used to speaking about topics like this so openly. "M-maybe."
They walked in a companionable silence for a while, with Lev gathering the courage to raise the topic he'd been wanting to discuss. "I heard you're taking care of Watkins," he finally forced the words out.
